Swastika

Synopsis

Met with a tumultuous reception at Cannes in 1973, Swastika was subsequently banned in Germany until 2010, when it was acknowledged for its significant contribution to understanding Hitler and Nazism; as stated in its opening credits, "If Hitler is dehumanized and shown only as a devil, any future Hitler may not be recognized, simply because he is a human being." Philippe Mora uses color home movie footage shot by Eva Braun to present the private life of Adolf Hitler. This footage is culled together by Philippe Mora to form an in-depth autobiography of Hitler’s rise and fall, following his life from the rise of the Nazi state to the end of World War II.

The DVD includes a number of special features, including "Swastika Revisited", a filmmaker discussion featuring producers Sanford Lieberson & David Puttnam, director Philippe Mora, and writer Lutz Becker, as they discuss the making of the film; "Manipulation and Nazi Propaganda" featurette, discussing the role of propaganda in newsreels and documentaries in German cinema; an interview with Lutz Becker (from BBC Television in 1973) discussing the discovery of the colour home movies shot by Eva Braun, and an interview with architect Albert Speer, discussing his reaction to seeing the color home movies; colour film shot in Nazi Germany; "Puncturing the Myth of Leni Riefenstahl" audio track featuring Lutz Becker and Philippe Mora; an introduction by historian Jonathan Petropoulos, discussing the controversy surrounding the film; and trailers.

SPECIAL FEATURES:
Filmmaker Discussion; ‘Manipulation and Nazi Propaganda’ featurette; Interview with Albert Speer; Colour Film in Nazi Germany; ‘Puncturing the Myth of Leni Riefenstahl’ audio track; Introduction by Jonathan Petropoulos; Trailers

Language

English

Country

Great Britain

Year of production

1973

Subjects

History

Keywords

Hitler, Adolf; Nazi Germany; newsreel films; Riefenstahl, Leni; Speer, Albert; World War II

Credits

Director

Philippe Mora

Producer

David Puttnam

Contributor

Ludovic Kennedy

Distribution Formats

Type

DVD

Format

Region 2 PAL

Price

£11.99

Availability

Sale

Duration/Size

95 minutes + 82 minutes extras

Year

2012

Distributor

Name

Odeon Entertainment

Email

info@odeonent.co.uk

Web

http://www.odeonent.co.uk/ External site opens in new window

Phone

0870 242 6703

Fax

01455 558167

Address

Unit 14
Midland Court
Central Park
Lutterworth
Leicestershire
LE17 4PN

 

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