Brief summary: I agree with Wenders' reaction to the film, and also fault Wikipedia (the version at the original date of writing) for failing to understand Wenders' critique. I myself also express dissatisfaction with the film. (added 11 Feb. 2012)
I just saw the film "Downfall", which depicts Hitler's final days.
Prior to viewing it I took a peak at the Wikipedia article on the film, and discovered Wim Wender's assessment of it.
Myself, I don't see the point of the film. Yes, it is upsetting to see violence, and the violence in the film is far less than the actuality. But, for insights I would turn rather to books or other films.
Nonetheless, I've been thinking about what Wenders has to say (insofar as I've understood his criticism--reading him in the original German with my less than complete knowledge of that language), and I've put together my own take on what he says.
So far as the English language Wikipedia article goes,
The Wikipedia article is incomplete or unsatisfying insofar as the writer/s simply says/say
that Wenders made a technical analysis of the film (or something to that effect.)
But it's not so "technical" that a naive viewer like myself (or, dare I say, you) can't understand it.
Consider the psychologist's notion of "scripts" or "schemas"--handy and familiar routines, or chunks of rules/abstract notions put together for understanding reality.
If I know someone is a father, e.g., that structures my experience, in advance, so to speak, of actual experiencing.
So, too if I now a building is a restaurant....
So, too, the makers of "Untergang" began with the mundane event of a job interview--preceded, however, by an interview with an old woman, who happened to be depicted in the film, and that's important to mention..l..
Nonetheless, by focusing on the job interview, and the young woman who wanted a job,
and turning Hitler into the boss, and a not so bad one (it seems).....the film did effect a degree of normalization of the man and the historical events.....
She was just like us: looking for a job. Her boss just happened to be Hitler....
No, that doesn't sound right.
A defender of the film might like to emphasize the current day interviews with the older woman, a woman who said: Yes I could have known....(known about how evil Hitler was....)...
But, it is a question of emphasis, and the power of the cinematic depiction with actors, versus the current day interview.
I am inclined to agree with Wenders about the overall effect, namely, the film tended to trivialize Hitler, to frame him as an employer.
For a more profound understanding of World War Two or Hitler, I would have to turn elsewhere...
A psychologically deeper approach is found, e.g., in the recently published novel by Keith Oatley, "Therefore Choose", and if I were to single out a quality that makes that book different from the film, it would be the tension and discomfort I experienced in reading the book.
I wasn't sufficiently uncomfortable while viewing "Downfall".....
Movies? Just now I don't know.
NOTE
Slight modifications added February 11, 2012. (I have not checked Wikipedia to see if there is a newer version of the article.)
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