Ruins of the Reich
by R.J. Adams
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: noneDirector: R.J. Adams
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown)
Format: NTSC
Running Time: 236 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2007-04-02
Studio: Shannon & Company
Movie Reviews of Ruins of the Reich
Movie Review: The reason for five stars
Summary: 5 Stars
I received "Ruin of the Reich" as a Christmas present this year. And if you are thinking, a World War II documentary for Christmas, well it's not that strange. As a screenwriter and filmmaker myself, I've begun researching my next script which takes place during Germany's march through Europe. The wealth of information that I received from this DVD was incredible. "Ruins of the Reich" is a two disc documentary that looks at the rise and fall of the Hitler and the Nazi party. "Ruins" takes a look at this period in history from the unique angle of the buildings and forts that were constructed and used by the Germans in the late 30's and 40's. This aspect of the DVD was extremely compelling for me. As a contractor's son, I enjoy architecture very much. Although the Neo-Nazi style was very boxy and boring. The intrigue came with my realization of how very precise and thought out Hitler was in everything he did, because each element was working together to reach his ultimate vision. And we all know where that took the world.
So in getting down to the particulars of the this DVD series, I found that the specific timeline from the beginning of Hitler's reign to the end of WWII are outlined with extreme detail and accuracy. And to me that is the most important thing in a documentary. Other "likes" I had with this series was that it brought you to the exact location of historic places in order to show you what it looks like today. And since I haven't had the pleasure of traveling to Europe it was a treat. I can't say this documentary is perfect by any means. For me it fell short with the music. There is not a lot of music throughout, it is really only used to punch up certain areas, in order to draw attention or create subtle suspense during particular story lines. Now the music may just be a side affect of my other problem with this DVD. The entire film is voice over, and although the man speaking is eloquent and interesting, listening to anyone speak for 240 minutes wears on you. So I would suggest breaking up the segments and watching them one at a time. Each segment is an hour. To help this problem, the director in me, would have liked to see a few interview of people with first, or at very least, second hand knowledge of the topics discussed. I think it would have brought a slight human element to the film and broken up the constant voice over. Now don't get me wrong, I am not in favor of a documentary filled with talking heads.
Finally I'd like to express my absolute favorite part of this film, the element that tips the scale from I liked it (four stars) to I loved it (five stars). The archival footage used was amazing. It is crystal clear, and in some cases better quality then the new footage. It has got to be the real Nazi propaganda footage, I mean straight from the can. There are clips of Hitler's home movies, clips from inside the Nazi headquarters, and even shots of people getting on a off trains heading for concentration camps. I was completely blown away by this footage. I know there aren't many documentaries out there with archival footage of this quality and that is why this DVD series is one of the best I've seen. I hear that Shannon & Company have volumes 3 and 4 coming out soon and I will make sure to pick it up when I get the chance. Nice job Mr. Adams.
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