His Master’s Toys

I just finished watching Oliver Hirschbiegel’s outstanding film ‘Downfall‘ which is based on last 12 days of Adolf Hitler’s life in the bunker where he killed himself, narrated through the eyes of Traudl Junge, his secretary. The film portrays the human side of the ‘Third Reich’ (which created much controversy), and the events surrounding the death of some of the key supporters of Hitler.

However, apart from the outstanding narrative, the film had some superb techniques that helped recreate the drama and intensity of a war-torn nation with minimal depiction of battle sequences.

Claustrophobic setting: through complete lack of natural light, extreme use of ‘white’ light, contrast and shadows, it creates a feeling of suffocating claustrophobia in the viewer’s mind. The long shots go only as far as a section of a bunker would allow, and the camera shake that follows shells dropping overground (almost like an earthquake), create an atmosphere of captivity, where every single and rare outdoor shot almost comes as a relief. Seen through the POV of the characters, the bunker is safe, and the outside dangerous (due to constant shells dropping from an invisible aggressor). Yet, the moment a character steps outside the bunker door, it gives a fleeting sense of relief from the oppressive interiors, but one that can only last a few seconds due to the constant danger of sudden death from a bullet or a shell.

Switching from Handheld to Steady: there are moments in the film where a soldier, running through dangers of battlefield, steps into the safety of the bunker from outside, after having escaped an attack. One can see how well crafted the camera work is, when one observes the transition from a jittery handheld shot with sudden shakes, to a more stable frame. This transition is carried through several cuts without any sudden jump. Psychologically, the timing of this transition is perfect and highly believable, thus effectively enhancing the reality of the film.

Hidden enemy: not once is the enemy shown in the film (until at the very end). From the POV of those inside the bunker, that’s exactly how it must have felt, and so the technique works really well. Even when the characters commit suicide, it is unknown to them whether a world without ‘National Socialism’ is worth living in. ‘The Führer’ who emphasizes his hatred for the decadent ‘Western Democracy’ reaffirms their faith in the idealistic portrait of Germany they had painted in their head, thus enhancing the sense of tragic irony throughout the film.

Juxtaposition: even as the camera moves from a closeup of Hitler’s constantly trembling left hand (he was suffering from Parkinson’s disease) to the sudden bursts of anger at the inefficiency and betrayal of his troops and generals, the constant state of unpredictability is maintained throughout the film. There are some superb juxtapositions in the film, specially around the time when Hitler decides to commit suicide. The film moves from shots of his Generals guarding the door as he makes preparations to swallow poison and shoot himself immediately after (along with Eva Braun), to those of kids who feel a sense of safety inside the bunker, to those of careless soldiers awaiting an inevitable end, drunk and merry, to those of his close associates who feel that their commander deserted them at the time of need. These juxtapositions are seen throughout the film, always creating multiple opposing voices in the narrative.

Minimal debate & dialogue: a film that’s based on a period of defeat has much possibility to depict the sense of constant doubt and irony in the minds of its characters. Yet there is minimal usage of dialogue throughout the film, subtly depicting the doubt through sudden outbursts when the characters are forced to make a decision, or take an action. Hitler’s secretary Traudl Junge constantly shuffles from a sense of internal doubt about the entire movement and her faith on the leader is repeatedly tested. Yet, it is through her final conversation with Eva Braun that her doubt is actually revealed (’…yet he says such brutal things sometimes’). Rest of the time, it is through superb acting that the viewer understands the complex nature of her allegience to Hitler.

Apart from the above, the characterization of its nearly all characters is superb, easily distinguishing them from each other and giving them their independent opinion through some very key dialogues.

Highly recommended (with repeat viewing… if possible).