I can’t add much as I haven’t seen this one, much as I would love to. But I do remember reading about the furor that erupted in Germany when it premiered. The title, as I saw it in english, was ‘Our Hitler; A film From Germany’ and I dare say that ‘Our’ makes a difference……
By implying the collective ‘ownership’ of such a man, this of course would rub many wounds among Germans. This plus the operatic structural elements and other theatrical qualities the film is supposed to have, along with the long runtime, undoubtedly offended many, as if Syberberg wasn’t content with making just a film about Hitler, but wanted to make such a ‘big noise’ that it couldn’t just be ignored as ‘an experimental film’ to be shoved aside. It did get fair amount of international press at the time.
The one other work I can think of that hit the same nerve is the book “Hitler’s Willing Executioners” by D. Jonah Goldhagen. The implications “You Knew” or “You Went Along” are ones that get Germans divided very quickly.
But the English title, with the ‘Our’ in it is very good. I get the impression from what I have read about the film that Syberberg could easily have included that in the original title.
If there was a natural film choice for Criterion to consider re-releasing, surely this would be it.
This film requires a lot of patience to get through. Some parts are much more effective than others. Some of the extended monologues, from Himmler’s masseusse, for example, go on for far too long. It is a film best seen after its initial viewing in a format where you can skip through certain parts. Yet, it is a film that asks a lot of questions and employs a technique that is uniquely Syberberg’s own: involving puppet theatre, self-referential images, radio broadcasts in the background, myth and the mundane. The best way to approach the film is to read Susan Sontag’s essay first, then see the film at the above site. I currently don’t have a dvd copy. Thanks for your comments Claus.
Syberberg is still a very controversal figure in Germany, especially as he has made many questionable comments in recent years that can certainly be interpreted as anti-Semitic. He began life as a Marxist and worked with the Brecht Berliner Ensemble and this influenced his style. He loves to bring the mundane aspects of politics, especially as it concerns Hitler and German history. He is a mythmaker and idealogue, and very, very difficult to put into any category. Hence, my interest in him, in spite of his short-comings and tirades. See the film, long as it is, and decide for yourself. It is a unique document in world cinema. It is complex, brilliant, perverse, exasperating, tedious, and remarkable – as any controversial great work of art is. Don’t be put off by anything I have said here or what you have read elsewhere. This work is as worthy of study as is, on a different level, Fassbinder’s Berlin Alanderplatz or Rietz’s Heimat series.
It’s pretty interesting, though most of his ideas are borrowed from Werner Schroeter (something that Fassbinder complained loudly about at the time.) Hitler’s aesthetic vulgarity appalls Syberberg far more than the death camps. He’s a curious character — a right-wing aesthete utilizing left-wing ideas. Plenty of cribbing from Robert Wilson too.
I prefer his version of Warner’s “Parsifal.” And am I the only person in here who has seen “Die Nacht”?
I haven’t seen Die Nacht. I’ve only seen his two operas, Parsifal and Moses und Aron. Parsifal has some nice ideas in it: Amfortas’ wound is a disembodied slice of gore on a little cushion. It’s sort of vaginal; the whole film is very Freudian psycho-sexual. When he has to reject the “evil” Kundry, Parsifal becomes a girl. Moses und Aron I remember as having a very spare mise-en-scene. I want to say it was filmed in an actual desert. His films are kind of like filmed stage plays. I think Susan Sontag calls the sets for Our Hitler “exploded mental spaces,” or “teeming mental spaces.” The whole film is supposed to take place inside a snow globe, right?
Fassbinder accused Syberberg of “holding a cruel fire sale with our most beloved possessions.” I think Syberberg’s a bit of a space cowboy in the final analysis (sorry), but I do want to see Our Hitler at some point.
I’d like to see some Werner Schroeter too, his films are very hard to come by.
Has it ever occurred to anyone that with all the aliases and screen names on this site, we could be talking about an auteur to the very auteur himself? But surely great auteurs have better things to do than haunt fan sites checking up on what people think of them… don’t they?
Justin, Moses und Aron was by the Straub-Huillet by the way. I had the occasion to watch both “Ludwig – Requiem for a virgin King” and “Our Hitler” on 16mm copies but unfortunately walked out on both. I don’t think I was ready and mature enough at the time I saw them to fully absorb what I was seeing, hence why I got out both times with a headache. However, not long ago I saw “Parsifal” and was completely mesmerized the whole 4 hours in complete admiration. That tells me it might be time to give Our Hitler and Ludwig another try.
Was it? I think you’re right, Sarajevo. It was a long time ago that I saw it. That would explain why it took place outdoors and not on a soundstage!
bump, it’s a long time since i’ve seen this but i think there may be mileage in the thread being resuscitated with many new users since the last post
Unfortunately, I haven’t got around to watching any of Syberberg or Schroeter’s films inspite of very much wanting to. There was the additional problem of Schroeter being against subtitles for his films. Thanks for bumping the thread Kenji. I will get down to it. I am particularly interested in Schroeter’s Rose King and Maria Malibran, and Syberberg’s Our Hitler. What do you think would be good to start with for both of them?
i’m not remotely up on Syberberg, was hoping for some more input to learn from on his career and the film which i really need to see again. It’s cropped up on a canon thread and also concerning Susan Sontag, and Syberberg’s politics sound complex (see above). I thought it might be something our German experts among others would be interested in.
Bob Stutsman
I have yet to see any mention of any of Syberberg’s works here on the auteurs, especially his Hitler, A Film from Germany. Susan Sontag has an excellent long review of it in her book Under the Sign of Saturn. The film can be seen and downloaded (in four parts) from Syberberg’s own website at:
http://www.syberberg.de/Syberberg2/Events_2003/uncut.html
I would like to know what anyone thinks of this work, any other work, or Syberberg himself. Although I am not uncritical, I think, like Sontag, that he is demonstrating a powerful neo-Brechtian vision of cinema. I have also seen his version of Wagner’s Parsifal. For those not familiar with his work, he uses elaborate sets, collage, symbols, Brechtian stage construction – documentary footage, montage and sounds. His works are visually rich. He is obsessed with German history and politics, Wagner, and avant-garde artistic movements. He is a very complex, controversial, and isolated figure. Any opinions on him? He is the epitome of the auteur as rebel and iconoclast.