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Movie Review: The Counterfeiters Alternate Title: Adapt or Die
Story: Just when you think there
will be no more films to come out of the nightmare of the Holocaust
we are presented with yet another story. And this one is terrific. This
year's Oscar winner for Best Foreign Film is about
Jews who collaborated with the Nazis in order not to be killed in the
camps. Based on the autobiographical account by Adolf Burger,
Austrian director and writer Stefan Ruzowitzky delivers
a riveting tale that makes the viewer ponder long and hard about what
he or she would do if faced with a similar dilemma. Collaborate, adapt
or die. The counterfeiting
enterprise was called Operation Bernhard. The Nazi
goal was to flood the world market with fake money (pounds and dollars)
and cripple the economies of the US and Britain. Jewish printers, die
cutters, bankers and counterfeiters were pulled from different camps
to go to Sachsenhausen concentration camp in order to pull off this
hoax that included false documents such as passports as well. These
Jewish prisoners are fed, clothed, allowed some down' time and even
get to shower. The moral dilemma is clear for some but not for others. The film has nuances about this topic that are
normally not brought to the big screen. If you like to see films about
survival and also like to see all of the Oscar winners, check this one
out. You will not regret seeing this film. Acting: The entire cast is terrific including: Karl
Markovics as Sally was wonderful as was, August Diehl,
Devid Striesow, Martin Brambach, August Zirner Critters: Guess what? A German Shepherd
Food: Slop for the prisoners and feats for the Nazis.
Sex Spectrum: A little sex scene at the beginning
but that quickly leads to encampment.
Soundtrack: The selection of music worked very well
by Marius Ruhland
Visual Art: Cinematographer Benedict Neuenfels
does a great job of filming the confinement and feel of the camps.
Theater Audience: About twenty people.
Squirm Scale: Can this subject get any more squirmy?
Drift Factor: I was riveted throughout the film.
Predictability Level: Moderate.
Tissue Usage: 0
Oscar Worthy: Apparently so.
Big Screen or Rental: Either would be fine.
Length: Under two hours
LOBO HOWLS: 8 |