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The Counterfeiters is available on DVD (and Blu-ray as well).  In watching this movie, I can see why it was so highly regarded.

Based on the true story of a Nazi plot to disrupt Allied economies by counterfeiting currency by using Jewish prisoners in the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp. 

The film does a great job of showing the internal dispute bewteen prisoners as to if they should be doing this and the conflict between individial survival versus fighting for a greater cause.   A very gripping film

“A Woman in Berlin”, based on the story of one of many German women raped at the end of World War II opened in Germany October 23rd. This is a rare German film that presents Germans as victims in any way shape or form.

“Saints and Soldiers” is a terrific account of a group of soldiers that escape the Malmedy Massacre during the Battle of the Bulge. One US soldier fights with a the memory of what he has done, and also runs into a German he knew before the war. A British airman is encounters, whom they must return to Allied lines to deliver intelligence.

The extras in the film are reinactors and the battle scenes are nicely done. A very good film, with good acting, an interesting script, and mostly true. This is one worth getting.

The 1,500 minute, 24 DVD set “WWII: A Filmed History” is coming to DVD ext Tuesday.

24 COMPLETE DVDS Since 1935, the National Archives has been responsible for the acquisition, preservation, and public dissemination of the permanent records of the United States government. Now, for the first time, select materials from this national resource have been assembled to bring you the largest collection of WWII history in one complete box set featuring everything from historical newsreel footage to documentary featurettes lensed and narrated by some of Hollywood’s greatest names. From America to Europe, from the air to the sea, experience a war that spanned the globe: Set #1: War in Europe Explores the Nazi ambition for world conquest, featuring historical pre-cursors, artillery and infantry attacks, the invasion Poland, and the horrific concentration camps. Set #2: War on the Homefront Takes you stateside to a time when gas rationing, food conservation, and the wartime efforts of civilian men and women occupied a nation. Features narration by James Stewart, Katherine Hepburn, and Humphrey Bogart, as wells as the acting talents of Susan Hayward, Alan Ladd, James Cagney, Margaret O’Brien and more. Set #3: War in the Pacific Dramatic footage of U.S. Navy, Marine, and Army forces as they combat the Japanese military. Features amphibious landings, Kamikaze air attacks, post-war events, the surrender of Japan, and the Academy Award®-winning documentary from acclaimed Hollywood director John Ford. Set #4: Why We Fight A thought-provoking collection exploring the wartime involvement of Russia, China, Italy, the United States, and Germany. Featuring the Oscar®-nominated documentary narrated by Walter Huston and footage featuring Edward R. Murrow and President Roosevelt.

Watched the 1949 British thriller “The Small Back Room” recently.   The movie has been released on DVD as part of the Criterion Collection.

The film is the story of a disabled British scientist, who in his spare time helps an army friend solve the puzzle behind German booby traps being dropped in England.   His day job is a scientist in a weapons lab, fighting against his girlfriend, Whisky, drugs, and his shady employer.   While the other items are interesting plot points, and there is a visually terrific scene with his battle against booze, the battle against his employer, who is selling less than ideal weapons to the British Army.

A very interesting British film on a terrific DVD release.   Well worth picking up.

I watched ‘Letter From Iwo Jima” recently, both the movie and the vast majority of the extras.  I found it an interesting movie, that pretty realistically displayed the hopelessness of the battle and the fanaticism in which the Japanese fought.   The extras were interesting in that Eastwood continually referred to himself as a Japanese director.  This was interesting and somewhat true in the fact that this was a movie that would not be made in Japan.

At a time where we are seeing more realistic and objective WWII movies coming out of Germany (Downfall, Sophie ScholL, NAPOLA, etc) it would be nice to see the some come from Japan.

“Letters of Iwo Jima is a great companion to “Flags of Our Fathers” and shows an interesting aspect of the war that we have not seen before.

The DVD is out on regular DVD as well as Blue Ray.  See the links below

Recently released on DVD is “The Small Back Room” (British 1952),  details the professional and personal travails of troubled, alcoholic research scientist and military bomb-disposal expert Sammy Rice (David Farrar), who, while struggling with a complex relationship with secretary-girlfriend Susan (Kathleen Byron), is hired by the government to advise on a dangerous new German weapon.  This is a Criterion Collection release.

The 2007 Czech film “I Served the King of England” (Obsluhoval jsem anglického krále ) opens for a limited US release. The film is about a swank Czech hotel at the outbreak of World War II. A Czech waiter in pre-World War II Prague dreams of wealth and status, but his ambitions are complicated by the Nazi occupation. This is one of the larger budgeted Czech films made.

A trailer is available on the official site:
http://www.anglickykral.cz/ojakeng.html

A listing of US showings is here:
http://www.moviefone.com/movie/i-served-the-king-of-england/31184/main

The film is distributed by Sony Picture Classics in the US.

Kruger, best know for her roles in “Troy” and “National Treasure” will play a Frenchwoman seeking revenge

I recently watched “The Bunker” for the first time since it’s original 1981 airing. This was a very disappointing film, based on a terrific book. The acting was just flat out horrible and un-realistic. The delivery of the lines was just horrible, the conversations between Speer and Hitler were just painful to watch. This is a shame, because the book is a fantastic read. Written as a journalistic piece, the pacing was so great, I could not put it down. Watch the movie if you want, but pick up the book if you have not read it.
Iffy movie:

Great Book:

 

The forthcoming French language film “A Secret” has a trailer available for viewing here:

http://www.moviefone.com/movie/a-secret-un-secret/32399/trailer?trailerId=2196957

Brad Pitt has signed onto Quentin Tarantino’s most likely bloody, movie “Inglorious Bastards”. The movie, set in 1944 France, is the story of US Jewish soldiers fighting the Nazis. The movie will be shot in France

“The Last Emperor” is the story of Pu Yi, the last Emperor of China. Early in his life as Emperor, the power of the Emperor was removed and he was confined to the Forbidden City … filmed on location.

At one point, he was forced to leave the Forbidden City and in an ill-fated attempt to regain the power, became the puppet Emperor of Manchukuo (Japanese occupied Manchuria), eventually captured, imprisoned, and released into Communist China.

But, the story of this movie is pretty well known, what is nice is the recent DVD re-release.

This epic movie has been released as part of the Criterion Collection in a fabulous 4 disc set. It features the theatrical release, and extended 3 hour 38 minute version, and two discs full of extras.
Features include full length documentaries about the director “Bernardo Bertolucci” and documentaries about Pu Yi and the history surrounding the movie. This is a must have for any DVD collector.

The film 1968 “Anzio” depicts the Allied landings at Anzio during the Italian campaign.   While the movie is about an event that occurred in 1944, the film has a distinct 1960s feel to it.  From the theme song, to the anti-war message, Anzio is more about Vietnam than World War II.

The message of the movie is that the Allies won because of equipment and gasoline and throughout offers a scathing condemnation of American generals during the Italian campaign.  While in hindsight, the Italian campaign could have been run better, Anzio takes this many steps further.  Told through the eyes if a reporter (played by Robert Mitchum),  who eventually reaches the conclusion that man likes to kill one another by nature,  a group of soldiers survive despite a poor attack plan. 

An interesting movie with some good acting and nice visuals, but take the message with a grain of salt.  There are some scenes that are so highly unbelievable that makes this a hard movie to enjoy.