The White Ribbon AKA Das weiße Band - Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte
Wega Film
17 September 2009
Historical Drama
DVD C-
It felt like a slow-moving psychological horror without any actual horror in it. Michael Haneke wrote and directed, nine years before Code Unknown AKA Code inconnu: Récit incomplet de divers voyages.
Rather dull, except for the cast list, although I tuned out before I recognized that many people. This is based on the John le Carré novel and directed by Tomas Alfredson, six years before The Snowman.
Knocked down a notch or two for the unsympathetic protagonist, while the mystery itself is mildly intriguing. This is based on the novel by Peter Hoeg and directed by Bille August, the year before his version of Les Mis.
A crazy aunt rebels against the Nazis and possibly scars her nephew for life, but the first quarter hour wasn't bad. Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck wrote and directed, who did The Lives of Others AKA Das Leben der Anderen a dozen years later.
Depressing, although I was mildly intrigued by the social commentary about the late eighteenth century. Director Barbara Albert adapted the novel by Alissa Walser.
I found this flatter and more simplistic than I expected from a "classic," although the theme of unfounded accusations was interesting and no doubt had political significance in early '30s Germany. Fritz Lang directed and, yes, it's a breakthrough role for Peter Lorre.
I found this uninvolving, and I say that as someone who's read Anna Karenina multiple times. Director Michael Hoffman based the screenplay on Jay Parini's biographical novel of Tolstoy.