Review of Swastika (1974) by Michael T — 04 Oct 2010
Weird experimental documentary attempts to depict the rise and fall of the National Socialist regime without using a single frame of shock footage; clips from various German television programs and home videos (shot with two-strip color film!) paint a mundane portrait of the Third Reich before the tides of war swept everything away. While it's not engaging at all, "Swastika" presents plenty of rare glimpses into daily life in a nation that could have flourished into a prosperous Socialist regime were it not for the Napoleonic aspirations of its charismatic Fuehrer.
A devastating series of smash cuts bring us from the aftermath of the Hindenberg disaster, to the militarization of the Western Front, to the devastated ruin of Berlin in summer of 1945. Phillipe Mora's essay might be sorely lacking in insight, as far as its oft-covered subject is concerned, but the intriguing editing choices make this worth seeing as a cinematic curio.
This review of Swastika (1974) was written by Michael T on 04 Oct 2010.
Swastika has generally received very positive reviews.
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