The Bunker (1981) (TV)

Director:

George Schaefer

Writers:

Uwe Bahnsen (book)
John Gay (writer)

Release Date:

27 January 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | History | War

Plot:

Dramatization depicting the events surrounding Adolf Hitler's last weeks in and around his underground bunker in Berlin before and during the battle for the city. |

Plot Keywords:

Hitler | Last Stand | WWII | Tyrant | Berlin Germany

Awards:

Won Primetime Emmy. Another 2 nominations

Cast

Anthony Hopkins	...	Adolf Hitler
Richard Jordan	...	Albert Speer
Cliff Gorman	...	Joseph Goebbels
James Naughton	...	James O'Donnell
Michael Lonsdale	...	Martin Bormann
Martin Jarvis	...	Johannes Hentschel
Michael Kitchen	...	Rochus Misch
Andrew Ray	...	Otto Günsche
Piper Laurie	...	Magda Goebbels
Susan Blakely	...	Eva Braun
Robert Austin	...	Wagner
Geoffrey Bateman	...	Riebold
Graham Bishop	...	Helmut Goebbels
Kevin Bishop	...	Themmer
Nathalie Boulmer	...	Elga Goebbels

Also Known As:

Le bunker (France)

Runtime:

Netherlands:150 min | USA:104 min | Spain:148 min (DVD edition) (2 parts)

Country:

France | USA

Language:

English | Russian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Singapore:PG | UK:12 | Spain:13

Company:

Antenne-2

Trivia:

Reporters on the set said the sense of realism was so intense that at one point, when Anthony Hopkins entered the room to prepare for the next scene, actors portraying SS troops found themselves snapping to attention.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The hair of Captain Donnelly, the narrator, is noticeably longer than World War II U.S. Army regulations allowed. In addition, the cap he is wearing is not the style worn by the Army during that war.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Hitler: The Comedy Years (2007) (TV)

Great film, deserves a DVD release!

This is another one of those inexplicable films that should be out on DVD by now but isn't. There is so much 'dross' being released, yet this minor masterpiece with excellent performances from Hopkins remains locked away! A region 1 release is rumoured, but no date yet. It's been a while since I saw it, but I do remember being very impressed at the time. Another similar 1974 film exists with Alec Guiness playing the Fuhrer; "Hitler, the last ten days". My recollection is that the "Bunker" film had the edge. The Alec Guiness film was spoiled slightly by a series of strange comments from Hitler in his sealed room moments before he and Eva Braun commit suicide (obviously there were no witnesses to record this!). It was as though the film-makers added it in just in case anyone might find themselves admiring the Fuhrer for his resolute position! After the German masterpiece Downfall/ Untergang, it seems crazy not to be able to add this gem of a film to DVD collections crying out for it.........