Hitler: The Rise of Evil (2003) (TV)

Director:

Christian Duguay

Writers (WGA):

John Pielmeier (written by) and
G. Ross Parker (written by)

Release Date:

18 May 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | History

Tagline:

"The only thing necessary for evil to flourish is for good men to do nothing." - Edmund Burke

Plot:

A unique slant, profiling the life of Adolf Hitler as a child and his rise through the ranks of the National German Workers' Party prior to World War II.

Plot Keywords:

Germany | Nazi | Austria | Weimar Republic | SS

Awards:

Won 2 Primetime Emmys. Another 3 wins & 15 nominations

Cast

Robert Carlyle	...	Adolf Hitler
Stockard Channing	...	Klara Hitler
Jena Malone	...	Geli Raubal
Julianna Margulies	...	Helene Hanfstaengl
Matthew Modine	...	Fritz Gerlich
Liev Schreiber	...	Ernst Hanfstaengl
Peter Stormare	...	Ernst Röhm
Friedrich von Thun	...	General Erich Ludendorff
Peter O'Toole	...	President Paul von Hindenburg
Zoe Telford	...	Eva Braun
Terence Harvey	...	Gustav von Kahr
Justin Salinger	...	Dr. Joseph Goebbels
Chris Larkin	...	Hermann Göring
James Babson	...	Rudolf Hess
Patricia Netzer	...	Sophie Gerlich
Harvey Friedman	...	Friedrich Hollaender
Nicole Marischka	...	Blandine Ebinger
Julie-Ann Hassett	...	Angela Raubal
Thomas Sangster	...	Adolf Hitler (10 yrs)
Simon Sullivan	...	Adolf Hitler (17 yrs)
Robert Glenister	...	Anton Drexler
Ian Hogg	...	Alois Hitler
Filip Hess	...	Egon Hanfstaengl
Brendan Hughes	...	Lieutenant Guffman
Howie Lotker	...	Hans (soldier)
Robert Russell	...	Franz von Papen
David Fisher	...	Georg Bell
Hana Frejkova	...	Frieda
Wolfgang Müller	...	Gregor Strasser
Christopher Ettridge	...	General Kurt von Schleicher
David Calder	...	Dosch
Marek Vasut	...	Max Amann
Bruce Byron	...	Mueller
George Pensotti	...	Judge Neithardt
Joel Kirby	...	Prosecutor Stenglein
Julian Wadham	...	Captain Mayr
Richard Haas	...	Karl Lueger
Richard Katz	...	Dr. Eduard Bloch
Laurence Kennedy	...	Military Doctor
Simon Chandler	...	School Teacher
Ned Vukovic	...	DAP Speaker
David O'Kelly	...	Art Teacher (as David O'Kelley)
Gavin Stewart	...	Munich Police Officer
Rod Grover	...	Heinrich Hoffmann
Richard Rowlands	...	Art Rector
John Comer	...	Lueger Pamphleteer
Terence Longdon	...	Baron #1
Christopher Bowen	...	Baron #2
Liliana Komorowska	...	Baroness
Todd Kramer	...	Hitler's Landsberg Prison Guard
Max von Thun	...	Munich Reporter #2
Jiri Zeman	...	Emil Maurice
Jirí Novotny	...	Von Lossow (as Jiri Dalet Novotny)
Mikulás Kren	...	Julius Uhl (as Miki Kren)
Robert Orr	...	Speaker (war rally)
Jan Petrina	...	Soldier #1 (trenches)
Jan Vosmik	...	Dispatch Runner
Mike McGuffie	...	Wounded Soldier #1
Ryan James	...	Wounded Soldier
Jirí Knot	...	Custom Officer
Dagmar Bláhová	...	Frau Schmidt (as Dasha Blahova)
Jan Kuzelka	...	Man (Beer Hall)
Jeff Smith	...	Red #1
Adam Bradley	...	Red #2
Joel Sugerman	...	Von Kahr Functionary
Jan Budar	...	Schmidt
Vladimir Kulhavy	...	Prisoner (Dachau)
Tomas Zastera	...	Wolf (SA)
Roger Denesha	...	Courtroom Reporter
Jan Unger	...	Vienna Vagrant
Avi Muyderman	...	Men's Hostel Employee
Tim Otis	...	Reichstag Reporter #1
Nancy Bishop	...	Reichstag Reporter #2
Brian Caspe	...	Red Protestor
Vitezslav Bouchner	...	von Seisser
Curtis Matthew	...	Munich Reporter #1
Erik Johanson	...	Newsboy
Jirí M. Sieber	...	Ulrich Graf (as Jiri Sieber)

Directed by
Christian Duguay

Writing credits (WGA)
John Pielmeier		(written by) and
G. Ross Parker		(written by)

Produced by
Christian Duguay	....	co-executive producer
Ed Gernon	....	executive producer
Diana Kerew	....	co-executive producer
Ian McDougall	....	supervising producer
John Pielmeier	....	co-producer
John Ryan	....	producer
Peter Sussman	....	executive producer
Philip von Alvensleben	....	supervising producer

Original Music by
Normand Corbeil

Cinematography by
Pierre Gill

Film Editing by
Sylvain Lebel
Stephen R. Myers
Henk Van Eeghen

Casting by
Deirdre Bowen
Anja Dihrberg
Susan Glicksman
Sue Jones
Alex Wald

Production Design by
Marek Dobrowolski

Art Direction by
Albrecht Konrad
Martin Martinec

Set Decoration by
Milan Babik
Karel Vanásek		(as Karel Vanasek)

Costume Design by
Maria Schicker

Makeup Department
Jan Archibald	....	key hair stylist
Libuse Barlova	....	hair stylist
Linda Dvorakova	....	hair stylist
Sandra Feijoo	....	makeup artist
Tahira Herold	....	makeup artist
Gabriela Rezacova	....	makeup interpreter
Benjamin Robin	....	hair designer
Benjamin Robin	....	makeup artist
Benjamin Robin	....	makeup department head
Ivo Strangmüller	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Simon Borecky	....	unit manager
Steve D'Onofrio	....	post-production supervisor
Martina Rejzkova	....	assistant unit manager
Gerhard Rupp	....	production manager: Austria
Ales Tybl	....	production manager
Paul Vella	....	executive in charge of production
Gordon Yang	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Martin Barta	....	third assistant director
Petr Hartl	....	first assistant director
Petr Kaderabek	....	second assistant director
Bethan Mowat	....	second assistant director
Tomas Pavlacky	....	first assistant director: second unit
Anne Sirois	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Ales Cepelka	....	assistant art director
Axel Eichhorst	....	storyboard artist
Milan Janostik	....	property master
Radan Kapinos	....	on-set proops: second unit
Radan Kapinos	....	swing gang
Francis Politzer	....	storyboard artist
Manu Poupard	....	property master
Veronika Skarlandtova	....	art department coordinator
David Vondrasek	....	assistant art director
Miroslav Zdenek	....	draughtsman

Sound Department
Marina Adam	....	foley artist
Rob Bertola	....	sound editor
Tom Bjelic	....	supervising sound effects editor
Tomas Cervenka	....	boom operator
Colin Cooper	....	adr recordist
Tony Currie	....	dialogue editor
Chris Czopnik	....	assistant sound editor (as Christopher Czopnik)
Allan Fung	....	adr editor
Garrett Kerr	....	dialogue editor
Jirí Kríz	....	sound mixer: second unit
Martin Lee	....	sound re-recording mixer
Kirk Lynds	....	foley recordist
Steven Moore	....	sound re-recording assistant
John Palmieri	....	assistant sound editor
Donna Powell	....	foley artist
Ian Rankin	....	sound re-recording mixer
James Robb	....	assistant sound editor (as Jimmy Robb)
Paul Shikata	....	sound effects editor
John Douglas Smith	....	supervising sound editor
Reinhard Stergar	....	sound recordist (as Reinhard Sterger)
David Yonson	....	adr recordist
David Yonson	....	foley recordist
Eric Apps	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)
Dale Sheldrake	....	adr editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Dominik Janda	....	special effects crew
Martin Kulhánek	....	special effects coordinator (as Martin Kulhanek)
Pavel Policar	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Ales Dlabac	....	Inferno artist
Miro Gal	....	Inferno artist
Vít Komrzý	....	visual effects producer
Robert Loudil	....	animator
Peter Nemec	....	Flame artist
Jiri Stamfest	....	matte artist: digital painter
David Vána	....	visual effects supervisor
Jan Vseticek	....	visual effects coordinator

Stunts
Jiri First	....	stunts (as Jiri Firt)
Michal Grün	....	stunts (as Michael Grun)
Jan Holicek	....	stunts
Jiri Horky	....	stunts
Jindrich Klaus	....	stunts
Pavel Kratky	....	stunts
Jiri Kraus	....	stunts
Miroslav Lhotka	....	stunts
Dimo Liptkovsky	....	stunts (as Dimo Lipitkovsky)
David Listvan	....	stunts
David Motl	....	stunts
Leo Stransky	....	stunt coordinator (as Leos Stransky)
Tomas Tobola	....	stunts
Rudolf Vrba	....	stunts
Jan Petrina	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Alexander Bscheidl	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Jan Carda	....	focus puller
Petr Dvorak	....	grip
Petr Granilla	....	key grip
Martin Grosup	....	director of photography: second unit
René Guillard	....	gaffer
Bohumil Havlicek	....	best boy
Michael Hersalek	....	best boy grip
Mark Hoffmann	....	first assistant camera
Patrick Lima	....	dolly grip
Martin Lippert	....	crane grip
Slavek Mikovec	....	gaffer
Petr Zavrel	....	assistant camera
Zdenek Pozar	....	rigging electrician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Nancy Bishop	....	casting: Czech Republic
Anja Dihrberg	....	casting: Berlin
Inessa Freylekhman	....	casting assistant
Minna Pyyhkala	....	casting associate: Prague
Christopher Richards	....	casting assistant
Olga Záhorbenská	....	casting assistant: Prague

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Anette Czagany	....	assistant costume designer
Liba Malerova	....	costumer
Petr Pluhar	....	costumer
Ladislav Procházka	....	costumer
Carola Raum	....	costume supervisor
Patricie Soptenková	....	costumer
Claudia Vasekova	....	translator: costume department
Jaroslava Vesela	....	costume supervisor
Jindriska Vorlova	....	wardrobe coordinator

Editorial Department
Christopher Berg	....	telecine assistant
Andrea Folprecht	....	additional editor
Attila Kovacs	....	assistant editor
Jeff Krebs	....	on-line editor (as Jeffrey Krebs)
Mark Kueper	....	tape-to-tape colorist
Jennifer Macleod	....	post-production coordinator
Stephen R. Myers	....	additional editor
Andrea Pugner	....	assistant editor
Steve Sahagun	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Christopher Dedrick	....	composer: additional music
Yuri Gorbachow	....	music editor
David Greene	....	executive music consultant
Roger Hewett	....	orchestrator
Erin Hunt	....	music coordination: S.L. Feldman & Associates
Adam Klemens	....	conductor
Michael Perlmutter	....	music supervisor: S.L. Feldman & Associates
Craig Pettigrew	....	music editor
John Timperley	....	music recordist

Transportation Department
Leona Kosova	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Cynthia Amsden	....	unit publicist
Julie Andaloro	....	publicist
Marie-Elaine Bailly	....	production coordinator
Christopher Berg	....	technical coordinator
Claire Berrie	....	assistant: Robert Carlyle
Jan Bílek	....	production executive
Tim Blundell	....	assistant: Christian Duguay
Jill Carter	....	script supervisor
Jane Douglas	....	first assistant accountant
Hugo Felfel	....	assistant: John Ryan
Ales Hudsky	....	assistant: Ed Gernon
Lubomir Janci	....	body double: James Babson
Maryse Lesage	....	assistant production coordinator
Walter Ludwig	....	assistant location manager: Austria
Desmond Paes	....	first assistant accountant
Irene Phelps	....	production controller
Katerina Pokorova	....	production coordinator
Rene Ridinger	....	publicity executive
Josef Stanek	....	animal wrangler
Patrick Vagner	....	head accountant: Czech
Jirí Vojtik	....	location manager
Gioia von Thun	....	assistant to director
Zdenek Vrubel	....	cashier
Ned Vukovic	....	dialect coach
Pharaba Witt	....	assistant to executive producer
Lori Wyant	....	script supervisor
Dale Wyatt	....	dialogue coach
Kaja Zloch	....	first assistant accountant

Production Companies

• Alliance Atlantis Communications

Distributors

• Alliance Atlantis Communications (2003) (Canada) (TV)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (2003) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• ATV+ (2004) (Austria) (TV)
• Channel 4 (2003-) (UK) (TV)
• Crest Films (2003) (Spain) (DVD)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS)
• Future Film (2005) (Finland) (DVD)
• Koch Vision (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Momentum Pictures Home Entertainment (2003) (UK) (DVD)
• RTL Entertainment (2008) (Netherlands) (TV) (RTL7)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (2005) (Finland) (TV)

Special Effects

• Carter White Effects
• Universal Production Partners (UPP)

Other Companies

• Arri Rental  camera equipment provided by
• Elizabeth Bardsley & Associates  script annotation
• S.L. Feldman & Associates  music supervision

Also Known As:

Hitler: La naissance du mal (Canada: French title)
Hitler - Aufstieg des Bösen (Austria) (Germany) [de]
Hitler - Der Aufstieg des Bösen (Germany) (DVD title) [de]
Hitler - La naissance du mal (France) [fr]
Hitler - Ondskans natur (Sweden) [sv]
Hitler - Uspon zla (Serbia) [sr]
Hitler - ondskans födelse (Finland: Swedish title) [sv]
Hitler - pahan nousu (Finland) (DVD title) [fi]
Hitler - pahuuden nousu (Finland) [fi]
Hitler: El reinado del mal (Spain) (DVD title) [es]
Hitler: I arhi tou kakou (Greece) [el]
Hitler: La naissance du mal (Switzerland: French title) [fr]
Il giovane Hitler (Italy) [it]

Runtime:

Australia:179 min (video version) | France:130 min | USA:240 min (including commercials) | Spain:177 min (DVD edition)

Country:

Canada | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Netherlands:12 | Spain:13 | UK:12 | Australia:M | Finland:K-11 | Germany:12 | Singapore:PG | South Korea:15

Filming Locations:

Prague, Czech Republic

Company:

Alliance Atlantis Communications

Trivia:

All Nazi-themed costumes and props (flags, medallions, pins, tie-tacks) were destroyed after filming wrapped, to prevent any items linked with Nazism from finding their way into the hands of neo-Nazis.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: An officer says, "There is an armed group heading toward the barracks." However, the sound and his lip movement is not in sync.

Quotes:

Adolf Hitler: The SA are to be bridled, Ernst. They may sing, march, carry flags, but they are to keep calm unless I say otherwise.
Ernst Röhm: We're not a Sunday shooting club, Adolf. We're a militia.
Adolf Hitler: Not anymore. My personal security will now be handled by the SS. Your men give off the wrong impression.
Ernst Röhm: I don't give a damn about impressions, but without the SA, without us, our loyalty...
Adolf Hitler: The wheels of history have turned! The plan has changed.
Ernst Röhm: Oh, I'm sorry to hear that.
[clicks heels, salutes, turns and leaves without his dismissal]

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Cinemania: I anodos kai i ptosi tou Nazismou" (2008)

Soundtrack:

Das Deutschlandlied

Easy-to-swallow warning for mass-behavior

Being a fanatical semi-professional historian on WW2, and utterly fascinated by Hitler's third Reich and all it's military power, I could hardly wait for "Hitler; the rise of evil" to come out after having seen the theatrical trailer.

Heavens, I never felt so completely confused about a movie after pushing the 'stop' button on my DVD-player's remote. I simply couldn't decide whether I liked it or not.

First of all, the performances set by Carlyle and companions are quite good. A little over-acted every now and then, especially Carlyle who obviously tries his up-most to copy the "Führer" and his body-language. He acts as if he is in a theatre, and seems to forget the fact that camera's register way more details/facial expressions. Compare a real recording of a Hitler-speech with one of Carlyle's speech-scene's and you'll see what I mean.

Then comes the Historical accuracy. Not quite bad, but I kept noticing small things which obviously were incorrect. Uniforms, weapons, bread-prices, skinny-Röhm, fat Hess... not really impressive job I might say.

but one of the most compelling things about the whole film (or series, I 've seen it as a film) is the fact that it is very obvious the director desperately wants to show the world Hitler was a sick-minded, over-emotional and completely mentally unstable person. Well, I can assure you this: He absolutely had his periods of mental disturbances and ignoring the truth, especially toward the war's end. But this... I have read many, many eye-witness reports from people who lived in his presence, like Albert Speer. They all agreed on some things, namely the facts Adolf Hitler was very often a think full, correct, funny, honorable man. Hitler was the mastermind behind the Nazi's criminal and appalling Holocaust. Hitler was a criminal. A kind of person that can never be allowed to rise to power again. This is obviously the reason why the director choose to show him the way he did. However, Hitler was dangerous not because he was a monster, he was dangerous because he was so intelligent, so well-spoken. Because he was worshipped by so many, because he knew what to say to 'his' people. That was the real danger, and that's exactly what we must teach. Think of it this way: The most successful murderers and big criminals are usually the smart, well-spoken and socially established men. You wouldn't know he is a monster until you see what he has done.

I wish the director/writer added a bit more humanity to his character. But obviously they chose to show the audience Hitler changed from a normal person into a monster. Talking about stereotypes and negligence of the truth.

Overall I still found it an enjoyable movie which does achieve one of it's main goals: portraying us, the crowd, as willing sheep, especially in times of need. Ye be warned.

Rating: 6.5/10

** Note: One very imposing scene: Hitler speaks out loud his ideas in the court-yard, with Hess recording it. After awhile you get to see a different day every now and then, and every time more and more inmates cheer him from behind their bars overlooking the yard.