Hôtel Terminus

What's worse than a Nazi war criminal? A commie. At least that seems to be the view of the Americans in the years immediately following the end of WWII, during which they embraced ignorance in order to willingly take Barbie on board as a weapon against communism. While this character study of Barbie - this film is many things, but first and foremost it is a character study - is not a masterpiece like 'The Sorrow and The Pity', it is still a worthy companion piece to that monumental documentary.

That expat German businessman was awesome but otherwise just read wikipedia about any of this, you'll save 3 1/2 hours and it'll be more dramatic.

While I'd argue Ophuls interviewing style has changed for the worse since The Sorrow and the Pity, taking on a more aggressively biased and somewhat snarky tone, the story of Hotel Terminus and Barbie is so incredible that it captivates for the entire four and a half hour running time.

With The Sorrow and the Pity, Marcel Ophuls proved he could make a 4 hour documentary about WWII that's compelling and watchable. Here, he proves he can make one that's dull and confusing. The film goes on endless tangents, and it's all exceedingly difficult to follow for anyone not already familiar with the events and major players. Ophuls also presents himself as a Michael Moore-ish figure, obnoxiously badgering people, pushing his agenda, and trying to be funny.

The long format gives Ophuls the time to explore every detail. His questions are incisive and challenging. I did wonder if his heckling of ex-/Nazis sacrificed a few interviews, but perhaps those were an already lost cause. Being born myself in the 90s these films are a revelation in terms of specific stories, details, and in general, the insanity of this time that are not represented well in the simpler narratives that have been inherited.

#673

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Pretty amazing a four-hour documentary can grip you by the throat most of the way through; some characters are simply not as interesting as others, and Ophuls is incredibly annoying when he is onscreen. Otherwise, this should be essential Shoah/doc viewing.

# 500

Superb documentary.