A Film Unfinished

This film is a documentary based upon footage taken by the Nazis in the Warsaw Ghetto during May of 1942. As noted by the title, the intended work was never completed, and lay for decades hidden in film cans in a secret storage bunker. It shows both the poverty and degradation of those forced into the ghetto, and staged propaganda footage meant to demonstrate a parallel, luxurious life enjoyed by some, at the apparent expense of others. Some of the scenes are repeated, slightly varied, demonstrating the staged nature of those scenes.What is special, and moving about this documentary is that a few individuals who survived the ghetto are shown watching and commenting on the scenes, and their recollections of the filming taking place. In some moments, we see the images on the screen. In others, we see the flickering reflection of the projected images on the glasses of people watching and remembering the horror and the truth and the ghetto.The great irony of this film is that footage originally intended to demonstrate the sub-human status of the Jews forced into the ghetto ultimately serves as a document of the inhumanity of the Nazi's themselves , and their own moral decrepitude, the result of hatred and power combined into a sickness of mind and society never equaled in human history.The film is well made. The original footage was silent. A Film Unfinished adds well narrated commentary and description, and just enough background sound effect to support the silent images flickering on the screen. The sole cameraman who was traced talks, in recorded testimony taken years earlier, that the purpose of the film was never told to him. But the filming designed to show the extreme differences between rich and poor certainly suggested to him that its sole purpose was propaganda. It seems highly unlikely that footage of a woman applying lipstick and smoking a cigarette in front of a vanity mirror could have been filmed without some purpose - and given the circumstances, propaganda (at which the Nazis were masters) is quite likely.It's a chilling, and moving film. Very well put together, well narrated. Scenes are juxtaposed with narratives created by German reports filed to Berlin about the ghetto, and comments and recollections by the survivors viewing the silent footage.While the original intent may have been to demonstrate the depravity of the Jews crammed into the Warsaw Ghetto, to me, it is, instead, an example of the gross depravity of the Nazis who intended to make this final film, probably in an effort to justify their Final Solution.

I am always amazed at film I have never seen before on the Nazi atrocities and their cruelness, perpetrated on the Jews and other ethnic groups. What the Nazi's did and what the Serbs did in Bosnia are light years apart. Light years away from the completeness of the Nazi game plan. Several million sadistic Nazi soldiers and officers, chosen, to sadistically snuff out tens of millions of children, women, young and old men, who gladly did what they were asked or ordered to do, by the upper sadistic bastards of the Nazi Party. This was a bunch of criminals, that would make Mafia members look like the Mickey Mouse Club. When the Jews were sent to the Ghettos, was actually the first step of the finality of the Jews. The level of cruelness, specifically of children, whose job was to go and seek some type of nutrition, food for others to eat, was a daily ritual. Most children were caught with the smuggling of food stuff, by Nazi guards, whose job was to confiscate the food, then take the child away, never to be seen again, usually hung immediately or shot even quicker. The family waited and waited and waited but then concluded that their child was never to return. I cannot imagine what Mothers and Fathers went through, while waiting for their child to return, knowing well what the outcome was, after so many hours. This film is a wonderful record of what took place in the Ghetto, however, it would better serve those few remaining Jews, who can identify and relate to their time there as well. It is certainly worth owning, which serves as yet another record of the Nazi dream and the Jewish nightmare. As it is titled, A Film Unfinished, serves the film well, for it is just that, A Film Unfinished, and perhaps a film never to be completed.

I saw this documentary in the move theater, and I thought it was incredible. It is a must-see for anyone interested in the Holocaust.In 1942, the Nazis began making a documentary film about life in the Warsaw Ghetto. They captured the sheer horror and misery of daily life in the ghetto. But they also staged scenes to make the Jews look venal, corrupt, decadent, and cold-hearted. The Nazis would round up people on the street and make them gorge themselves at lavish feasts while beggars looked on. The Nazis made pedestrians walk over/past corpses lying on the sidewalk. The Nazis staged scenes of vamps preparing for a night out and nude co-ed bathing. The Nazis arranged a carefully choreographed meeting of Jewish Council chairman Adam Czerniakow and orthodox rabbis. It was all filmed for their documentary. But Nazis also filmed multiple takes of staged scenes and unfiltered images of daily life in the ghetto as it really was."A Film Unfinished" effectively shows the entire Nazi documentary as well as the outtakes. Moreover, the scenes from the Nazi documentary are juxtaposed with commentary from eyewitnesses who saw the filming or participated in it. They explain exactly what the Nazis were up to in staging and filming these scenes. As a result, the viewer sees still-shocking footage of life in the ghetto and gains insight into how the Nazis managed life in the ghetto to further degrade the Jews and to present them in an unfavorable light for propaganda purposes.Because the Nazis' documentary was never fully edited and released, "A Film Unfinished" -- presenting the Nazis' film and historical commentary on it -- may be the most accurate cinemagraphic record of ghetto life.

Good film. Still haven't finished the film yet.

Very thought provoking. The malice aforethought of that evil regime was and is chilling. I am sorry to say I hav'nt watched it all because like Schindlers List It makes me so sad and angry that I can't watch the continuous suffering of these innocents.A very neccessary reminder neverthe less.I shall never forget them,God bless

excellent

It is just amazing to watch another side of WW2 and the holocaust. Rather than watching in the eyes of the Jewish people and the nazi soldiers this film allows us to see in the eyes of common German people as well. Real footage shows propaganda at it's best and how the Nazi staged events and forced the Jewish prisoners of the Warsaw ghetto to act various scenes showing happiness (or the exact opposite). These faked videos were shown as an example in the "Boy in the Striped Pajamas" which is interesting to see the raw footage then an example of the finished product. I also recommend watching "The uprising" movie to get a little inside taste of the Warsaw ghetto so you can then understand this movie. If you are a history buff like myself this is a must buy!

I haven’t watched too much about the ghettos, only the camps so this was good to watch. It was terribly sad though...

The doc-movie is very well directed, with a perfect balance between documentary materials and fiction elements (highly appropriate the voice over, played by Rona Kenan).The edition comes with a lot of useful educational material.