| Conspiracy | 
 enlarge | Director: Frank Pierson
Actors: Kenneth Branagh, Clare Bullus, Stanley Tucci, Simon Markey, David Glover
Studio: Hbo Home Video
Category: DVD
List Price: $14.98
Buy New: $6.24
You Save: $8.74 (58%)
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Avg. Customer Rating:   (109 reviews)
Sales Rank: 4506
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dvd-video, Letterboxed, Subtitled, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), French (Original Language), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), Spanish (Dubbed)
Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: DVD
Running Time: 96 minutes
Number Of Items: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.4 x 5.5 x 0.5
MPN: HBOD91783D
ISBN: 0783118457
UPC: 026359178320
EAN: 9780783118451
ASIN: B00005YUO1
Release Date: March 26, 2002
Theatrical Release Date: May 19, 2001
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
On january 20 1942 at the height of the second world war 15 government officials and ss commanders attended a conference on the outskirts of berlin. It was a simple meeting which by the end would decide the fate of six million lives. Conspiracy is based on the only surviving record of that meeting. Studio: Hbo Home Video Release Date: 03/29/2005 Starring: Kenneth Branagh Colin Firth Run time: 96 minutes Rating: R Director: Frank Pierso
Amazon.com
On January 20, 1942, with the tide of war turning in favor of the Allies, a small group of SS officers, government ministers, and Nazi officials met near Berlin to decide the fate of Europe's Jews. Based on the only surviving record of that meeting, Conspiracy is a powerful combination of historical reconstruction and speculation that attempts to offer new insights into a pivotal moment in history. The cast does a marvelous job of fleshing out the documentary evidence to create convincing characters. Kenneth Branagh is especially chilling as SS Chief of Security Reinhard Heydrich, who uses a combination of charm and ruthless power-mongering to gain support for his plans. Colin Firth is fascinating as Wilhelm Stuckart, a lawyer who sees the brutal tactics of the SS as a threat to his own intellectualized anti-Semitism, and Stanley Tucci gives a wonderfully understated performance as Adolf Eichmann. Conspiracy is a carefully crafted, completely unsensational film that offers ample proof of the banality of evil. There are no histrionics and no comic-book Nazi villains, just a small group of politicians and war-weary soldiers arguing about the meaning of words and the logistics of extermination, calmly preparing to unleash an unimaginable horror on the world. --Simon Leake
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| Customer Reviews: Read 104 more reviews...
 The mundane beginning of the holocaust November 2, 2008
This film takes place in one place only and with a limited set of characters. It revolves around the Wannsee Conference, a meeting held at the highest levels of the German government and the Nazi Party. The conference brings together lawyers, technocrats, military (SS), and bureaucrats who, after being skillfully guided by Reichsprotector Reinhard Heydrich, set the stage for the mass extermination of the Jewish population in Europe. The issue is settled much as a trade treaty or a new public relations campaign might be. The scariest part of the story is how mundane all this was. The decision was made and carried out and that was the end of it, just a lot of numbers and trains and changes in official policy to these people.
Evil does not always wear a cloak and show off fangs... sometimes it just has to do with people with the power to do or not do.
The blind leading...the vicious October 25, 2008
I'm not certain what I can add that hasn't already been said -- so elequently -- about this film. After seeing a film with someone, you might be tempted to ask that person, "Did you enjoy the movie?" This isn't a movie to be enjoyed; rather, it is an experience to be remembered and talked about. Needless to say, the acting is superb, as is the script. For me, I take note of what is said non-verbally...
When Heydrich tells Kritzinger that the Fuhrer will "continue to deny" any planning or intent to commit genocide no matter how many times Kritzinger broaches the subject with Hitler -- the look on Kritzinger's face is one of a man who has just had his rose-colored glasses ripped torn off and crushed in front of him. There could be no more rationalizations, no more putting on blinders. They weren't there to discuss anything. Kritzinger was there to listen...and obey.
A scene near the end -- mentioned by other reviewers -- where Heydrich gives Kritzinger his, "Oh, you'll answer now or you'll answer...later." ultimatum, you can see that the latter is totally deflated. He has become useless as a voice of reason. And his previously role as such a "statesman" was perfectly described by Heydrich when he told him, "And your philosophy is what -- hound them, improverish them, exploit them, imprison them, but do not kill them. And you are God's noblest of men. I find that very remarkable." Although Kritzinger murmured a feeble objection, he had to realize that he had been an instrument in the Nazis finally descending to the point of industrial age barbarism, complete with busload-sized ovens.
Finally, Klopfer's reaction to Eichmann's revelation that their latest version of "evacuating the Jews" would kill 2,500 defenseless men, women, and children per hour was...riveting. You could almost see in that pig's expression his attempt to visualize the slaughter.
The symbolic act of knocking on wood took on a whole new meaning for me after watching this movie.
And watch it, you should.
Super Movie July 26, 2008
This movie is really good to have. It really brings home again how terrible a thing it was about the Nazis killing the Jews. A good movie to make a older teenage sit down and watch to understand history's violence and agression.
Branagh Shines as Heydrich July 22, 2008
I missed this film when it originally aired since I do not have HBO. However, a friend of mine brought it to my attention about 4 years ago and I am glad he did. For an entire film taking place (for the most part) in one room, it is amazingly riveting. Watching these Nazi's sitting around the table eating, drinking, and joking while they discuss the "final solution" is quite chilling. Those familiar with the Wansee Conference will respect the accuracy of the portrayal of events while those new to this will simply be shocked at the casual discussions about the most serious of subjects.
Kenneth Branagh stands out in a superior cast in the role of Reinhard Heydrich. He comes across as the coldest and most unfeeling of the lot with frightening effect. Stanley Tucci's portrayal of Adolph Eichmann is good, if somewhat out-of-sync with historical perseptions of his role at the meeting.
I highly recommend this film to anyone curious about this period in history.
Manuel Vidal. Es una pelicula que captura la decision sobre la solucion final July 6, 2008
En esta pelicula se muestra la banalidad que acompano a la discusion en la cual se decidio la solucion final para la "Judenfrage" o "Cuestion judia". Es un complemento que aporta mucho a la comprension del libro de Hannah Arendt: "El juicio de Eichmann en Jerusalen". La pregunta entre los asistentes a la reunion de Wannsee no radicaba en si era bueno o no acabar a un pueblo entero, no entre todos abirtamente, sino en como hacerlo mas eficaz, eficiente y efectivamente al menor costo para el Reich. Sugiero complementar esta pelicula con el libro mencionado y con "The Nazis, a warning from history", dcumental excelente de la BBC, y con las peliculas "Rosa blanca" o "Sophie Scholl", y "Out of the ashes", ademas de "Los falsificadores", "Napola" y otras tantas. Es una pelicula que sin salir de la reunion, hace pensar en la gravedad de la banalidad frente al mal, de como lo potencia. Para hacer el mal extremo no hay que ser un mostruo o un demonio, basta con ser banal.
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