The Damned: Amazon.ca: Dirk Bogarde, Luchino Visconti: DVD

Product Description

From Amazon.com

This brooding, operatic movie about Nazism makes Cabaret look like wholesome family fare. The family in The Damned is a symbol of German society circa 1934. The Krupp-like steel magnate Baron von Essenbeck represents the spineless establishment. The Nazis kill the baron, then frame one heir apparent, a socialist (married to the stunning Charlotte Rampling). A bearish, boorish Essenbeck representing the SA, the Nazis' early goon squad, takes the reins. But Hitler murdered the SA in the 1934 "Night of the Long Knives," providing The Damned with its bravura action scene, a Nazi massacre at a gay SA orgy. The winning Essenbeck is the murderous, pedophilic, transvestite, mother-rapist Martin (sharp-featured Helmut Berger), who represents Nazism. Though he's better in director Luchino Visconti's 1971 Death in Venice, Dirk Bogarde is classy as Martin's stepdad. The Damned got an Oscar screenplay nomination, and Vincent Canby called Berger's Martin "the performance of the year." --Tim Appelo

Tags Customers Associate with This Product

(What's this?)

Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.

dirk bogarde(2)

helmut berger(2)

homosexuality(2)

abundant female nudity(1)

betrayal(1)

crossdress(1)

full frontal female nudity(1)

greed(1)

helmut griem(1)

incest(1)

Agree with these tags?

See all 15 tags...

Customer Reviews

10 Reviews

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

Average Customer Review

4.0 out of 5 stars (10 customer reviews)

Share your thoughts with other customers:

Create your own review

Most helpful customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars EXCELLENT ... DVD!, Mar 12 2004

By

Nick (Flagstaff, AZ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Damned (DVD)

I posted earlier in anticipation of this DVD and my expectations were far exceeded! Thank you Warner Bros! By now you've probably read the plot about a rich, decadent family's empire crumbling in sync with the rise of the Nazi party. This DVD is the ultimate way to experience the film!

First off, this is indeed the UNCUT VERSION, don't let the R rating fool you. It runs 157 minutes (as compared to my old 147 minute VHS tape), and according to the MPAA ratings database, this uncut version was resubmitted this year and received an R rating (it was originally X-rated in 1969). Way to go WB DVD giving us this classic in all it's uncut, shocking glory!

Also, the quality of the DVD is probably as good as it's going to get! No need to complain when we've got a widescreen uncut print on our hands, right? The movie is old so it's not going to look clean and crisp and new like a DVD of "Daddy Day Care" or "Gigli." I'm just glad it's out on DVD now and I hope that in this format the movie will now be discovered by people who haven't yet seen it.

Maybe I'm hyping it up too much, and I'm sure a lot of people will disagree with me and find the movie too boring, but it takes its time and after watching it, you look back and everything you've been exposed to in the film seems like an unsettling dream. That's entertainment!

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews

Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Report abuse

4.0 out of 5 stars Twilight of the Industrialists, Feb 24 2004

By

J P Falcon (Fords, New Jersey United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Damned (DVD)

"The Damned" is an entertaining soap opera concerning the destruction of a German Industrial family during the early years of Hitler's consolidation of power. There are many very good performances in this movie such as Dirk Bogarde, Ingrid Thulin, Helmut Greim, Charlotte Rampling (seen in the recent Swimming Pool), and especially Helmut Berger who is evil personified as Martin Von Essenbeck. Luchino Visconti directs the movie with operatic opulence though there are a few sections in the movie that tends to slow to a crawl. Despite these moments, you will find yourself immersed in a compelling story. I have to agree with other reviewers who are critical of the sound, as I occasionally activated the subtitles to catch what was being said.

Finally, regarding whether or not The Damned has in fact been edited to an R rating. I saw this movie in a theater when it was first released, and while I will concede that my memory may be flagging, I honestly do not recall any scene that has been trimmed. I believe that the X rating in 1969 is a reflection of the moral standards of the period. This movie includes issues of rape, pedophilia, and incest which were taboo in movies during this period. Think of the landmark X rated movies such as "Last Tango in Paris", and "I am Curious Yellow". In both cases, seen by today's rating standards, these two movies only warrant an R rating. I believe "The Damned" falls into the same category.

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews

Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Report abuse

5.0 out of 5 stars Ignored masterpiece!!, Jan 2 2004

By

Nick (Flagstaff, AZ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Damned (DVD)

I'm jumping for joy that Warner Bros. has decided to finally release this movie onto DVD! I watched it in high school and wrote a report about it and I've always thought it was an amazing film! When I've brought it up in conversation, people are like, "What did you call me?" and they've never even heard about it.

Rated X upon it's 1969 release, this Nazi era tale of power, greed, hate, and perversion within a wealthy family is beautifully crafted and takes its time going where it needs to go, yet is never boring. The "Night of the Long Knives" scene (even in the edited R-rated video version I saw) was very shocking and eye opening. If you haven't seen it, don't miss it!

I can only hope that Warner Bros. has released it in its original, unedited version for DVD!! In any case, I've preordered my copy and am looking forward to watching it again!

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews

Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Report abuse

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review

› See all 10 customer reviews on Amazon.ca

Want to see more reviews on this item?

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 41 reviews 3.9 out of 5 stars

Most recent customer reviews

2.0 out of 5 stars Yuck
Wallowing around in all of the sensationalism is an interesting story--about how the German upper classes tried to use Hitler and wound up being used by him--and how a lucky few,... Read more

Published on Mar 17 2004 by Matthew Patton

5.0 out of 5 stars Mesmerizing
I was quite young when The Damned was originally released, but remember the controversy when it played on television in the mid 70s. Read more

Published on Mar 16 2004 by B. Tebbs