Countless documentaries have been made about The Third Reich's rise to power, so Berlinger’s Hitler and The Nazis doesn’t particularly tread new ground. It starts with Hitler’s childhood and political beginnings, which anyone with a cursory knowledge of world history should know, but it picks up by the second episode, when it finally settles into a rhythm of stunning archival footage, realistic reenactments, expert commentary, and Shirer’s AI-recreated voice. The latter is chilling, not just because it recounts horrific events but also because it sounds strangely, unfittingly mechanical--to say nothing of the unnecessary use of AI when hiring a voice actor would’ve done the trick. Other than that, however, Hitler and the Nazis is a meaty historical account of a past that shouldn’t be forgotten, one that the newest generation will do well to watch.
Synopsis
This gripping docuseries examines Adolf Hitler and the Nazis' rise, rule and reckoning from pre-WWII to the Holocaust to the Nuremberg trials.
Storyline
In six episodes, director Joe Berlinger (Paradise Lost, The Ted Bundy Tapes) brings to life the detailed reports of William Shirer, an American journalist who witnessed firsthand the rise and fall of Nazi Germany.
TLDR
It’s not an easy watch, especially since it doesn’t necessarily report anything new, but it is an urgent cautionary tale in our increasingly authoritarian times.
What stands out
The rich archival footage, painstakingly and beautifully colorized for this doc.
