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The Grey Zone (2001)
Starring : David Arquette, Steve Buscemi, Harvey Keitel,
Mira Sorvino, Allan Corduner, Daniel Benzali
Plot: A Nazi doctor, along with the Sonderkomando, Jews who
are forced to work in the crematoria of Auschwitz against their fellow Jews,
find themselves in a moral grey zone.
My Review and Thoughts:
Heartbreaking, disturbing, shocking depiction of World War
II concentration camps. Truly a barbaric experience, something that is and
should be remembered. It's a Great War film about the genocide and about the
horrors of the Holocaust and the select few that stood up.
An all-star cast wonderful actors building the characters
into believable scenarios. This is a reality in the historical value of the
incidents taking place. This holds nothing back, specifically the ovens, the
burning of the bodies, the showers and those few that rose up against the
Nazis. A select few joined together to blow up the gas chambers, the
crematoriums to damage and to try and stop the genocide. These that rose up and
fought had already given in and did the work of the Nazis, such as lying to
their fellow Jews, sending them, and helping them go into the showers and
ultimately, burning their bodies in the crematorium.
This is based on actual events and the scenario is created
through the testimony of Miklos Nyiszli. His written book was called Auschwitz:
A Doctor's Eyewitness Account. Dr. Miklos Nyiszli volunteered to work alongside
the vilest human in history the infamous "Angel of Death"--Dr. Josef
Mengele.
You see one way to save yourself from ending up in the gas
showers or roasting and turning into ash – was to help the Nazis. You would be
bosses and in charge of your own race and sadly many of the cases, the Jew
would be as brutal just like the Nazis. Certain Jews would end up agreeing to
certain things or if you had certain traits they would keep you alive. Not all
of these Jews where horrible but there on race considered them evil. Most where
looked on as betraying their own race and agreeing to kill their own kind and
to work with the beast known as the German Nazis? This movie details some of
those heroes inside the concentration camps that rose up against, because they
ultimately knew they would die anyways and plus most could not live with
themselves knowing what they had done.
They were known as Jewish Sonderkommando XII in the
Auschwitz concentration camp. They were Jews that helped the Nazi's usher in
their final solution by a means of a faster assembly line through lying and
helping them line up and sending them to the showers which ultimately where gas
chambers of death.
There are many horrors in the world. Many acts of depravity
throughout history, but one dark stain of reality is World War 2. The Nazi's
are the beacon of hate and the bodification of evil. A moment in history that
forever stained the makeup of time. A powerful example of what true hell could
be like in the actions and situations caused by a race of men and women calling
themselves the superior race, when in honesty, the nasty reality was, man
destroying his own self.
Powerful and haunting. A true nightmare inducing depravity.
The disturbing reality and the matter of fact nature of pure evil acts play
with your mind. This disturbs the very basic foundations of human emotions. The
dark concept of such hateful and lack of humanity in the images and actions
bear down upon the reader.
It's a part of true history that stains its very reality
into us all wanting to know the true logic of what happened at that camp, that
death camp. This is a part of history that should be seen, read and educated
with, in schools and in general population, so that we don't repeat the atrocities
of these death dealers.
If there is a concept of evil, if it does exist, if the
devil is real, then the acts of the Nazi's detailed and depicted in this movie
is all the truth one needs to grasp the real reality and makeup of the concepts
of evil and the devil. For these actions that took place are described and
defined in history, so the Nazi death dealers can be looked at as evil and as
the persona of the devil.
For these aspects are not mere words or fictionalized fairy
tales for they are real. Once you read the account or witness it in movie form,
you can never deny what happened. The matter of fact approach to 3,000 innocent
people being killed at one moment like a light switch being flicked is a
haunting reminder of the monstrosity this moment in history was. There are
those asinine people out there that try to ridicule peoples take on the Nazi's
saying most of the statements by eyewitnesses are exaggerated or that this book
the movie is based on has false statements because the math is off, so what,
about the math of how many victims of evil there was. To deny that the genocide
happened is like saying there is no earth. Genocide did happen, a whole
population was almost destroyed. And if so called bigots and haters only can
come up with the defense of math, it shows you how ignorant they really are.
I have read many disturbing books on war, crime, murder,
abuse, rape but this book this is based on is above and beyond the aspect of
what any other book can capture. This is torment and torture and depravity that
explores the very depths of true horror on page. This book will haunt me, it
will remain deep inside my thoughts. The honesty of the genocide mentioned is a
life stopping reality. The movie touches on some of the horrors but sadly lacks
a lot of the descriptive reality of Dr. Mikolos.
I think what is so horrible is that one can live knowing
this in firsthand knowledge, but if it was not for Dr. Mikolos Nyiszi this true
account could never be comprehended, at what really happened. The true ordeal
and makeup of the atrocities by the death dealers is displayed here in all its
agonizing facts, for it has to be told, it has to be remembered, it has to be
explored and never ever forgotten. The Grey Zone film does a great job in
depicting the horrors that took place in these camps. It shows you the
devastation. It shows you the bodies, the countless murders, the horrible death
and torture. This movie does a great job in showcasing the true experience.
Page 56 of the Book: “When the last gold tooth had been
removed, the bodies went to the incineration kommando. There they were laid by
threes on a kind of pushcart made of sheet metal. The heavy doors of the ovens
opened automatically; the pushcart moved into a furnace heated to
incandescence. The bodies were cremated in twenty minutes. Each crematorium
worked with fifteen ovens, and there were four crematoriums. This meant that
several thousand people could be cremated in a single day. Thus for weeks and
months -even years - several thousand people passed each day through the gas
chambers and from there to the incineration ovens. Nothing but a pile of ashes
remained in the crematory ovens. Trucks took the ashes to the Vistula, a mile
away, and dumped them into the raging waters of the river."
One thing the movie doesn't do is showcase Josef Mengele and
the idea of his research on twins. The movie does mention it in passing but the
book details it horrifying ways, the book mentions two-year-old twins which is
apart that clouds my thoughts.
Another reality the book showcases is the shocking and heart
moving moment with the mention of Oberschaarfuhrer Molle an SS Nazi who killed
thousands by placing them in massive burning dug pits, he would shot them and
burn over 5 thousand Jews, sending most still alive into the flames screaming
and yelling in horrible pain.
Page 84-85 of the book: "The Czech Camp consisted of
about 15,000 deportees brought from the Theresienstadt ghetto... the hour of
extermination arrived.....the children's bodies were mere skin and bones, and
the elderly prisoners were so weak they could scarcely walk....Hunger had
reduced the prisoners to raving, moaning maniacs....Diarrhea, dysentery and
typhus had begun their deadly work. Fifty or sixty deaths a day was
normal....Several hundred SS soldiers surrounded the Czech area and ordered the
inmates to assemble. Their cries of terror as they were loaded onto the waiting
vans were terrible to hear...."Liquidation Day" found some 12,000
prisoners left in the Czech Camp. From among that number 1,500 able-bodied men
and women were chosen, along with eight physicians. The rest were sent to
number two and number three crematoriums. On the following day the Czech Camp
was silent and deserted. I saw a truck loaded with ashes leave the crematorium
and head towards the Vistula. This the Auschwitz muster rolls were reduced by
more than 12,000 "units," and one more bloody page was added to the
Auschwitz archives. That page contained only the following brief inscriptions:
"The Czech section of the Auschwitz concentration camp was liquidated this
date due to a prevalence of typhus among the prisoners. Signed: Dr. Mengele,
Hauptsturmfuhrur I Lagerazt".
There is no greater horror then this part of history. The
film and the book are the true ordeal. Nothing I have ever read compares to the
truthful descriptions of evil that happened. Just when you think it can't get
any worse it does. In the book it Talks about father and son being examined.
They are feed and then cut open and then boiled and then the parts had been
eaten by other starving inmates, this was a moment in the book I won’t forgot
nor will I forget anything in this book. The movie itself is hard to watch also
because it digs deep into the darkness of the concentration camps.
Tragic and horrible and some of the most god awful truths
ever acted out in history are explored in graphic detail in this film. The book
and film is a must own, must read and must watch experience. History is to be
taught. This type of history should be taught so that all generations
understand, accept and never fall again into this horrible act of genocide upon
any living being.
Now the movie gives the individual reality of the persons
involved in trying to destroy the crematoriums. In the book it's just vaguely
mentioned but what the movie does is explore in greater detail, giving history
and a persona and the reality to each individuals involved.
I think what's so bold and so graphic and so disturbing and
controversy about this movie is in reality there are no real type heroes in
this film. Yes they do try and do a good job at taking down the crematoriums
but in reality there only doing it because there rotation of four months is up
and they know after four months they are going to be eliminated. In this movie
every one of them is basically working for themselves, trying to survive. They
are bothered with the ordeal of being involved with their dead. They care
they're burning there races but yet they volunteered to do it.
There is one shot in the movie where the new batch of Jews
from the train are led into a building and their fellow Jews, the ones that are
lying to them, the ones helping send them to the showers, crematoriums, tell
them, everything is going to be okay, undress, put your clothes on the hooks.
You’re going to take a good shower. One of the new Jews starts making a
commotion about how they are lying and how they should be ashamed helping. The
Jew goes on to say at least I will die with my integrity.
I think that's one of the key issues about the subject.
Integrity, dying knowing you did not do some of the things that clearly is
detailed. It's easy to sit here in your La-Z-Boy chair and in front of the
television and say, "of course I would not do that, I would rather
die." Now faced with the situation might be a little different subject. I
wasn't there. I didn't experience what they experienced. I think that we don't
have the right to say, "Oh I would've never done that." When it comes
to saving yourself for a little bit longer, how far would you go? In this film
it shows those who joined in and help send their fellow men and women to the
showers and pushing them into the crematoriums where awarded with food, bread,
liquor. They got rewarded in what they did, while others throughout the camp
are starving and dying. I think it also goes to the fact, can you live with
yourself knowing what you did? I think it comes down to the human side of us.
The conscience. The aspect of pain and suffering. I think it comes down to
that. I don't think I would be able to live with myself if I was one of those
helping the Nazis do what they did to my own race or any individual.
I think that's where this movie is bold. There are no heroes
in this film, yes they do great in the end and show courage, but what they did
before ultimately the horrible actions that took place, is a huge stain. So
it's kind of a 50-50 film. An iffy type of reality. That's why I think this
movie is brilliant. That's why I think this movie should be seen and is a vital
tool of a historical reality.
The cast of characters are thoroughly acted in brilliance.
Mira Sorvino is beautiful and flawless in our performance as Dina a
concentration camp victim who has agreed to smuggle gun powder. I think this is
her best role ever portrayed in any film. She shinned in her performance of a
scared and tortured Jew who knew her ultimate fate. I have never been a David
Arquette fan outside of the Scream horror series of films, but boy did he act
his butt off in this drama film. He shinned in his role and made you believe
his part. This part he plays as Hoffman a Jew who helps the Nazi's is a
dramatic role that really shows his acting. I was turned off knowing he was in
it because he is always a goofy comedy type acting and thought going into this
his style was going to ruin it, but was I wrong. His acting made it even
stronger because of him.
I think a shining role goes to David Chandler who plays Nazi
helper Max Rosenthal. Never really have noticed him in the acting world or at
least someone who stood out but in this film he is amazing and shines in
creating a character strong willed and with an ultimate purpose to destroy the
crematoriums. I feel Chandler aced his part and made you believe his anger and
hatred and frustration.
This also pinpoints real Nazi's that where eventually tried
and executed after the war for war crimes. They mention and showcase Eric
Muhsfeldt who is played by the wonderful master talented and much underrated
actor Harvey Keitel who played SS-Oberscharführer. Muhsfeldt. His claim to
horrible fame is he was part of the one day killing of 43,000 imprisoned
victims at Concentration Camps. He came in charge of the Jews that helped the
Nazi's after this massacre which he began supervising as SS officer of the
Jewish Sonderkommando in Crematorium II and III in Auschwitz II. Dr. Miklos
mentioned him in the book as getting a checkup after he had shot 80 people in a
role. The Doc. talked about how his blood pressure was high. The Doc.
confronted him maybe it was killing so many without empathy that caused this.
He basically responded it doesn't matter if I shot 1 or 80 that wasn't the
cause my drinking is the cause. This moment is in the movie.
Harvey Keitel is a master actor playing in wonderful mix of
characters throughout his long wonderful career. He in my viewpoint is one of
the best actors around and sadly seems to be overlooked a lot. His talent is
grand in such classics like the one and only masterpiece 1992's Bad Lieutenant.
Also the powerful performance in the Oscar winning 1993's The Piano. Mastering
in such greats like Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, Pulp Fiction. Anything he does
is golden.
Otto Moll is one of the vilest Nazi's mentioned in the book
and film. Otto Moll was SS Hauptscharführer who was in charge of having Jews
dig the death pits a.k.a. mass graves. He would line up persons to be shot in
the pit which was set in flames and those who refused to line up such as
children he would then throw them into the fire alive. He is played by actor
Velizar Binev.
Another shinning role goes to Brian F. O'Byrne a wonderful
talented actor that always is able to give such a brilliant persona in his
performances. He plays a ruthless torture interrogator in The Grey Zone. He
owns this part and masters this horrible reality for the viewer. I always love
seeing him in films or TV series because he has such an acting presence and
flow with his characters that truly make you believe in there reality and
persona's that tend to grab the viewer in good or bad ways in who the character
is. In The Grey Zone he is basically a merciless monster just adding to his
talent of performances.
This was directed by Tim Blake Nelson who adapted Dr. Miklos
book for his stage play The Grey Zone which is now in movie format. Yes, you
should know that name because he is a wonderful actor playing many memorable
characters. Probably most remember him for his character Delmar in the
wonderful comical masterpiece by the Coen Brothers "Oh Brother, Where Art
Thou? Which he also won a Grammy for singing on the soundtrack. He is a truly a
talented man that writes, directs and acts and yes sings.
I think something that needs to be mentioned is the sets.
They amazingly built a 90 percent mockup of reproduction of the
Auschwitz/Birkenau death camp where they used the original blue prints of it to
build it. This idea was amazing and very real and effective for the film. The
sets, costumes and over all reality of the film makes it seem real and as if
it's happening now.
The Grey Zone is a film that leaves the viewer in awe of the
acting and haunted in the depiction of scenarios that are so real and damming
to the makeup of history. The Grey Zone is a must see film of historical value
and the idea of true inner horror.