Hitler: The Rise of Evil

Originally broadcast on CBS in 2003, this exceptionally well-done miniseries aired to an audience of 12 million, garnered seven Emmy nominations, and earned two wins. Directed by Christian Duguay, Hitler: The Rise of Evil puts a human face on one of history's worst tyrants, charting his progress from insignificant, antisocial Austrian art student to Chancellor of Germany and leader of the Nazi Party. Scottish actor Robert Carlyle, ostensibly an odd choice for the role, brings Hitler to life in a performance that is both vivid and intense, portraying the man as a malcontent very much aware of his own charisma and confident in his ability to sway a disgruntled populace. Stockard Channing plays Hitler's devoted mother Klara, while Peter O'Toole appears as Paul von Hindenberg, the German president who helped Der Führer ascend to power in 1933. Other key performances are contributed by Jena Malone (as Hitler's niece Geli), Matthew Modine (as a crusading journalist), and Liev Schreiber as a Nazi supporter. Filmed on location in Prague and Vienna, the film effectively captures the desperation of a Germany still shattered by its loss in World War I and prepared to cede power to Hitler after he promises to usher in a new era of German domination. A chilling but hypnotically fascinating drama, Hitler: The Rise of Evil bows on DVD with a pair of excellent extras: Joachim C. Fest and Christian Herrendoerfer's acclaimed two-and-a-half hour 1977 documentary Hitler: A Career, and the near-hour-long “making-of” documentary “Hitler and I: Reflections of Evil.” Highly recommended. (E. Hulse)