It's doubtful that any cinematic endeavor of recent times deserves the title of epic more than Edgar Reitz's Heimat trilogy, which encompasses more than 52 hours of footage chronicling the history of Germany in the 20th century from the perspective of a single family residing in the Hunsrück area of the Rhineland. At 11 episodes of varying length (from one hour to over two), with a total running-time of nearly 16 hours, and shot on film stock that switches abruptly between black-and-white and color for artistic effect, this first of the three films in the series, dating from 1984 and covering the years 1918 through 1982, focuses on three generations of the Simons of Schabbach, with Maria, a young woman who marries into the close-knit family shortly after the close of World War I, serving as the connecting link among them. But the narrative frequently turns to other figures—the ninth episode, for example, could stand virtually alone as the coming-of-age story of Maria's youngest son Hermann. And while this first series (or Heimat I, as it might now be called) covers staggeringly significant periods of modern history, including the Nazi era, its emphasis is never on the external events themselves, but on how they impact the lives of the ordinary people we come to empathize with as the series proceeds. This six-disc boxed set has some drawbacks: the transfer seems a bit fuzzy, and the fact that the English subtitles are on the film itself means they can't be turned off during viewing. The only bonus, moreover—apart from a useful booklet outlining each episode—is a filmed introduction by Marc Silberman of the University of Wisconsin that's rather soporific. But Heimat is a magnificent achievement, impressive not only as a kind of “people's history” of modern Germany but also as a profoundly affecting human drama. Highly recommended. (F. Swietek)
Heimat: A Chronicle of Germany
Facets, 6 discs, 925 min., in German w/English subtitles, not rated, DVD: $99.95 Volume 20, Issue 6
Heimat: A Chronicle of Germany
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