A great movie... and a piece of history

[Guest guest]

We bought a pile of DVDs (well, to be exact, I think it was 10...) one of the vacation days we spent shopping and having ice cream in the town center. One of them was The Baader-Meinhof Complex (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0765432/ ). About the West German terrorist group RAF (they went by other names on occasion, but RAF is what they were/are best known as), active during the 1960s and 1970s.We actually planned to see that movie at the movie theater, but never had the time. Now we got to see it anyway. Good thing! Because it was fantastic. Some of the same people who made Downfall (about the last days of the Third Reich) was involved in this movie too. And documentary fiction is

really their strength! As with the movie Downfall, one felt as if one had really experienced a piece of history first hand. They used real news clips (in both movies), to sort of enhance that effect. And the story the movie is telling is really thought provoking and interesting. We, who were children during the 1970s (and had a good childhood at that), tend to think about the 1970s as a calm and idyllic time. But I am guessing that was not how our parents viewed that same time. For instance, one of the terrorist attacks they were responsible of was the siege of the West German embassy in Stockholm, lasting for about 12 hours, during which hostages were being shot, ending in a series of violent explosions when the group detonated a huge load of TNT (as had been threatened), and blew up a huge part of the building. Part of the Swedish government were in a nearby building when the explosions happened (I think they were there

to try and negotiate, can't think of any other business that would bring them right there right then), and for a short while it was unclear what had happened to them. Watching the movie I thought about the fact that my family was actually living in Stockholm when this happened, and what that day would have been like to my parents and older siblings (I myself was barely 1 year old, so I naturally don't remember it). It's fascinating. It really is. Calm and idyllic. Well, maybe not. At least not that day... And what a dilemma for the Swedish police, and government for that matter. Unable to do much (an embassy is legally foreign territory, plus the terrorists made clear that no hostage would be spared should any attempt to storm the building be made, besides the terrorists weren't really interested in negotiating with the Swedish government, their target was the West German one, who weren't

talking to them). But still with an obligation to protect Swedish citizens as well as embassy personnel in the West German and other embassies. The news clip (used in the movie too) from the Swedish television is a classic in Swedish television history. The reporter stands before the camera and is preparing his report (not broadcasting at the time), when there is a BOOM sound. The startled reporter ducks for cover, but has the journalistic instinct to yell: "LÄGG UT! LÄGG UT!" repeatedly (literally "lay out", meaning: "Put this camera on the air!"). Especially that line "Lägg ut!" has become a TV classic. Recently, when one of the major newspapers in Sweden were the first/only ones to cover an ongoing bankrobbery, and broadcast it live on web-TV, I heard the comment: "Embed is so the new 'lägg ut'". (And I am sure anyone in Sweden would know what that was referring to). I actually

went to youtube to watch the clip (in full), after seeing the movie. It's here: http://bit.ly/9XcfPU (I have a bit of trouble with youtube-links for some reason, so I turned it into a bit.ly-link instead, clicking on it will take you to the youtube page in question). This one has English translation too. You'll notice that the reporter is talking about the American embassy being on fire, that's because the American embassy was next door to the West German embassy, and was of course affected by such a massive explosion (or series of explosions) happening that close. The whole movie (The Baader-Meinhof Complex) makes you think a lot about the nature of violence and terrorism. For instance, is the fact that these young people, who could justify killing so shockingly easy, were children under the Third Reich purely coincidental, or does that kind of childhood

do something to a person?I wholeheartedly recommend the movie. See it whenever you get a chance!love/Reb

[Guest guest]

I have seen it on DVR. You do well as a film critic and political analyst, Reb!Thank you,nTo: MSersLife <MSersLife >Sent: Wed, August 25, 2010 3:44:36 AMSubject: A great movie... and a piece of history

We bought a pile of DVDs (well, to be exact, I think it was 10...) one of the vacation days we spent shopping and having ice cream in the town center. One of them was The Baader-Meinhof Complex (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0765432/ ). About the West German terrorist group RAF (they went by other names on occasion, but RAF is what they were/are best known as), active during the 1960s and 1970s.We actually planned to see that movie at the movie theater, but never had the time. Now we got to see it anyway. Good thing! Because it was fantastic. Some of the same people who made Downfall (about the last days of the Third Reich) was involved in this movie too. And documentary fiction is

really their strength! As with the movie Downfall, one felt as if one had really experienced a piece of history first hand. They used real news clips (in both movies), to sort of enhance that effect. And the story the movie is telling is really thought provoking and interesting. We, who were children during the 1970s (and had a good childhood at that), tend to think about the 1970s as a calm and idyllic time. But I am guessing that was not how our parents viewed that same time. For instance, one of the terrorist attacks they were responsible of was the siege of the West German embassy in Stockholm, lasting for about 12 hours, during which hostages were being shot, ending in a series of violent explosions when the group detonated a huge load of TNT (as had been threatened), and blew up a huge part of the building. Part of the Swedish government were in a nearby building when the explosions happened (I think they were there

to try and negotiate, can't think of any other business that would bring them right there right then), and for a short while it was unclear what had happened to them. Watching the movie I thought about the fact that my family was actually living in Stockholm when this happened, and what that day would have been like to my parents and older siblings (I myself was barely 1 year old, so I naturally don't remember it). It's fascinating. It really is. Calm and idyllic. Well, maybe not. At least not that day... And what a dilemma for the Swedish police, and government for that matter. Unable to do much (an embassy is legally foreign territory, plus the terrorists made clear that no hostage would be spared should any attempt to storm the building be made, besides the terrorists weren't really interested in negotiating with the Swedish government, their target was the West German one, who weren't

talking to them). But still with an obligation to protect Swedish citizens as well as embassy personnel in the West German and other embassies. The news clip (used in the movie too) from the Swedish television is a classic in Swedish television history. The reporter stands before the camera and is preparing his report (not broadcasting at the time), when there is a BOOM sound. The startled reporter ducks for cover, but has the journalistic instinct to yell: "LÄGG UT! LÄGG UT!" repeatedly (literally "lay out", meaning: "Put this camera on the air!"). Especially that line "Lägg ut!" has become a TV classic. Recently, when one of the major newspapers in Sweden were the first/only ones to cover an ongoing bankrobbery, and broadcast it live on web-TV, I heard the comment: "Embed is so the new 'lägg ut'". (And I am sure anyone in Sweden would know what that was referring to). I

actually

went to youtube to watch the clip (in full), after seeing the movie. It's here: http://bit.ly/9XcfPU (I have a bit of trouble with youtube-links for some reason, so I turned it into a bit.ly-link instead, clicking on it will take you to the youtube page in question). This one has English translation too. You'll notice that the reporter is talking about the American embassy being on fire, that's because the American embassy was next door to the West German embassy, and was of course affected by such a massive explosion (or series of explosions) happening that close. The whole movie (The Baader-Meinhof Complex) makes you think a lot about the nature of violence and terrorism. For instance, is the fact that these young people, who could justify killing so shockingly easy, were children under the Third Reich purely coincidental, or does that kind of

childhood

do something to a person?I wholeheartedly recommend the movie. See it whenever you get a chance!love/Reb

[Guest guest]

Thank you, n!love/Reb---------------------I have seen it on DVR. You do well as a film critic and political analyst, Reb!Thank you,nTo: MSersLife <MSersLife >Sent: Wed, August 25, 2010 3:44:36 AMSubject: A great movie... and a piece of

history We bought a pile of DVDs (well, to be exact, I think it was 10...) one of the vacation days we spent shopping and having ice cream in the town center. One of them was The Baader-Meinhof Complex (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0765432/ ). About the West German terrorist group RAF (they went by other names on occasion, but RAF is what they were/are best known as), active during the 1960s and 1970s.We actually planned to see that movie at the movie theater, but never had the time. Now we got to see it anyway. Good thing! Because it was fantastic. Some of the same people who made Downfall (about the last days of the Third Reich) was involved in this movie too. And documentary fiction is really their strength! As with the movie Downfall, one felt as if one had really experienced a piece of history first hand. They used real news clips (in both movies), to sort of enhance that effect. And the story the movie is telling is really thought provoking and interesting. We, who were children during the 1970s (and had a good childhood at that), tend to think about the 1970s as a calm and idyllic time. But I am guessing that was not how our parents viewed that same time. For instance, one of the terrorist attacks they were

responsible of was the siege of the West German embassy in Stockholm, lasting for about 12 hours, during which hostages were being shot, ending in a series of violent explosions when the group detonated a huge load of TNT (as had been threatened), and blew up a huge part of the building. Part of the Swedish government were in a nearby building when the explosions happened (I think they were there to try and negotiate, can't think of any other business that would bring them right there right then), and for a short while it was unclear what had happened to them. Watching the movie I thought about the fact that my family was actually living in Stockholm when this happened, and what that day would have been like to my parents and older siblings (I myself was barely 1 year old, so I naturally don't remember it). It's fascinating. It really is. Calm and idyllic. Well, maybe not. At

least not that day... And what a dilemma for the Swedish police, and government for that matter. Unable to do much (an embassy is legally foreign territory, plus the terrorists made clear that no hostage would be spared should any attempt to storm the building be made, besides the terrorists weren't really interested in negotiating with the Swedish government, their target was the West German one, who weren't talking to them). But still with an obligation to protect Swedish citizens as well as embassy personnel in the West German and other embassies. The news clip (used in the movie too) from the Swedish television is a classic in Swedish television history. The reporter stands before the camera and is preparing his report (not broadcasting at the time), when there is a BOOM sound. The startled reporter

ducks for cover, but has the journalistic instinct to yell: "LÄGG UT! LÄGG UT!" repeatedly (literally "lay out", meaning: "Put this camera on the air!"). Especially that line "Lägg ut!" has become a TV classic. Recently, when one of the major newspapers in Sweden were the first/only ones to cover an ongoing bankrobbery, and broadcast it live on web-TV, I heard the comment: "Embed is so the new 'lägg ut'". (And I am sure anyone in Sweden would know what that was referring to). I actually went to youtube to watch the clip (in full), after seeing the movie. It's here: http://bit.ly/9XcfPU (I have a bit of trouble with youtube-links for some reason, so I turned it into a bit.ly-link instead, clicking on it will take you to the youtube

page in question). This one has English translation too. You'll notice that the reporter is talking about the American embassy being on fire, that's because the American embassy was next door to the West German embassy, and was of course affected by such a massive explosion (or series of explosions) happening that close. The whole movie (The Baader-Meinhof Complex) makes you think a lot about the nature of violence and terrorism. For instance, is the fact that these young people, who could justify killing so shockingly easy, were children under the Third Reich purely coincidental, or does that kind of childhood do something to a person?I wholeheartedly recommend the movie. See it whenever you get a chance!love/Reb