The Bottom Line
Pros
- Humanistic look at the Holocaust focusing on a handful of people
- Inspiring story of the triumph of the human spirit
- Achieves great emotional power through the accumulation of detail
Cons
- Understated and not innovative (could be a pro)
- Some may find accumulation of detail too tedious
- DVD contains no extras of any consequence
Description
- DVD containing documentary movie "Anne Frank Remembered" (1995)
- Film won Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature
- Documentary narrated by Kenneth Branagh
- Extracts from Anne Frank's diary read by Glenn Close
- Excellent picture and sound quality
- Feature run time: 1 hour 57 minutes
- DVD release date: March 9, 2004
Guide Review - "Anne Frank Remembered" DVD Review
I think the best thing about the documentary "Anne Frank Remembered" is the understated and detailed way it tells the tale of one Holocaust victim and her legacy. For the most part, the film's tone is matter-of-fact and unsentimental, yet I found myself fighting back tears periodically. The movie is a fitting tribute to the memory of a teenage girl who, despite having her life cut tragically short, was still able to do something that has inspired millions.
Most of the documentary focuses on Anne Frank herself, and there are many still photos of her and her family. Also, the film contains the only known moving footage of Anne. It's only a few seconds long and was shot in 1941 when she was 12. In it, she’s on a balcony watching a wedding party. Occasionally the movie contains extracts from Anne’s diary read in voice-over by Glenn Close. Here's one of the teenager's diary entries I found most moving: "I don't want to have lived in vain like most people. I want to be useful or bring enjoyment to people, even those I've never met."
Regrettably the DVD provides no bonus materials of any consequence, but "Anne Frank Remembered" is an extraordinary movie, and I'm pleased that it is at last available for repeated home viewing in a high-quality, inexpensive medium.