The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas [DVD]

Comments for people interested in the Blu Ray version of The Boy In the Striped Pyjamas: I watched the Blu Ray edition and the picture quality was flawless. The sound was 5.1 DTS. There was no atmospheric sound effects though as the movie is mostly dialogue and imagery so the film would be equally enjoyable on a portable TV. Film Review without spoilers: *The acting is superb on all counts and is not 'dumbed down' for a mass audience that needs to be helped along the way. *The faces of the characters chosen are memorable as are their performances. The lead character, who plays an eight year old called Bruno (played by Asa Butterfield) is superb. He has mesmerizing blue eyes and a well spoken British accent (I'll get back to this in a second) that even before he speaks makes you look. Vera Farmiga (who plays Bruno's mother) has that ever concerned look that reminded me of her of her impressive performance in 'Orphan' - 2009. Together they exude what a mother/child relationship in a dangerous setting should be. Bruno is forever innocent and exploring within the confines of their property and his mother is forever overly worried and anxious. *Their is no religious 'bias' creeping in, or should I say, focus on religion that may deter some. A prime example of this is: Defiance - 2009. A solid film with this problem. *There is no on screen violence and thus the film is safely appropriate for 12+ viewing. Any scenes of horror are done off screen with the viewer having to imagine what is going on, rather than being shown it. Some may argue the scene of a concentration camp is a still a little young to screen in schools. I would disagree as a child's emotions are not as fully formed as an adult thus removing the sustained sadness of the film that peaks into a tragic twist at the end. I feel it's also important and indeed useful to show children (12+) this movie, so they could understand 'War' from an entirely different perspective to a video game where people run around blasting people. In essence this film makes you think, it's a thinking persons film and induces thought in almost all who watch it. I say almost because.............. Criticisms: 1) The film is in English. I don't mean English subtitles, but English audio. This is rare and I was initially irritated with it as I was concluding before even watching it further it has 'ruined' the authenticity, however because I am English it worked. It worked because it was like seeing 'my people' in Germany and 'my people' as Jews in Germany. Very clever. Precisely because I am not German or Jewish. It thus made me, 'feel' much more. If you aren't English, or cannot assign to this idea of being able to project yourself as so (because the film is then 'unrealistic' to you), then it may not work for you. For example if the film had been in Spanish I may have thought it bizarre there are Spanish Germans and Spanish prisoners in a concentration camp in Germany. So people who want to have a 100% authentic language representation of WWII should understand this 'flaw' in this film due to this. 2) Because this movie it is not an epic war film in the Hollywood sense. It doesn't 'go anywhere' (literally) because it doesn't need to. There are no explosions and dive bombing planes with civilians running for cover, and there are certainly no winners. Instead, there is a creeping tension and sense of what is happening is morally wrong yet inescapable. Inescapable due to the fact children and adults (both Jews and Nazi's are being ordered) what do do and they cannot say no because of the situation the find themselves in. 3) An adult won't find this film memorable if they do not have emotions that are easily drawn out. This film makes grown men produce tears, if they have feelings. If they do not, then it may be considered no way near a 10/10 War film because it is unconventional in it's reporting of atrocities. Conclusion: This film isn't pro German or Pro non German, it's not even pro Jewish. It's pro human. In some ways, it could be described as a non war movie, and the war setting is just a platform to make a film about the love and evil that humans can posses inside them. Either way, the film is about the innocence of childhood set within a unique war time setting told from the perspective of a family forced into it by devotion to the fatherland of Nazi Germany. History taught us this devotion was misguided and this film demonstrates this in a personal manner that any race, religion or belief system will understand irrespective of 'whose side you are on'. And that is where it is unique. If I can think of another film to compare this with in terms of a dramatic ending but without blood and gore, I would say Sophie Scholl- 2005. Yet Sophie Scholl is more political than this. This movie is more simplistic and innocent, because it's seen through the eyes of an eight year old boy who makes decisions for himself, decisions that go on to touch other people for the rest of their lives. As did the holocaust. A firm 10/10 then, and a must watch movie for people who understand the context of what is being portrayed. This film is now one of my favorite WWII movies. Alongside: Max Manus Man of War (2008), Twin Sisters (2002) and Flame and Citron (2008). I am happy to have watched it, but also saddened even a day later after viewing, at the inhumanity of man and how easily and exceptionally cruel we can be. Reflective thought on history is something that is often lost in our modern, politically correct, sanitized capitalist Western 'democracy'. Everyone who would like to, should watch this film. It's that good.

(THE FILM) The Boy In The Striped Pajamas. Based on the best-selling novel by John Boyne, it's "an unforgettable motion picture experience powerful and moving beyond words". Bored and restless in his new home, Bruno, an innocent and naive eight-year-old, ignores his mother and sets off on an adventure in the woods. Soon he meets a young boy, and a surprising friendship develops. Set during World War II, this remarkable and inspiring story about the power of the human spirit will capture your heart and engage your mind. WHAT CAN I SAY? to see a WWII film through the eyes of a child but its also a lot heavier on the heart. It makes you sick to the stomach thinking what these poor people went through for no reason at all, but it also shows that not everyone knew what was going on and those who did know,not everyone liked it.But also they didn't do anything to stop it. The friendship between the two boys is so naive and sweet Despite the Nazi propaganda that tries to win Bruno minds over, he still form an unbreakable bond and friendship that displays itself even in the darkest of moments in this film.. The acting by all is amazing, but it's the two children that will leave you spellbound and haunted, and the films overall impact will be hard to shake off. plus James Horner's music score is also outstanding and only adds to the viewing experience. It truly is innocence meets the reality's of a brutal truth (The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas)is outstanding true tale of innocence and naivety combined with merciless hatred and shocking cruelty, which concludes with heart-breaking inevitability.at the end of the this film it give us all a really big powerful Reminder that we are all human and Racism and hatred has no place in any society..

having read some of the negative reveiws about this film I feel compelled to write my own. To all the people who get caught up with ripping apart the plot and calling the film innaccurate - my partner knew NOTHING of the holocaust (he is 25!) this film changed that - he was shocked and lost for words at the unspeakable horrors of the nazi concentration camps as portrayed in this film. what the critics forget is that many of the younger generations have absolutely NO IDEA of the suffering endured in both WW1 and WW2 as i believe the history taught in schools today is absolutely non inspirational hence my other halfs ignorance. In a society where the internet and telvision is the source of many young peoples knowledge I think that films like this are extremely important in getting an important message accross. I myself who already knew quite a bit about the suffering of jewish peope in WW2 was moved by this film immensely and felt that although it was not 100% accurate the whole idea behind the film was to captivate viewers and inform - something which would lack the impact if the lead roles were played by adults - This is a film that all young people should watch to appreciate the sheer horrors of the holocaust and appreciate living in a free society which is down to the bravery of the generations before us which we should never forget.

Because I study English Literature I always read the book before seeing the film. Usually, I prefer the book. It is very rare for me to deem the film equally as good as the book and 'The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas' is one of those exceptions. I really applaud the cast and crew for remaining so true to the book. It's a fantastic film and I do recommend it but one word of advice: It's not cheery. The film is set in Germany during WW2 and focuses on the family of a General who have to move to Auschwitz. This is because the General has been put in charge of running Auschwitz. The General has two children - a girl who is in her early teens and becomes indoctrinated into the Hitler Youth mentality and a boy who is much younger. Owing to the boy's young age he is not told about what his father does at Auschwitz and he thinks it's a 'farm' where all the workers wear pyjamas. When he goes exploring he meets a Jewish boy his own age and they become friends. The Jewish boy's father goes missing and so the General's son breaks into Auschwitz to help him look for his father. I won't reveal the ending. However, it is because of this ending that I think parents of children who are between 11 and 13 should watch it first before letting younger children watch it. Although it is a 12 certificate it is very upsetting, and some 12 year olds may not be mentally and emotionally mature enough to deal with it.

Essentially, this is a movie about the tragic friendship between two 8-year-old boys set against the backdrop of the Holocaust during the Second World War. Bruno (Asa Butterfield) is the adventurous 8-year-old son of an SS Major (David Thewlis) living in Berlin who has just been promoted to the rank of SS Lieutenant Colonel in order to take charge of a new job in the remote countryside of Poland--as the new commandant of a concentration camp there. Dismayed at having to leave all his friends behind in Berlin for a new home in Poland, Bruno resents the move and soon becomes critical of everything and everyone in his new home--including his condescending 12-year-old sister Gretel (brilliantly played by Amber Beattie). Prone to fantasies of becoming a great adventurer and explorer, Bruno daydreams from his bedroom window as he looks out over the treetops of the woods surrounding his new home. In a small gap in the trees, he notices in the far distance what he thinks is a `farm' where he can see people moving about. He concludes that there must be children on this `farm' and sees the opportunity to perhaps make some new friends and at the same time explore the woods. His first efforts to venture out into the woods are met with opposition from his parents who forbid him to leave the immediate confines of the house and garden--and forbid him to go anywhere near the woods or the `farm'. This, of course, only makes the inquisitive lad even more curious and determined to `explore' the forbidden mysteries of the woods and `farm'. Bored with virtually nothing to do and no friends to play with he decides that a garden swing would go a long way to alleviating the hum-drum boredom of his childhood existence and consequently, enlists the help of Pavel (played by David Hayman), a Jewish concentration camp inmate who has been assigned to work as one of the household servants (but who's will and spirit has already been broken by the brutalities of concentration camp life), to help him make a swing from an old spare tyre. One day, while sitting on the swing, Bruno notices large plumes of black smoke rising into the sky from the `farm' in the distance. His curiosity aroused he tries to stand on the swing for a better look, loses his footing and falls off, grazing his knee and knocking himself unconscious. Pavel takes him indoors and bandages his knee. At this point, Bruno finds out that Pavel used to be a doctor before Pavel "gave it up to peel potatoes". Eventually, Bruno manages to evade the tight security surrounding his new home and sneaks off into the woods to `explore'. At the far edge of the woods he comes to a clearing where he encounters a barbed wire fence and a lonely, forlorn lad in stripped `pyjamas' with a shaved head sitting on the other side. Here is where Bruno meets Shmuel (Jack Scanlon), the other 8-year-old boy of the story. Shmuel is a Jew and is himself a prisoner in the `farm' run by Bruno's father. A friendship develops and the rest of the film is devoted to the ups and downs of this friendship. For those of you who have not seen this film I will not divulge the ending but simply say, buy it and watch it for yourself--the ending is a complete departure from the norm! What this story tries to teach are two moral axioms: (1) that the innocence of childhood doesn't know anything about racial hatred or cultural prejudices; these things are acquired (or taught) by parents, teachers, or other members of the adult world (in this case by Bruno's father and by the boy's private tutor) and (2) that in the midst of adversity, deprivation and despair, the power of the human spirit can stand against any evil and that true friendship, even among children, cannot be broken not even in the face of death. Asa Butterfield is brilliant and perfectly cast as the blue-eyed Aryan boy `Bruno', who's piercing blue eyes and facial expressions comes across the screen and cuts right through you to give an astounding on-screen performance, and although he is not as polished or accomplished in delivering his lines as his adult counterparts, nevertheless his on-screen persona and astonishing ability to actually command your attention in almost every scene by acting with his eyes and facial expressions really has to be seen to be believed. There are three scenes in particular where master Butterfield demonstrates his acting prowess: when Bruno first encounters Pavel in the kitchen and notices his dishevelled state; where Bruno is searching in the dark cellar of his new home for his football and comes across his sister Gretel's discarded dolls, all of which have been divested of their clothes and are piled up in a heap in one corner of the cellar (echoing the piles of dead bodies seen in newsreel footage of Belsen and other camps); an in the final scene at the end where he demonstrates the emotions of fear and apprehension. To my knowledge, there has only ever been two other child stars with this phenomenal ability to act with their eyes and facial expression: Martin Stephens as the leader of the blonde, alien, mind-controlling children in `Village of the Damned' (1960) and Joseph Clarke as the 14-year-old schoolboy Molar in `The Medusa Touch' (1978). Unfortunately, for some strange reason these two child stars faded into acting obscurity after their remarkable on-screen performances and were never heard of again. I do hope this doesn't happen with master Butterfield, his extraordinary acting talent is plain for all to see and it would be a great pity and a dreadful loss to the acting profession if he too were to suffer the same fate as the other two child stars. Master Butterfield's acting career is already off to a flying start with his performance in this movie and should be encouraged, nurtured, and developed by those academic professionals who know what they are doing and can guide, exploit, and develop his already extraordinary in-built acting abilities. The technical details and period costumes (including the military uniforms) are all very accurate and very well rendered. However, there are a number of technical errors in this film (as there are in all movies dealing with the Holocaust), one is so glaringly obvious that it almost jumps out at you from the screen: in the scenes depicting the encounters of the two boys at the concentration camp fence, there are no armed foot patrols patrolling outside the perimeter of the camp (as there would have been in a real concentration camp); no Capos keeping a close eye on all the prisoners within the camp compound (as there would have been in a real concentration camp); and perhaps the most obvious error of all, no armed guard `watchtowers' at either corner of the camp perimeter--all these omissions were unheard of in the real concentration camp system. These conspicuous omissions ruin the authentic `feel' of the film and completely destroys any attempt to create the illusion of menace or danger (many camps were also surrounded by minefields and a second, outer perimeter fence). But, I suppose, if they were included, then the encounter between the two boys would not have taken place and you would not have a story to tell. But it is still a good film nonetheless, if rather expensive to buy.

It is three days since I first tried to watch this allegorical masterpiece. I still have not been able to get through the ending without using the forward button to see it as a series of snapshots rather than as a running narrative! The problem is that I have read the book, which is tough enough, but the film, brilliantly crafted, acted and directed, brings it so vividly to life that it is almost unbearable. We have all got our own impressions of the holocaust from TV, Books, Films and so on and, with that prior historical knowledge, the real interest for me in this story is the family relationship - particularly that of Bruno and his father and Gretl and her mother (brilliantly interpreted by Vera Farmiga) and that of the mother and father; the rift between each pair imperceptably widening as the story progresses. The ending, terrible and inevitable as it is, seems almost a 'cop-out'. I would love to have seen the effect on the family if salvation had happened at the last minute. What then would have been the situation between them all? The decision, in the film, to make the Germans 'middle-class British' in their speech is a particularly clever touch. It makes it so much closer to us, it's audience. The acting from the youngest to the oldest is near flawless and Shiela Hancock's cameo appearance as Grandma speaks thousands of words by using barely more than five lines and a few looks that tell the whole story of the rise of the Third Reich in the eyes of a disapproving elder middle-class citizen! - A phenomenal lesson in acting! 5 stars, of course, go to this 'must see film of the year'!

I thought that this was quite frightening because it showed the evil and malicious lies told to impressionable people about the Jews, and how everyone should be proud of their motherland no matter the cost. It also depicted the naivety shown by many as to the real horrors of the camps. Of course David Thewlis was only “ obeying orders “. David Heyman was excellent as Pavel, but the two boys stole the show. Maybe the ending was inevitable, but it highlighted the propaganda fed by the Nazi regime, and who would question the lessons of a tutor? The costumes were very good, and the background music just right and not overpowering. I cannot comment on its adaptation from the book, but I’m sure I shall read it soon. Some reviewers suggested that this film should be shown to children, but in my opinion maybe older than 12.

I read the book about 2 months before the film was relesed after it was recommended to me by a friend. It was very sad especially the ending. When it was released at the cinema I thought it would make a good film and so went to watched it. It was brilliant and in my opinion better than the book and I don't often think this. The book is written purely from Brunos view and everything outside of this such as what is really happening to the Jews is just left to your imagination. The film allows you to see the horror of concentration camps and also shows you others opinions such as when Brunos mother finds out what is really going on inside the camps, this is not in the book. It shows the inocence of children and shows you how Hitlers views ruins even a family who was on his side. A very powerful and emotional film that had the whole cinema in tears.