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Anne Frank


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One of the best adaptations of the life of Anne Frank
Review date: 2008-07-10 Rating: 8 out of 10

There have been quite a few film and television adaptations of Anne Frank's life and diary over the last 50 years, but none have come to be as realistic and as faithful to Anne's life as this made for TV drama made in 2001.
One of the good things about 'Anne Frank: The Whole Story' is that it is not just based on Anne's diary or the stage play created in the 1950s which many previous adaptations have been. As it has been based around a well researched biography by Mellisa Muller, it had the ability to explore other aspects of Anne Frank's short life rather than just focusing on the period documented by the world famous diary.
The film begins in 1939 when Anne Frank is only 10 years old. We then view her life from her carefree days before the Nazi invasion of the Netherlands in May 1940 through to her untimely death in Bergen Belsen concentration camp in March 1945.
The concentration camp scenes towards the end of the film are extreamly emotional, but I feel it important to show these as it gives you a fuller picture of the horrors Anne and her family went through after they were arrested in the hiding place.
Although this film is the best adaptation I have seen so far, it does have it flaws in that it shows on camera who betrayed the families in hiding (Muller speculated it was the cleaner in the office) whereas in reality, we do not know if this is true.
Overall 'Anne Frank: The Whole Story' is a great film and an excellent introduction to Anne Frank and her diary.

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Reviews


Faultless performances.....
Review date: 2008-01-03 Rating: 8 out of 10

Having read the Diary of Anne Frank when I was younger and again recently I greatly looked forward to this DVD and am glad to say overall this is a touching and beautifully acted film, and far superior to the 1959 film adaptation.
The reason this did not get 5 stars from me is because I think the makers should have stuck to not pinpointing the person(s) who eventually revealed the Frank family in the secret annexe, they preferred to opt for the purely speculative version as proposed in the biography by Melissa Muller. This and other discrepancies led to the film not being endorsed by the Frank family and the Anne Frank Foundation and the use of the original diary being prohibited, so sadly you do not get a feel for Anne Frank's own words.
One minor grumble is that in an otherwise beautifully shot production, occasionally some scenes look a bit budget prone such as the beach scene near the beginning which surely could have been filmed on a real beach with a real sky rather than a studio!!!!!
I would still highly recommend this film as it does give a strong sense of the period and not only from a teenagers perspective. The concentration camp scenes are not overly graphic (hence the 12 certificate) so teenagers will also be able to appreciate the relevence and tragedy of the holocaust. Again, strong performances throughout, Hannah Taylor-Gordan as Anne rightfully deserved Emmy and Golden Globe nominations. But if you do decide to buy this, make sure you purchase the original diary as well for a complete perspective of Anne and her writing.

Let us never forget ...
Review date: 2007-10-17 Rating: 10 out of 10

This film has more of a TV drama feel to it, rather than that of a big budget production; however it is very effective in portraying the impact of the ideological evil of the nazis upon an ordinary family in Amsterdam during WW2.

With neo-nazi sycophants on the rise again in Germany (particularly in the old East Germany where there was even a recent news story of an Anne Frank book being publicly burned), this film should be compulsory viewing in schools.

Anne Frank's short life, and that of her family and friends, were devastated by the twisted actions of Nazi Germany. When Anne has to leave her beloved cat behind to go into hiding, she uses three words, in tears, that just about sum up the devastation that the Nazis wrought on ordinary families: "It isn't fair".

But this is also a tale of human endurance. The nazis were brutal evil thugs and everyone who suffered as a consequence of their depravity should be remembered. Let us not forget.

Must see
Review date: 2006-03-07 Rating: 10 out of 10

I have just finished watching this with my 14 year old son, we were both left in tears at the end. It is a wonderful piece of cinema which truely depicts the emotional turmoil and injustices that the family and their 'friends' went through. It felt very real, Anne was brilliantly portrayed as a young spirited girl desperate to be treated as an adult and sometimes wise beyond her years, and the fact that the film is long enough to make you feel that you got to know her lent even more weight to the traumatic scenes towards the end.As with another reviewer i wouldn't baulk from allowing my 9 year to watch this, it is traumatic only because you are horrified at what mankind can do to one another.Enjoyable but also harrowing and a must see for anyone.

The truth of life in hiding during the war is revealed....
Review date: 2005-09-13 Rating: 10 out of 10

If you are looking for a film which details the horrors and suffering endured during the Holocaust this is one to watch. The film is based upon the Biography of Anne Frank, an Austrian Born jew who is forced to go into hiding with her mother, father, sister, and 4 other people. The film details what life was like before the war for the Jewish family living in Holland, what happened during the occupation and why they were forced into hiding. Unlike other Anne Frank films, this one tells the story from several different angles, including the viewpoint of those who helped the Franks whilst in hiding. The film details who betrayed the family and what happens next after capture, all of which is based upon true evidence.
The film, which is classified as a Cert12 is ideal for those who are studying the Holocaust for History at both KS2 and KS3 as the cert12 rating is not really warranted. Our 7 year old daughter watched the film and was not distraught at what she saw, only saddened that the oppression was allowed to happen. Although the film is very long (over 3 hours) it is split into 2 sections, which make good discussion points for lessons. The film also contains actual news-reel footage from the time of the oppression of the Jews during the war, which ties in nicely with the context of the film and shows the real horrors.
This is one factual story not to be missed. It is moving and thought provoking and provides a very real insight into what life must have been like for those millions of Jews who suffered under the reign of Hitler.
Although this is similar in context to Schindlers List the film is more realistic and thought provoking as it told from the eyes of a 13 year old. A young adult who has only been caught up in the Holocaust because of her religion, when Anne wrote the diary she was an innocent child, and when the diary was publiushed she was a further statistic, just one of the millions who died under Hitlers regime. This is one story of the many who were forced into hiding, but probably the most famous one. Let the memory of Anne Frank live on and do not pass this film by!

Product Details/Specifications


Recording label: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainm
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainm
EAN: 5017188811804
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: PAL,
Release date: 2004-07-12
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
Audience rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
Region code: 2
Language: English (Original Language)

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