This inventive, exhaustive seven-hour film looks at the rise, reign and demise of Adolf Hitler. German director Hans Jürgen Syberberg, who was a child during World War II, doesn't try to recreate history to the letter. Instead, he places his actors -- many of whom play several roles -- on a stage and has them reenact events based on and inspired by Hitler's life. The action combines traditional narration and historical characters, but also idiosyncratic tweaks, like the use of puppets.
as Junger Ellerkamp
as Zirkusdirektor, Himmler, Himmler-Puppenspieler, Hitler
as Mörder aus „M“, Göring-Puppenspieler, Alter Ellerkamp, SS-Mann, Fremdenverkehrsdirektor
as Hitlers Kammerdiener, Goebbels-Puppenspieler, SS-Mann
as Jahrmarkt-Ausrufer, Hitler-Puppenspieler, Junger Goebbels, Schüler des Kosmologen, SS-Mann
as Astrologe, Speer-Puppenspieler, SS-Mann
as Hitler als Anstreicher, Eva Braun-Puppenspieler, Mann der Gesellschaft 1923
as Stimmen der Leute, Mann der Geschichte 1923
as himself
as Himmlers Masseur
as Wissenschaftler / Kosmologe