Happy 63rd Birthday, Oliver Hirschbiegel! Born today in today in 1957, this German actor, writer and film director has demonstrated in all of his features to be a specialist of dramas set in claustrophobic environments.
Born in Hamburg, Germany, Hirschbiegel, years later, left high school in his teenage years and worked as a cooker in a boat.
He eventually went on to study at and become a Waldorf graduate (also known as a Steiner graduate). Afterwards, Hirschbiegel studied painting and graphic arts, later film, at the University of Fine Arts in Hamburg.
In the late 1980s, Hirschbiegel directed his first film, the script for which he had written himself. This was the 1986 West German science fiction made-for-television film 'Das Go! Projekt'.
Afterwards, Hirschbiegel became a successful television director, heading episodes of two German drama television series.
Hirschbigel's first theatrical release was the well-received albeit chilling exploration of power. This was in the 2001 German thriller/drama film 'Das Experiment'.
Upon release, the film won several awards in many festivals all around the world, as it shows an intense investigation of the aggressive behavior in a simulated prison environment.
The following year, Hirschbiegel directed his second feature. This was with the 2002 German drama film 'Mein letzter Film' ('My Last Film').
Starring German actress Hannelore Elsner (of whom had a long career in television and film), it is a ninety-minute monologue about a woman in her fifties who wants to re-start her life.
Two years later, Hirschbiegel attracted world-wide attention with the film of which he is best known: the 2004 German historical war drama film 'Der Untergang' ('The Downfall', released in English-speaking countries as 'Downfall').
Set in November 1942 Germany, the film follows the young Gertrude "Traudl" Junge (Alexandra Maria Lara), who lands her dream job -- secretary to Adolf Hitler (Bruno Ganz) at the peak of his power. Three years later, Hitler's empire is now his underground bunker.
The real-life Traudl narrates Hitler's final days as he rages against imagined betrayers and barks orders to phantom armies, while his mistress, Eva Braun (Juliane Köhler), clucks over his emotional distance, and other infamous Nazis prepare for the end.
Upon release, 'Downfall' sparked an extensive debate in Germany over the portrayal of Nazi leaders, stirring up much controversy because it portrayed Hitler and the Nazis as human beings and not just as evil.
Despite this, the film was a critical and commercial success, winning numerous awards.
Most notably, it received an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Film of the Year. However, it didn't win. This occurred at the 77th Academy Awards in late February 2005.
Two years later, Hirschbiegel co-directed his first Hollywood feature with the 2007 American sci-fi/horror film 'The Invasion', starring Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig. The film was originally intended to be released in June 2006, but it was postponed to 2007.
'The Invasion' was partly re-shot and co-directed by Australian film director James McTeigue (of whom also shares Hirschbiegel's birthday), at the request of the studio.
On a budget of $65–80 million, 'The Invasion' only grossed $40.2 million at the box office. Roger Ebert called it "the fourth, and the least, of the movies made from Jack Finney's classic science fiction novel."
'Downfall' is well known for its rise in popularity due to Internet parodies called "Hitler Rants", which use scenes in the film such as where Hitler becomes angry after hearing that SS commander Felix Steiner's attack never happened.
When Hitler hears Hermann Göring's telegram, Hitler phones General der Flieger and the Chief of the General Staff of Nazi Germany's Luftwaffe Karl Koller about Berlin's April 20 bombings.
After Hitler discovers Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler (Ulrich Noethen) secretly made a surrender offer to the Western Allies, Hitler orders mid-ranking officer in the Waffen-SS Otto Günsche (Götz Otto) to find SS-Gruppenführer Hermann Fegelein.
Joseph Goebbels (Ulrich Matthes) then rants after hearing that Soviet Colonel General Vasily Chuikov demanded Berlin to unconditionally surrender. Afterwards, Hitler discusses a counterattack against advancing Soviet forces with his generals.
By 2010, there were thousands of parodies of the scene where Hitler rants. Various YouTubers have made a plethora of 'Downfall' reaction videos, while some have even cited their reasons for making them as well.
In the videos, the original German audio is retained, but new subtitles were added so that Hitler and his subordinates seem to be reacting to an issue of setback in present-day politics, sports, entertainment, popular culture, or everyday life.
Later that same year, Hirschbiegel told New York Magazine that the parodies often made him laugh, and he felt that they fit in with the meaning of the scene.
"The point of the film was to kick these terrible people off the throne that made them demons, making them real and their actions into reality," he says.
"I think it's only fair if now it's taken as part of our history, and used for whatever purposes people like."
However, both this film, as well as 'The Invasion', were box office bombs, receiving negative critical responses upon release.
For her performance in 'Diana', Watts received a Razzie Award nomination for Worst Actress. This occurred at the 34th Golden Raspberry Awards in early March 2014.
This was for her work in both 'Diana' and in the 2013 American anthology comedy/romance film 'Movie 43'.
Watts had lost where to Tyler Perry for his performance in drag for the 2013 American Christmas drama/comedy film 'A Madea Christmas'.
One year later, Hirschbiegel directed the 2015 German war/drama film '13 Minutes' (originally titled 'Elser').
Receiving generally positive praise, the film was selected to be screened out of competition at the 65th Berlin International Film Festival in February of that same year.
Having past experience on the small screen, Hirschbiegel was hired to direct an episode of the American television drama series Billions in 2017.
Two years later, Swiss actor Bruno Ganz (of whom had portrayed Hitler in 'Downfall') passed from colon cancer in Zürich, Switzerland on February 16, 2019. He was 77.
Ganz's career in German television and film productions had spanned nearly six decades. His most notable credits were starring in 'The American Friend' (1977), 'Nosferatu: Phantom of the Night' (1979), and 'Wings of Desire' (1987).
According to Hirschbiegel's personal life, his brother Urs is a German assistant director and producer.
He is known for his work on 'Funny Games' (2007), 'Dallas Buyers Club' (2013), 'Wild' (2014), and all eight episodes of the 2018 American psychological thriller television miniseries Sharp Objects.
Oliver is a fan of the Hamburg soccer team Hamburger Sport-Verein e.V. commonly known as Hamburger SV, Hamburg or HSV.
He says that he will remain a European director, although it is a great opportunity to work in Hollywood.
Hirschbiegel has been active from 1986–present.
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