These 3 hours of TV movie came with yesterday's SuperIllu magazine, and they gave me fascinating viewing, even after having seen half a dozen other films on how the Berlin Wall fell.
That's the first part only, the events up to November 1989, with special focus on the Soviet embassy in east Berlin (and offering Peter Ustinov a strong and star-billed role as Soviet diplomat).
The second part is unique in describing the political action until October 1990 (the reunification), on and behind the scene - the leaders of the Four Powers: Mitterand, Thatcher, George H.W. Bush, Gorbachev, represented by actors, but also appearing themselves in short interview and newsreel snippets.
By confronting the real person and the actor, viewers are of course encouraged to compare: was Gorbachev's red stain on the forehead convincingly emulated? Did the actress playing Condoleezza Rice look sufficiently similar? The same for Honecker, Krenz, Kohl, Modrow, Mitterand, Thatcher, Bush...
Such comparisons distracted me several times from concentrating on the story. But ultimately, the two parts of Deutschlandspiel were a rewarding experience for me, and I give it 9/10.
That's the first part only, the events up to November 1989, with special focus on the Soviet embassy in east Berlin (and offering Peter Ustinov a strong and star-billed role as Soviet diplomat).
The second part is unique in describing the political action until October 1990 (the reunification), on and behind the scene - the leaders of the Four Powers: Mitterand, Thatcher, George H.W. Bush, Gorbachev, represented by actors, but also appearing themselves in short interview and newsreel snippets.
By confronting the real person and the actor, viewers are of course encouraged to compare: was Gorbachev's red stain on the forehead convincingly emulated? Did the actress playing Condoleezza Rice look sufficiently similar? The same for Honecker, Krenz, Kohl, Modrow, Mitterand, Thatcher, Bush...
Such comparisons distracted me several times from concentrating on the story. But ultimately, the two parts of Deutschlandspiel were a rewarding experience for me, and I give it 9/10.