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The Goebbels Experiment

Play trailer Poster for The Goebbels Experiment Released Apr 13, 2005 1h 47m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
95% Tomatometer 19 Reviews 80% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
By combining archived footage and excerpts from personal diaries brought dramatically to life by an actor (Kenneth Branagh), the filmmakers manage to take viewers into the disquieted mind of Joseph Goebbels, the Nazi propaganda minister who unleashed hate and chaos onto the world. Fueled by demons he could never master, which led to manic depression and restless thoughts, Goebbels is also shown to have a caring attitude toward his family, which only underscores the tragedy of his existence.

Critics Reviews

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Wesley Morris Boston Globe [A] weirdly enthralling film of excerpts from Goebbels's diaries. Rated: 3/4 Nov 11, 2005 Full Review Ella Taylor L.A. Weekly Director Lutz Hachmeister neatly hoists the Nazi lie on its own petard in this fascinatingly repellent character study of the Third Reich's most visionary and psycho propagandist. Oct 13, 2005 Full Review Jeannette Catsoulis New York Times Lutz Hachmeister and Michael Kloft's fascinating documentary provides a chilling glimpse inside the brilliant but toxic mind of Joseph Goebbels via his extensive diaries. Rated: 4/5 Aug 12, 2005 Full Review Cole Smithey ColeSmithey.com Although the film's conclusion is rushed and unsatisfying, "The Goebbels Experiment" is a priceless document of one of Nazi Germany's cruelest and most effective architects. Rated: B+ Apr 15, 2009 Full Review Doris Toumarkine Film Journal International While the diary entries fascinate, it's the rarely seen footage that makes The Goebbels Experiment a must-see. Mar 1, 2007 Full Review Chelsea Bain Boston Herald Rated: 3/4 Oct 21, 2006 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Audience Member "Hitler has betrayed me a total of five times." I highly recommend. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/24/23 Full Review Audience Member Excellent documentary. Even Goebbels would have thought so! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/29/23 Full Review Audience Member It's a fascinating documentary into Goebbels brilliant but toxic mind. The documentary is based on readings from Goebbels personal diary. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/05/23 Full Review Audience Member Informative and well worth a look. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/20/23 Full Review Audience Member Great documentation but ended fairly abruptly. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/27/23 Full Review Audience Member Primary-source footage is the best part, and of course Kenneth Branagh was a great choice to read the diary. But, SUPER-abrupt ending, and I sometimes lost the timeline because the major events I learned for WWII weren't necessarily those in the film. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/19/23 Full Review Read all reviews
The Goebbels Experiment

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Cast & Crew

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Lutz Hachmeister

Director

Kenneth Branagh

Narrator

Lutz Hachmeister

Writer

Michael Kloft

Writer

Hubert Bittman

Original Music

Hajo Schomerus

Cinematographer

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The Goebbels Experiment

The Goebbels Experiment (2005) The Goebbels Experiment (2005) The Goebbels Experiment (2005) The Goebbels Experiment (2005) A scene from the film "The Goebbels Experiment". A scene from the film "The Goebbels Experiment". View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis By combining archived footage and excerpts from personal diaries brought dramatically to life by an actor (Kenneth Branagh), the filmmakers manage to take viewers into the disquieted mind of Joseph Goebbels, the Nazi propaganda minister who unleashed hate and chaos onto the world. Fueled by demons he could never master, which led to manic depression and restless thoughts, Goebbels is also shown to have a caring attitude toward his family, which only underscores the tragedy of his existence.
Director
Lutz Hachmeister
Screenwriter
Lutz Hachmeister, Michael Kloft
Distributor
First Run
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
German
Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 13, 2005, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
Aug 12, 2005
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 27, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA)
$47.2K
Runtime
1h 47m