[tjhendry]

The Swiss actor Bruno Ganz passed away last week. I hope many of you have seen some of his performances.  If not I have some suggestions.

The first Ganz role I remember is Damiel, a rather melancholy angel on assignment in divided Berlin.  Directed by Wim Wenders, Wings of Desire remains one of my all-time favorite films.   A sequel, Faraway, So Closecame years later. That had Lou Reed in it...as well as Peter Falk who was also in Wings of Desire. Don't bother seeing the sequel without first seeing the original.  There was a US remake, City of Angels, that I never felt a need to see.

Anther Wender's film, The American Friend gave him more exposure in the USA, but mostly we saw him in supporting roles...in The Boys from Brazil, Nosferatu, The Reader, The Baader Meinhof Complex and others that might have been screened at your local art- film venue.

His best known role was Hitler in the Oscar-nominated Downfall.  It is a brilliant, complex portrayal of the Fuhrer...far different from Dick Shawn's in The Producers.

A few Bruno Ganz films can be found on Amazon Prime and Netflix.  There are others I would love to see that never made it to Region 1 DVD. 

[GerryD]

I recently watched "In Order of Disappearance" on Netflix in which he plays Papa, a Serbian mob boss.  This is the Norwegian movie that the current "Cold Pursuit" is based upon.

[tjhendry]

Not all Bruno Ganz movies are equal!

[tjhendry]

I'm wintering about 900 miles from home (and audio system) so Netflix and Amazon Prime get a lot of play here.

I watched In Order of Disappearance last night.  Not one of Bruno Ganz's greatest roles, but his aged, expressive face and body stood out.  What little dialogue he had was badly dubbed....as was most of the movie.  It got 85% on Rotten Tomatoes so I guess mine is the opinion of the minority.  I don't think I need to see L

My Bruno Ganz recommendations: Downfall on Amazon Prime;  The Baader Meinhof Complex on Vudu; and Wings of Desire on Itunes (maybe on YouTube  where I found some clips and the trailer linked below)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlkdLLqBux0&list=PLpAk1rS9NPHkHkZW3xAL29mIZdcv13WgF&index=4

If you binge watch try River on Netflix...Stellan Skarsgard  is great without the snowplow and with his own voice speaking English.
He is in another Moland film, Aberdeen, that we might watch on Amazon as a "make-up call" for telling my wife we should see In Order of Disappearance.

[LesterSleepsIn]

I most remember him from Eternity and a Day.

In an interview last year he said he feared that he would only be remembered from the many Youtube remakes of his Hitler in the bunker performance:
https://youtu.be/UqHyJjA4Rlk

[Tyson]

That IS the role he'll be remembered for.  Just like Pacino will be for Godfather 2, Brando for Apocalypse Now, DeNiro for Taxi Driver, etc... sometimes an actor just knocks it out of the park for a certain role/movie and that is true of Ganz and Downfall.

Wings of Desire is a great movie as well.  And he's awesome in that too.

[qdrone]

Ganz was riveting in Downfall in his role as Hitler. Many actors have portrayed him but Ganz just became him.