Videostore 2
German Classics on DVD and Video
Below is a selection of recommended classic DVDs and videos for German, chosen by your Guide. To compare prices and order, just click on the title. All DVDs and videos listed here are for use in North America (Region 1 - NTSC). If you want to order PAL Region 2 (Germany) DVDs or videos, see our Video Sources for German page.
DVD and Videos in German 2
Classic Films in German (1989 and earlier)
Also see: Recent Films in German (2000 to present)
Aguirre, the Wrath of God (1972)
Director Werner Herzog filmed this classic on location in the jungles of Peru. The opening shot through the mists of the Andes is a mesmerizing scene of ant-like Spanish soldiers negotiating a narrow trail - carrying cannons and chicken crates. Klaus Kinski, in one of his more bizarre roles, plays a Spanish conquistador obsessed with the idea of conquering the South American continent and finding El Dorado. One of Herzog's best films. Loosely based on a true story. German with English subtitles. (Ranks six in our Top DVD Picks.) DVD.
Berlin, Symphony of a Great City (1927)
In this early German "cinema verité" we see Berlin as it was in the 1920s. Part of the "Treasures from the Weimar Republic 1919-1933" series. Includes a short experimental color film, "Opus 1," by director Walther Ruttmann. Silent with new orchestral score. DVD.
The Blue Angel (1930)
Marlene Dietrich's first starring role, and a cinema classic. The original German version is still considered to be better than the English release. Based on the novel Professor Unrat by Heinrich Mann. German with English subtitles. Now available as a good crisp DVD.
The Boat Is Full (1981)
"Das Boot ist voll" is a look at not-so-neutral Switzerland's policy of refusing refuge for Jews fleeing Nazi Germany. In 1942 the Swiss borders were closed to refugees because "the boat was full." This award-winning film tells of a small group that manages to enter Switzerland anyway, and the personal crisis this act causes. German with English subtitles. VHS.
Das Boot - Director's Cut (1982)
The 1997 re-edited, remastered director's edition of the acclaimed World War II submarine epic by German director Wolfgang Petersen. A great film gets even better! German with English subtitles. DVD. Avoid the dubbed VHS version.
Fitzcarraldo (1982)
Director Werner Herzog went to the Amazon jungle to film this bizarre tale of a man (Klaus Kinski) obsessed with the dream of building an opera house in the middle of nowhere. In the process he hauls a 320-ton steamship over a mountain! The result is a classic of German cinema (which was originally to have starred Jason Robards). German with English subtitles. DVD.
Germany in Autumn (1978)
A look back at Germany in the late 1970s. Vignettes from some of Germany's top filmmakers form a commentary on German society and terrorism German-style. German with English subtitles. VHS.
Kaspar Hauser (1975)
See The Mystery of Kaspar Hauser below.
M (1931)
Peter Lorre in his first film role (and one of his best). Director Fritz Lang, in his first sound film, used the technique masterfully to create a classic. Based on a true case of a serial child murderer. German with English subtitles. DVD.
Mädchen in Uniform (1931)
The Nazis were not happy about this film and its lesbian theme. This look at life in the confines of a strict boarding school for girls also took an anti-Nazi stance that led to the director's exile. German with English subtitles. VHS.
The Marriage of Maria Braun (1978)
Hanna Schygulla in one of her best roles in this award-winning Fassbinder film. Director of photography Michael Ballhaus is now working in Hollywood. German with English subtitles. VHS.
Men (Männer) (1985)
This German marital mix-up comedy was a hit and began a film trend in Germany. Directed by Doris Dörrie. German with English subtitles. VHS.
The Mystery of Kaspar Hauser (1975)
A boy mysteriously appears out of nowhere in a small German town. He is unable to speak, so the townspeople make an effort to teach him, and to "civilize" him. In the process, we learn something about civilization and society. This Werner Herzog film is based on a true story. German with English subtitles. DVD. - Also see the 1994 'Kaspar Hauser' (VHS) by director Peter Sehr.
Nosferatu - The Vampyre (1972)
Klaus Kinski plays the title role in Werner Herzog's remake of the classic silent film by F.W. Murnau. The update's stark color photography and reliance on image over sound pay homage to Murnau. DVD.
Rosa Luxemburg (1986)
A dramatization of the true story of the Spartacist leader Rosa Luxemburg. She and her lover Karl Liebeknecht were murdered in 1919 after her imprisonment and revolutionary activities. German with English subtitles. VHS.
Testament of Dr. Mabuse (1933)
One of the earliest horror movies. By director Fritz Lang. German with English subtitles. VHS.
The Tin Drum (1979)
Powerful drama (based on the novel by Günter Grass) dealing with a young boy's reaction to Nazi Germany. Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. German with English subtitles. DVD.
Hollywood - Films for German
Casablanca (1942)
What? You didn't know about this classic film's numerous Germanic connections? Germans, Germans, everywhere... actually a lot of Austrians, too. You'll even hear a few lines in German. (Details at the German-Hollywood Connection Web site.) DVD.
More Hollywood films for German on the next page...
NEXT > Best Films for German-Learners (in English)
MORE > Current Films in German (1990 to present)