In October 1999 the 1974 German film "Jakob der Lügner" was released as "Jacob the Liar" (DVD video) (with a "c") in an English-subtitled version in the US and Canada. Icestorm International and the University of Massachusetts, which houses the DEFA Film Library's collection of East German films, joined to offer "Jacob the Liar" and other DEFA productions from the communist era. (See the sidebar to the right.) While Icestorm's previous release, priced at $150, is intended for libraries and educational institutions (public performance rights included), the home video release is priced for consumers.

The new "Jakob the Liar"—with Robin Williams as Jakob Heym—was filmed in Warsaw and Budapest by the Hungarian-born director Peter Kassovitz. ("Jakob" is the first English-language film for Kassovitz, who usually lives in Paris.) Interestingly, German actor Armin Mueller-Stahl ("Shine," "X-Files Movie," "The Game," "The Peacemaker") appears in both the original and the new versions of "Jakob the Liar."

"Good Morning, Poland"
Most reviewers have made the inevitable connections between "Jakob" and several other Holocaust-related films, including the recent "Life Is Beautiful" and Steven Spielberg's epic "Schindler's List." Because of the radio element in the "Jakob" story, some critics also found it hard to resist comparisons to Williams' earlier disc jockey role in "Good Morning, Vietnam" (mostly in regard to his style of acting). But Becker wrote his screenplay/book back in the early 1970s—long before any of the other films were produced or were even in development.

Filming with Robin Williams began in October 1997. Williams plays the role of Jakob Heym, an inhabitant of a WWII Polish ghetto who pretends to have an illegal radio in order to lift the spirits of his fellow prisoners. In a studio press release, Willams says, "The script had a certain power to it. It went back and forth between being very funny and very tragic and very brutal within moments. Most of the scenes were about everyday life—this interaction in the face of something quite horrific."

In connection with the film's release, an English translation paperback edition of Jakob the Liar by Jurek Becker is now available. The original German book is also available in both paperback and hardcover editions (see sidebar). For advanced German-learners, the German Hörkassette (audio cassette) of the book is an excellent choice.

A couple of final observations. Despite the "k" spelling of the movie's title, in the film "Jakob" is pronounced like the English "Jacob" rather than the German yah-cob. In Hollywood's Jewish ghetto, everyone speaks English, even the East German-born Mueller-Stahl. "Jakob the Liar" is rated PG-13 (violence and disturbing images) in the US.

You can purchase the original 1974 Jacob the Liar (on DVD in German with English subtitles) and other films in German in our Videostore.

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