A
movie which depicts Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler's softer side has topped the
German box office. The Downfall attracted 480,000 viewers in its
opening weekend, distributor Constantin Film said on Monday. The film shows
Hitler's humanity as well as his diabolical nature, as it depicts the final 12
days of his life. Two neo-Nazis, aged 29 and 27, were arrested at an east
Berlin screening after they showed the outlawed Nazi salute and applauded
during the film. Eyewitness accounts: The Downfall is told from the
point of view of Traudl Junge, who was one of Hitler's secretaries in his
Berlin bunker. It is also based upon eyewitness accounts from a book of the
same name by German historian Joachim Fest. Former German Chancellor Helmut
Kohl has hailed The Downfall as a way for young people to be reminded of the
horror of Hitler. Critics were divided, however.The film will be shown
throughout continental Europe and Japan, and producers aim to distribute it in
North America and the UK.
Star
Wars DVDs break sales recordThe DVDs of the original Star Wars trilogy have broken a UK sales record after one day of release. Internet retailer Amazon received more than 85,000 pre-orders for The Star Wars Trilogy, beating the 50,000 high of Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. "Fans have been waiting for this for a long time, so we knew there would be a lot of interest," a spokesperson said. Supermarket Tesco estimated it would sell 500,000 box sets in the first week, beating its Two Towers record. Price battle: Star Wars, made in 1977, The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and The Return of the Jedi (1983) have never been legally available on DVD until now, despite being some of the most popular movies in cinema history. Each film has been digitally remastered and their creator George Lucas updated some scenes for the release. High demand has led to a price battle between online and high street stores, with many retailers disregarding the recommended retail price of £44.99. Lucas revived the series in 1999 with The Phantom Menace, the first in a prequel trilogy set years before the events in the original Star Wars. The second film, Attack of the Clones, followed in 2002, with third prequel Revenge of the Sith due in cinemas in May 2005.
Zeta
Jones 'stalker' faces trialAn American woman accused of
stalking Hollywood star Catherine Zeta Jones has been ordered to stand trial.
Los Angeles judge Patricia Schnegg found there was enough evidence for
Dawnette Knight, 33, to be tried. Ms Knight, who maintains her innocence, took
a suspected drug overdose in July while awaiting a court appearance. But a
court-appointed psychiatrist ruled her fit to stand trial - the judge has now
agreed but has so far set no date for proceedings to begin. "Girlish crush'":
Dawnette Knight is to face 25 charges stemming from a series of letters and
phone calls that Catherine Zeta Jones received over an 18-month period. The
letters allegedly accused the Welsh-born actress of being a gold-digger and
contained threats to kill her. Ms Knight was arrested after a calling card
used to make threatening phone calls was traced to her home. Her lawyer says
that she had what he called a "girlish crush" on Zeta Jones's husband, Michael
Douglas. She has since apologised for her actions. Unemployed Ms Knight was
arrested on 3 June at her home. If convicted, she could face up to 19 years in
prison.
MORE NEXT