Berlin: Die Sinfonie der Großstadt (Berlin, Symphony of a Great City)
Region 1 (NTSC) DVD of 1927 Walter Ruttmann documentary about a single day in the life of the city of Weimar Berlin; black & white photographic images with musical score composed by Timothy Brock; no dialogue; DVD also includes Ruttmann's 1922 short (10-minute) film Opus 1; 1 hour 12 minutes.

Der Blaue Engel (The Blue Angel)
Region 1 (NTSC — black & white) two-DVD set of the 1930 Josef von Sternberg film based on Heinrich Mann's novel Professor Unrath and starring Marlene Dietrich and Emil Jannings; story of the gradual degradation of strait-laced Professor Immanuel Rath (Jannings) as he investigates firsthand the source of his pupils' fascination with the Blue Angel nightclub's songstress Lola-Lola (Dietrich) pictured on postcards; sultry performance by Dietrich who in this role pushed the limits of on-screen sexuality; special features of this set include: (1) two versions of film — one DVD of film in German (with option of English subtitles), one in English, (2) audio commentary in the German version, (3) Marlene Dietrich's Blue Angel screen test, (4) footage of Dietrich interview and concert, (5) photo gallery, filmmaker/cast bios, production history; German version: 1 hour 46 minutes, English version: 1 hour 34 minutes.

Das Boot — The Director's Cut
Region 1 (NTSC) DVD of 1981 Wolfgang Petersen World War II drama that examines the world of a German U-boat crew engaged in the “Battle of the Atlantic” in 1942; Director’s Cut version includes over 1 hour of additional footage, stereo soundtrack, Director’s commentary, “The Making of/Behind the Scenes” featurettte; option of German, English, or Spanish audio track, with optional English, Spanish, or French subtitles; 3 hours 29 minutes.

Buddenbrooks
Region 2 (PAL) DVD of 2008 Heinrich Breloer film based on the novel Die Buddenbrooks by Thomas Mann about the rise and decline of the Buddenbrook family of northern Germany. While running his family's wholesale wheat and grain firm Johann Buddenbrook (Armin Mueller-Stahl) also tries to raise his three children — Antonie (Jessica Schwartz), Christina (August Diehl), and Thomas (Mark Waschke) — by accepting only the best of society's offerings for his children and raising them to be worthy of the Buddenbrook name. Throughout the course of their lives, until they are left with nothing, the children experience heartbreak, disappointments, and sacrifice to please their father and to honor the family name; in German with optional German subtitles for the hearing impaired; 2 hours 25 minutes.

Die Fetten Jahre Sind Vorbei (The Edukators) 
Region 1 (NTSC) DVD of 2004 film by Hans Weingarten. This film shows three young activists who attempt to open the eyes of the world in a different way. They break into the homes of rich people and rearrange the furniture while leaving a message, "Your days of plenty are numbered." In this way they seek to create awareness of the injustices perpetuated by a capitalist economy. In one of their attempts, the owner, a big-shot businessman, catches them and and they are forced to take him captive. The situation challenges them to question their motives and whether they really have a cause. It is a story of the revolutionary inside each of us, and the attempt to keep ideals alive. In German with English subtitles; 2 hours 10 minutes.

Gegen die Wand (Head-On)
Region 1 (NTSC) DVD of 2004 Fatih Akin romantic drama about two young Turkish-Germans whose life circumstances bring them together into a marriage of convenience; in German and Turkish with English subtitles; 1 hour 58 minutes.

Goodbye, Lenin!
Region 1 (NTSC) DVD of 2003 Wolfgang Becker comedic drama that takes place in the East Germany of 1989, where a young man is arrested for his protests against the regime. His mother consequently suffers a heart attack and falls into a coma. Upon her awakening months later, the son must devise ways to prevent his mother from learning that the GDR no longer exists; stars Daniel Brühl and Katrin Saß; in German with optional English subtitles; 2 hours 1 minute.

The Harmonists
Region 1 (NTSC) DVD of 1997 Joseph Vilsmaier biographical drama that tells the story of the “Comedian Harmonists,” a German male sextet (five vocalists and pianist) who became an overnight success in prewar Germany, but who were subsequently banned by the Nazis because three of the five were Jewish; in German with English subtitles; 1 hour 55 minutes.

Himmel über Berlin (Wings of Desire)
Region 1 (NTSC) DVD of 1987 Wim Wenders romantic fantasy about Damiel, a lonely angel who, after centuries of giving help and comfort to mortals, meets a beautiful and troubled circus performer. Damiel begins to experience a strong desire to become human and thereby visible to this newfound love, all the while struggling with the thought of consequently losing his angel status forever; stars Bruno Ganz, Solveig Dommartin, Otto Sander, Curt Bois, and Peter Falk; in German/English with optional English, French or Spanish subtitles; 2 hours 8 minutes.

Hitlerjunge Salomon (Europa, Europa)
Region 1 (NTSC) DVD of 1990 Agnieszka Holland war drama based on a true story of a Jewish boy (Salomon Perel) who poses as an Aryan German in an attempt to survive World War II; Marco Hofschneider as Salomon, Julie Delpy as Leni; option of German/Russian and French audio tracks, optional English, French or Spanish subtitles; 1 hour 54 minutes.

Das Leben der Anderen (The Lives of Others)
Region 1 (NTSC) DVD of 2006 Oscar-winning (Best Foreign Film) directed by Florian Heckel von Donnersmarck. The movie narrates the suspenseful spying operation lead by Stasi agent Wiesler (Ulrich Mühe) of a famous DDR author and playwright George Dreyman (Sebastian Koch) and his actress girlfriend, Christina-Maria Sieland (Martina Gedeck). The eerie concept of "Big Brother" comes to life in this movie as these artists are monitored with remarkable precision, day and night, to acquire incriminating evidence. However, as Wiesler becomes a third party in the lives of George and Christina-Maria, he learns to live and love through their passion for each other, their art, and their country. In German with optional English, French, or Spanish subtitles. Special features include deleted scenes, an interview and commentary with the director, and the making of the movie; 2 hours 18 minutes.

Die Legende von Paul und Paula (The Legend of Paul and Paula)
Region 1 (NTSC) DVD of 1973 film directed by Heiner Carow. Made in East Germany under the DDR, this quirky love story stirred some controversy with its plot of a single mother, Paula (Angelica Domröse), falling in love with a married workingman, Paul (Winfried Glatzeder). Through hardships and tragedies, the lovers learn to break all barriers and find happiness. This movie also gives a glimpse of East German life as it touches upon the crucial subjects of class, social, and gender distinctions. Special features include scene selection, director's biography, photo gallery, and introduction to the film. In German with English subtitles; 1 hour 46 minutes.

Lola rennt (Run, Lola, Run)
Region 2 (PAL) DVD of the 1998 film directed by Tom Tykwer, starring Franka Potente and Moritz Bleibtreu. With edgy cinematography and a pulsating soundtrack, this fast-paced thriller tells the story of Lola (Potente) and Manni (Bleibtreu), her boyfriend, who has just lost the huge sum of money he owes his mobster boss. Manni and Lola must race against the clock to replace the money within 20 minutes in order to save their lives. In German with the option of German subtitles; also available in VHS video with English subtitles; 1 hour 21 minutes.

M / M-Ein Stadt sucht einen Mörder/Mörder unter uns
Region 1 (NTSC) 2-DVD set of 1931 film variously titled and directed by Fritz Lang; a Criterion Collection re-release digitally restored with state of the art cinematographic improvements and various photographic, audio and video supplements. In this psychological thriller, when children in a city in Germany begin to be murdered, the whole city falls under a blanket of fear and panic. As the police and detectives have no clue to help them in their search for the child killer “Kinder Mörder” (played by Peter Lorre), they impose nightly raids and random arrests for all citizens, especially the thugs and local criminals. With a reduction in the local crime rate and the child killer nowhere to be found, the local thug chiefs form an alliance to successfully catch the killer and put a stop to the random raids. Complications arise during the trial/sentencing phase of the thugs’ treatment of the killer and lead to the killer’s being handed over to the police. Black and white. In German with optional English subtitles; 1 hour 50 minutes.
 
Mephisto
Region 1 (NTSC) DVD of 1981 film by István Szabó. The drama is based on the novel Mephisto by Klaus Mann. A Faustian story of a man who sells his soul to the devil, it is a psychological portrait of a German stage actor, Hendrik Höfgen (Klaus Brandauer), and his rise to great fame and popularity during the Nazis' rise to power. Oscar winner for best foreign film (1982). In German with optional English subtitles; 2 hours 24 minutes.

Die Mörder sind unter uns (The Murderers are Among Us)
Region 1 (NTSC) DVD of 1946 film by Wolfgang Staudte. A war drama starring Hildegard Knef and Ernst Wilhelm Borchert. Story of a relationship that develops between a World War II concentration camp survivor and a former German army surgeon whom she finds living in her Berlin apartment. In German with optional English subtitles; Black and white; 1 hour 21 minutes. 

Die Nibelungen: Part I: Siegfried; Part II: Kriemhild's Revenge
Region 1 (NTSC) DVD of 1924 film by Fritz Lang. This classic epic German film is one of the earliest German movies ever made. Part I: Siegfried begins with Siegfried (Paul Richter) making a journey to see King Ute, a journey in which he fights and defeats a monster, making him invincible and granting him incredible strength. He proceeds with his journey and asks the king for his sister Kriemhild's (Margaret Schön) hand. The king makes a deal with Siegfried, whereby if Siegfried helps the king win the heart of Brunhild (Hanna Ralph), queen for another land, then he will be able to make Kriemhild his wife. To win Brunhild, King Ute, with the help of Siegfried, has to beat Brunhild in various physical tasks. Brunhild is defeated and becomes King Ute's wife. Unhappy with her marriage and jealous of Siegfried and Kriemhild's marriage, Brunhild convinces King Ute to betray his friend and brother-in-law and kill Siegfried. When Siegfried dies, Kriemhild vows revenge. Part II: Kriemhild's Revenge — Kreimhild remarries King Gunther, who allows her to avenge her first husband's death and that of her child, who was also killed as a result of jealousy. Special features include scene selection, footage of Fritz Lang on set, photo gallery, original 1924 score by the Munich Orchestra, production and design sketches, and comparison of the dragon-slaying scene with The Thief of Baghdad (1924). Black-and-white silent movie with some English subtitles. Part I: Siegfried = 2 hours 23 minutes; Part II Kremhild's Revenge = 2 hours 28 minutes.

Nirgendwo in Afrika (Nowhere in Africa)
Region 1 (NTSC) DVD; Directed by Caroline Link, this 2002 Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award winning film tells the true story of a Jewish attorney, Walter Redlich, who flees Nazi Germany in 1938 with his family to build a new life as a rancher in Kenya. Jettel, his high society wife, has difficulties adapting to her new living situation, while Regina, their daughter, befriends their cook Ouwor and soon becomes more Kenyan than German. As the war progresses, increased stress is put upon Walter and his fragile relationship with his wife, and at war's end Walter and his family must decide where there true home lies. German with optional English subtitles. Special features include Making-Of Featurette and cast interviews; 2 hours 22 minutes.

Sissi
Region 2 (PAL) 3-DVD set of 1955 film by Ernst Merischka. This classic German film and one of the best Bavarian films is the story of a beautiful and energetic girl, Elisabeth — also known as Sissi (Romy Schneider) — and her life journey from being Princess Elisabeth of Bavaria to Kaiserin Elisabeth. This trilogy based on the beloved real-life Austrian princess Sissi depicts all aspects of her life, from her unending love for her husband, Kaiser Franz Joseph (Karlheinz Böhm), to the political affairs she dominated with her charm, as well as her never-ending struggles with her mother-in-law, Archduchess Sophie (Vilma Degischer). Special features include (all three DVDs) scene selection, theatrical trailer, photo gallery, and actor biographies. In German with German subtitles; DVD 1: 1 hour 42 minutes; DVD 2: 1 hour 47 minutes; DVD 3: 1 hour 49 minutes.

Sophie Scholl: Die Letzen Tage (Sophie Scholl: The Final Days)
Region 1 (NTSC) DVD of 2005 film by Marc Rothemund. A tragic historical account of one of the leading members of the White Rose, a student-led anti-Nazi resistance group in the 1940s. Chronicling Sophie Scholl's (Julia Jentsch) last six days when she was imprisoned for conspiring against the Nazi regime, the film recounts her heroic act of protesting her arrest, imprisonment, trial, and death in Munich 1943. Special features include movie trailer, the making of the movie, deleted scenes, historical interviews relating to the White Rose, and archival trial footage. Academy Award Nominee for best foreign language film; In German with English subtitles; 1 hour 57 minutes.

Steppenwolf
Region 1 (NTSC) DVD of 1976 Fred Haines film based on the novel by Herman Hesse; plot = Harry Haller (Max von Sydow), the main character, is a modern, post-World War I bourgeois struggling internally with his animalistic and intellectual self. As a result, he has decided to die on his 50th birthday, which is not too far off. In the meantime he meets the enchanting Hermine (Dominique Sanda), who introduces him to a younger world filled with parties and drugs. Nonetheless Harry is still troubled by his internal conflict and suffers from hallucinations where the line of reality and fantasy is blurred, as conveyed cinematographically by the use of many special effects. In English with optional English subtitles for the hearing impaired; 1 hour 48 minutes.

Treffpunkt Deutsch, 5th edition
Region 1 (NTSC) DVD to accompany the fifth edition of the elementary-level German language textbook Treffpunkt Deutsch by E. Rosemarie Widmaier, Fritz T. Widmaier, and Margaret Glonglewski (c. 2008 Pearson-Prentice Hall); twelve video segments feature unscripted interviews with native speakers on topics relating to chapter themes; total time = 36:35 minutes.

Die verlorene Ehre der Katharina Blum (The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum)
Region 1 (NTSC) DVD of 1975 film by Volker Schlöndorff and Margarethe von Trotta. After a shy young girl in West Germany, Katharina (Angela Winkler), meets a man at a party (Jürgen Prochnow) and falls in love instantly, she wakes up with police at her door interrogating and accusing her of housing terrorists. As soon as the media figures out the situation, they start investigating and publishing every detail of Katharina’s life and make her out to be a public enemy. Upon further investigation, a conspiracy going all the way up to high-ranking politicians and businessmen is discovered and Katharina’s lover placed in jail, but not before Katharina gets her own revenge. In German with optional English subtitles; 1 hour 46 minutes.

The Wonderful, Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl
Region 1 (NTSC) DVD of two-part documentary directed by Ray Muller about the life and career of Leni Riefenstahl, actress and filmmaker; part I features interviews with Riefenstahl highlighting her tremendous talents while questioning her intentions and connection to the Nazi Party and Adolf Hitler; part II reveals the still passionate artist Riefenstahl who, at the age of 90, continues to be accused of involvement with the Nazis; English narration with interviews in German with English subtitles; Part I: 1 hour 36 minutes, Part II: 1 hour 32 minutes.