Swing Kids

Rating:
Summary: AWESOME MOVIE FOR TEACHING WWII
Review: I teach 11th grade and when we reach WWII I have been looking for a movie which is good enough for the kids to see that doesn't just show blood and guts. Many of the kids can't fathom why an entire nation would just follow a man bent on the destruction of another race. This movie gives them a new viewpoint, a kid's viewpoint, that they can relate to. They can understand that not everyone wanted to go along, not everyone agreed but few were capable of standing up and sticking to their beliefs. The brainwashing techniques, the pressure from peers, family and fear made it easier for Hitler to gain and maintain control of Germany. I begin WWII with a brief explanation of the conditions existing in Europe when Hitler rose to power and then show this movie. My students always enjoy the movie and come away from viewing it with a better understanding of how Hitler got into power. I highly recommend this film for teaching and/or just enjoying.

Rating:
Summary: A deeply moving film
Review: I saw this movie for the first time recently. I was very affected by it, and the very fact that it makes you think makes it a good film even if you don't agree with what you perceive to be the message of the film. The performances are priceless; particulary Christian Bale, Barbara Hershey, Kenneth Branaugh and Frank Whaley. Swing Kids has a very "real" feel about it, almost as if we've merely stepped back in time. I think it is the stark realism of the film that makes people unsure if they like it, being more used to black and white plots and over the top story-telling. Real life is rarely so cut and dried. Criticism of the film has included a charge of being "pro-nazi". I'm sorry, but I came away with a totally different view. It is a stark portrayal of the very nature and danger of evil ideas. At one point a character screams of the evil he has seen while the other puts his hands over his ears and blankly refuses to comprehend. Evil triumphs when good men stand by and do nothing. We all react diffrently and indifferently when approached by the sick things of this world. This is a quiet story of how four friends in their own desperation reacted. I do think that the ending was perhaps misguided. It is the only melodramatic moment in the movie and goes against the feel of the story. However, I still think this is a powerful film and worth seeing.

Rating:
Summary: quite enjoyable and a historically accurate theme.
Review: It is indeed a 'niche movie', for few people know of the German youth who stood against the Nazi Youth movement. The fact that it is directed in the style of "Dead Poets Society" is one of the few aspects I did not like. Otherwise I think it is a passionate, and rather informative movie about struggles of belief, and of course, the power of music.
Jazz legend Dizzy Galespie, after learning of these kids, expressed his respect and admiration, and stated that it was a testament to the power of jazz: "Men have died for this music, you can't get more serious than that."

Rating:
Summary: Who knew the Holocaust was such a Hootenanny?
Review: The music is great and the actors try very hard to bring some credibility to this bouncy take on Nazi atrocities, but it's "based on actual events" stretched beyond recognition. Distinctly American actors, dialect and vernacular do nothing to enhance this schmaltzy soap opera full of stereotypes.

The soundtrack, however, is a great collectible.

Rating:
Summary: THE THEME OF THE MOVIE IS TRUE
Review: When the Nazis came to power they outlawed jazz and swing music. (They also banned the foxtrot and the tango). Thus, listening to jazz and swing music became a way of protesting against the Nazis.

Many Germans were fans of Ameican jazz and swing music and jazz and swing records were in high demand on the black market during the war.

While the movie has many overly dramatic scenes, the basic theme is absolutely true as an investigation into the the Third Reich will reveal. Skeptics should read : Swing Under the Nazis

Rating:
Summary: Swing Kids
Review: To the reviewer from Chicago, movies like Swing Kids are known as CULT CLASSICS. Movies that might not be critically acclaimed or too successful, can and are still adored by many people. Movies are for entertainment, and you don't have to agree that this is a good movie, but you also don't have to be rude.

This is a good childhood movie and memory for many. If you watched this when you were younger, its a lot of fun to go back and watch it again now.