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YouTube forced to delete ‘Downfall’ parodies
German film company gets its way at last. But has it shot itself in the foot?
No more will Hitler rant about the issues of the day on YouTube. One of the longest-running - and, for some, most annoying - internet 'memes' now faces annihilation as YouTube attempts to delete all parodies of the German film Downfall from its site.
But has the German copyright holder, Constantin Film Produktion, shot itself in the foot by demanding YouTube remove the spoofs?
Ever since the release of Der Untergang in 2004, internet pranksters have commented on the issues of the day by subverting a scene from the film in which a bunker-bound Hitler (played by German actor Bruno Ganz), realising the war is lost, turns on his generals.
The parodies have ranged from Hitler getting banned from playing his Xbox Live to Hitler''s take on the 'downfall' of the John McCain and Sarah Palin Republican ticket. Sheffield United fans learned Hitler's view on their team being relegated: "Now we will have to live with the injustice". There was even a post-modern parody in which Hitler complains about all the parodies of Downfall on YouTube.
Downfall's director, Oliver Hirschbiegel, has no problem with the spoofs, telling New York magazine: "The point of the film was to kick these terrible people off the throne that made them demons, making them real and their actions into reality. I think it's only fair if now it's taken as part of our history, and used for whatever purposes people like."
But Constantin, which has been trying to have the videos removed from the internet for years, has finally persuaded YouTube to implement its 'final solution'. As of this morning, very few examples of the parodies remain on the site.
Is it an overreaction? It is difficult to estimate how much publicity Downfall has enjoyed because of the parodies. But there are those who say that, as a foreign language art-house film, it might have sunk without trace had it not been for the YouTube 'tributes'.
Other copyright holders must now decide whether they are willing to follow Constantin Film down the reactionary route of depriving their fans of a creative outlet or whether they'd prefer to join the internet community and reap the marketing benefits. ·
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It's about time. Yes, I laughed when I watched the one about my BMW motorcycle but that was 3 years ago. Now everyone and his dog has made a half-arsed parody from the same scene in "Downfall". Yawn. Next.
Proof positive that the Germans have no sense of humour....
Thats such a shame, I had certainly never heard of the film before the parodies and thats why I watched it when it was on Channel 4 recently otherwise I wouldnt have bothered.
There is no such thing as bad publicity after all besides which parodies are such fun