This Is A Solid Movie, Kinda Arthouse Nazisploitation Withou
4-Legged Defender | ATL. GA. | 04/27/2010
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Fans of Nazisploitation will probably be somewhat disappointed with this film, as there are none of the standard sleaziod cliches inherent in such flix, but as a WW2 film based on true facts, it's a fascinating view into the workings of Nazi politics before the Great War. What helps are the great featurettes that are included, giving us an even greater understanding and insight into the concept of creating a 'Master Race'.
Based on little-known historical events, 'Spring Of Life' is a disturbing drama about a young girl named Gretka, who was taken away from her family and selected to attend an elite school run by pre-war Nazis to participate in Lebensborn, a mad Nazi concept to create a pure Aryan race. It is only when eager young SS officers arrive at this 'spa' that she discovers the sinister truth, that she is being groomed as part of a breeding program to further Aryan lineage.
Well told and directed, it presents a sobering picture of actual events absent from the usual nazisploitation films that center around torture, nude showers, and the concept of 'Joy Division', another true saga involving SS officers ravaging prisoners to blow off sexual steam, which is what most of these films are centered around (not that I object, I'm a fan of exploitation). For fans of WW2 and military history, it's a treasure, for sleazemeisters, it's a waste of both your time and possible short-attention span
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