the audience applauded

Overrated

Memorable, crazy movie

Blistering performances.

"Holocaust" is a brilliantly made mini-series that made a HUGE social impact when it debuted. Here in the US, the term 'Holocaust' was rarely used before 1978 and it's become a familiar part of our lexicon since. The series follows the Weiss family from 1935-1945 and shows how these Jews fared during the Holocaust. Additionally, the Dorf family who know the Weiss family is shown as a parallel. Unlike the Weiss clan, the Dorfs are gentiles. At first, they seem like decent people but over time, they become caught up in the SS and Erik becomes one of the architects of the Final Solution. The plots are all well-written and as the Weisses are disbursed, you see how each of them is caught up in the hate and hysteria. In addition to nice direction and writing, it didn't hurt that the show had an amazingly competent cast which included Fritz Weaver, Meryl Streep, James Woods, Sam Wanamaker, Michael Moriarty and many more.While I truly believe that this is one of the greatest mini-series events of all-time, the show is not quite perfect. One problem is NOT the fault of the filmmakers and that is that the Jewish prisoners and ghetto residents look way too healthy. You cannot starve actors enough without killing them to really approximate how awful it really was--so it is, unintentionally, a bit sanitized. Also, while it was not necessary, it would have been nice to know the dates as events unfolded. Sometimes this is given--mostly is it not.One final note. Although the series was apparently comprised of four episodes, on DVD, it's stretched into five.

One of the most outstanding television mini-series that was ever made. Obviously, this won the Emmy for best mini-series and was truly well deserved.The story deals with the Weiss Family of Germany. They thought that they were true Germans never believing that they would be caught up in the madness of Hitler's Nazi Germany.Despite the warnings of Dr. Weiss's patient,Dorf, who quickly rises in the Nazi hierarchy, the Weiss Family remains in Germany as Hitler seized power and the nightmare for the Jewish people begins.This series made stars of Michael Moriarty.(Dorf) He plays the character drawn into the Nazi party with a chilling unfeeling for humanity rarely seen in movies. Dorf would be the typical character who would have said that he was forced into doing what he did since he was caught up in this period of frenzy. His ambitious, evil wife also helped push him into this way of life. Meryl Streep and James Woods also became well known as a result of this masterpiece production.Nothing was hidden in making this grand production. You see the kosher butcher stores fall victim to Kristallnacht-the night of breaking glass. You see victims being marched off to the gas chambers.This was certainly movie making at its best. Even the mini-series of todays are lacking in contact, interest and boldness of production.

I remember watching this mini-series back in 1978. My husband was working nights at the time and I watched it alone. I was spellbound night after night! I will never forget the impact this movie had on me. I have often wished for the chance to see it again. At the time we did not have a VCR player to make a copy of it. I told my husband every day how much I wished he could have been there to see it and I felt that every American should have the opportunity, along with the duty, to see the movie. We SHOULD NEVER FORGET or LET THIS HAPPEN AGAIN! I wish the movie would be re-broadcast, even if on a satellite channel. High school and college students should be required to view the movie. They would have a better understanding of why history should not be repeated and hopefully they would appreciate what being an American means in terms of their freedom from this type of oppression.

I am hoping to be a history teacher after college. As a history buff and a long time researcher on the Holocaust, I have to say the film Holocaust was one of the best movies on the subject I have ever seen. Even though the movie was 7.5 hours, it held my interest the whole way. Merryl Streep, James Woods, and the gentleman who played Doctor Josef Weiss (Fritz Weaver) were very good. Michael Moriarty who played Erik Dorf was very good at acting like the innocent just-out-of-college lawyer and then being a ruthless Nazi. Holocaust was an excellent movie and should be seen by all.