First Run Features released a couple of very interesting titles last month. One of which, My Fuhrer, is comedic historical fiction at its best. The other, Red Cartoons, is a historically significant collection of pre-unification East German animated films.

My Fuhrer's original German title directly translates to "Mein Fuhrer: The Truly Truest Truth About Adolf Hitler". That gives an accurate impression of the tone. The Lives of Others' Ulrich Muhe plays Adolf Grunbaum, a Jewish acting teacher plucked out of a camp by Goebbels to coach Hitler in the final months of the Third Reich.

Hitler is a depressed ghost of who he once was. He holes himself up for days at a time and lacks any of his familiar vigor. Goebbels wants Hitler to re-energize a demoralized, all-but-defeated Nazi Germany with a rousing New Year's speech. Helge Schneider plays a caricatured, prosthetic-nosed Hitler with latex jowls, and it works. He plays Hitler like some empty-headed, child-like puppet of Goebbels.

When I popped in Fuhrer, I did a double take when Goebbels came on-screen, wondering why he looked familiar. The second time he entered, I paused it and realized it was Sylvester Groth, who played the same role in Inglourious Basterds. I later found out that this film is one of the things that helped him win the part for Tarantino.