Hitler learns that Michael Anthony will not be touring with Van Halen

Yeah saw this a while back. Very funny.

Gilligan: YouTube actually banned these hitler vids a while back. I guess they’re allowing them again? They are funny.

Director’s Approval

On January 15th, 2010, New York Magazine’s entertainment blog Vulture interviewed Hirschbiegel, asking his opinion of how the scene has been used online:

Someone sends me the links every time there’s a new one…
I think I’ve seen about 145 of them! Of course, I have to put the sound down when I watch. Many times the lines are so funny, I laugh out loud, and I’m laughing about the scene that I staged myself! You couldn’t get a better compliment as a director.

Production Company’s Disapproval

Despite the film’s director seeing the remixes in a positive light, the production company did not approve of their footage being used in this manner. On April 19th, 2010, TechCrunch, BoingBoing and LaughingSquid reported that Constantin Films began sending DMCA takedown notices to YouTube. On April 21st, the AP reported that Martin Moszkowicz, head of film and TV at Constantin films in Munich, finds many of the parodies distasteful and trivial in light of the seriousness of the Holocaust and World War II.

Resurgence of Downfall Parodies

Shortly after the beginning of YouTube takedowns, Downfall parodies saw its greatest resurgence in number of uploads, possibly as a result of Streisand Effect. By mid-2010, thousands of such parodies still remained online, including many in which a self-aware Hitler, angry that people keep making or taking down Downfall parodies.

During this extensive period of censorship, many contributors began applying the “mirror effect” on their parody uploads, flipping the original clip before adding subtitles, in order to bypass YouTube’s visual-based copyright detection software. In October 2010, the Downfall Parodies Forum users reported that Constantin Film Studio put an end to its YouTube blockade on Downfall-derived parody videos, even placing advertisements on some of them.