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by Dan Berman
Actor, writer, producer, and director Tim Blake Nelson (O' Brother, Where Art Thou), brings forth a scary and disturbing look into Auschwitz in the 1940s. Based in large part on Miklos Nyiszli's book, Auschwitz: A Doctor's Eyewitness Account. Nelson also personally optioned the rights to Nyiszli's book for film and stage, and the Doctor became a character in the first incarnation of The Grey Zone, a stage play produced in 1996 at New York's Manhattan Class Company off-Broadway. The production was extended repeatedly, and ended the season to great acclaim winning numerous awards, including New York Newsday's Oppenheimer Prize, and four Obies.

The Grey Zone brings you inside Nazi Germany, revealing the dark, nightmarish world of the Auschwitz death camps. The film tells the horrible tale of the twelfth Sonderkommando Unit. These camps were holding grounds for Jewish prisoners. The Sonderkommandos are played with extreme intensity by an incredible cast. David Arquette, Daniel Benzali, David Chandler, and Steve Buscemi show you this world of pure and unrelenting hate and despair.

When Sonderkommandos discover there is a little girl that had survived the gas chamber they take action and try to protect her even at the risk of their own lives. They attempt to escape from captivity but very few ever left the death camps. Leading the way is David Arquette (Eight Legged Freaks, and Get Ready To Rumble) who tries desperately to save her and bring her to safety.

The Grey Zone is a time portal back to the days when Nazis no longer thought they needed the Jewish population. So, they told the world of their plans to rid Germany and England of their Jewish inhabitants. During this time period, the Nazis were executing thousands of Jewish prisoners by using gas chambers. The process was ugly, stripping prisoners of their personal effects, clothing, and at times even their teeth in preparation for incineration.

This extraordinary film is a true landmark for movie making. It is truly an amazing feat. Tim Blake Nelson is a true genius as a Producer and Director. The film tells of those days with insightful brilliance and extreme accuracy. Other factors that lead this film to greatness are the high caliber performances of Harvey Keitel, Mira Sorvino, and Natasha Lyonne. They are simply outstanding in this film. The Grey Zone is brilliantly written, and it holds it's own right down to the very end.

The Grey Zone is a film not to be missed. It gives you an up close and personal look into a very dark and disturbing time.

Dan Berman

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Complete Cast: