Esther Stremmer along with some family members (including Sima Stremma and Soma Stremmer) along with other families take refuge underground in an extensive cave system to evade capture by the Nazis in the Ukraine (in October 1942) where over one million Jews were executed.  They manage to evade capture for the most part for a year when the Russians finally push the Nazis out.

 

NO PLACE ON EARTH is their true story which was unearthed by cave explorer Chris Nicola who made yearly trips to the Ukraine from New York.   This documentary manages to tie two stories into this gripping true story about a family’s determination to survive when no one else would step in to protect them during World War 2.  I do think this would have made a better movie instead of a documentary because it has all of the right elements to tell an award winning drama and none of the story is made up.  It is real and the stories are from the survivors and the writings of Esther Stremmer (who would write about it after the war).

 

SPECIAL FEATURES:

THE STERMERS AFTER THE WAR

KOROLOWKA BEFORE THE WAR

MORE ABOUT LIFE IN THE CAVE

DAVID BLITZER (SIMA’S HUSBAND): HIS HOLOCAUST STORY

HAROLD HOCHMAN (SOMA’S HUSBAND): HIS HOLOCAUST STORY)

FOOD

THE CHILDREN

CHRIS NICOLA ADVENTUR ECAVING IN SLOWVAKIA

CHRIS NICOLA ADVENTURE CAVING IN THE USA

 

The above segments included as special features play out like deleted scenes or bonus footage that don’t fit into the story they wanted to tell with this documentary.

 

Photo galleries show behind-the-scenes photos of the film crew preparing the cave for filming and Sima and Soma’s return to the Ukraine decades later, and then and now photos of the Ukraine.

 

A theatrical trailer for NO PLACE ON EARTH is also on the disc in addition to previews for other releases from Magnolia Pictures.

 

FINAL ANALYSIS: NO PLACE ON EARTH is a gripping documentary that might have made a better drama.   One of the better tales of survival that is so incredible and terrifying because it is all true.

 

This DVD review is (c)9-6-2013 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission.  Send all comments to feedback@enterline-media.com

 

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