The Downfall of Hitler Parodies: Videos Removed From YouTube in Copyright Action

This week, YouTube began trying to obliterate one of the most popular internet memes of all time, the Downfall parodies featuring an enraged Adolf Hitler, after a copyright claim by the German production house that owns the movie's rights. The parody videos all use a clip from the 2004 German film Downfall about Hitler's final days. In the clip, Hitler--played by actor Bruno Ganz--lashes out at his staff when he is told that he cannot win the war. As with any foreign film, the movie came with subtitles. Over the years, fun-seekers have replaced the original English subtitles with absurd substitutes. So instead of ranting about the war, the subtitles express Hitler's rage over Kanye West's famous outburst, his toilet being clogged, or the collapse of the real estate market. The satirical videos have been hugely popular over the years, with some clips racking up hundreds of thousands of views. ...