Hotel Terminus is one of Marcel Ophuls's signature achievements. Through nuances of mise-en-scène and editing, the examination of the life, times, and trial of Lyon Gestapo head Klaus Barbie becomes a multifaceted exploration of human motivation and mendacity. The film includes startling passages of Lumière-like discovery, but also incorporates multiple levels of staging and performance. A clear rebuttal of cinema vérité ideals of invisible observation, it makes clear why Ophuls has exerted such a profound influence on the interventionist strain of contemporary documentary. With English subtitles.