Triumph of the Will (Special Edition)
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Movie Reviews of Triumph of the Will (Special Edition)
Movie Review: Riefenstahl's Powerfully Cinematic Sensibilities Remain Noteworthy Despite the Controversial Subject
Summary: 5 Stars
Before her death in 2003 at the age of 101, filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl would have you believe she had no affiliation with the Nazi party when she was asked by Adolf Hitler to document the momentous four days leading to the 1934 Nuremberg rally. However, it's obvious from her concurrently celebrated and reviled 1935 propaganda film that she was mesmerized by Hitler's oratorical skills judging from the dynamic way she has captured his undeniable charisma. She shows a remarkable deftness in editing techniques and camera movement and placement that remains the gold standard among documentarians. Riefenstahl succeeds in making Hitler a larger than life figure to the masses without resorting to editorial commentary to validate what is obvious from the images.
The film begins with Hitler's arrival in Nuremberg by personal aircraft where he is greeted by enthusiastic throngs of Nazi supporters. In fact, the first third of the film focuses primarily on civilian support of Fuehrer and then transitions to the opening of the Reich Party Congress where we see familiar historical figures, such as Rudolf Hess and Joseph Goebbels, speak. This leads to the third day of activity with rather unsettling shots of Hitler Youth as they prepare to greet Hitler from the rows of teepees in which they have camped. Her discriminating use of close-ups is most striking here when we see tow-headed Aryan boys hypnotized by Hitler's speech. The film ends with the startlingly choreographed rally with the famous shot of Hitler, flanked by Heinrich Himmler and Viktor Lutze, walking down an emptied aisle to place a wreath at a WWI memorial (a shot replicated by George Lucas at the end of the first Star Wars). The climax is designed to be celebratory as Hitler leads the masses toward unity under the Reich with his fanatical delivery.
Like D.W. Griffiths' The Birth of a Nation, it is difficult to defend the intended messaging behind such a trenchant film, yet it is criminal not to recognize the powerfully cinematic sense with which Riefenstahl imbues her work. The 2006 Special Edition Synapse DVD contains a good though not outstanding print transfer. However, there are two worthwhile extras - the extremely informative commentary track from historian Dr. Anthony R. Santoro (which I recommend you switch on immediately to fully appreciate the individual personalities and historical details behind the rally) and a short Riefenstahl made at the following year's rally to celebrate the Wehrmacht (the German army), "Day of Freedom". There is little use in attempting any sort of objectivity about this film as it was intended to evoke strong emotions with the sole goal of solidifying the Reich in a country still feeling weakened from WWI. In this respect, Riefenstahl succeeds admirably.
Movie Review: Try to remember -- this movie wasn't made for YOU!
Summary: 5 Stars
After slogging through a number of these reviews it is clear that most cannot see that we Twenty-First Century Americans were not the intended audience for this movie. The movie was intended to be a unifying morale-builder for the National Socialist Party in Germany, which had been in power only about a year when this movie was made.
From its loss of World War I until the NSDAP was elected to power in Germany in 1934, the people had suffered every kind of internecine mob warfare, illegal abuse and theft of whole portions of Germany at the hands of the French, and an economic catastrophe that made our American Depression look like a picnic by comparison.
This movie sought to persuade Germans (GERMANS!) that this dreadful misery was finally over and that the criminal Bolshevik traitors responsible for Germany's defeat in World War I, and all the residual woes, would be defeated once and for all. It must have been a most welcome message because as you watch the film you certainly don't get the impression that anyone had to beg the many thousands of Germans who attended the NSDAP rallies to stand up and cheer their hearts out.
If you speak and understand German, you'll have a much greater likelihood of being able to understand the impact of these rallies, and this film that celebrates them. For many who are not conversant in the German language or who know little about the actual history of the time besides what they were exposed to in American World War II films, the film is actually pretty boring after a while.
You sit there and watch one group of soldiers, police, or workers after another, marching and marching and marching. This is interspersed with speeches by Hitler and the other Party officals. From time to time you'll see interesting-looking people doing everyday things, some in costume, but mostly they're just talking, walking, eating, brushing their teeth, and so on. Be advised -- for those of you who expect the whole thing to be a stirring, gigantic SS parade with weapons bristling, be prepared to be disappointed. The last group of soldiers on parade are indeed the SS Leibstandarte Adolph Hitler, and they're marching to what was reputedly Hitler's favorite piece -- "Der Badenweiler". Remember to notice that they aren't even carrying rifles or bayonets....
Lastly, in my opinon, the commentary by "historian" Dr Anthony Santoro is mostly just another sarcastic, demeaning rant against the people in the film, so typical of those who pronounce judgement on the vanquished after every war. The marching soldiers and other Germans who reverberated such thrills of hope for their poor, beleagured country are all long dead, but Santoro must make fun of them for the amusement (?) of the American audience. Try to remember -- this movie was not made for YOU!
Movie Review: This is the one to get, likely, but about it being remastered...
Summary: 5 Stars
This is the one to get, not the older special edition, since it not just full screen and is touted as digitally remastered other than the other synapse release fro 2001.....
Well, after receiving it, indeed after watching it, it seems in fairly okay condition, but there are areas that show the age and damage to the original film, definitely not a "restored" version, and I believe when they use the word "remastered", they might mean the sound, which is of course good, they could have remastered that sound for sure to eliminate record hiss or scratches/etc, but that isn't perfect either.
The commentary by that doctor somebody, he referred to it being the year 2000, when this release was released as remastered in 2006, meaning the whole film is just a redub of the 2001 release, whether or not there is a difference between the two, I don't know, but I suspect that the early 2001 release if bought cheap is exactly the same, no difference whatever. I kind of wish I would have bought a used copy that, since there were several under thirty dollars used, well under twenty used, actually at the time I decided to opt for this newer transfer and there weren't any cheap ones used, so I did pay a premium for this "remastered".
This film is very educational on the national socialist mindset, what attracted the populous, there was even a translation of that national socialist national anthem I would have never realized, extolling the fight against some sort of red front and reactionaries, whatever reactionaries were. I sometimes wonder what kind of history there would have been if there hadn't been a communist takeover of russia, ole hitler and his cronies might have had to come up with something else to gripe about to come to power, and as it is, the film enlightened me on the commentary that Hitler has a purge of the SA leaders at the behest of big industry and the military, even the church believe it or not, cause they feared a communist like SA military organizaiton take over of the country which would have maybe left the big wigs in the military out of a job, and big industry maybe nationalized and took over, and one can only wonder what role the german church organizations were wanting, like maybe they also fostered alot of anti semitism, cause it seems the national socialist movement took alot of their orders from those controlling them, something I sometimes wonder happens all too much in this country.
I got this film to get to be able to quote from history, and it has done just that, I mean, I read books from time to time, but film is history too. I am waiting on another Reifenstahl film, "Olympia", a european transfer from a company in Korea, hopefully it will be somewhat remastered other than what is available generally here in america.
Movie Review: Triumph Indeed
Summary: 5 Stars
Triumph of the Will is overwhelmingly powerful in its portrayal of nationalist unity unlike any I have ever known. Riefenstahl's use of neon lighting as an introduction for each major party official is almost subliminal, and by such technique is one pushed into watching attentively as something critically important is about to occur. Her stylized direction resembles so many maneuvers common in modern films today (which I regrettably take for granted), and I suddenly begin to understand why so many movies about militaristic empowerment/unity are accordingly so effective--they are based not only on documented propaganda, but propaganda of a political faction that was extraordinarily successful when skimming through the annals of history. One really ought to step outside themselves when watching Triumph--to really focus on this document's power to not only characteristically show why the Nazi party was so appealing (because of Goebbel's seductive use of suggestion in all forms of propaganda, including this film which he realized quite entirely), but to transform the minds of clean-slated Germans viewing this film in theatres at that historical moment. Such an event in history cannot (and assuredly will not ever) be forgotten. It is breathtaking to see how people can be so easily manipulated into thinking something so flawed is ultimately perfection materialized. This just may be our only effective link to such a heinous (and equally awe-inspiring) time in human history. I have looked forward to seeing this film for about six months now, and when I finally witnessed its unfolding, I came to understand why it has ignited so much debate and scholarly discourse. If you appreciate film and its influence upon the mind (which is so easily swayed), then you must see Triumph of the Will--a friend of mine (who happens to be a film student) broached the topic of this movie not two weeks ago with me, and he explained just how crucial it was in his own area of study. In fact, I would recommend buying it as an elemental part of your movie collection. Everyone deserves history in their lives, and this is a form of history in its most intended form (from the Nazi perspective). Irrespective of Riefenstahl's personal stances on life and politics, she was a mastermind as a filmmaker, and definitively worthy of my praise as someone who appreciates art, and powerfully emotional art at that.Movie Review: See a beautiful film document as art
Summary: 5 Stars
Other reviews and endless, boring commentaries will tell you the history you probably already know about this film, so I will get on to the heart of the matter. In this beautifully conceived and executed piece of filmaking you will experience a phenomenon unknown to our own time: A people united, uplifted and bound together in a common enthusiasm for their future. Hope, joy and beauty expressed and then captured on film. It is sentimental; it remembers the dead of the great world war . . and it exhalts at the resurrection. The sometimes moving, sometimes stirring musical score is artfully set to a variety of expressive visuals, from spontaneous crowds of the every-man to choreography and movement of the camera, all created and assembled to give you a unique experience to linger with. The speeches by various dignitaries and officials may be sat through with curiosity, perhaps even patience, as we today will have to focus a little harder to understand them and what each is talking about. Forget the hopeless, corny nonesense which insists this film is propaganda. Simply enjoy, for a moment, what WE have not had since that time, in the post-war world of the west. We search for and are anxious to find for ourselves a union of happy, enthusiastic people. What you will see in this film is increasingly elusive for us today. You will enjoy the experience this film brings to you, whoever you are, wherever you are from; this was it's intention, and it will forever succeed.