Triumph of the Will (Special Edition)
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Movie Reviews of Triumph of the Will (Special Edition)
Movie Review: Artistically brilliant, politically repulsive
Summary: 4 Stars
This film, and the wide-ranging responses to it, remind me of George Orwell's essay on Salvador Dali; that we can appreciate something as an artistic achievement while simultaneously condemning it as morally/ethically/politically repugnant.
There is no doubt that Leni Riefenstahl was an outstanding film-maker. For the 1930's, her cinematography is extraordinary; cameras perched on cars and aeroplanes, tracking and moving shots, close ups and distortion, extremely wide pans. From the vantage point of 2009, it's impossible to appreciate just how revolutionary some of these techniques were at the time. The sound and musical quality are also brilliant, considering the 1930's were still comparatively early in the sound-film era.
At the same time, be in no doubt as to what sort of production this is. 'Triumph of the Will' is a blatant piece of pro-Nazi propaganda, made by someone who (at best) was unbelievably naive about the true nature of the Third Reich. The opening shot has Hitler descending through the clouds, and the remainder of the film deliberately promotes the idea of Hitler as a God-like figure. The endless parades, marches, speeches, and adoring crowds are all used to confirm the idea of a nationalist Messiah come to redeem Germany after its "Passion" following World War 1 and the Treaty of Versailles. Riefenstahl keeps the mood triumphant throughout, although there are more sinister moments such as the matter-of-fact discussion of The Night Of The Long Knives, and hearing Goebbles preach about "truth" and decency is equally sickening and comical.
So what to make of this? It's clearly a major artistic achievement, but it is also an apologia for one of the most evil regimes in history. I do believe it has an important place in film history, not just as a piece of "art", but also as education. 'Triumph Of The Will' clearly demonstrates how such a repellant group of people were able to command respect and loyalty from ordinary Germans. Hitler is a compelling orator and passionaite nationalist, and Riefenstahl's highly idealised portrayal does give him a certain statesmanlike quality. It's not hard to see how a dispirited, desperate people might be taken in by such a man.
While it's not the sort of film that you "recommend", I do think everybody should see this film at least once.
Movie Review: Triumph of the Will
Summary: 4 Stars
This is one of the true masterpieces of propaganda and an outstanding example of cinematic manipulation. Leni Reifenstahl created a truly impressive record of the Nazi Party Congress in 1934 and preserved it for the world to watch for generations to come. It is fascinating to note, with the benefit of hindsight, how much is left unsaid but lurks menacingly below the surface. But what is said is rather mundane and adheres to the party line, which makes modern audiences wonder what all the cheering and "seig heils" were about. The film is subtitled so you can read all the words of the speeches and you may be surprised by how lame they sound today. It is with a knowledge of history that one can take this all in and appreciate what a tremendous sales job this film did for Adolph Hitler and his government. This edition of the film helps you out with an historical commentary track which will help people, especially younger audiences, understand why what they are watching had such a tremendous impact. It is fun to watch Reifenstahl's cameras rolling to capture every angle of the impressive procedures...the Nazi's were masters at staging massive events. Look for the camera mounted on a flag pole in the stadium and moving up and down to capture the scope of the ceremonies. Some of the speeches were staged for the camera and you can sometimes pick out where the material was intercut. Propaganda is rarily so effective and this masterwork is well worth watching if you are a student of history and the terrible period of World War II. I know that a warning to take this entire production and its moving images in context is not necessary but it is wise to keep in mind while you watch this film that this was a dangerous government building its power. These days we are used to a mass media assault by politicians but this was very new in 1934. Well worth watching, it also created and refined a standard for filming live events of this type. Reifenstahl spent the rest of her life being praised for her dramatic technique and apologizing for this work. She did several other films for the Nazi Party including the wonderful "Olympia", which contains somewhat less propaganda because the Americans won so many gold medals.Movie Review: Good print and presentation of notorious propaganda piece
Summary: 4 Stars
(In case you think you're experiencing deja vu, this is a cut-down version of my reply to a previous reviewer)
This DVD is a valuable document to show how an ultra-nationalistic regime plays on xenophobia and scapegoating and mixes it all up with love-of-country. Times of economic downturn (like the 30s and today) always make people more susceptible to extremist thought and paranoia.
The print is very good and the commentary is excellent. It's interesting to find out how the filming of this 'spontaneous' event was so meticulously staged. Hitler's entrance into the city was re-shot a couple of times because the first entrance was not considered satisfactory. There are several other examples of re-shoots and re-staging throughout the film.
While most of the Nazi functionaries are pretty snooze-worthy it's fascinating to see how Hitler constructed the ebb and flow of his speeches. Excerpts commonly show him in full-rant mode but he usually started quietly and did a slow build. This DVD shows how the Nazis manipulated the basest emotions by couching their message in patriotism and what all humans consider 'family values' (love for our children and concern for their welfare). Germans were not unique in falling for this since people are still doing it all over the world every day. --
Movie Review: Good release at a reasonable price
Summary: 4 Stars
When I decided to purchase Triumph of the Will a few weeks ago, I saw that Amazon had two releases, this one and another that was much more costly. The descriptions weren't very helpful in distinguishing between the two releases.
I'm always leery of cheap releases of titles that are in the public domain, but I decided to take a chance on this one. I'm glad to report that I wasn't disappointed. I can't compare the two releases, but I can tell you that Synapse Films, which published this version, did a good job of it.
I haven't watched the entire DVD, but I immediately spot-checked it for quality.The digital restoration is decent and the commentary by Dr. Anthony Santoro is worthwhile, possibly even up to the standard that I have been accustomed to in Criterion Collection releases.
One quirk: The screen format is called windowboxed. Don't let this bother you. The original, of course, was shot in the then-standard 1.33:1 ratio. The opening titles of this release are reduced, so that you get the feeling that you are watching it in a movie theatre, but after the titles, the image fills out the entire standard-ratio TV screen.
Movie Review: Riefenstahl's Judgment at Nuremberg
Summary: 4 Stars
An epic-scale "production" of the 1934 Nuremberg rally, director Leni Riefenstahl's infamous "Triumph of the Will" manipulates reality to glorify Adolf Hitler and his frightening power. Since "Triumph of the Will" is a star vehicle, Riefenstahl makes certain that the führer gets the best closeups. As the film progresses, Hitler's vanity becomes ludicrous (he always is aware of the cameras), yet there is a dark undercurrent that lies beneath his self-conscious posing. When first released in 1935, many German moviegoers no doubt watched "Triumph of the Will" in a hypnotic trance and succumbed to its grotesque Nazi mythology; worse yet, they believed. The Nazi "death machine" already was in motion, gaining public support in its obsessive quest to annihilate the Jewish population. Riefenstahl seemingly covers all the rally events in her two-hour Nuremberg chronicle, yet the overall impression is a big-budget distortion of history. Despite its undeniable cinematic impact, "Triumph of the Will" survives as a cautionary tale for future generations.