Review: Trimph of the Will
| Category | Reviews |
| Written by | Oliver Stangl |
| Published on | February 20, 2011 |
Summary:
Maybe the most notorious „documentary“ in film history, Leni Riefenstahl’s (1902-2003) propaganda film about the Nazi Party Congress in Nuremberg in 1934 is received ambivalently to this day: As much [...]
Maybe the most notorious „documentary“ in film history, Leni Riefenstahl’s (1902-2003) propaganda film about the Nazi Party Congress in Nuremberg in 1934 is received ambivalently to this day: As much as it is critisized for its apotheosis of fascism, it is praised for its aesthetical value. Using 17 cameras, Riefenstahl filmed parades as well as speeches of Nazi-leaders. Hitler (who is credited as one of the film’s producers) is shown as the only man who can lead Germany to power again after the defeat in World War I and acclaimed by hundreds of thousands of followers.
Riefenstahl’s use of cinematic techniques (moving cameras, aerials shots) and music were revolutionary at the time and earned her several awards in different countries. As controversial as the film may be (critics still debate weather Triumph of the Will is a documentary or just a work of propaganda which Riefenstahl herself always denied), the film’s influence on movies, commercials and music videos is undisputed.
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