Triumph of the Will (1934)

Triumph of the Will is one of the most important films ever made. Not because it documents evil--more watchable examples are being made today. And not as a historical example of blind propaganda--those (much shorter) movies are merely laughable now. No, Riefenstahl's masterpiece--and it is a masterpiece, politics aside--combines the strengths of documentary and propaganda into a single, overwhelmingly powerful visual force.

Riefenstahl was hired by the Reich to create an eternal record of the 1934 rally at Nuremberg, and that's exactly what she does. You might not become a Nazi after watching her film, but you will understand too clearly how Germany fell under Hitler's spell. The early crowd scenes remind one of nothing so much as Beatles concert footage (if only their fans were so well behaved!).

Like the fascists it monumentalizes, Triumph of the Will overlooks its own weaknesses--at nearly two hours, the speeches tend to drone on, and the repeated visual motifs are a little over-hypnotic, especially for modern viewers. But the occasional iconic vista (banners lining the streets of Nuremberg, Hitler parting a sea of 200,000 party members standing at attention) will electrify anyone into wakefulness. --Grant Balfour Amazon.com essential video

Ground breaking photography

Triumph of the Will is an absolutley stunning photographic masterpiece. Bearing in mind it was made nearly 80 years ago, Leni Riefenstahl's photgraphic techniques are nothing short of brilliant. It was very interesting to note that many of Adolf Hitler's speeches were fairly bland, but the way he put it over was quite outstanding. In places it nearly had me up on my feet with my arm in the air! It shows how he was able to captivate millions with the power of his oratory. August 29, 2008

Triumph of the Will

This propaganda film of Hitler is worth watching, not because Hitler was good, but because he was evil. Evil can be packaged in such a way to appeal to many, and for that reason, this is a great history lesson. What makes this edition the best is the running commentary throughout the movie, explaining the different scenes and people in it. A great history lesson to go with while watching the film. March 23, 2008

A Mesmerizing Exercise In "Spin"

Most people, at least in the Western World, are aware of Triumph of the Will through the notoriety of its connection to the rise of Naziism. But I would bet that most of those same people have never seen it. If you are in that number, then here is your chance to be entranced by this mesmerizing exercise in what today is called "spin".
Many things have been said and written about this film and almost anyone who praises it for its quality as art is almost immediately attacked as some sort of closet Nazi. Witness the recent imbroglio involving British pop singer Bryan Ferry when he did so. If you put politics aside, and it is admittedly hard to do, then you can see just how ingenious this film is. If you are not already a Nazi, it certainly won't make you one, but you will be able to see how millions were taken in by well-choreographed pomp, pageantry, and ceremony.
You must remember that the politically speaking, the people of that day were not like the people of today. Socialism had a very strong hold on the political imagination of the majority of the people and the National Socialist strain was just one of the socialist ideologies vying for the people's support. Yes, director Leni Riefenstahl was a master filmmaker, but it was really ace Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels who masterminded the spectacle that was the 1934 Nazi Party Congress shown here.
As one reviewer said, the film was made partly to build party morale as Hitler did not yet have a firm hold on power. But it also spoke to other groups. Watch and see how it appeals not just to nationalist sentiment by depicting German unity across regional and class divides, but also manifests this putative unity to the international community. Don't think that Triumph of the Will did not have some of Germany's rivals quaking in their boots. I think the film ultimately helped Hitler neutralize domestic and foreign opposition to some of his early adventures like the remilitarization of the Rheinland.
Those who look to the film for anti-Semitic tirades and militaristic saber-rattling will be disappointed. This film was meant to show foreign and domestic opponents how reasonable the Nazis were. Despite what many think today, anti-Semitism was "red meat" only for a small group of core fanatics, it was not an election winning issue and could only really be acted on when a dictatorship was firmly in the saddle.
I think that Triumph of the Will should be required viewing for all high school students to show them how easily people can be taken in by well-disguised evil and so that they can learn to see through political blather.
I ordered this Special Edition from an amazon partner but was sent the other one instead. As there is little difference between the two, I kept it. Now that there is a price differential, be sure that if you order this edition, that this is the one you get. April 20, 2007

Creepy but instructional look into a thankfully vanished world

For most of her life Riefenstahl denied being a Nazi sympathizer, but this movie makes a hard argument against that claim. It's interesting now to see a film where the Nazis are so flatteringly portrayed, and Hitler is displayed with almost god-like status (he descends from the clouds in the beginning, which must have been rare to see in the mid-30s, as few had flown then). The movie sometimes drags as we watch the speeches of minor party officials, but the spectacle never fails to impress and horrify. Instructional on a number of levels. January 10, 2007

Riefenstahl's Powerfully Cinematic Sensibilities Remain Noteworthy Despite the Controversial Subject

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' "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 2001 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. October 18, 2006

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