"Triumph of the Will" aka "Triumph Des Willens"

[Spiritus Naturae]

Has anyone else here seen this astounding piece of propaganda? Leni Reifenstahl filmed the 1934 Nazi Party rally in Nuremberg and thus we have "Triumph of the Will". Put in it's historical perspective it is quite disturbing. I was blown away by the massive numbers of people participating, especially the youth. Astounding.

Anyone seen it? It's available on DVD by the way, for you 'hardcore' WW2 historians.

Actually, I could have put this in "Political History 101" as well. :huh:

[GrayPilgrim]

Has anyone else here seen this astounding piece of propaganda? Leni Reifenstahl filmed the 1934 Nazi Party rally in Nuremberg and thus we have "Triumph of the Will". Put in it's historical perspective it is quite disturbing. I was blown away by the massive numbers of people participating, especially the youth. Astounding.

Anyone seen it? It's available on DVD by the way, for you 'hardcore' WW2 historians.

Actually, I could have put this in "Political History 101" as well. :huh:

This is one of the most disturbing movies I have ever seen. I read an article (or perhaps it was in the dvd I have of the film) that Riefenstahl actually was the originator of the splice technique. Generally the exuberant crowds are actually at different events at the rally than at the ones she puts them at. In other words you will rarely see Hitler and the crowd in the same shot b/c often she has spliced them together. This is cinematic propaganda at its best. Most others are attempting to duplicate what she did. One of the Rockefellers' campaing managers in the 1960s memorized it to use to make his adds in his abortaive run for office (i.e. it did not work he was defeated). As I recall Michael Moore (sp?) admitted that he even used many of her techniques.

This film became the source of many of the war time films that the Nazis used in their "news releases". They would simply splice different segments to attain the desired visual effect.

[kiwimac]

I have a video copy of Triumph of the Will. I consider it both disturbing AND at the same time one of the best documentaries ever made.

Kiwimac