Macht der Bilder: Leni Riefenstahl, Die (1993)

Director:

Ray Müller

Writer:

Ray Müller (writer)

Release Date:

June 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Documentary | Biography

Plot:

A documentary about the life and work of Leni Riefenstahl, a German film director most notorious for making the most effective propaganda films for the Nazis.

Plot Keywords:

Opinion | Historical | Female Nudity | Film Clip | Film Maker

Awards:

Won Primetime Emmy. Another 1 win

Cast

Leni Riefenstahl	...	Herself
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Marlene Dietrich	...	Herself (archive footage)
Walter Frentz	...	Himself - Camerman 1936 Olymipcs
Josef Goebbels	...	Himself (archive footage)
Rudolf Hess	...	Himself (archive footage)
Adolf Hitler	...	Himself (archive footage)
Horst Kettner	...	Himself - Leni's Companion
Guzzi Lantschner	...	Himself - Camerman 1936 Olymipcs
Ray Müller	...	Himself
Jesse Owens	...	Himself (archive footage)
Luis Trenker	...	Himself

Also Known As:

The Power of the Image: Leni Riefenstahl
The Wonderful, Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl

Runtime:

180 min

Country:

France | UK | Germany | Belgium

Language:

German

Color:

Black and White | Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Germany

Company:

Channel Four Films

Movie Connections:

References Olympia 2. Teil - Fest der Schönheit (1938)

The Banality of Evil

If you've ever been curious about filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl, or more significantly, have wondered how a civilized nation like Germany could have stumbled into a black hole of evil and tyranny, you must see this superbly made documentary. It is scrupulously fair, presenting both exonerating and damning evidence without flinching. While it's very clear that Riefenstahl was not evil in the sense that Hitler, Goebbels, Goering, and Hess were, she certainly had blind spots, and a tendency to let wishful thinking sway her judgment. Like most Germans at the time, she often looked the other way when she could (though not always, as on at least two occasions she probably put herself at risk by openly criticizing the Nazi regime).

She is shown as being far more interested in art than in Nazism. I had barely realized what an extraordinary talent she was, not just as a movie maker but as a dancer, mountaineer, actress, and photographer. It is so sad that she became a significant cog in the Nazi regime, and was severely punished as a result (as indeed all of Germany was). It would have been worse if they had not.

"Triumph of the Will" stands as a monument, a sobering reminder of the madness of crowds and the potential tragedy that lurks when they come under the sway of a master manipulator. Riefenstahl's personal tragedy finds some vindication in her willingness to make this film and thus to help us learn the lessons from her life.

9 points.