Die Macht der Bilder: Leni Riefenstahl (1993)

User Rating:

8.2/10   

Director:

Ray Müller

Writer:

Ray Müller (writer)

Release Date:

June 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Documentary | Biography | History

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:

Director | Propaganda | Nazi Germany | Archive Footage | 1930s

Awards:

2 wins

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:

Arte

Movie Connections:

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

A most revealing portrait

This is an excellent biography of one of the most influential filmmakers in history. It not only gives a comprehensive overview of her body of work but reveals many of innovative techniques she pioneered. Her accomplishments are all the more impressive when one considers the role of women in her heyday.

However, the most interesting aspect of this film for me is how this intelligent woman (still lucid in her 90's) deals with queries about her political involvement during the National Socialist period in Germany.