Jessica D., Post 3

Jessica Duran

In many of her films such as: Olympia and Triumph of the Will, Leni Riefenstahl attempted to capture on film the “raw” beauty that she was so attracted to and fascinated by her entire life. There is no denying that the film, Triumph of the Will, is an artfully crafted “cinematic masterpiece” (Devereaux, 243). In this film, Riefenstahl pioneered the use of many new cinematic technologies and techniques and ended up creating an artistically and aesthetically beautiful work of art. In the opening scenes, the images of white fluffy clouds displayed across the screen set a harmonious tone for the film. The soundtrack in the background evokes a sense of earthly peace and order. The Arial shots of Nuremberg assist in portraying the Gothic splendor and beauty of the city. The camera pans in on the faces of little children in the crowd, promotes an overall sense of innocence and ultimate “goodness”. The emotion of the crowd radiates from the screen and their sheer joy and enthusiasm for Hitler is visually palpable to the viewer. Throughout the film the camera lens constantly shifts from the ebullient faces in the crowds to Hitler; displaying the strong national unity between the German people and their all powerful leader. The shots Riefenstahl took of the troops in intricate geometric formation and perfect unison are awe inspiring and cultivate in the viewer a sense of loyalty and unwavering trust in the government. The use of many different camera angles makes the viewer feel almost as if they too were at this spellbinding political rally. However, I believe the true driving force of this film is the fluid continuity in which the scenes progress, ultimately producing an undisturbed harmony and beauty. It is through this cinematic medium that Riefenstahl discretely promotes Hitler’s Germany and the National Socialist slogan, “One people. One Leader. One Empire” (Devereaux, 231).

It is quite apparent that Leni Riefenstahl was an artistically creative woman. Not only was she a revolutionary cinematic pioneer and visionary of her era, she also excelled as a dancer, actress, film producer, director, and photographer (Sontag, 2). However, despite her many artistic achievements, it was the creation of the infamous film, Triumph of the Will, which forever defined Riefenstahl’s career and reputation. She created a two headed monster that had and has the power to both repulse and mesmerize its viewers.

It seems that both Devereaux and Sontag differ in the degree to which they critique Riefenstahl’s film, Triumph of the Will. Devereaux was conflicted by the film because she despised the work for being morally corrupt and yet admired it for being undeniably aesthetically beautiful. She stressed the possibility, but great difficulty of evaluating art that entwines the “beautiful and the evil” (Devereaux, 227) and believed in withholding “the highest aesthetic praise from works of art that present as beautiful, attractive, and good what , on reflection, can be seen evil” (Devereaux, 250). I believe that Devereaux would hold Riefenstahl accountable for her inaccurate portrayal of Hitler and National Socialism and therefore propagating and promoting the Nazi ideology to the masses. On the other hand, Sontag sternly points the finger at Riefenstahl accusing the “indomitable priestess of the beautiful” (Sontag, 8) of being a “leading propagandist for the Third Reich” (Sontag, 3) and creating “a film that negates the possibility of the filmmaker’s having an aesthetic conception independent of propaganda” (Sontag, 3). She believed that Riefenstahl’s close friendship to Hitler and Goebbels restricted her from playing the role of the “individualist-artist” (Sontag, 3) and ultimately had an extreme political influence on the film. From what I read in the essay, it is apparent that Sontag had a deep rooted animosity towards Riefenstahl and her artwork and therefore would be hell bent on Riefenstahl apologizing for “Triumph of the Will”, a film overflowing with “fascist aesthetics” (Sontag, 6).

After seeing the clips of the film in class, I can see Riefenstahl’s background in dance come alive on film. She carefully manipulates the images, scenery, and people in the film like a skilled choreographer creating a perfectly synchronized ballet; a work of art that is a “perfect” reality. Throughout her life Riefenstahl has defended herself claiming that as an apolitical person she never meant to make a political propaganda film and firmly asserts that she was only interested in art and capturing what is beautiful. I do not believe Riefenstahl, who was also known by Hitler as “my perfect German woman” (Sontag, 4), was as politically indifferent and culturally unaware as she claims to be. However, if she truly was as ignorant as she purports, why did she never apologize or take a little responsibility for creating a film that not only influenced, but also helped instigate the greatest tragedy of the 20^th century.

Though no true consensus has been reached as to whether or not it is “fair” to make Riefenstahl apologize for her artwork, it does remain clear that the heated controversy surrounding her film, Triumph of the Will, will continue to live on even after her death.