Triumph Of The Will

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The legendary propoganda documentary of the Third Reich's 1934 Nuremberg Rally
Certificate: Exempt
Running Time: 112
Retail Price: £14.99
Release Date:
Content Type: Movie

Synopsis:
"Triumph of the Will", also known as "Triumph des Willens", is the legendary propaganda documentary of the Third Reich's 1934 Nuremberg Party Rally. Commissioned by Hitler in 1934 and directed by Leni Riefenstahl, this documentary covers the events of the Sixth Nuremberg Party Congress. The original intention was to document the early days of the NSDAP, so future generations could look back and see how the Third Reich began. In reality, Triumph of the Will shows historians how the Nazi state drew in the masses through propaganda and also how Adolf Hitler had a unique and terrifying ability to entice crowds to his beliefs by the very power of his words.

"Triumph of the Will" was released in 1935 and rapidly became one of the better-known examples of propaganda in film history. Riefenstahl's techniques, such as moving cameras, the use of telephoto lenses to create a distorted perspective, aerial photography, and revolutionary approach to the use of music and cinematography, have earned "Triumph of the Will" recognition as one of the greatest films in history. Riefenstahl won several awards, not only in Germany but also in the United States, France, Sweden, and other countries. The film was popular in the Third Reich and elsewhere, and has continued to influence movies, documentaries, and commercials to this day, even as it raises the question over the dividing line between art and morality.

Featuring a cast of thousands, including Adolf Hitler, Himmler, Goebbels, Hess, Goering and other top party officials, this film perhaps more than any other demonstrates the frightening reality that was the Nazi Party and the dangers that the future held for the rest of Europe.

Special Features:
March to the Führer

Video Tracks:
Standard 1.33:1

Audio Tracks:
German 1.0 Mono

Subtitle Tracks:
English

Directed By:
Leni Riefenstahl

Written By:

Starring:
Adolf Hitler
Rudolh Hess
Herman Göring
Josef Goebbels
Heinrich Himmler
Sepp Dietrich

Soundtrack By:
Herbert Windt

Director of Photography:
Leni Riefenstahl

Editor:
Leni Riefenstahl

Production Designer:
Albert Speer

Visual Effects:
Ernst Kunstmann

Producer:
Leni Riefenstahl

Distributor:
Demand DVD

Your Opinions and Comments

Although the likelihood is that Demand have simply done this on the cheap - the movie is a notorious Public Domain title - I wonder if perhaps there's an element of reluctance to make a good job of a release of the movie for fear of guilt by association?

Riefenstahl was a significant figure in cinema history, yet her work is automatically judged in the light of her being Adolf's pet movie director.

Hindsight makes this a very uncomfortable film to view, and I wonder who the audience for Hitlerporn is. Maybe that's why Demand has used such a dodgy master for this release. But then I wonder why do the release at all if you don't expect to sell many copies.

Michael Caine mode:
In 1939, the dance craze "The Lambeth Walk" was described by a Nazi party speaker as "Jewish mischief and animalistic hopping". In 1942, Charles A Ridley of the Ministry of Information took footage from Riefenstahl's Triumph Des Willens and rock-roll printed sections of marching Nazi stormtroopers to the tune of "The Lambeth Walk" (done in strict 4/4 Tempo). The short is one of the most famous gags done by British wartime propagandists. When Joseph Goebbels viewed a copy, he was so enraged, he ran out of the screening room and trashed the outer office, screaming obscenities.

Result.
posted by Mark Oates on 2/2/2009 01:37