Triumph of the Will
One of the most controversial films in cinematic history, as well as one of the most frightening and beautifully made. The subject is the spectacle of the 1934 session of Nazi Party Congress, at mass rallies involving thousands. The cinematography is gorgeous, the subjects are heroic. Critics brand Triumph of the Will a Nazi propaganda film that lionized butchers. True enough, and those charges had it banned for nearly 30 years. But a DVD version attempts to put the Triumph of the Will in its proper historical context by providing a substantial amount of material concerning the making of the film, including later interviews with Riefenstahl. The result is a critical look at a documentary that manages to capture a horrifying era through an extraordinary blend of inspired art, direction and cinematography.
-Jim Daley
Triumph of the Will
(Triumph des Willens)
1934, 110 min
By Leni Riefenstahl
$17 VHS
$30 DVD
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