Triumph of the Will
is one of the most
important films ever made. Not because it documents evil--more
watchable examples are being made today. And not as a historical
example of blind propaganda--those (much shorter) movies are merely
laughable now. No, Riefenstahl's masterpiece--and it is a
masterpiece, politics aside--combines the strengths of documentary
and propaganda into a single, overwhelmingly powerful visual force.
Riefenstahl was hired by the Reich to create an eternal record of
the 1934 rally at Nuremberg, and that's exactly what she does. You
might not become a Nazi after watching her film, but you will
understand too clearly how Germany fell under Hitler's spell...
Like the fascists it monumentalizes, Triumph of the Will
overlooks its own weaknesses--at nearly two hours, the speeches tend
to drone on, and the repeated visual motifs are a little
over-hypnotic, especially for modern viewers. But the occasional
iconic vista (banners lining the streets of Nuremberg, Hitler
parting a sea of 200,000 party members standing at attention) will
electrify anyone into wakefulness. --Grant Balfour Amazon.com
Many of the events of the congress are covered,
though not in strict chronological order, because the rhythm of the
film is intended to build up Hitler's personal image. Susan Sontag
has referred to the film as 'the most successfully, most purely
propagandistic film ever made.' Filmeducation.org
