Triumph des Willens/Triumph of the Will (Germany, 1935)

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Triumph des Willens/Triump of the Will, was the most famous film made in the NAZI era. It was a brilliant piece of propaganda film making. This documentary of the Sixth Nazi Party Congress at Nuremberg It helped fuel the power of the NAZI state. This powerful film had a tremendous impact on Germans, especially young Germans. Its sweeping style was later used by American director Frank Capra for his war documentaries. The director was Leni Riefenstahl. It may well be the classic propaganda film of all time. The power of the film probably was a factor in the Allied decision to hold the war crimes trials in Nuremburg.

Filmography

Leni Riefenstahl

The director and editor was Leni Riefenstahl. Hitler reportedly personally selected her to make the film. She was to wear the moniker "Hitler's filmmaker" the rest of her life. Her choreographed set pieces with thousands of people exceed anything DeMille ever attempted. She also brought sports filming into the modern era in 1936. She used some of the same inovative techniques shown in Triumph of the Will, in her footage of the Berlin Olympics, released as Olympiad. Hitler first met Riefenstahl in 1934. He had admired her cinematic work. It was quite a surprise in Germany when he commissioned her to make the official film on the Nüremberg Party Congress in which she directed 0.8 million men. Generally Hitler did not approve of women working, especially in authority positions. Hitler saw her as a movie star as a perfect example of German womnahood. [Time, February 17, 1936.]

Others

Interestingly the Art Director was a young Albert Speer who had already caught Hitler's eye. Speer as armaments minister was to play a majo role in orld War II. Stepp Algeier was the cinematographer. Herbert Windt was responsible for the music. Siegfried Schulz was the sound designer.

Influence

Triumph des Willens was in many ways a ground breaking production. The sweeping style of the video images was a first in its own right. The look has been borrowed ever since by a number of other producers, including Allied war-propaganda movies shown during the 19 1940s, especially American director Frank Capra for his war documentaries.

Story

There was no story line to Triumph of the Will. It was a documentary.

Impact

Triumph des Willens/Triump of the Will, was the most famous film made in the NAZI era. It may well be the classic propaganda film of all time. It was a brilliant piece of propaganda film making. It is a frightening example of powerful film propaganda. I am not sure what the impact of the film was in Germany. I believed that it powerfully stired young Germans. It must have also appealed to many ordinary Germans who longed for order after the turmoil of the Weimar Republic. The stunning imagery in the film must have enhanced the thugish NAZI regime. The film dramatically suggests that all Germany was united behind the now ruling NAZI party. Such was not the case in 1934, but it was a primary goal of the NAZIs. The goal was to unify those who were willing to follow and intimidate or eliminate those who would not. Triump of the Will showcased the order of the new Germany showed those Germans who were not prepared to follow what they were up against. After World War II, the film was banned in Germany and still is. It would no doubt be an effective recruiting device for today's neo-NAZIs.

The impact outside of Germany is better understood. It freightened Germany's neighbors. The fervor and martial ardour displayed at this early stage of the new NAZI state began to show Europe that a new war was coming. The power of the film probably was a factor in the Allied decision to hold the war crimes trials in Nuremburg.

Settings

The movie was filmed at the Sixth NAZI Party gathering in Nuremburg during 1934.

Props

The props are quite diverse. Banners, flags, and marching standards were every where, boldly embazzoed with the swastica. The NAZI party flag had replaced the Weimar Republic flag of black, red, gold. This was a realtively new flag and many Germans did not morn its demise. The choice of colors was inspired by the 1848 revolution. The flag most Germans remembered was the Imperial flag which was black-white-red--the same colors at least as the NAZI banner. Bugles and drums accompanied the main prop, endless rows of marching, uniformed participants. The Hitler Youth and NAZI Strormtroopers (S.A.) were the primary participants, but the black uniformed S.S. can occasionally be seen at this early stage of NAZI Germany's development.

Music

Music was an important part of the film's impact. I do not know, however, the names of the songs.

Issues

The film raises a variety of interesting issues dealing primarily with order and obedience and the role of the individual in the state.

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From histclo.hispeed.com

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