Rhune
ForumsNet Administrator
    
 
Gender: 
Posts: 292
|
 |
'Triumph of the Will' Director Dies at 101
« on: Sep 9th, 2003, 3:55pm » |
 Quote  Modify
|
'Triumph of the Will' Director Dies at 101
Tue, Sep 09, 2003, 12:09 PM PT
LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - Leni Riefenstahl, distinguished by one of the most controversial filmmaking careers for creating powerful Nazi propaganda films, died Monday night (Sept.  at the age of 101.
Her companion, Horst Kettner, says that she died in her sleep at her home in Poecking, a town just south of Munich, according to the AP.
As one of the first female filmmakers, Riefenstahl sought to depict beauty, leading her to photograph and live with the African Nuba people in Sudan, learn to scuba dive in her early 70s and to release a film based on her dives "Impressions Under Water" at the ripe age of 100.
Despite critical appreciation for these later photos and documentaries, Riefenstahl could never escape her reputation as a Nazi sympathizer for her films glorifying the Third Reich.
It was during this time that Riefenstahl created her most notorious film, "Triumph of the Will," about Hitler's 1934 Nuremberg rallies, which depicted thousands of goose-stepping soldiers and captivated crowds. Riefenstahl utilized innovative filming techniques for the time, including using a moving camera and telephoto lens. Her film won several German awards and became one of the most famous yet hated propaganda films of all time.
Despite her involvement with the film, Riefenstahl claimed total ignorance of Hitler's atrocities and the Nazi mission. She contradicted herself later, however, when she said she had confronted Hitler about his anti-Semitic views.
Another of her Nazi-financed films, "Olympia," celebrated the 1936 Olympic athletes in Berlin, concentrating on the excellence of their physiques. In total, Riefenstahl completed four films commissioned by the Third Reich, all of which portrayed a specific aesthetic of power and control.
Born Helene Bertha Amalie Riefenstahl in 1902, she was the first child of Alfred Riefenstahl and Bertha Scherlach.
She broke into films as an actress after presenting herself to Arnold Fanck, known for his silent "mountain" films. She even began to write, direct and star in her own films, which included the alpine fairytale "The Blue Light."
Riefenstahl became affiliated with the Nazis after hearing Hitler speak at a 1932 rally and once again offered her talents. Even to her death, the filmmaker refused to admit to any wrongdoing in making the propaganda films.
"I don't know what I should apologize for," she said. "I cannot apologize, for example, for having made the film 'Triumph of the Will' -- it won the top prize. All my films won prizes."
After the war, Riefenstahl was arrested and briefly hospitalized in a mental institution. Although she was cleared of any charges, she was boycotted as a film director on suspicions of Nazi collaboration.
It wasn't until her switch to still photography of the Nuba in Sudan in the 1960s that her career as an artist revived.
Despite a career rife with controversy, Riefenstahl said she hoped she would be remembered as "an industrious woman who has worked very hard her whole life and has received much acknowledgment."
It is likely the debate over whether Riefenstahl's artistic contributions should be interpreted politically will never be resolved.
A funeral has been planned in Munich for Friday, Sept. 12.
|
Sponsored by: The Fans!
Home
Help
Search
Members
Chat
Member Map
Login
Register
Reply
Add Poll
Notify of replies
Send Topic
Print