Hitler's hired hand and master fimmaker Leni Riefenstahl died today in her home at the age of 101. Probably one of the most controversial figures in the history of cinema. For some insight on her life I suggest Ray Muller's long but insightful documentary: The Wonderful, Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl (1993) available on DVD (Kino).

It is a shame that all that talent was used to serve evil.

Here's another article from Yahoo. I couldn't agree more with bhk.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...riefenstahl_dc

You could also argue the reverse. It's shame that with all that talent, she has and will be remembered only because of "Triumph of the Will".

Word.

'dolph may have been a complete nutjob, but you have to admit that he knew how to spin the PR machine, and get some good talent in the process.

I agree. Dolph Lundgren surrounds himself with only the best which is why we have classics such as Rocky 4, Showdown in Little Tokyo and the original "The Punisher". I don't recall him working with Leni though.

Feh. Great filmmaker, but good riddance.

The Sundance Channel has also been running the documentary this month (weird coincidence). They still have showings on Wednesday the 10th at 8:10 p.m. (EST), Monday the 15th at 7:35 p.m. (EST), and Sunday the 21st at 9:45 p.m. (EST) for anyone interested.

FYI, Triumph of the Will (and one 1-reeler) were the only Nazi films she made. And even that one was made before the **** really hit the fan in Germany and Europe.

But go ahead and label her as Hitler's girlfriend. I guess the truth isn't as nice.

Indeed, after she made Triumph of the Will, in the midst of Nazi Germany, she made a film about the evils of fascism and authoritarianism in protest of what her country was doing. The movie, from what I have heard, was largely ignored by the world.

It's too easy to totally dismiss her with a flip comment like "good riddance" or "she served evil" I think. Unless any of you had lived her life, I don't know if we're qualified to judge. Life is a lot more complicated than summary judgments allow.

Hey, Leni, don't let the door to hell hit you in the ass on the way down there!

I remember watching Triumph of the Will last year in my History of the Holocaust class. Quite a piece if I do say so myself. As in Propaganda, it worked very well I assume, but then again we knew what points we were looking for.

I watched The Wonderful Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl in the university theater a few years ago. I mentioned it to my next door neighbor, who had been an adult in Germany at that time, and was one of the most polite, dignified people I've ever met. When she heard Riefenstahl's name, I thought she was going to spit. "That Nazi!" She had suffered from the Nazis, and had no doubt where Riefenstahl stood.

For the record, I'd have the same response to Stalin's cabana boy.

Incidentally, it's not as if the Nazis were a bunch of swell guys with no racist, genocidal, and fascist tendencies until they invaded Czechoslovakia. Their agenda was proudly worn on their brown sleeves long before they ever achieved power in Germany. Take a gander at Mein Kampf if you don't believe me.

So Riefenstahl, eager and more than willing to work with this swell, people-oriented organization, suddenly had the gall to act shocked when word of their atrocities leaked out?

Again: Good f*****g riddance. One less piece of trash in the world.

Who would say "She will be missed" when she's already been dead for 70 years? It seems more like "She's been missed" would be more appropriate.

Her films Olympia and Triumph of the Will are unquestionably masterfull. The editing and photography, the grandure and the glory. But what happened? She made 2 great films in the '30s and then lived another SEVENTY YEARS (!) where she acomplished nothing, made nothing of value, recieved no distribution, had no audience. She should have just killed herself. Her sad LOOOOONG life is probably the most tragic example of artistic genius squandered to nothing.

Perhaps the world would have forgiven her past if she'd spent the last 70 years doing something to show she had value outside of being the most brilliant propagandist in history.

BTW, she's gone on record to say that TOTW is NOT propaganda.

Nazis should not rest in peace.

Ebert had an interesting little article about her up today.

http://www.suntimes.com/output/eb-fe...r-xrief10.html

How is this any differenct from good old Roman Polanski? If you supported his standing O at the Oscars, then you should praise Riefenstahl. If you didn't (barring artistic tastes) than how can you not give her credit for the talent and work she did?

As if one thing as anything to do with the other.

But to play your game:

This means no one should ever listen to timeless works of Wagner. Or watch the films at Woody Allen or Fatty Arbuckle. Or listen to anything by Public Enemy, Enimem, hell even the goddamn Dixe Chicks...

No one in this thread has ever suggested that her work should be dismissed, banned, destroyed, boycotted, etc..

Many of us who are saying good riddance to this Teutonic Twat are doing so because she gleefully worked to propagandize the most diabolical regime the 20th Century ever had to endure. And she did it willingly. Gratefully. It was the opportunity of the lifetime for a young actress/filmmaker in 1930s Germany.

And the Nazi party -- even in 1934 -- was already well-established as being viciously brutal, fascistic, and racist as hell. Riefenstahl knew this. I'm not saying that she was aware that the Nazi regime was planning the ritual genocide upwards of 9 million Jews, Gypsies, Communists, and homosexuals, but she knew they were far from the frickin' Boy Scouts.

And, as I mentioned before, she had the nerve to act surprised when word of their atrocities leaked out.

I think everyone should see both Olympia and Triumph of the Will. They are powerful, important, and lasting pieces of art and powerhouse filmmaking.

But even with Rifenstahl dead, I still wouldn't crap on the best part of her.

PS: And I'd never stand up for Polanski. He's one of the greatest directors of our age, but that piece of filth is best off staying in France. His behavior and actions were abhorrent. Yet, Chinatown and Rosemary's Baby kick serious tail. Love the movies. Loathe the guy.

See how easy that was?

Matt....I agree with you. My point was more to villify Polanski than anything. I wasn't posting an counterpoint to anything said (although the shite totaly looks like it)...I just meant to bring up the subject. My real point is that the work is seperate from everything else....and I say good ridance to Riefenstahl and I would surely beat the crap out of Polanski and would come close to anyone who stood for him (since this was obviously a distinction between the work and the man). Please relpy if you support Polanski and/or his work and don't support Riefenstahl's.

Actually I guess my main argument could be seen as that of 'the Standing O's was for the MAN and completey inapproiate'...but that is wrong and for another thread and I don't think complete encompasses all there is.

awesome post.

it's funny, people worship this woman but bitch and moan to high heaven when John Singleton gets a star on Hollywood blvd for his short career.

not comparing the 2 mind you.

It would be an "awesome post" if you knew, or cared, about her life other than what you just read for 5 minutes in the paper. Most of you didn't even KNOW who she was before she died.

I know it is moot, but she had a fantastic life and career afterwards. Her pictures of the Nuba people were truly beautiful - I remembered seeing them during my Anthropology classes. She was widely published as a photographer, and was awarded by African nations for her work to bring these people into global consciousness.

From all accounts, she was never a racist. Also, I have tremendous respect for her as an artist, and a woman who never lost her spirit despite whatever boycott or blacklisting she faced. I do not condone her past actions, but I will not write her off, like many of you have done, with little knowledge of her work.

I wonder how many of you have seen "Triumph of the Will" or "Tiefland"?