The Wonderful, Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl

Production:

• Directed and Written by Ray Müller
  
• Historical advisors: Kevin Brownlow and David Culbert and Martin Loiperdinger
  
• Cast: Leni Riefenstahl as Herself
  

Notes:

• Victory of Faith made of the 1933 Nuremberg party meeting at the request of Goebbels
• Triumph of the Will made of the 1934 Nuremberg party meeting at the request of Hitler
• Triumph was more art film than documentary; "It's like a musical composition" with "links between images" and a "continual buildup" not like a newsreel but making actual shots more interesting, without any commentator to propagandize; the "looming closeups" of Hitler were the first seen by the German people; used circular track to film Hitler speaking; used camera lift built into Albert Speer's banners; editing speeches is a "technical matter" that selects best shots, "not a political matter" and "I knew nothing" about dreaming up the great rallies and crowd scenes; dramatic scene of looming eagle dissolving to Hitler walking to podium, Wagner music playing to salute of the eternal flame. "Work and Peace are the only messages in the film."

Links:

• Roger Ebert review from Chicago Sun Times
• Desson Howe review from Washington Post
• John Hartl review from Film.com