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Minutes for September 29, 2004 Professor Reimer begins class by reviewing and adding to our list of important German actresses Zarah Leander - was intended to replace the superstars that were leaving Germany to go to Hollywood (i.e. Marlene Dietrich and Greta Garbo.) -Zarah may also have been a better choice for the Nazis. The Nazis were uncomfortable with Dietrich’s persona - the control, power, and authority she displayed in roles. Nazis needed women that could make the movie better but not lose the purity of the Germans - “Kinder, Kueche, Kirche” à “Children, kitchen, church.” Characters always chose these values over herself. - Leander is also known for singing in films. Christine Soederbaum - Swedish. Played innocent women who were seduced by men of the world and punished in the end. Monika Roekk - Hungarian. While the Nazis wanted actresses who could show their values and beliefs, they also wanted actresses who could entertain. Influential men on screen who were able to continue their careers after the Nazi era ended. This is primarily because they were not in heavily propagandistic films but they were also able to convince the allies that what they did was under duress. Heinrich George - has an on screen conversion to the Nazi cause in Hitler Junge Quex. Emil Jennings - top dramatic actor Hans Aubers - top drama / comedy / adventure roles Heinz Ruhmann - top comedian Leni Riefenstahl problem - problematic director to critique because of dual nature of director and film. From a purely artistic point of view, Riefenstahl appears to be one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. However, the political agenda that surfaces in her films makes it easy to see her as the “devil incarnate.” Triumph of the Will / difficult not to see political agenda. - She was interested in objectively showcasing Hitler and the National Socialist Party. - Claimed she wasn’t a Nazi although she was known to be a supporter of Hitler. - Maintained that the film was not propagandistic. - Goebbels made it very difficult for her to finish the film the way she wanted it. It was even self-financed. à two part message of the film: Germany is for peace and prosperity. Hitler will bring these. - Riefenstahl foregrounds anti-Semitic policies of the Nazis - opening credits show suffering of Germany through the Great War at the hands of the Jews and Reds Reimer sums up by posing the question, “how does one claim objectivity while displaying these Nazi ideals?” Several scenes from Triumph des Willens “September 5, 1934 20 years after Great War, 19 years after German rebirth…” Opens - footage from an airplane of clouds and sky eventually lowering to include overhead shots of a city where soldiers march. As the plane lands, crowds of people greet and hail the fuehrer. Shots of flags. Reimer - at this point, Hitler is in power for only 1 ½ years. The Nazi party does not have a majority; they are still selling Hitler to the people. - Not acting democratically - Hitler has begun to suspend procedures under the guise that Germany is in danger and parties are outlawed - Night of long knives - Nazis attacking Nazis. Left was getting too strong. Political takeover of the right. - Party congress wants to create an image that explains away the turmoil in Germany - Hitler sells progress, future, peace, prosperity - Riefenstahl is saying Hitler is Germany, Germany is Hitler - Hitler is elevated to an untouchable father figure Return to film: Hitler is inspecting soldier workers. Many flags and Nazi emblems. Individual human element depicted through soldiers from all corners of Germany working together. Worker soldiers plant trees, build roads, provide soil and bread for farmers. è rebuilding Gernamy “We are the corps of the Nation.” “Wir haben keine Waffene nur Werkzeuge, aber wir sind trotzdem Soldaten.” Reimer - clearly there is some rehearsal here although Riefenstahl claimed it was not. There are, however, studio speeches edited into the film. - scene again makes connection with Jews and the Reds as flags are lowered and we have reference to past defeats. The Reds are blamed and while Jews are not outright referred to, the connection at this time would have been assumed. - “If this is about peace and prosperity, why are losses mentioned?” Olympia - well made film of the 1936 Olympics. Not clearly propagandistic Diving sequence - Riefenstahl is fascinated by the human physical form - power and thrill of winning - effortlessness of bodies in achieving what they do - many shots are realistic representations of a dive but upward facing shots and low facing shots begin creating abstractions. Eventually, we do not see any water and all we see are silhouettes gliding and soaring gracefully through the air perfectly and with ease -- pure aesthetics -Politically - only the implications found in Berlin hosting the Olympics, which allows the Nazis to present a more kindly presence to the world.
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