Olympia, 1936 leni riefenstahl film, tobis usm books. Interestingly, it did not appear to be a mere propaganda film, although certainly there was some of that. On august 1, 1936, in berlin, to the sound of hitlers opening words and hundreds of doves set aflight, the summer olympic games began. Helene bertha amalie leni riefenstahl was a german film director and actress. A dramatic representation of the 1936 berlin olympic games, olympia is told in two parts, the festival of nations and the festival of beauty.
Olympia by leni riefenstahl and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles. Olympia by leni riefenstahl and a great selection of related books. This is a very nice used example of leni riefenstahl s magnificent photographic chronicle of the beauty associated with the 1936 olympic competition in berlin, germany. Appointed by hitler, she directed the nazi propaganda film triumph des willens along with her bestknown work olympia, a documentary of the 1936 berlin olympics. Riefenstahl was a wellknown german photographer given the impossible task of creating a documentary movie of the olympic games as they played out in garmischpartenkirchen. See more ideas about leni riefenstahl, berlin olympics, olympia. With footage of the great black sprinter jesse owens, it debunked the nazi aryan myth.
Sep 12, 2003 leni riefenstahl always insisted that the two most famous films she directed, triumph of the will and olympia, were nothing more than straightforward documentaries. It was for olympia that riefenstahl pioneered numerous cinematographic techniques, such as filming footage with cameras mounted on rails commonly known today as tracking shots. See all books authored by leni riefenstahl, including memoiren, and people of kau, and more on thriftbooks. How leni riefenstahl shaped the way we see the olympics bbc.
Triumph of the will and olympia, long after the events they celebratedthe 1934 nuremberg nazi rally and the 1936 berlin olympicshad. Here is a stunning book by leni riefenstahl, the worldfamous german photographer and film maker who filmed the 1936 olympic games in berlin. A sports documentary capturing the 1936 summer olympics olympia was directed and produced by the renowned german motion picture producer leni riefenstahl. I am a great admirer of the athletic body in its natural form. Hitler invited riefenstahl to film the 1936 summer olympics scheduled to be held in berlin, a film which riefenstahl said had been commissioned by the international olympic committee. See more ideas about olympia 1936, olympia and 1936 olympics.
Olympia was also the title of the famous documentary riefenstahl made. In the 1937 preface to the first edition of this book, leni riefenstahl remarked it is. Leni riefenstahl, center, on a dolly filming her documentary olympia, on the 1936 olympics in berlin. Leni riefenstahl 1936 olympics photo book usm books. In 1936, berlin hosted the olympics and hitler asked director leni riefenstahl to film them. Is leni riefenstahls olympia nazi propaganda or the greatest film about sport. A new york times notable book of the year one of the centurys most remarkable and controversial women, leni riefenstahl is an artist of the first order. Leni riefenstahl olympia olympic games berlin 1936 1936. It evidently pioneered the use of tracking shots of athletes and some underwater photography. Riefenstahl was a wellknown german photographer given the impossible task of.
The wonderful, horrible afterlife of leni riefenstahl the. Riefenstahls work on olympia has been cited as a major influence in modern sports photography. Sixtyfive years later, the graceful images of athletes competing in the 1936 berlin games. Leni riefenstahl by leni riefenstahl and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. As for riefenstahls film about the 1936 berlin olympics, olympia, it was secretly financed and sponsored by the reich, and it played a key role. Unter dem titel olympia veroffentlichte riefenstahl 1938 eine zweiteilige. Riefenstahl, leni, notes on the making of olympia, in nonfiction film. The wonderful, horrible afterlife of leni riefenstahl. The title suggests this is about the life of leni riefenstahl, but the greater part of the text describes her relationship with hitler and reich and her subsequent denials. Leni shows us the 1936 olympic games in all their glory and through 100s of beautifully printed black and white photographs this is a pristine copy in a pristine dustjacket. Theory and criticism, edited by richard barsam, new york, 1976.
Not that that years summer games were free from the taint of nazism. Leni riefenstahl summer olympics 1936 berlin olympia beauty book. As stunning as the photographs in this are it pales in comparison to. Once the nazis lost, leni riefenstahl and her defenders tried to argue.
On the surface, the film appears to be a very well made sports film, depicting outstanding athletic accomplishments by many individuals and teams from throughout the world. Leni riefenstahl s career included work as a dancer, actress, film producer, director, and also a photographer, but the rest of leni riefenstahl s career was shadowed by her history as a documentary maker for germanys third reich in the 1930s. Film director, artist 22aug1902 8sep2003 subject of books. Dancer, actress, mountaineer, and director leni riefenstahls uncompromising will and audacious talent for selfpromotion appeared unmatcheduntil 1932, when she. The continued respect afforded to riefenstahls work makes her an anomaly.
A powerful documentary that stands the test of time to show the extreme gift of one of historys best female directors. A woman under the nazi regime in germany, who became one of adolf hitlers most prized talents, leni riefenstahl created powerfully moving and beautifully visual films showcasing the 1936 olympics which were held in berlin, germany during the nazi regime. Fortunately, politics didnt obscure the perfection of the film olympia, made at the 1936 berlin olympics, from which these stark, beautiful blackandwhite photographs were made. Leni riefenstahl achieved fame as a dancer, actress, photographer, and director, but her entire career is colored by her association with the nazi party. Olympia, her twopart documentary of the 1936 olympics. Olympia by leni riefenstahl leni riefenstahl 825307915990. Leni riefenstahls career included work as a dancer, actress, film producer, director, and also a photographer, but the rest of leni riefenstahls career was shadowed by her history as a documentary maker for germanys third reich in the 1930s. Berlin was announced as the location of the 1936 olympic games. No story of the 1936 berlin summer olympic games would be complete without a short discussion of leni riefenstahls epic motion picture production olympia. Leni riefenstahl hitlers friend books and arts the.
Its a large folio volume of still photographs of riefenstahl s filming of her motion picture olympia. She visited greece to take footage of the route of the inaugural torch relay and the games original site at olympia, where she was aided by greek photographer. Interview with riefenstahl, in montreal star, 20 july 1976. From renowned german director leni riefenstahl comes olympia. One of the centurys most remarkable and controversial women, leni riefenstahl is an artist of the first order. Leni riefenstahl s film of the 1936 olympics has been called the greatest olympic film ever made. Buy riefenstahl olympia by leni riefenstahl online at alibris.
In the 1937 preface to the first edition of this book, leni riefenstahl remarked it is the timeless document of a great idea a hymn to beauty and competetive endeavour. Leni riefenstahl books by jurgen trimborn and steven bach. Correct first edition first printing in the dust jacket of schonheit im olympischen kampf beauty in the olympic games by leni riefenstahl, a legendary photorecord of the 1936 berlin summer olympics the jesse owens olympics, 281 pages of monochrome plates with captions in german, english, french, italian and spanish, including a 30 page pictorial section on the preparation of the film. In 1993, riefenstahl was the subject of the awardwinning german documentary film the wonderful, horrible life of leni riefenstahl, directed by ray muller. Olympia, german filmmaker leni riefenstahl s twopart documentary of the 1936 berlin olympiad, remains fascinating as both a stunning work of cinema and a historical document of nazi propaganda. This is a photography book that looks like everything was taken from her olympia documentary on the 1936 olympics in. Leni riefenstahl, the unofficial film auteur of the nazi party. Her notable works included triumph of the will and a twopart film on the 1936 olympics. Equally stunning were riefenstahl s directorial efforts in olympia, which captured with haunting effectiveness the images of the 1936 summer olympic games in berlin. The 1936 olympics and leni riefenstahls olympia jstor. Hitler invited riefenstahl to film the 1936 summer olympics scheduled to be held in berlin, a film which riefenstahl said had. List of books by author leni riefenstahl thriftbooks.
Leni riefenstahl, german film director, actress, producer, and photographer who is best known for her documentaries of the 1930s dramatizing the power and pageantry of the nazi movement. This is a very nice used example of leni riefenstahls magnificent photographic chronicle of the beauty associated with the 1936 olympic competition in berlin, germany. This is a photography book that looks like everything was taken from her olympia documentary on the 1936 olympics in berlin. Author jurgen trimborn shows how her protestations that she was innocent because she was an apolitical artist cannot stand up to the eye witness accounts, official testimony. The result was a cinematic coup, but with sinister overtones thu 14 jun 2012 15. But art historian michael mackenzie remembers riefenstahl for a different accomplishment. Leni riefenstahl s triumph of the will is perhaps the most important film to come from nazi germany. Leni riefenstahl was impressed by the nazis, and look what happened. Here were sixteen days of heroism, aesthetic and athletic perfection, and a triumph of determination and will not least by the legendary artist leni riefenstahl. Jun 14, 2012 in 1936, berlin hosted the olympics and hitler asked director leni riefenstahl to film them.
Riefenstahl certainly earned her controversial reputationacting as the nazi regimes most artistic propagandist will do that. Held in berlin, under the victoryobsessed eyes of adolf hitler, the 36 games were pursued and produced by the third reich with extraordinary zeal. Leni riefenstahl books list of books by author leni. Leni riefenstahl always insisted that the two most famous films she directed, triumph of the will and olympia, were nothing more than straightforward documentaries. Riefenstahls olympia, her 1938 documentary about the 1936 berlin olympics, was number 37. Signed leni riefenstahl schonheit im olympischen kampf roth. The shameful legacy of the olympic games film the guardian. Riefenstahl is one of the greatest film makers of all time. Olympia, german filmmaker leni riefenstahls twopart documentary of the 1936 berlin olympiad, remains fascinating as both a stunning work of cinema and a historical. Dancer, actor, and photographer, she is best known as the director of triumph of the will, a film of a nazi party rally and olympia, the classic account of the 1936 berlin olympics. Riefenstahl appeared in the film and answered several questions and detailed the production of her films.
Fortunately, politics didnt obscure the perfection of the film olympia, made at the 1936 berlin. Nazi olympics, beginning with richard mandells groundbreaking book of that title. Aug 12, 2016 riefenstahl certainly earned her controversial reputationacting as the nazi regimes most artistic propagandist will do that. Leni riefenstahl was an incredibly gifted filmmaker, regardless of her politics.
550 945 3 66 1692 248 1199 141 326 1463 1165 161 1630 1102 1443 1237 948 18 913 222 993 928 725 635 875 644 559 761 1252 817 688 330 1447 1627 516 1518 256 490 206 130 991 1182 1360 629 1348 712 241 349