Triumph of the Will

        I do not recall the last time I watched a film that was as difficult to get through asTriumph of the Will was. However, we must remember that this film was not made for pure entertainment purposes, rather to portray the Nazi party as a powerful and wonderful thing. Triumph of the Will is one of the most famous propaganda films that has ever been created. But that does not mean it was easy to watch. I understand that an effective tactic in propaganda films is repetition but I do not know how Leni Riefenstahl was able to watch the Nazi troops march by so many times. It was difficult to see this scene as many times as it was in the film. I can’t imagine how many times Riefenstahl saw the Nazi troops march while filming. In class we discussed how her career never recovered, I almost don’t feel bad regarding that fact. Whether this was just a gig for Riefenstahl or she believed in what the Nazi party preached, it still helped a society fall in line with the execution of millions of people.        

       Although I understand what Riefenstahl was trying to accomplish with this film it was hard to watch it with everything I know today. At the time the citizens viewing this piece didn’t know exactly what Hitlers plans for power were. It was difficult to remove what I know today from my head and try to see the film as they did in 1935. It’s easy to say I wouldn’t have been persuaded by the film because I know Hitler was a terrible person. However, its impossible to know whether I would have been swept away with the trend as so many were.