Leni riefenstahl s africa by leni riefenstahl and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. 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. To the editors it is a pity that susan sontags attempt to deal critically with the work of leni riefenstahl nyr, february 6 is so marred with factual and historical errors. The family slowly worked its way up from a petitbourgeois milieu to the middle class. Discover book depositorys huge selection of leni riefenstahl books online. 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. Hulton archivegetty images among the advisers to the project is rainer rother, the artistic director of the german film archive and a riefenstahl.
Helene bertha amalie leni riefenstahl german 22 august 1902 8 september 2003 was a german film director, producer, screenwriter, editor, photographer, actress and dancer widely known for directing the nazi propaganda film triumph of the will. Her affluent father, alfred riefenstahl owned a successful heating and ventilation company and wanted his daughter leni to follow him into the world of business. Leni riefenstahl, the woman known as hitlers filmmaker, made some of the greatest and most innovative documentaries ever made. Riefenstahls prominence in the third reich, along with her personal association with adolf hitler, destroyed her film career following. It is for these works of cinematic propaganda that. In her memoirs, for example, she hinted that in 1929 shed come close to nabbing one of the decades great female roles. Leni riefenstahls visual genius is fully evident in this remarkable collection of black and white. But unfortunately, these errors are so great that they call into question her critical conclusions. The book received a 1993 american release and coincided. Dancer, actress, mountaineer, and director leni riefenstahls uncompromising will and audacious talent for selfpromotion appeared unmatcheduntil 1932, when she introduced herself to her future protector and patron. Leni riefenstahl is best known as hitlers premier movie maker and is considered by many to be the greatest woman filmmaker ever. Leni riefenstahl 1936 olympics photo book usm books. Leni riefenstahl biography for alfred riefenstahl, the owner of a secure and successful heating and ventilation firm based in berlin, and his wife bertha scherlach, august 22, 1902 was the date of the proud birth of their first child that they named helene bertha amalie aka leni riefenstahl.
The 1993 film documentary about riefenstahl by ray muller, the wonderful, horrible life of leni riefenstahl, is available in videotape and dvd versions. Leni riefenstahl students britannica kids homework help. Often called hitlers propagandist, she disclaimed knowledge of or any responsibility for the holocaust, saying in 1997 to the new york times, i did. Leni riefenstahl s visual genius is fully evident in this remarkable collection of black and white. Apr 26, 2018 the dancer, actress, director and photographer helene leni riefenstahl, who died in 2003, is a controversial character, largely because of the many propaganda movies she produced for the nazis. In 1989, leni riefenstahls memoir was about to be published by doubleday when the books editor and its translator received threatening phone calls and the project was dropped. Her most famous movies are triumph of the will and olympia other websites. The german film director and photographer leni riefenstahl, who has died aged 101, will be remembered for two innovative, visually eloquent and. Oct 24, 2015 leni riefenstahl wanted people to think her film genius took many forms. Film scholar mark cousins notes in his book the story of film that, next to orson welles and alfred hitchcock, leni riefenstahl was the most technically talented western film maker of her era.
Christened helene bertha amalie, and also known as leni riefenstahl, she was born into a prosperous german protestant family on 22 august 1902. Alfred riefenstahl quickly prospered in the heating and ventilation systems firm that he opened on kurfurstenstrasse, but this prosperity was based more on luck than on business acumen. A life by jurgen trimborn every woman adores a fascist, sylvia plath cried out in her poem daddy. Apr 24, 2018 leni riefenstahl in nuremberg in 1935 photograph. Often called hitlers propagandist, she disclaimed knowledge of or any responsibility for the. They are also insidious glorifications of adolf hitler and the third reich. 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. Leni riefenstahl by leni riefenstahl and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. It is for these works of cinematic propaganda that riefenstahl is revered and reviled.
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. Her most famous movies are triumph of the will and olympia. A dual biography of marlene dietrich and leni riefenstahl. Books ordered may be returned for a full refund if they are not as described. From dancer to actress to filmmaker to photographer to diver, she has excelled in each field and is one of the most important and controversial artists of the 20th century. Leni riefenstahl was something of a renaissance woman. Helene bertha amalie leni riefenstahl 22 august 1902 8 september 2003 was a german movie director. The wonderful, horrible afterlife of leni riefenstahl the.
Next to orson welles and alfred hitchcock, leni riefenstahl was the most technically talented western film maker of her era. Critics who still feel the same way are apt to underrate the part played by albert speer, who came up with the lighting and decor all on his own. Leni riefenstahl is a german filmmaker who was active mainly in the 1930s. 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. She was never a party member and did not, overtly, commit any crimes. Hitler saw leni riefenstahl as a director who could use aesthetics to produce an image of a strong germany imbued with wagnerian motifs of power and beauty. Leni riefenstahl simple english wikipedia, the free.
The wonderful, horrible afterlife of leni riefenstahl. While she never was a member of the nazi party, as the creator of triumph of the willthe most effective propaganda film ever madeshe spent most of her life trying to live down her. Mar 25, 2007 leni riefenstahl productions hitler loved the movie. Studies in modern political communication rainer rother 0826470238 9780826470232 leni riefenstahl, now aged 101, achieved fame as a dancer, actress photographer, and director. When reading the book i must admit i vacillated between sympathy and. Dancer, actress, mountaineer, and director leni riefenstahls uncompromising will and audacious talent for selfpromotion appeared unmatcheduntil 1932, when she.
Leni riefenstahl productions hitler loved the movie. Leni riefenstahl, by her own account, grew into a true child of nature, beneath trees and bushes, with plants and insects, watched over and protected. This book is just a wee to large to fit in my oversized bookshelf. In 1993 director ray muller released a documentary entitled the wonderful horrible life of leni riefenstahl. She became already so famous after her first dance hat max reinhardt engaged her for the deutsches theater.
Throughout the book she is constantly aware of keeping up her mask of ignorance while promoting her artistic talent. Leni riefenstahl wanted people to think her film genius took many forms. Second, it reveals some secret of deutschland in world war 2. Leni riefenstahls memoiren is the 1987 autobiography of german film director, leni riefenstahl. Dancer, actress, mountaineer, and director leni riefenstahl s unco. It would be impossible to say she did not make an impact on the way films are made. An autobiography of controversial german dancer, actress and eventually hi. Known internationally for two of the films she made for him, triumph of the will and olympia, riefenstahls demanding and obsessive style introduced unusual.
Hulton archivegetty images among the advisers to the project is rainer rother, the artistic director of. Leni riefenstahl, first found in campus library, and be affection of it. Riefenstahl appeared in the film and answered several questions and detailed the production of her films. So i am making a larger shelf to display the books front view. Mar 25, 2007 leni riefenstahl, by her own account, grew into a true child of nature, beneath trees and bushes, with plants and insects, watched over and protected. Media related to leni riefenstahl at wikimedia commons leni riefenstahl on imdb. Two of her best known films were triumph of the will and olympia the book treats her many love affairs, and dealings with the nazis, with whom she was sympathetic. He truly is without fault, so simple and at the same time possessed of masculine strength, leni riefenstahl told a detroit news reporter in february 1937. Jan 23, 2007 leni riefenstahl led a protected childhood, free of material cares. We will be happy to ship abroad at additional cost. The wonderful horrible life of leni riefenstahl facing. One of the centurys most remarkable and controversial women, leni riefenstahl is an artist of the. At the start of the wonderful, horrible life of leni riefenstahl, riefenstahl nearing 100, smiling, vibrant in a blue wetsuit with yellow stripes down its arms is scuba diving.
First, the book is written by leni herself, so the content and feeling is 100% real. Leni riefenstahl archive to throw new light on hitlers film. The books alternating sections keep their subjects separate, except on a few inevitable occasionssay, when riefenstahl received a phone call informing her that dietrich had won the role that. Sixtyfive years later, the graceful images of athletes competing in the 1936 berlin games has more than withstood the test of time and validated riefenstahls original. Leni riefenstahl biography life, book, old, information. Leni riefenstahl reefenshtal, who remained active into her late 90s, was never able to shed the historical contamination that attached to her during. The dancer, actress, director and photographer helene leni riefenstahl, who died in 2003, is a controversial character, largely because of the. Consequently, she was the natural choice the perfect candidate to serve as the most visible, celebrated, and enduring of the dozens of filmmakers involved in creating the lies that fueled hitlers propaganda machine. Her contributions to the art and technique of filmmaking were vast, most notably in her epochal film olympia 1938.
She became already so famous after her first dance hat max reinhardt engaged her for the. Her notable works included triumph of the will and a twopart film on the 1936 olympics. She lied about her biography, her motives, her creative process. In 1993, when riefenstahl was ninetyone years old, german director ray mueller made a film biography, the wonderful, horrible life of leni riefenstahl. Leni riefenstahl books by jurgen trimborn and steven bach. In this film, riefenstahl addresses her past for the first time on camera.
Leni riefenstahl archive to throw new light on hitlers. Leni riefenstahl, about her us tour in 1938, in her book a memoir. Triumph of the will is essentially a propaganda film. Leni riefenstahl hitlers friend books and arts the.
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. Leni riefenstahl by leni riefenstahl and a great selection of related books. The artist presents divers, swimmers, sprinters, jumpers, vaulters, and others as specimen, the ultimate practitioners of their art forms, and by these efforts, the portraits of these men and women reach a zenith of riefenstahl s own art. It was released along with the english translation of her autobiography, leni riefenstahl. Some of her other publications included mein afrika 1982, memoiren 1987, wonders under the water 1991, the sieve of time 1992, and her autobiography, leni riefenstahl. The artist presents divers, swimmers, sprinters, jumpers, vaulters, and others as specimen, the ultimate practitioners of their art forms, and by these efforts, the portraits of these men and women reach a zenith of riefenstahls own art.
Little did either of the young parents realize that their new child would ultimately prove to be. If leni riefenstahl had done nothing but visit africa and bring back her photographs, her place in history would be secure. In her own life, she has achieved artistic freedom, but at a great cost. Her notable works included triumph of the will and a twopart film on.
Photographer, motion picture director, editor, dancer, skier, and allaround athlete, no one could have been a better match for documenting the 1936 olympics on film, from which stills were culled to create this volume. Leni riefenstahl is a perfect gateway into the german mindset during wwii. Fascinating fascism from the february 6, 1975 issue. Leni riefenstahls africa by leni riefenstahl and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. One of the centurys most remarkable and controversial women, leni riefenstahl is an artist of the first order. 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. Publication date 1993 topics riefenstahl, leni, motion picture producers and directors. Leni riefenstahl project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks.
A memoir by leni riefenstahl meet your next favorite book. She studied painting and started her artistic career as a dancer. 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. Well she might take an interest in a book whose opening chapter is entitled leni riefenstahl and the burden of independence, and whose theme is riefenstahls belief that the artist must, at all costs, remain independent of the material world. Kevin brownlow, from the introduction when she was in her early sixties, leni riefenstahl began traveling frequently to the african continent, where she has worked on various film and photography projects over the last half century. In 1993, riefenstahl was the subject of the awardwinning german documentary film the wonderful, horrible life of leni riefenstahl, directed by ray muller. Media related to leni riefenstahl at wikimedia commons.
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