Leni Riefenstahl
The marriage of state interests with the developing medium found perhaps
its most troubling achievement in the work of Leni Riefenstahl, the "official"
photographer / film maker of the Nazi party. Beginning her career as a
dancer and an actress, Riefenstahl became interested in directing, and
was fortunate to receive sponsorship from Dr. Walter Franck, her mentor.
Several years later, her renown brought her to the attention of Germany's
new chancellor, Hitler, who commissioned her to begin capturing the party's
history on film. The products of this period, most notably Triumph of
the Will (1935)
and Olympia (1936), rank among the most influential films ever made,
and are still studied by aspiring film makers. By combining a variety of
camera angles with meticulous editing, Riefenstahl was able to transform
the cinematic experience into an emotional drama, manipulating the viewer's
feelings. Even in isolation, her images embody the ideals of the state
(e.g., youth, physicality, celebration of external
form), a reality which now causes them to be regarded as chilling propaganda.