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Movie Review: 'Triumph Des Willens'
by Rich Brooks
10 February 2004
I have previously seen a couple versions of Leni Riefenstahl's famous (the jewsmedia usually say "infamous") film documenting the 1934 N.S.D.A.P. Parteitag held in Nuremberg. The first time I saw this classic it was an abbreviated version on a VHS tape I borrowed from the public library, and as I recall was heavily edited and desecrated by a seemingly obligatory anti-Nazi commentary. Twenty years or so later, I was able to access an unabridged version on the Internet, but this one was unfortunately marred by poor quality video and scratchy audio. Recently, however, I was able to get ahold of the 2000 "director's cut" DVD version and was well rewarded for my efforts. While the film has not been restored and digitally remastered with the same expense and loving care lavished on many of Hollywood's older jewish creations, Riefenstahl's masterpiece can nevertheless now be viewed essentially as it was originally created.
Leni Riefenstahl, who just this last year passed away at the age of 101, was begrudgingly acknowledged -- even by the jews who despised her and blacklisted her long before the "Hollywood Ten" -- as a film pioneer and one of the finest and most innovative directors ever to step behind a camera. And even though she was never able to produce feature films after WWII, Riefenstahl led a full and productive life up until almost the moment she died. Most of her later efforts were necessarily apolitical, and she spent her last years doing underwater marine photography; she was, like many other National Socialists, an ardent conservationist. What is more, and is especially incredible given the tremendous pressures that were surely brought to bear upon her, this great lady never once recanted National Socialist philosophy nor apologized for her friendship with Adolf Hitler.
"Triumph des Willens" will stir the blood of White patriots today, much as it did the German audiences in 1934. Yes, we hear several speeches by Hitler and also short soundbites from Göbbels, Hess and other Nazi Cabinet members. Yes, we also see the impressive pageantry and candlelight parades for which this weeklong Nuremberg rally is still famous ("Parteitag," or "day of the party" is somewhat of a misnomer, since this "tag" actually lasted an entire week.). But what struck me most in watching this film again were the happy expressions on the faces of the German people. This may in a literal sense be a "propaganda" film, but these smiling faces show a genuine love of the people for their Führer that cannot have been faked using trick photography. In fact, I don't think Hitler or any of the others were using makeup while speaking at the podium, so Riefenstahl's ability to capture them so well on film is doubly impressive, especially since this was done during the infancy of sound movies.
Watching the cheering and sieg heiling crowds caused me more than once to instinctively raise my own hand in a Roman salute to the TV. I loved seeing the sea of all White faces and was impressed by the camaraderie displayed by the thousands of Hitler Youth assembled in the large makeshift campground at Nuremberg. At the same time I was saddened and actually shed a tear as I realized that many of these strong Aryan youths would eventually meet their deaths or suffer even worse privations in WWII. That sadness quickly turned to anger toward Roosevelt, Churchill, and their jewish puppetmasters for leading my country into a fratricidal war against this marvelous new White society Hitler was creating in Germany.
This DVD version also has Riefenstahl's short documentary on Wehrmacht training exercises, an event which apparently was filmed in Nuremberg at the same time as the Party rally. "Freiheitstag" or "Day of Freedom" is the title of this feature, and it is one I had never before seen. It is likewise worthwhile viewing. As for the main feature, it can be viewed either with or without English subtitles. There are some added yellow captions in English giving some additional background historical information not included on the original soundtrack or in the original German captions. Somewhat surprisingly, I found these captions to be both useful and unobtrusive, but I was even more amazed that there was none of the anti-Nazi spin we have come to expect from the likes of the History Channel. The DVD commentary by a Virginia history professor, however, is another story. For the first 20 minutes or so, I listened to his running commentary on the film and was impressed by the strictly factual tone he was using. It even seemed to me that this guy actually liked Hitler, but then as the film went on, adjectives such as "evil," "vile," and "totalitarian" gradually started creeping into his vocabulary. At this point, I had heard enough and turned it off.
I would highly recommend watching "Triumph des Willens" if you have never before had that treat. And even if you have previously seen the film, this 2000 DVD release is still worth renting or even owning, because it adds another dimension to a truly classic film.
RICH BROOKS
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Visit Mr. Brooks's website at http://www.whitealert.com
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