Leni: The Life and Work of Leni Riefenstahl

Book Description

The definitive biography of Leni Riefenstahl, the woman best known as “Hitler’s filmmaker,” one of the most fascinating and controversial personalities of the twentieth century. It is the story of huge talent and huger ambition, one that probes the sometimes blurred borders dividing art and beauty from truth and humanity.

Two of Riefenstahl’s films, Olympia and Triumph of the Will, are universally regarded as the greatest and most innovative documentaries ever made, but they are also insidious glorifications of Adolf Hitler and the Third Reich. Now, in this masterful new biography, Steven Bach reveals the truths and lies behind this gifted woman’s lifelong self-vindication as an apolitical artist who claimed she knew nothing of the Holocaust and denied her complicity with the criminal regime she both used and sanctified.

The facts and her actions, many unknown until now, bear chilling witness: her passionate enthusiasm for Hitler from her first reading of Mein Kampf; her involvements with Nazi leaders Joseph Goebbels, Martin Bormann, Albert Speer, and Julius Streicher, who advanced her career, and with Hitler, who personally helped finance it; her role as silent eyewitness to wartime atrocities against Jews; and her use of slave labor in the form of concentration camp Gypsies destined for Auschwitz. We see her after the war trying to sell footage to Hollywood under an alias, manipulating a sham “discovery” of the Nuba tribes of Sudan into a career comeback, fighting to disinherit her closest living relatives, and—to the end—unable to express remorse for the millions murdered by the Nazi regime made mythic by her work.

Relying on new sources—including interviews with her colleagues and intimate friends, as well as on previously unknown recordings of Riefenstahl herself—Bach gives us an exceptional work of historical investigation that untangles the past and is also an objective but unsparing appraisal of a woman of spectacular gifts corrupted by ruthless personal ambition.

Customer Reviews:

Good Intro to Leni .......2007-08-29

After reading Jurgen Trimborn's admirable but somewhat inaccessible biography of Riefenstahl, I sought out this book in hopes that it would be friendlier to a Riefenstahl novice such as me. It certainly is an easier read and a much better starting place.

Steven Bach, of Final Cut fame, writes from the standpoint of a motion picture enthusiast. He also has a POV where Riefenstahl's Nazi associations are concerned and he doesn't hide it. For Bach Riefenstahl is the living version of Klaus Mann's Mephisto, a careerist willing to do anything and associate with anyone to advance her "art." He also makes the case (clearly building on Trimborn's work, among others) that Riefenstahl not only had no problem with anything Hitler did or said, she likely agreed with most if not all of it.

Bach's style is that of a gossipy Hollywood bio, which is fine by me, but he's no fan magazine hack. He knows the power of the snide observation and, best of all, how damning Leni's own words were. At times Riefenstahl comes across as downright delusional about her artistic abilities and men's lust for her. To hear her tell it no man so much as entered the same zipcode as Leni Riefenstahl without falling madly in love with her.

Some may have disagreements about Bach's assessment of Riefenstahl's artistic contributions. I've only seen clips of her work so my own opinion is somewhat limited. Bach does make a good case the Riefenstahl either stole the ideas of others or took credit for their work. Bach doesn't buy the argument that the art is more important than the character or actions of the artist. He also doesn't buy that Riefenstahl was much of an artist.

This is no love letter to Leni. It is an entertaining read. Gossipy, slightly bitchy (as one reviewer here has aptly noted), and full of telling details and quotes, this is a easy entry into the myths and controversy that make up Leni Riefenstahl.

Brilliant But Petty and Cruel -- Oh, Wait, That's The Author! .......2007-08-26

Not since Albert Goldman's ELVIS has a dense, full length biography of a sexy, glamorous larger than life legend been written with such sadistic relish, such delicious malicious bitchery and pure venomous guile.

There's no question that Leni Riefenstahl, the stunningly beautiful German woman who made hypnotic propaganda films for the Nazis, was guilty of moral cowardice and hypocrisy, if not during the war, then certainly afterwards. She persisted to the end of her life in wanting to have it both ways -- saying in effect "I didn't know," and at the same time "I was too scared to stop Hitler -- too scared that I would be next." She claimed to have legions of Jewish friends before the war, but she never tried to help them when things got bad, even though she had lots of Nazi influence and power. And she always seemed weirdly out of touch with the human results of Hitler's evil deeds.

The problem is, Steve Bach doesn't know when to quit. He sneers at Leni Riefenstahl not just for the big things -- not strangling Hitler with her bare hands, the way he seems to imagine he would have done -- but for the little things too. The book is full of catty little remarks like, "Leni was always conscious of her hypnotic effect on men" or "Leni didn't mind having handsome, powerful men buy her presents" or "Leni's fearless mountain climbing only made her feminine allure more overpowering to the distinguished male cinema artists who indulged her every creative whim."

It's hard to tell whether Bach hates Leni for being heartless and callous or for being beautiful, talented -- and very knowingly seductive.

There is a much more serious issue here than the hissy ALL ABOUT EVE style bitchery of a jaded Hollywood insider. Bach insists on judging a German film maker by a far more rigorous standard than he would ever apply to the film industry in Hollywood today -- or seventy years ago, for that matter. When Leni goes to Hollywood he brags that the left-leaning Hollywood of 1938 treated the lovely German visitor with scorn -- but how did they treat Margaret Mitchell when she came to town the very next year? Bach has nothing to say about why those same "leftists" failed to prevent the making of a racist epic like GONE WITH THE WIND.

If Leni Riefenstahl shares any part of the guilt for Auschwitz -- and I agree that she does -- then David O. Selznick is equally responsible for the murder of Emmitt Till, the bombings in Birmingham, and all the other hate crimes perpetrated in the Jim Crow south. Bach is in a big hurry to compare Leni to the Stalinist film maker Eisenstein -- arguing in a feeble and half-hearted way that Eisenstein "probably" rebelled at what he was doing. But why not compare Leni Riefenstahl to D.W. Griffiths, or Margaret Mitchell, or David Selznick? All of them dealt in racial hate. They looked the other way while helpless people were tortured and murdered, too. But mentioning America's poisonous history of racial hate would reflect badly on Bach's own milieu. Bach's beloved Hollywood elite never questioned the racial status quo in the Jim Crow south -- at least, not until long after blacks had begun risking their lives to bring the horror of their situation to national attention.

What's really going on here is not genuine, humanistic outrage, but elitist hypocrisy. Bach hates Leni Riefenstahl because he knows that, for all their tiresome liberal cant, just about everyone in Hollywood (and the book world, and the world of leftist Manhattan politics) has the same rat-like survival instincts that Leni had. None of the liberals who demonstrate their courage by hating her guts now ever had to look Hitler in the eye. But they know who would have blinked first. And they know themselves too well to ever show mercy to someone just like them.

Double standard.......2007-08-22

Most of the facts and "facts" in this book cannot be disputed. Only one comment - there were many other people who "cooperated" with the Nazis, but who escape any oprobrium, Richard Strauss name comes to mind. In 1938 he composed "Festliches Praeludium" for the occassion of NSDAP Parteitag, he was the president of Reichsmusikkammer, directly working for Goebbels, he never lifted a finger to help his Jewish friends, etc. etc. Maybe Richard Strauss could be another topic for Steven Bach to delve into.

Good book but, a little too long.......2007-08-11

This was a very good book but, I think Bach gives us too much detail on Leni's life after WWII. I thought the book could have ended much sooner than it did. After all, did we really have to hear about Leni's search for a particular tribe in Africa? It would have suited me fine to hear about her various means of defending herself from various charges as a result of her association with Hitler and the Nazis. I don't see what benefit the inclusion of the African tribe info was to the reader. Still an interesting read.

Leni survives all.......2007-06-14

The author tries and fails to give an evenhanded account of this much reviled woman's life. All this proves once again that the winners write the history. In the meantime he does portray a fascinating and beautiful woman as the opportunist she was without detracting from her worth as a great artist. All in all the best effort so far reflecting an eventful life.

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Not a starting point
Interesting Part of German History
TRIUMPH OF THE WILL
An Illuminating If Rather Dry Look at Riefenstahl's Accountability in the Nazi Cause
Not so much a "life" as an agenda

Leni Riefenstahl: A Life
Jurgen Trimborn
Manufacturer: Faber & Faber
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0374184933
Release Date: 2007-01-23

Book Description

Dancer, actress, mountaineer, and director Leni Riefenstahl’s uncompromising will and audacious talent for self-promotion appeared unmatched—until 1932, when she introduced herself to her future protector and patron: Adolf Hitler. Known internationally for two of the films she made for him, Triumph of the Will and Olympia, Riefenstahl’s demanding and obsessive style introduced unusual angles, new approaches to tracking shots, and highly symbolic montages. Despite her lifelong claim to be an apolitical artist, Riefenstahl’s monumental and nationalistic vision of Germany’s traditions and landscape served to idealize the cause of one of the world’s most violent and racist regimes.

Riefenstahl ardently cast herself as a passionate young director who caved to the pressure to serve an all-powerful Führer, so focused on reinventing the cinema that she didn’t recognize the goals of the Third Reich until too late. Jürgen Trimborn’s revelatory biography celebrates this charismatic and adventurous woman who lived to 101, while also taking on the myths surrounding her. With refreshing distance and detailed research, Trimborn presents the story of a stubborn and intimidating filmmaker who refused to be held accountable for her role in the Holocaust but continued to inspire countless photographers and filmmakers with her artistry.

Customer Reviews:

Not a starting point.......2007-06-06

I'm in complete agreement with reviewer M. Richie on this one. Trimborn's book is well-researched and his conclusions are supported but this is not the place for the novice to start. The writer appears to assume the reader already knows Riefenstahl's basic life story, her claims and the allegations against her. He sets about addressing the claims and allegations one at a time, consequently this biography is not in chronological order. If, like me, you know only the bare bones of Riefenstahl's story, this can get confusing. It doesn't lend itself to narrative drive, either.

If I'd read another biography of Riefenstahl first, I'd probably find this book a good next step but as a first step it left alot of gaps. Still, Trimborn demolishes Riefenstahl's claims that she was "apolitical" and provides details about the making of her landmark films. This is a worthy addition to the field, just not a place to start.

Interesting Part of German History.......2007-05-09

The author has made a credible job of getting to the real history about who Leni Riefenstahl really was as an artist and a person, rather than the idealistic view that Leni Riefenstahl herself tried to sell to the general public after WWII. The book describes both the good side of Leni Riefenstahl as an exceptional and inventive artist, but also her ugly side in how she sacrificed other people and probably her own conscience in order to reach the top.

TRIUMPH OF THE WILL.......2007-03-21

Amazon should be congratulated for having these books. With the rise of Anti Semitism, its important to be able to argue with historical facts and data.

congratulations amazon

Also as a fan of classical photography, this book contains some wonderful photo's and help with Techniques.

An Illuminating If Rather Dry Look at Riefenstahl's Accountability in the Nazi Cause.......2007-02-19

The infamous filmmaker of the Third Reich, Leni Riefenstahl, continues to fascinate even after her death at age 101 in 2003, as this biography by German film historian Jürgen Trimborn is one of two coming out this spring documenting her controversial life and career. Trimborn has the advantage of having conducted several interviews with Riefenstahl over the latter part of her career and consequently provides an intriguing perspective on a woman who was preoccupied with sustaining her image as a purely artistic and objective observer of the world around her, including Hitler's encroaching regime. Trimborn dismantles many of her the myths that Riefenstahl took pains to develop over her lifetime, most surprisingly how she allegedly pursued Hitler aggressively after meeting him in May 1932.

A supreme opportunist, Riefenstahl carved her role as the Third Reich's propagandist with the specific intent of encouraging the unabated spread of Fascism to bolster her career. Her legendary vitality was clear from the outset, beginning as an interpretive dancer and then an actress in a series of mountaineering films popular in the Weimar at the time. She turned her attentions behind the camera, which culminated into her two masterful documentaries - `"Triumph of the Will" about the 1934 Nuremberg rallies and "Olympia" about the 1936 Berlin Olympics. While the ethical nature of Riefenstahl's participation in the Nazi cause does not diminish her great talent, Trimborn conversely shows the reverse to be true as well, as he concludes without hesitation what a world-class liar she was.

Her latent anti-Semitism and awareness of the ongoing genocide are well documented here as an intrinsic part of her self-delusion regarding the atrocities committed for the sake of maintaining Aryan supremacy. After Germany's defeat in WWII, the author effectively shows a woman with a heightened need for self-exoneration, filing over fifty lawsuits to clear her name of any wrongdoing. There is no doubt that Riefenstahl was had a survival instinct as she reinvented herself later as a nature photographer studying the Nuba tribes in Sudan in the 1970's and at age 100, publishing a photo book of undersea life made possible by her adept scuba diving skills. Although he can write a bit more clinically than his dimensional subject warrants, Trimborn provides an illuminating portrait of a vastly prodigious creator whose dedication to her own legacy blinded her to the human toll over which she had indirect accountability.

Not so much a "life" as an agenda.......2007-02-16

This is the first book I've read about the notorious director, but I will need to read another one to truly get a full sense of her life and work. This author seems to assume that we have already read a fuller account of her life and instead spends the bulk of his pages refuting her own statements about herself, mostly from what seems to have been the blanket of lies and evasions that her published memoirs were. Despite a chapter list that implies chronological order, he often jumps back and forth a bit confusingly. He does very little fruitful discussion of her work, and if I hadn't already seen Triumph of the Will and some of Olympiad, I would have no sense of why these films remain important and controversial works. I wasn't looking for a book whose primary goal was either to damn her or rehabilitate her, though of course with a subject as controversial as Riefenstahl any author will eventually have a point of view on her. But to get to that point, the book should present a clear view of her life, career, and works, and though Trimborn's book does have its interesting sections, it's not a satisfying biography for readers who don't already know quite a bit about her.

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Beautiful people in a beautiful book
A STUNNING PHOTO JOURNAL OF AFRICA

Africa
Leni Riefenstahl
Manufacturer: Taschen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 3822816167

Book Description

If Leni Riefenstahl had done nothing but visit Africa and bring back her photographs, her place in history would be secure." -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. Her favorite destination was in Sudan, where she lived with and photographed the Nuba tribespeople, learning their language and becoming their friend. The Nuba were a loving and peaceful people who welcomed Riefenstahl as one of their own. Her images of the Nuba, as well as of the Dinka, Shilluk, Masai, and other tribes, are gathered in this monumental book. Riefenstahl remembers her experiences in Africa as the happiest moments in her life. Her beautiful, skilled photographs represent a landmark in the extraordinary career of the 20th century's most unforgettable artistic pioneer.

* Interview by Kevin Brownlow * Extensive bibliography and biography section

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful people in a beautiful book.......2006-03-16

When I first saw this book the first thing that came into my mind was that I need it badly. I was simply astonished by the amazing pictures Leni Riefenstahl composed. If someone wants to see the beginning of our civilization and feel it up, close and personal, then this book is a must. Other than having a picture about how man survives in harmony with Mother Nature, one can see how beautiful the human body is in itself.

A STUNNING PHOTO JOURNAL OF AFRICA.......2005-11-17

Leni Riefenstahl's book Africa is simply a huge compilation, a massive photo journal; page after page after page of full sized photographs depicting both the people / their culture and the land of Africa. (Other than the photos, the book is quite spare of words, chapter titles, that's it.) Riefenstahl's work is very strong but not particularly arty or glossy. True to her filmmaker's voice however, every picture tells a story. (*An important side note, it's ALL photographs. There is very little text to critique.)

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves similar photography as what you would see in National Geographic or Angela Fisher's books such as Africa Adorned and African Cermonies.

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Painted with light and insight
People of Kau
people of kau
Nothing short of astounding
A brilliant window into history beyond time

People of Kau
Leni Riefenstahl
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0312169639

Customer Reviews:

Painted with light and insight.......2002-11-10

I first discovered Leni in the early 80's. As an amateur photographer for many years, Leni's work provided the drive for me to work hard for an image, wait for the light. Leni's photojournalistic ability has been an inspiration. In my opinion, Leni makes a person want to record their observations on film.In terms of ability and true gutsiness she is unique. Her insight and sensitivity into the culture of the People of Kau provides a startling immediacy to their unique way of life. Leni's drive to provide a record, a tangible proof of the horrible beauty of their lives moved me to breathlessness. Her level of communciation through the use of film is singular. This book is a must have. It is a must read. For a photographer it is a must do.

People of Kau.......2002-09-29

The best photography book I ever had. Wonderful book.

people of kau.......2001-11-03

I found this book in a library in the mid/late seventies. I was a poor surfer dude in those days and never bought books. It was the first time I just went out and forked out a huge dollop of cash for a book. I never have regretted it for one moment. Never!
As someone else in the reviews says, "Just get it!" Go on!

Nothing short of astounding.......1999-07-01

I found the photographs in this book nothing short of astounding. It may be because I'm a graphic artist. The art which the people of Kau live within is jarringly beautiful; indeed, their tatoos and face painting did not cover or mark the human canvases, but instead enhanced and brought out the very soul of them. My hair stood on end.

A brilliant window into history beyond time.......1999-05-15

I felt priveleged to join Leni, through her stunning photography, on a voyage to a place in time and history that may by now have already been changed forever. It is difficult to conceive of cultures that today are so unlike our own, yet give us glimpses into how our own forebearers may have lived out their lives.

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A Dream Realized

VANISHING AFRICA
Leni Riefenstahl
Manufacturer: Harmony
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Leni: The Life and Work of Leni Riefenstahl

ASIN: 051754914X
Release Date: 1988-12-12

Customer Reviews:

A Dream Realized.......2003-04-08

This is the most magnificent book of photography that I have seen in many a year. Of course, at this writing, "Vanishing Africa" is more than two decades old, but I had never even heard of it until I chanced to watch a documentary entitled "The Wonderful, Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl" on Sundance. The film contains many a revelation about its fascinating subject, but none so remarkable as Riefenstahl's reincarnation, in the 1950s, as a nature photographer. Banned, for all practical purposes, from making films, she turned her visual sense to advantage by traveling to the Sudan, where she spent twenty years photographing the Nubians and other endangered African peoples. The images that result are every bit as striking and provocative as anything in "Triumph of the Will" or "Olympia." Of equal interest is the introduction that Riefenstahl has provided for the book; her adventures in Africa were not confined to those behind the camera! Fortunately, I am lucky enough to have a friend who possesses this rare and expensive book; I now want very badly to see the underwater film that Riefenstahl, who took up scuba diving in her 70s, completed last year, the same year she marked her centenary.

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Man as Athlete: Leni Captures the Olympic's Hellenic Spirit
Your coffee table is naked without this book!
"Olympia" shows the outstanding beauty of mankind!

Olympia
Leni Riefenstahl
Manufacturer: St Martins Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0312113714

Amazon.com

Leni Riefenstahl was an incredibly gifted filmmaker, regardless of her politics. Fortunately, politics didn't obscure the perfection of the film "Olympia", made at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, from which these stark, beautiful black-and-white photographs were made. Riefenstahl pioneered innovative camera angles and techniques in order to create a strong vision of the Olympics. She presents athletes as artists -- practitioners of the art of sport. Through her lens, we view the epitome of the beauty of athleticism, the excitement of competition, and the zenith of human idealism. Very highly recommended.

Customer Reviews:

Man as Athlete: Leni Captures the Olympic's Hellenic Spirit.......2002-07-23

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.' Sixty-five years later, the graceful images of athletes competing in the 1936 Berlin games has more than withstood the test of time and validated Riefenstahl's original estimation of this work's ground-breaking importance, not only as a document, but as an exercise in the aesthetics of the idealised beauty of the human body in movement.

Leni Riefenstahl was something of a Renaissance woman: Photographer, motion picture director, editor, dancer, skier, and all-around 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. True to the spirit of Ancient Greece, it is fitting that it was captured on silver nitrate by this gifted cinematographer christened Helene (her birth name, for which 'Leni' is a German nickname).

Actually, the term 'stills' does injustice to the photographs contained with -- so alive are they, capturing the essence of athleticism and motive power.

The beginning of the book is devoted to Ancient Greece, and documenting the ruins which monumentalise her greatness: The Parthenon, Myron's discus thrower, the gods, such as Apollo and Achilles. Riefenstahl has brought many of the famous statues of athletes alive, as she photographs naked men and women engaged in the ancient sports, such as the javelin throw, the shot put, eurythmics, dance and the discus throw. Her athletes epitomise the grace, sensuousness and taut, muscular efficiency of the male and female bodies.

Another striking sequence is of the young Greek torch bearer, who ignites the torch at Athens and delivers it on his long route through Thermopaylae, the Grecian shore, Delphi and Corinth. The poise and determination in the runner's body and eyes convey the Olympic spirit with the same glowing certitude as the eternal flame, which the runner holds aloft like a beacon in the night.

Once in Berlin, the bulk of this volume is dedicated to the athletes themselves. Leni's cameramen captured all the events, and some of the images are just astounding for their sense of motion and eloquent simplicity of composition. Among my favourites are: p. 60, the Flame from Greece, which shows a German youth standing before the crowd of athletes, holding the flame erect before lighting the stadium torch; p.62, Start of the 80 meter hurdles, as seen from the timekeeper's point-of-view, the lines demarcating the oval track's lanes sweep into a bird's eye view of the pensive hurdlers as they await the starter's gun; p. 68, Jesse Owens in the starting blocks, the great athlete is the very embodiment of concentration; pp. 98, 99, German Gisela Mauermayer, discus thrower, shows the female athlete in motion, and in joyous release on her way to the gold medal; p. 137, shadows of marathon runners, which convey the fleeting rush of the events; p. 247, finale, which shows the Berlin Olympicstadion encircled by pillars of searchlights just before the flame is extinguished.

'Olympia' is, to me, the greatest expression of graceful motion ever captured by a photographer. A tone poem for camera, these images better convey the concept of motion than 99% of the movies today, which are motion pictures in name only.

Your coffee table is naked without this book!.......2002-05-14

The glorious work of Leni Riefenstahl (admit it: love her or hate her, she is incredibly gifted as a photographic artist!!) is shown off on the printed pages of this impressive edition. Fans of her films will love it...sports fans will love it...anyone impressed by the beauty of the human form will love it. You must fall into at least one of those categories, eh? A treasure for your library!

"Olympia" shows the outstanding beauty of mankind!.......1999-02-11

I read "Olympia", so to speak, with greatest pleasure--for this is really a picture-book of the most exquisite kind and, like the best of them, one that can be enjoyed by adults as well as children. It is made of stills from the film "Olympia" directed by the German woman Helene (Leni) Riefenstahl, which is of course about the 1936 Berlin Olympiad. As well as being a filmaker, Leni was a dancer, mountaineer, skier, and actress, all of which gave her a great understanding of the primary subject-matter shown in "Olympia"--the art of the moving human body. Though this artist has been much slandered by many a critic, her film is a festival of beauty and nations, lauding the aesthetics, athletics, and daring of mankind no matter the race, religion, or creed. I have seen the film, and can attest that this book gives a fine and thorough overview thereof, doing justice not only to one of the finest films ever made, but also to art, life, and humanity

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Great book - do not listen to reviews still stuck at the stage of "Leni the Nazi"
Riefenstahl was a genius
The art of film-making at its best
The business of art
A Window Into a Grand Twentieth Century Epic Life

Leni Riefenstahl
Leni Riefenstahl
Manufacturer: Picador
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0312119267

Book Description

A New York Times Notable Book of the Year.

One of the century's most remarkable and controversial women, Leni Riefenstahl is an artist of the first order. 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. It is for these works of cinematic propaganda that Riefenstahl is revered and reviled. In this autobiography, she discusses her motivations, her history, her important friendships, and, most of all, her art. Along with insights into directing and camera work, Riefenstahl offers an emotional, powerful story of a woman who refuses to be defined by any terms other than her own.

Customer Reviews:

Great book - do not listen to reviews still stuck at the stage of "Leni the Nazi".......2006-09-18

I was very disappointed to read so many bad, professional reviews of this book, all clearly coming from a biased standpoint. Leni Riefenstahl's memoir is honest, brave, engaging, and even inspiring - it is time to put aside the "Leni the Nazi" glasses and look at her for what she was - an exceptionally talented artist and a passionate, courageous woman who lived at a time when bad decision could end up being fatal. I actually watched through all of her work, and although two of them clearly glorify Hitler (she was shooting a propaganda film after all), I did not find any proof of her being a racists, but many to the contrary. So many of her critics never even actually bothered to watch her films, let alone put it into context (they usually fail to mention that at the time Riefenstahl was commissioned by Hitler, Hitler had not yet invaded Poland and was seemingly nothing but an ambitious political leader who gave people food and hope and promised to help Germany to get on its feet again). As a Jewish Hungarian immigrant, I certainly could have all the reasons to hate Leni Riefenstahl; but I prefer to look at her work in the context of her time and in the light of her artistry, and as such, she certainly deserves much more than these biased reviews try to make you believe.

Riefenstahl was a genius.......2006-04-24

Riefenstahl was indeed a genius, a genius with the camera and film editing. One will never know whether or not she'd eventually have been a great director, as she was pretty well blackballed by post-war political influences, and had few resources during the war (the "Tiefland" movie, filmed during wartime, was strapped for money and never finished ... as far as I know.) "Das Blau Licht" was an interesting early try at film directing for her, and while that is certainly not a great movie, it does an exceptional job of creating mood via the camera and chiaroscuro effect. The camera angles and camera lens applications she chose were definitely leading-edge. She would also let the camera dwell on the human face and body, so that one could really appreciate the uniqueness of individuals and see how interesting they were (the people used as extras in the "Blau Licht" at its location near Trento, Italy, are particularly memorable). Leni's genius was in showing us the angle, the viewpoint, the shading, and letting us see what she saw. It was at times awesome.

No doubt film makers in the US paid attention to her work. What is really astounding is that she was a woman and pioneer in a man's trade, who created photographic techniques and treatments like none seen before. In the US, we had no female equivalent to even compare to her, and this makes an interesting statement about Third Reich society, which is far different from what we are lead to believe -- women had opportunities to engage in traditionally male professions, even test piloting (the US certainly had no one comparable to Hanna Reisch, either).

Movie viewers may have seen the 1936 sports documentary, "Olympia," that she filmed, composed and edited. It is regarded as THE best such documentary ever produced. Keeping that in mind, think of the Winter Olympic coverage we just witnessed ... "will Michelle Kwan make the team? Why did she miss practice? Will she skate?, etc." It all a bunch of tasteless, dramatic hokum, IMHO. We have jumped the tracks and gone over a cliff of degeneracy compared with the high standard set by Riefenstahl. I recommend viewing her film once again, for the sake of enjoyment and appreciation.

I read her book, "Memiors," in late 1993. It was the best autobiography of a woman that I've ever read ... by far. I wrote her a letter through her publisher, St. Martin's ,and the following July, received a very warm reply and an autographed picture. I quote an interesting extract from her letter:

Quote:
"Dear Mr. (Anon), your letter from December 13, I have received only few days ago ... but even in the time you were in Murnau (poster's note: I was in Germany for a couple of months and had hoped to meet her personally, her home was in Pocking), I was diving in Africa, Kenya and in the Seychelles, and not in Germany. Even now I fly to Papua, New Guinea for diving ..."

To clarify, she didn't receive my letter until months after my having sent it, because of her travels for the purpose of underwater photography. And, let's see, she was born in 1902, so she was about ninety-two years-old at the time (We are discussing an incredible person here). We corresponded for several years after that, the last time around her 100th birthday.

In the post war years it was quite common for the US media and particularly Hollywood, to extract excerpts from her films and give her no payment, no recognition. At the same time they were carrying on this artistic theft, they would never miss an opportunity to criticize Riefenstahl for the usual specious reasons. Although she was much too gracious to think in this manner, she, in the end, had the last laugh. She outlived all of her "Hollywood Harry" detractors and carried on to accomplish great and innovative things in photography (See her photo book, "Die Nuba," it is awesome.)

She died at age 101. And would have lived much longer, had she not been severely injured in a helicopter accident a few years earlier.

A toast to Leni!

The art of film-making at its best.......2006-03-08

Incredible, the insight she gives into the making of films before and during WWII. The trials and tribulations actors and film-makers endured is described in such detail that one can imagine being there.

The book is art, absolute art, all the way through, no matter what Riefenstahl describes. I especially loved the beginning of the book, the description of her childhood. It is so totally German. The customs, the sentiments, the feelings she describes returned me to the stories my mother and grandmother told me, and to many of my own childhood memories.

After reading her book, I believe that she has been deliberately maligned and that she was always only an artist, not ever a collaborator of Hitler.

I especially recommend the book to anyone who loves the art of film-making.

The business of art.......2005-12-10

The hardcover edition I read in 1992 is a remarkable work, an intimate firsthand account of a celebrated Third Reich ciné artist and her subsequent history. Did she know the `master race' myth (hawked in her films) would be used to justify criminal war, racial laws, and genocide? Did she knowingly profit from a criminal relationship?

Riefenstahl maintains the demeanor of a totally devoted `artist' innocent of opportunism or worldly ambition. This contrasts with an all too actuarial viewpoint on events after the war (where she becomes the victim and keeps score). Her posture is also hard to reconcile with the business of art (which like other trade requires one think of how to get paid).

Sanctimony, omissions, and counter-accusations provide a clue to myopic flaws in one who would have us believe she was completely unaware of the activity of the criminal regime that was her greatest benefactor.

Don't read this if you seek confessionals from an author of propaganda that helped the world go to war and kill millions. If, on the other hand, you want to read how such a person lived with herself in a candid and well-written account, this is highly recommended.

A Window Into a Grand Twentieth Century Epic Life.......2005-10-04

It took me over a month but I finally finished this
astonishing book. I'm exhausted and staggered by the sheer scope of
this woman's life--it is in fact a story larger than life. By way of
illustration, I recently read the famed and lengthy Carlos Baker
biography of Ernest Hemingway. Let me tell you in no uncertain
terms: Papa was a sissy in comparison to Leni Riefenstahl
(hereafter, LR). This woman displays more grit, tenacity, artistic
vision, dedication, resilience and audacity than a pack of wolves
cross bred with Ayn Rand and some other extreme artist of maniacal
bent, say, Van Gogh. She exemplifies the good and bad potentials for
life in the extreme. Hers is a story of perseverance and survival,
with agony and ecstasy throughout. The movie "The Wonderful,
Horrible Life of LR" could not be more aptly titled. Whew, I'm tongue
tied....this book took me there and back and I need a week off to
recuperate. It's well-written, but you won't read this for the
writing. This is about a life lived to the hilt, decades of painful
adventure, the stuff of legend.

Should you contemplate reading this book, I think you need to make a
decision in advance: Are you going to squander your time primarily
evaluating whether she had knowledge of the genocide of the Jewish
people by Hitler and hisminions?? If sitting as a juror as to facts
almost 60 years old is a particular hobby of yours, go at it. The
fact is, LR was pulled in front of multiple courts, tribunals, and
boards throughout the years and has essentially been acquitted time
and again by people who would have relished convicting her had there
been sufficient evidence. LR denies having knowledge of the
genocidal treatment of the Jewish people. Her denials are very
similar to those made by the balance of the German people who
survived the War and who lived in the same cities and who had similar
contacts with various Nazis, albeit perhaps at the lower social
levels. I personally believe her, as she demonstrates herself
throughout the book to be naive and self-absorbed. Like a lot of
artists, she was preoccupied with her own artistic agenda,
and "politics," political philosophy, and military ambitions were of
no interest to her. Similarly, she gets betrayed and ripped off so
many times by so many different people throughout this book of her
life that it is clear she has no real ability to evaluate people from
a character standpoint. She also seems credible from the stand point
that she describes a Hitler who is, suprisingly, not immediately
hateable. Instead, I was kind of taken aback by what a gentleman he
appeared to be to LR, and how he honored various agreements that he
made with her despite every temptation not to do so. LR's failure to
categorically condemn Hitler seems to accrue to her credibility that
she didn't know his full vicious potentials. (By so denouncing him
she could have staved off some further criticism.) She doesn't,
however, display that kind of deference to Goebbels and many other of
the Nazi bureaucrat/thugs. She describes them exactly as you would
envision them as being. Ugly and scary. In any event, my real point
is that this book is so full of a broad variety of intrigue that you
will miss out should you exclusively focus on this question of her
knowledge of or involvement in the atrocities. Bottom line: I don't
think we will ever know for sure one way or the other.

The true value of this book is the unique view it offers into so many
other varied areas: the history of Germany before, during, after
WWII ; the various people who inhabited Germany during this time;
insights into other great artists, actors, film-makers during the
30's, 40, 50's, 60's; insight into flying ace, Hans Udet; the story
of a person who endured multiple serious health ailments through the
years but went on to live to 100; a woman who experienced the heights
of international success and artistic glory; a woman who experienced
the depths of prejudice and hatred for her earlier affiliations;
tremendous insights into early film-making; great mountaineering and
skiing anecdotes; insights into the Sudan, the characters and tribal
peoples there; insights into the mind and agenda of a great
photographer (inspired, I pulled out my Leica and started shooting
again half way through the book)....on and on it goes. I enjoyed her
anecdotes of meeting Mick Jagger and Bianca, the people at National
Geographic, Andy Warhol, Walt Disney. The sheer number of interesting
events and people which are described is so vast I would have to
tabulate it to give an accurate estimation: she was almost strangled
as a child by a child serial killer; she was in Central America in
the early 70's when a huge hurricane went through and killed 8,000
people. She describes vivid and bizarre "psychic visions" at the
moment of meeting the two loves of her life, both of whom went on to
betray her trust and hopes. And, of course, her precisely described
conversations with Hitler are extremely interesting and of extreme
historical import (she gives almost verbatim descriptions of perhaps
20 or so private conversations with Hitler; she kept journals and had
to testify numerous times about the same, thus her accuracy). She
describes a bizarre meeting with Mussolini which was fraught with
tacit significance as she found herself unwittingly a messenger
between him and Hitler. I also was interested in her friendships
with Albert Speers, Jean Cocteau. Her favorite people over the
course of 90 years?? The Nuba of Sudan, natural, naked, innocent,
generous and playful...and extremely photogenic. That is actually
how I became familiar with LR: I have her Nuba books (reprints) and
they are some of the best examples of photography that I've ever seen-
-believe it or not, National Geographic has never published photos of
tribal peoples as good as these photos. I then discovered her
underwater photo books and was equally astonished. Only later did I
learn this photographer had earlier been a film-maker, with a couple
of flicks called "Triumph of the Will" and "Olympia" to her credit,
ominous milestones in the history
of film-making. I'm looking forward to one day seeing her earlier
masterpiece "The Blue Light" which received international acclaim.

This woman is, in my opinion, one of the great artists and
adventurers of the 20th Century. This book is her story. It is
comfortably written and well translated, albeit filled with a few
more details than I needed (eg, production details from some of
films, and details regarding her countless defamation suits). As the
father of a young daughter, I plan on having her read this book (and
Ayn Rand's "Fountainhead") at as young an age a practicable. LR
displays what I see as enlightened feminism: no bitterness or
complaining about unfair circumstances, just full-on pursuit of her
dreams, going over or through anyone or anything who tries to thwart
her visions, like a locomotive, powered by pure merit and talent and
will power. Trying and failing, and then trying again and succeeding.

LR is hardly perfect, and her life is bittersweet. But she is still
here and her many enemies are mostly dead. And her films and
photographs will live forever. But her ultimate work of art is her
life story itself. She has inspired me with her courage and her
sense of adventure. Hemingway clearly would have wanted to buy her
drinks, and Shackleton likewise would salute.

Average customer rating:

A beautiful book by a controversial author

The last of the Nuba
Leni Riefenstahl
Manufacturer: Harper & Row
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0060135492

Customer Reviews:

A beautiful book by a controversial author.......2003-01-09

Leni Riefenstahl is a beautiful photographer. Sadly, her talents and reputation have been tarnished by the fact that she made the propaganda film that helped Adolf Hitler come to power: TRIUMPH OF THE WILL. Riefenstahl claims that she was unaware of Hitler's plans, but this association still taints her name and all works she would later produce, including LAST OF THE NUBA. Some accused Riefenstahl of having a "fascist aesthetic" because the athletic and well proportioned members take center stage in LAST OF THE NUBA, while the elders and women of the tribe are largely ignored.

Amazon.com

Leni Riefenstahl: Five Lives traces the fascinating and controversial life and work of the famous German photographer-filmmaker. Riefenstahl started her creative career as an aspiring dancer in the 1920s in Germany and then became a movie actress. She starred in a number of films, taking challenging roles that were sometimes dangerous and physically rigorous, such as the ice-bound and skiing roles in Storm over Mont Blanc, The White Flame, and SOS Iceberg. These outdoor films foretold the spirit of adventure that later guided Riefenstahl's photography career.

The crux of controversy that overshadows Riefenstahl's career is her handpicked appointment by Adolf Hitler to direct the infamous Nazi party rally film Triumph of the Will. Although, according to her memoirs, Riefenstahl tried to withdraw from the film, she created a work that depicted Hitler's plane descending from the clouds as if it carried a god, and she has been accused "of having significantly increased, by means of this film, the emotional bond of the Germans to Hitler." Riefenstahl then went on to direct the German film Olympia covering the 1936 Olympics. With WWII came great change and Riefenstahl's eventual imprisonment by the French. In her later years, she continued her photography career by documenting her trips to Africa and getting her scuba license in her 70s. Her close-up underwater pictures of sea life float like a dream in vivid color. For as damning as her association with the Nazis is, Riefenstahl is a complex and talented artist. This book is full of remarkable images of her acting and directorial career as well as her still photography, and it includes a detailed biography of her life and career--complete with family and personal pictures. --J.P. Cohen

Customer Reviews:

A Superb Photographic Tribute to a Remarkable Woman.......2004-04-05

How different would Leni Riefenstahl's life have been had she not filmed Triumph of the Will? One can only speculate what films she would have directed and starred in after World War II were it not for Hitler insisting she do the film.

Riefenstahl has been referred to as a Renaissance woman, and she most certainly was. She was a creative being and expressed her creativity in dance, acting, directing, photography and ocean diving. These five areas, spanning her entire long life, are the subject of this sumptuous coffee table book.

Editor Taschen Angelica is to be commended on compiling this life-work on Riefenstahl while Leni was still alive to assist in the selection and arrangement of the photographs. The segment on the mountain films is worth the price of the book alone, but the color images of the Nuba are also amazing.

Riefenstahl's revenge against those who denied her her cinematic craft after World War II was being able to live to 101, and seeing her life-long accomplishments compliled into this book. Rumor has it Jody Foster is at work on a film project about Riefenstahl. One hopes Foster will get it right and cover her entire life, not just the years that caused so much controversy.

Hollywood couldn't invent it.......2002-06-29

A biography in pictures of arguably the most influential female film-maker in the history of the medium...though all too many people in the industry are afraid to admit to it. Made the greatest propaganda film in history (unfortunate choice of subject matter) and the most important and influential sports documentary of all time (Olympia). Dancer, actress, director, producer, still photographer, underwater cinematographer...an astounding list of accomplishments driven by a desire to perceive and record the world around her has compelled Leni Riefenstahl since the beginning of the twentieth century.
Oversized, handsomely produced volume (typical Taschen quality) is packed with rare photographs and fascinating commentary. Note: sparkle in eyes of 19-year old dancer and 99-year old legend is exactly the same.

Hollywood couldn't invent it.......2002-06-29

Gorgeous book--a must have!.......2002-05-14

As gifted as she is controversial, Leni Riefenstahl's "five" lives are imminently fascinating as this impressive book will prove! Even to the uninformed or casual observer, this edition will entrance. A great addition to your library, especially if you are impressed by the 102 year old dynamo who continues to prove filmmaking and photography as an art form. A living testament to the fact that "bodies in motion, stay in motion!"

You can tell a book by its cover.......2002-03-18

The striking front cover on this book is a publicity still as Junta, in the movie "The Blue Light" 1932. As impressive as the cover is, it gets better when you open it to reveal hundreds of artistically shot photos. Dr. Ruth says bigger is not necessarily better. However in this case it is; something about the size of the photographs add to their striking appearance. Most are in grainy black and white with some color sections. This book is just a wee to large to fit in my oversized bookshelf. So I am making a larger shelf to display the books front view.

Just as you assume that this is a great coffee table book you will find that there is more too it. Luckily the pictures are not cluttered or distracted by alpha pneumonics. All the descriptions are in a separate section. The title of the book is appropriate as it portray s the different vocations of Leni. (Dancer, Actress, Director, Photographer, Diver)

Book Description

Provided with access to Riefenstahl's personal archives and film collection, the author examines Riefenstahl's films from her beginnings as an actress through the Third Reich.

Customer Reviews:

Hinton's Book a Hit.......2001-02-16

Dr. Hinton's third rewrite of the history of this incredibly talented woman, detalining her enormous contribution to 20th Century film making. Her detractors, and there are still many non-believers who work so hard to destroy her reputation, will be hard pressed to find fault in Dr. Hinton's work. Now, at age 99, Leni continues her life's work, now focusing on underwater still photography, with the same enthusiasm and unbridled passion that she brought to cinima.

More Riefenstahl revisionism.......2001-02-08

In its third edition or printing, Hinton's book obviously has an audience. I wonder if it is largely an academic audience suggesting that young Americans are still being exposed to Riefenstahl's work as a filmmaker and to an increasingly revisionist view of that work as dedicated to beauty and not at all bound up in politics. Most especially, this work, according to Hinton and to Riefenstahl whom he greatly admires, has nothing to do with Hitler and Nazis. Hinton takes issue with both Kracauer and Sontag whose treatments of the filmmaker he views as unjustifiably placing her in the ranks of those who knowingly and willingly served the Nazi regime as propagandists. The eternal return of Riefenstahl and the arguments that swirl around her work and her person continues to be a fascinating if alarming component of our culture. Whether she is or isn't implicated as an apologist for fascism is perhaps less important than the fact that she and her works have become inextricably bound up with controversies about Nazi cinema and its afterlife, as Eric Rentschler refers to it in the subtitle of his book, The Ministry of Illusion. Hinton, as an apologist for Riefenstahl, will give little satisfaction to readers who want to know something about those controversies. The book offers a rather naive understanding of the components of German fascist ideology and aesthetics and their historical backgrounds while remaining stubbornly lavish in its praise of the filmaker and her films. Hinton's book will please those who want to believe that art and politics, even in the Third Reich and its various afterlives are completely separate matters. It will also irritate those who are unwilling to believe in such a separation generally and especially in the case of this still living filmmaker whose work is indelibly connected with the propaganda of the Nazi Party.

Obcessive and compulsive in hot pursuit of the last Valkyrie.......2000-06-12

This is Dr. Hinton's third rewrite of the divine Leni and her films. Each time he aquires a bit more information from his research and other bits and pieces from a personal friendship which now spans 30 years and will continue until his death--since Ms. Rienfenstahl has declared herself immortal and God is taking her at her word. This book is a solid piece of film history and worth reading to gain a perspective about this remarkable woman and her contribution to 20th Century film.

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