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Amazon.co.uk Review
Triumph of the Will is one of the most important films ever made, not because it documents evil--more watchable examples are being made today. And not as a historical example of blind propaganda--those (much shorter) movies are merely laughable now. No, Riefenstahl's masterpiece--and it is a masterpiece, politics aside--combines the strengths of documentary and propaganda into a single, overwhelmingly powerful visual force. Riefenstahl was hired by the Reich to create an eternal record of the 1934 rally at Nuremberg, and that's exactly what she does. You might not become a Nazi after watching her film, but you will understand too clearly how Germany fell under Hitler's spell. The early crowd scenes remind one of nothing so much as Beatles concert footage (if only their fans were so well behaved!).
Like the Fascists it monumentalises, Triumph of the Will overlooks its own weaknesses--at nearly two hours, the speeches tend to drone on, and the repeated visual motifs are a little over-hypnotic, especially for modern viewers. But the occasional iconic vista (banners lining the streets of Nuremberg, Hitler parting a sea of 200,000 party members standing at attention) will electrify anyone into wakefulness. --Grant Balfour, Amazon.com
Product Description
Triumph of the Will, also known as Triumph des Willens , is the legendary propaganda documentary of the Third Reich's 1934 Nuremberg Party Rally. Commissioned by Hitler in 1934 and directed by Leni Riefenstahl, this documentary covers the events of the Sixth Nuremberg Party Congress. The original intention was to document the early days of the NSDAP, so future generations could look back and see how the Third Reich began. In reality, Triumph of the Will shows historians how the Nazi state drew in the masses through propaganda and also how Adolf Hitler had a unique and terrifying ability to entice crowds to his beliefs by the very power of his words. Triumph of the Will was released in 1935 and rapidly became one of the better-known examples of propaganda in film history. Riefenstahl's techniques, Such as moving cameras, the use of telephoto lenses to create a distorted perspective, aerial photography, and revolutionary approach to the use of music and cinematography, have earned Triumph recognition as one of the greatest films in history. Riefenstahl won several awards, not only in Germany but also in the United States, France, Sweden, and other countries. The film was popular in the Third Reich and elsewhere, and has continued to influence movies, documentaries, and commercials to this day, even as it raises the question over the dividing line between art and morality. Featuring a cast of thousands, including Adolf Hitler, Himmler, Goebbels, Hess, Goering and other top party officials, this film perhaps more than any other demonstrates the frightening reality that was the Nazi Party and the dangers that the future held for the rest of Europe. This definitive edition also features a bonus disc; March to the Fuhrer which documents the rise of the Hitler Youth Movement.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
52 of 53 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Fully agreeing with the previous reviewers who've already pointed out that this edition is probably not the best one quality-wise and also lacks from any serious accompanying notes, I'd just like to add the information that the superimposed American subtitles were apparently already on the analogue master this DVD copy is based on, and therefore they cannot be switched off.
They're also always white, and frequently there's white subtitles on bright background - useless: you can't read a thing. And they even have misspellings: they say 'toady' at one point instead of 'today'.
So overall, I'd say this edition is probably all right if you just want to get an idea what "Triumph of the Will" is all about, but if you value a quality reproduction and don't like cheap bargain basement editions, better stay away.
They're also always white, and frequently there's white subtitles on bright background - useless: you can't read a thing. And they even have misspellings: they say 'toady' at one point instead of 'today'.
So overall, I'd say this edition is probably all right if you just want to get an idea what "Triumph of the Will" is all about, but if you value a quality reproduction and don't like cheap bargain basement editions, better stay away.
93 of 96 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
DO NOT BUY THIS VERSION. The picture quality is terrible it is copied from a VHS tape so the American English subtitles can not be switched off. The spelling is often wrong, not just US spelling, actually incorrect in any version of English. Subtitle text is white in top of the picture which means it just disappears into the background until a darker part of the movie flashes up. BUY ANOTHER EDITION NOT RECOMMENDED
31 of 32 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I fully agree with the previous reviewers. This transfer is, quite simply, awful. Terrible picture quality, sub-titles that cannot be read and laughable spelling. It does not warrant any star rating at all...next time I'll believe what the reviewers tell me!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Don't be put off by misleading reviews
I ordered, and subsequently cancelled, no fewer than three different versions of this film as a result of reading widely differing reviews. Read more
Published 3 months ago by scarecrow
What's the problem ??
Previous reviews weren't too encouraging but I went ahead and thought it was worth the fiver I paid for it. Read more
Published 3 months ago by oscarw
Demand something better !
What is it with Amazon ? They lump all reviews of this movie together regardless of the edition. I opted for the Demand Studio version released in 2008, the one with the excellent... Read more
Published 11 months ago by Woody
I name a good edition! - and ask are all these reviews reliable?
My version of TOTW - the Synapse Special edition produced in 2001 - is technically good. So why, I wonder, are many people on this site rubbishing an updated version? Read more
Published 12 months ago by Roger Clark
Okay but......
I agree with previous reviews that some notes would have been helpful , and that overall a sharper picture quality would have improved the viewing experience , but for the price it... Read more
Published 20 months ago by R. C. J. Stewart
historical research
Leni Riefenstahl in her biography cited that: she was talked into making the film of the 1934 Nuremburg Rally by Hitler, who wanted an independant view of the event. Read more
Published 22 months ago by earlofcrick
Triumph of the Will (red cover)
This is without doubt the worst quality DVD I have ever obtained - and that includes duds from Madacy. Read more
Published 23 months ago by I. E. THOMAS
Poor quality but fascinating
On the whole, I tend to ignore reviews of products - I often find myself in disagreement with other reviewers. Read more
Published 24 months ago by Mike Heron
Do not buy this version
Area around the border of the picture is missing, running time is a lot less than the original, image quality is terrible. This gives you cheap pirate copy look and feel. Read more
Published on 3 May 2010 by Metso Jouni
Very important film despite "quality issues" from 1934!
Ignore the reviewers lambasting this film purely because of its far from BlueRay-7.1Dolby-1080p-HD quality.
IT IS A FILM FROM 1934. Read more
IT IS A FILM FROM 1934. Read more
Published on 19 April 2010 by A. Vokes
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