The Olympics year 1936. While Hitler and his ministers were celebrating their triumphs in portraying Germany as a modern and cultured nation, the perfect place on the face of the earth, unknown to the rest of the world, the imminent destruction and the future of some 50-60 million or more people who would die in coming years either on the war-zone or be murdered by the Nazi regime in concentration camps had begun taking shape underneath the calm and bright surface of those celebrations. The anti-semitic signs were removed, the gypsies and homeless were sent to labor camps, the streets were cleaned and adorned with flowers and the facades of all the edifices and most homes were proudly making statements in the reds and whites with Swastikas or rings on them, people were dancing, welcoming guests from all over the world with open arms and warm hearts, beer was flowing freely.. Hitler's Germany was jubilant.
While men and women of great dexterity and determination were getting ready for the greatest performance of their life, not far from the Olympic stadium, the Sachsenhausen concentration camp was being built. Leni Riefenstahl was getting ready with some 30+ cameras including underwater and underpit cameras to capture the grand symphony of this greatest sport event.
This is a part 2 of Olympia, a documentary that depicts the unequaled determination and strength of the men and women who partake in the various Olympic events. Once again, part 2 also captures and presents amazing shots taken at different unique angles, a quintessential of Leni that was rather unknown to the filmmaking back then, the motion synchronization, the superimposing images, the silhouettes, the slow motion of divers, the splash by swimmers, a jockey who almost gets trampled in the water, the tempo of the audience including the distraught of Hitler as America wins rowing and countries cheering their contestants, She was a creative genius and this is a work of a genius. Even today the aesthetics of this 1936 movie have remained unparalleled. Part 2 is actually in color.. A must see.
While men and women of great dexterity and determination were getting ready for the greatest performance of their life, not far from the Olympic stadium, the Sachsenhausen concentration camp was being built. Leni Riefenstahl was getting ready with some 30+ cameras including underwater and underpit cameras to capture the grand symphony of this greatest sport event.
This is a part 2 of Olympia, a documentary that depicts the unequaled determination and strength of the men and women who partake in the various Olympic events. Once again, part 2 also captures and presents amazing shots taken at different unique angles, a quintessential of Leni that was rather unknown to the filmmaking back then, the motion synchronization, the superimposing images, the silhouettes, the slow motion of divers, the splash by swimmers, a jockey who almost gets trampled in the water, the tempo of the audience including the distraught of Hitler as America wins rowing and countries cheering their contestants, She was a creative genius and this is a work of a genius. Even today the aesthetics of this 1936 movie have remained unparalleled. Part 2 is actually in color.. A must see.