Olympia 1. Teil - Fest der Völker

Works as a logistically influential sports document, with imaginative shot composition and smooth editing, but I also found the irony of the whole situation to be somewhat intriguing (in a horrible demented way I'll admit). The Olympics represent something profoundly positive about human nature, encouraging tolerance and global unity but hosted in the country that was already on its way to destroying any progress gives the film an uneasy but fascinating feeling.

A relaxed and genial Führer enjoys nothing more than the sunshine, a big sporting event and the enthusiasm of the crowd. In that sense, kind of Germany’s answer to Bob Hawke, but without the kitsch jacket or the drinking.

I was feeling so happy for the athletes that was winning.... and then the close ups of the Swastikas they were wearing. That was such a weird feeling. Wasn't less intriguing watching all the nations, including future enemies of war, greet the host nation with the Hitler salute! And Adolf Hitler has never looked more human then here. This is a wonderful documentary from Leni Riefenstahl! Highlight chopped together trying to create suspense and capture the spirit of the event, sports and physics.

Human form, perseverance, triumph and defeat in track and field is shown as a true art form here. The opening in Greek ruins is a masterpiece of composition and editing, the opening ceremonies are very telling and every event is shot with a perfect mixture of the athletes and the spectators. The propagandist aspects show themselves from time to time but they're easy to put in context and in no way distract from the beauty of the whole.

# 453

Because this film's relationship to it's historical context is so complicated and nuanced, this is a really difficult film to review. Leni's camerawork, editing and composition is phenomenal and ground-breaking. While the film is not explicitly propagandist, her obsession with the beauty and perfection of the human body still maintains an air of fascist ideals and aesthetics. Watching Jesse Owens kick some Nazi ass was immensely satisfying though, and I'm not even American.

443

Ever wonder where the modern art of televised sport was invented? Watch this film. Riefenstahl was so perfect in filming the athletic events that they still use the same techniques to this day.

an arresting meditation on atheletics......fluid undulations of muscle, sinew and bone.....nifty dugout shots that Mr. Toland borrowed a couple years later, if I'm not mistaken.

Simply one of the best sports documentaries ever. Unlike today, where we get hours of biographical stories with minimal sports coverage, here, the camera stays on the sport, only straying to linger on the beautiful form of the athletes. (That's even after the somewhat surreal introductory connection between the ancient games and the modern ones.) The staging -- yes, with Nazi imagery all over -- of those camera shots is still copied today.

A masterpiece of filmmaking technique. Each part begins with a lengthy prologue, a lyrical wordless montage celebrating the human form. And the footage of the events themselves, although a bit repetitive at times, is for the most part filmed beautifully... a tribute to athleticism, often employing slo-mo and dramatic angles to capture bodies in motion. The film ends with a spectacular diving montage. It seems difficult to interpret the film as propoganda. It felt very even-handed to me.

The loviest nazi's you will see.

Not too bad for a documentary, unfortunately it's also 2 hours of sport and I can't even fake interest in sport.

Like watching highlights from the Olympics with better camerawork. And it works.

486

This is fairly difficult to review. Of obvious historical interest, and the first half hour and the filming of the Opening Ceremonies and everything involving Hitler are chilling given the historical context. Watching Hitler politely clap for Great Britain when they win something is something. Ultimately, though, it's a lot of straightforward footage of Olympic events, which is kind of dull. The Owens stuff is fun to see, though. It is what it is. Not as propagandist as I would have thought.

Stunning piece of work, the bodies of these athletes beautifully rendered as they participate in events for which they have trained their whole lives. While I agree with many others that much of the presentation is "fair," I also believe the beginning and end combine to place Germany at the forefront of a movement toward peace, a movement with ancient, almost mythical roots. In this, the film serves as a magnificent work of art and an effective piece of propaganda in the year before hostilities.

How to rate this? As probaganda it works well, but it is the marvellous cinematography that makes this a truly great film.

#517

Painful

Jesse Owens puts everyone to shame. Take THAT Hitler!

It seems like this film tried really hard to be Nazi propaganda (though that assumption seems mostly based just on Riefenstahl being the director), but the results of the Olympics prevented that. It's held up fairly well over time, and really does manage to capture some of the thrill of the Olympics.