The Power of Propaganda in Cinema & Nazi Film 'Triumph of the Will' (1935)

[appalachiablue]

(18 mins). Triumph of the Will (German: Triumph des Willens) is a 1935 Nazi propaganda film directed, produced, edited, and co-written by Leni Riefenstahl. It chronicles the 1934 Nazi Party Congress in Nuremberg, which was attended by more than 700,000 Nazi supporters. The film contains excerpts from speeches given by Nazi leaders at the Congress, including Adolf Hitler, Rudolf Hess and Julius Streicher, interspersed with footage of massed Sturmabteilung (SA) and Schutzstaffel (SS) troops and public reaction.

Hitler commissioned the film and served as an unofficial executive producer; his name appears in the opening titles. The film's overriding theme is the return of Germany as a great power, with Hitler as the leader who will bring glory to the nation. Because the film was made after the 1934 Night of the Long Knives (on 30 June), many prominent Sturmabteilung (SA) members are absent—they were murdered in that Party purge, organised and orchestrated by Hitler to replace the SA with the Schutzstaffel (SS) as his main paramilitary force. *7:35 min. mark for the start of Nazi film, "Triumph pf the Will" (1935). More, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triumph_of_the_Will

[msongs]

1. for its type its actually watchable. has that 1930's cinematic vibe of course nt

[appalachiablue]

3. "Triumph" is definitely one of the most influential propaganda films

of the 20th century along with 'The Birth of A Nation' (1915) DW Griffith's racist classic that forever altered America.

[sandensea]

2. And it can in turn be used against opponents in the form of hit pieces

Dinesh D'Souza's 'Hillary's America' comes to mind.

The little shit fancied himself a modern-day Riefenstahl alright.

[appalachiablue]

4. Recent example by a goon with clear impacts. People don't realize

film's capabilities to distort and influence even though it's been around 100 years.

[sandensea]

5. +1

If a picture's worth a thousand words, a well-produced puff or hit piece can often eclipse any amount of facts or real news.

Luckily for us, Cheeto's still 15%+ underwater in approval polls and behind in most head-to-head matchups - which shows there are limits to the power of propaganda.

Thank you for posting this, appalachiablue. As prescient now as it ever was.

[YOHABLO]

6. Propaganda can only be effective when you have an ignorant uneducated populace.

This is why FOX has been so successful. I wonder how many people, back in the 30s, found Riefenstahl's "masterpiece" full of BS?

[appalachiablue]

7. Charlie Chaplin got it, 'The Great Dictator' (1940) satire film

[rampartc]

8. "birth of a nation has already been identified as early film propaganda

wwii was fueled by propaganda, as was the early cold war. later "the green berets" but the most effective American made propaganda was …..

"red dawn." these deplorable yahoos all see themselves in a guerilla war against commies (us! and our elite Hollywood liberal masters) who have taken over THEIR country! wolverines!

[appalachiablue]

9. Thanks for posting, I'll check out 'Red Dawn.'

"The Birth of A Nation," 1915, silent film by D.W. Griffith based on the novel "The Clansman" by Thomas Dixon. The film was screened by Pres. Woodrow Wilson in the White House. The movie fueled a revival of the KKK in the 1920s.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Birth_of_a_Nation

[rampartc]

10. that clip from birth of a nation was brutal

[appalachiablue]

11. I thought I was familiar with 'Birth' until rewatching

scenes recently and seeing the full effect of its racism and propaganda.