Leni Riefenstahl by Leni Riefenstahl
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Book Reviews of Leni Riefenstahl
Book Review: Controversial, Brilliant, at the Center of Recent History.
Summary: 5 Stars
This book may not be perfect. After all, this legendary person published it at the age of 90. Now she is celebrating her 99th birthday. Frankly,most of us will never live a life like this, and continue as we approach 100 years. It's easy to criticize people like Leni Riefenstahl, and her association with the Hitler gang. What would each of us done in a similar situation? Especially in the late 1930's when many, including our own hero C. Lindbergh, were infatuated with the German leader and his movement. In fact, her comments on Hitler ring true.She says she often took notes of their conversations,and always remembered everything he said.Read pp.105-108 on her first meeting with Hitler, and pp. 210-211 on their discussions about Paris and religion...She was a little like Albert Speer,both artists caught in the mystifying web of the Fuhrer, and the idea of rebuilding and remaking Germany, with themselves as leading lights. Whatever personal demons she fought then and later, she continued to live with amazing zeal and wonder of life. In her 70's she travelled to Africa meeting and photographing Nubian tribes. She was still snorkeling into her late 80's...Yes, much of the book drags, and she is showing herself in the best light, which most of us would tend to do. But all in all,an amazing life, and interesting,if overlong, book.Book Review: Leni R. and the national socialism
Summary: 5 Stars
LR would have been even greater without the advent to power of the NSDAP. A pioneer of new techniques doubled by artistic sensitivity, LR would have claimed her right to glory regardless of who were the power dealers in Berlin.To understand LR position vs. national socialism is to understand the dynamics of a society under a dictatorship. Just to flatly state that because of her pact with AH she shared the same views and opinions is blissful ignorance, at the best.
Artists and creators under censorship find ways to express themselves despite the hostile climate. And LR is an extraordinary woman in extraordinary circumstances. It is too easy to judge and throw the blame on her from the comfort of the freedom of speech which we all enjoy. It is not only too easy, it is a fashion.
Trying to understand and voice a different opinion of her becomes almost too ideological for the taste of the voluntary censorship in the US.
And the criticism borders the absurd when her artwork in Africa in the '60 is labeled "fascist" because of her choice
of subjects (afro people never made it into the fascist standards of beauty, in the official ideology books at least.).
Nobody can escape their destiny and this is hers, a controversial one.
I gave it a five for each of her lives.
Book Review: Great book - do not listen to reviews still stuck at the stage of "Leni the Nazi"
Summary: 5 Stars
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.Book Review: You can tell a book by its cover
Summary: 5 Stars
The striking front cover on this book is 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)
This book also enhances the viewing experience of Leni's films.
Riefenstahl Olympia by Leni Riefenstahl
Book Review: very, very, very, very good....
Summary: 5 Stars
What a neat, neat book. Over 600 pages and I read it easily in a few days, then lent it to two people who also read it within a few days. Obviously, almost impossible to put down... And the book starts getting REALLY exciting when she is in her 60's, travelling through Africa. While this woman certainly has a large ego, and HAS to be embellishing a few stories (for example, almost every man she meets seem to immediately fall madly in love with her and attempt suicide upon being rejected by her), she is not anywhere close to being the monster she is constantly portrayed as. Her argument that she was simply an artist creating documentaries with no political interest at all seems pretty reasonable after reading this book. The woman is entirely self-absorbed: not necessarily a huge insult to an artist. And if the celebration of beauty (even physical beauty) is an exclusively nazi ideal, call me a nazi too.