Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4302 in DVD
• Released on: 2001-08-31
• Rating: Exempt
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Black & White, Dubbed, PAL
• Original language: German
• Subtitled in: Dutch, English, French, Italian, Norwegian, Spanish
• Dubbed in: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 127 minutes

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

Special Features
German
Region 2
Exclusive 16 Page Illustrated Collectors Brochure
Chapter Notes
Original Pre War Movietone Cinema News Reports On Nazi Rallies
Dutch\English\French\Italian\Norwegian\Spanish

Synopsis
The official record of the Nazi Party Congress held in Nuremberg in 1934. After World War II this film was banned because of general fears that it might inspire a new Nazi party.

Customer Reviews

Directing at its most brilliant-shame about the picture quality.
If you try and distance yourself from the subject matter of the film which i know is very difficult and look carefully at the sheer quality of the directors ability to captivate the audience
then Triumph of the Will must surely rank as one of the most impressive pieces of propaganda film making ever made.

The camera angles and closeups of the peoples faces almost make you believe you are there even though the film was made 74yrs ago.

Watching the different sequences unfold from begining of the party conference to its closing you can understand the adulation Hitler was given by the German people all those years ago.
Perish the thought if this was the Tory party conference at the next General election then they would prabably win a huge majority in the poles.
When Hitler addresses the Hitleryouth at the Olympic stadium at Nuremberg you can almost taste the atmosphere,you may not agree with the subject matter but you must admit the emense loyalty shown to one man.

Just think WHAT IF THE WAR HAD ENDED DIFFERENTLY and the holocaust had never happened many more people would prabably watch this film and marvel at its spectacle.

Having recorded the film during its very rare televised events I can say the quality of my dvd copy is rather dark and grainy
unlike the copy i recorded off the television.Possibly the master tapes of the original 74yr old film are of poor quality.

What would be nice is to see a copy of Lenis film "Victory of Faith" become generally available.Its available on import but who knows what the quality or whether it will turn up.

Anyway for those who are put off watching this amazing film because of its adulation of the Nazi party,give it a go you may realise how brilliant a film it is and thankgoodness it is generally available for all to see whatever our opinions of 20th century history are.

A work of pure art and the DVD itself is acceptable
I own several different DVDs of Triumph (as well as one VHS copy). None is perfect but I've found all to be watchable, including this one. Anyway, every household should own at least one copy of this masterwork as it's one of the very few timeless cinematic monuments of the 20th Century and an inspiring reminder of the untapped potential of film.

Triumph
As history recedes from the fear and mad enthusiasms of this particular era it is becoming easier to view this work not exactly dispassionately - the passion and enthusiasm and the terrors they brought are integral to it - but with a degree of reserved understanding. As a child I lived surrounded by informed loathing of nazi-ism and fear of its consequences; we knew many German refugees; in 1939 my mother carefully burned some of her books for fear of what might be coming; for a while I had actually had a nurse maid who was a committed Nazi ... none of that helps towards a cool and balanced appreciation of Triumph des Willens; one is too afraid of yielding to its appeal. That appeal is hugely impressive and with all her technical and imaginative skill Fraulein Riefenstahl served it disastrously well ... so easy for her to be swept in the wave of enthusiasm of - as she says- 90% of the German people: I can understand that perfectly, and cannot blame her. Hitler promised, and in fact gave, so much that Germany needed - re-building of infrastructure; unity and organisation and pride; he did promise a "peace loving" nation founded in loyalty, hard work and great rewards ... and many believed him. It would be comical if it were not menacing and tragic to see such a mass of uniformed men performing weapon drill with their spades and shovels - we know that the real weapons and aggression were certainly to come. How many of these cheering masses and young boys (often strangely sad faced?) went on to die miserably at Stalingrad after betraying the more truly honourable traditions that Germany had?
One is bound to be overwhelmingly impressed by the sheer drilled organisation of the Nuremberg rally, as well as by its horrifying unquestioned militarism; Fraulein Riefenstahl's success in achieving a living representation of it is equally impressive. She was clearly pushing the technical capabilities of her cameras and film stock to their limits; one often wonders how she managed to insert cameras into positions where they could capture the pictures she needed. Unfortunately, in this copy at least, one feels that the film has aged and faded badly; some of that is no doubt due to her having to film big events at night in and in uneven lighting: here, surely, she was forced to push her equipment beyond its capacity? Viewed with any sort of sympathy at all, the effect is nonetheless hugely impressive, coherent and successful. An interesting study in the technical decisions she had to make. One thing to remember - and you cannot escape the morality or the politics - Hitler could never have made such a successful appeal to Germany ... and others outside ... if there had not been a vast substrate of truth and honest aspiration entwined into the monstrosity of his full intent and hideous destiny. We should know enough by now to understand this ... if not to be immune to similar false prophets in our own day. Name your own and watch closely at home. We too (let alone our American cousins) have a ferocious record of militarism and inolerance ... pretend what we will.