Leni Riefenstahl (1 Viewer)

[AllTimeLow]

'Individuals are a product of their times', how accurate is this statement in relation to Leni Riefenstahl?

I'm struggling to answer this, honestly. If anyone can help me out, it would be incredibly useful..

 

[ArtemisOrthia]

n_n My class did this as a past paper for Modern like last week! Was great, as a class we discussed it and had totally divided views in the class room! However, everyone was right in their own terms, it's one of those questions where you can say WHAT you WANT as long as you have the evidence to back it up!

How about first, you tell me if whether you think this statement is true or not, and then tell me what sort of information you have to support your view.

And THEN I can help you out. Trust me, it will do you a world of good to do some thinking and then to collaborate with someone afterwards rather than me just give you my essay.

 

[ohexploitable]

all time low is a really shit band and is full of raging homosexuals having kinky butt secks

 

[AllTimeLow]

n_n My class did this as a past paper for Modern like last week! Was great, as a class we discussed it and had totally divided views in the class room! However, everyone was right in their own terms, it's one of those questions where you can say WHAT you WANT as long as you have the evidence to back it up!

How about first, you tell me if whether you think this statement is true or not, and then tell me what sort of information you have to support your view.

And THEN I can help you out. Trust me, it will do you a world of good to do some thinking and then to collaborate with someone afterwards rather than me just give you my essay.

I think she is a product of her time because she grew up with a father who was dominant and controlling so it was only expected that she'd be drawn to a leader who displays similar characteristics to her father - and when Hitler was coming to power/in power it wasn't common that people would question their leaders so there was no reason for her to doubt the motives behind her needing to make Triumph of the Will... I don't know if that's even close to answering the question. haha

 

[AllTimeLow]

all time low is a really shit band and is full of raging homosexuals having kinky butt secks

I'm not going to bother with you, seriously.

 

[ArtemisOrthia]

I think she is a product of her time because she grew up with a father who was dominant and controlling so it was only expected that she'd be drawn to a leader who displays similar characteristics to her father - and when Hitler was coming to power/in power it wasn't common that people would question their leaders so there was no reason for her to doubt the motives behind her needing to make Triumph of the Will... I don't know if that's even close to answering the question. haha

Yes, you got it!

Other things that are evident of her being a product of her time include:
During the Weimar Period - She DID want to dance / sing / act - as part of the Expressionist Movement and the Cult of the Body.
During the Nazi Period - She was inevitably influenced by Hitler like majority of Germany, and though she claims her films are had no goal in being such propaganda, nor did was she even slightly involved with politics she still produced these works. The very fact that her films are portraying Nazi Germany, adds to the fact that she is a 'product of her time' - filming exactly what was in her context, to what the 'leaders of the country' desired.
Post-Nazi Period - Process of De-Nazification. However, she went on to pursue Nuba Photography and Underwater Photography - so in the course she no longer concentrates on Germany (however Germany wasn't in the good books with anyone at this stage, so it's arguable this was another tactict for Leni to climb the career ladder of success). However, arguments primarily from Susan Sontag (very anti-Leni, believes she is propagandist, etc) claims that her pursuit of Nuba photography was another of Leni's pursuits which demonstrated Fascist ideologies, due to her intense exposure to the Nazi Regime, etc.

Don't forget to include your Historiography, it will boost your essay heaps! I would also talk about specific films also, such as Blue Light (as part of expressionist Movements), and then maybe Triumph of the Will, Victory of Faith (fact is was destroyed during the period), and also Olympia.

Best of luck with your essay, if you need any more help you're more than welcome to give me a shout.