Fresh from her triumphant Triumph of the Will propaganda masterpiece director Leni Riefenstahl began production work on this 1936 Berlin Olympics documentary to further showcase the superiority of the "master race." Wisely she edited versions for select countries and in the English language version there is a sufficient amount of US and England performances highlighted by the blinding speed of Jesse Owens. For the most part Olympia is an apolitical tract with the occasional shot of Nazi architects but once again with the same tour de force of camera work and editing that made Will so powerful.
Celebrating the athlete and the reflective pride of their countrymen fans, the film boasted an optimistic message of vitality and hope for the future that history would prove otherwise down the road. Olympia is a display of superb artistry recording the graceful beauty of athletes but impossible to watch without a deep feeling of melancholy along the way.
Celebrating the athlete and the reflective pride of their countrymen fans, the film boasted an optimistic message of vitality and hope for the future that history would prove otherwise down the road. Olympia is a display of superb artistry recording the graceful beauty of athletes but impossible to watch without a deep feeling of melancholy along the way.