D A S B L A U E L I C H T
RETROSPECTIVE: UCLA / GOETHE INSTITUT LOS ANGELES
When news began to spread in August and September 2004 that UCLA would be hosting a major retrospective on the film legacy of Leni Riefenstahl, it was unclear what stance the Film Archive would take. Those speculations, were put to rest when the brochure was published, both in the archive's usual paper calendar and online. "The Archive presents this retrospective not to rehabilitate or to celebrate Riefenstahl, whose beauty and whose colorful personality have earned her a sometimes troubling glamour. Neither is there anything to be gained by ignoring her skill as a filmmaker, her place in film history, or her influence. Rather, we hope that this retrospective ... will contribute to a discussion of the unsettling power of cinema,... as well as the complex but crucial interplay of aesthetics and ideology."
UCLA would work with the Goethe Institut Inter Nationes Los Angeles to round out the film screenings with presentations of Riefenstahl's photography (both from Olympia and Nuba work), panel discussions, documentary screenings and discussions with those whom either worked with Leni or knew her work intimately. Scheduled for one talk at the Goethe, entitled "Private Leni" were German filmmaker Ray Mueller and publisher Angelika Taschen, who of course created the art book Five Lives: Leni Riefenstahl.
The Goethe's promotional material was less cautious than UCLA's and hoped that the artistic works would be taken for what they were, "stunning achievements." Director Ute Kirchelle noted, "on the occasion of the first anniversary of Leni Riefenstah's death, it's time to shed a wider spotlight on the artist, who used to be reduced to her role as a Nazi propagandist."
The UCLA retrospective of Riefenstahl's acting and directorial legacy included Der Heilige Berg, S.O.S. Eisberg, Das Blaue Licht, Die weisse Hölle vom Piz Palü, Tag der Freiheit: Unsere Wehrmacht, Triumph des Willens, Tiefland, Olympia I & II (Fest Der Volker / Fest Der Schoneit). At the Goethe films included the U.S. premiere of Mueller's 2001 documentary on Riefenstahl's return to the Sudan in an attempt to reunite with her Nuba tribe friends, Her Dream of Africa (Ihr Traum von Afrika). Mueller presented this film and his 1993 documentary classic on sequential evenings.
Das Blaue Licht editor, Patrick Zarate and director Ray Mueller at the Goethe Institut screening,The Wonderful Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl (1993)
The opening reception evening, in which Los Angeles' Fahey/Klein Gallery exhibited Riefenstahl's photography, included an opening statement by the Goethe and review by UCLA's Jan Christopher Horak. Professor Horak apparently felt compelled to reference the work as "Nazi" and included some allusions to Susan Sontag's Fascinating Fascism essay. Although the audience was initially patient, some spoke out about the negative and reductionistic manner of Horak's discourse. One point made was that there were images (Nuba) of the elderly and children, despite Horak's recanting Sontag that Riefenstahl's quest for the fascist ideal would not allow her to photograph the old or kids. When Das blaue Licht.net Editor, Patrick Zarate approached Horak he snarled, "Yes, I was warned about you."
[Editior's Note: Das Blaue Licht.net was able to loan the Goethe two original Riefenstahl film posters (from Olympia parts I and II, as seen above) for the exhibit]
LEFT TO RIGHT: HORAK, BERGSTROM, VON DASSANOWSKY AND MUELLER AT MELNITZ HALL / UCLA
Preceding the UCLA screening of Das Blaue Licht, a panel discussion brought together the expert line up that came from the US and Germany to discuss Riefenstahl's life, work and influence six decades after World War II. These included film historian Robert von Dassanowsky (University of Colorado), Jan-Christopher Horak (Curator, Hollywood Entertainment Museum) and filmmaker Ray Mueller (THE WONDERFUL, HORRIBLE LIFE OF LENI RIEFENSTAHL), as moderated by UCLA's Janet Bergstrom. The UCLA staff (Bergstrom and Horak) attempted to set a tone of the panel discussion negative towards Riefenstahl. They claimed that the films on display at UCLA should be viewed as a warning, that the 'fascist ideal' could not be separated from the images on the screen, etc. Eagerly and effectively, both Robert von Dassanowsky and director Ray Mueller countered with point after point, which did much to move the audience towards exploring and viewing Riefenstahl's work without preconceived ideas.
[Editor's Note: it seemed that the few who felt compelled to shout out their 'concerns' regarding Leni Riefenstahl, did so with little rationale and much emotion during this tribute. However, it can be said that mostly all the screenings and lectures were conducted without disturbance]
AT THE GOETHE L.A. : RAY MUELLER PRESENTING ON HIS 2001 FILM OF RIEFENSTAHL'S RETURN TO THE NUBA, HER DREAM OF AFRICA
Contributors to this program included: Ute Kirchhelle, Margit Kleinman—Goethe Institut; Caroline Yeager—George Eastman House; David Shepard; Eric Rentschler; Jessica Rosner—Kino International; Joseph Yranksi—Donnell Media Center, New York Public Library; Dean Otto—Walker Art Center; Sean Toren; Jan-Christopher Horak—Hollywood Entertainment Museum; Jutta Albert—Bundesfilmarchiv, Berlin; Holger Theuerkauf – Filmmuseum Berlin.
http://www.cinema.ucla.edu/calendar/calendardetails.aspx?details_type=2&id=138
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