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D A S B L A U E L I C H T
RIEFENSTAHL'S INFLUENCE ON FILM
Called "nazi chic" by some, the influence of Olympia reaches into contemporary advertising and marketing design. Perhaps correctly chastised, the collective mind notes the image and inspires thoughts of beauty, strength and balance.
Familiar impressions of Triumph des Willens in 1980's cult favorite Flash Gordon (directed by Mike Hodges) and
in Paul Verhoeven's sophisticated satire on fascism in the United States, Starship Troopers (1997).
Rome as seen in Gladiator, 2000
Ridley Scott's epic tale Gladiator (released in the summer of 2000) makes some of the boldest visual, editing and soundtrack references to Triumph des Willens. In sheer quantity and replication of mood and vision, Scott's success in obtaining massive audience appeal with such boldness, ends the argument as to the power of Riefenstahl's influence on cinema.
Stripped (1998, by Rammstein) Providing a cover on the Depech Mode tribute album of their song "Stripped", the German techno-rock group Rammstein created something of a stir when the video was released using a 3.5 minute edit of Riefenstahl's Olympia. An artistically sound homage to the images found in her film on the Berlin Olympics, Rammstein was faced with criticism of using "nazi" images. At one point there was discussion that the video would not be played on MTV or that a new non Riefenstahl influenced video would need to be shot if it was to be viewed in the USA.
U2. ZOO TOUR (1992, 1993) Taking their German influenced techno LP out on tour, super band U 2 opened their set with blasting drum beat to the looped shot from Riefenstahl's Reich party rally film.
These images lifted from Riefenstahl's Triumph des Willens drove U2's dramatic entrance on the stage and the hard techno number, Zoo Station.
The cult classic Privilege of the 1960's has an extended sequence which is almost shot for shot from Triumph des Willens.
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