Olympia [DVD] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]

I have not watched this actual disc as yet but I paid practically nothing for it. Riefenstahl's work is outstanding and the work she did for the 1936 Olympics was breathtaking. Other films by her are well worth watching provided you realise that she was first and foremost an artist. She never claimed to be a Nazi and regretted making Triumph of the Will. Some have rated her Olympics work as among the finest ten films ever made.

This is a fantastic documentary and became the blueprint for subsequent documentaries.Riefenstahl was an interesting character ruthlessly self centred, duplicitous, promiscuous but seems to have a magneticism and real ability at editing films (she shot indeterminate amounts of film and had open access to any official news footage). An unapologetic Nazi despite her apolitical assertions. Attractively fascinatingly evil.

On the pure cinematographic point of view Leni Riefenstahl is a genius (on the same level of Orson Welles). On the historical point of view the nazi salute of the french delegation with the spanish civil war in the background lends credibility to the ambiguity of the trio Hitler-Stalin-West.

The details on this tell you that it has been dubbed into English - NOT TRUE ! I am in the UK and as this was ordered from USA it took a few weeks to arrive. The picture quality is rather grainy - but this not my problem. Why do they state this is dubbed into English and on the back of the DVD it says "not dubbed - presented in original format" I checked and watched the first hour. No subtitles ! Then why say that there is in the product description ?

This dvd is VHS quality. I made the mistake of watching it on my 65" tv and normally upscaled dvds look acceptable. This looked BAD! Most of the first 20 minutes is just macro-blocking, zero detail, appalling quality. This is the kind of quality seen in web videos circa 1998! Unless you absolutely must see this superb film for some reference purpose avoid, avoid, AVOID!!!Annoyingly Criterion have a blu-ray copy on offer but only in their $250 plus import fees Olympic films set and this is the only film that interests me.

Leni Riefenstahl was a true genius of a film maker. She was given a vast budget to document the 1936 Berlin Olympics and she did so in pioneering style. The camera positions and angles, the editing, the crowd scenes and the use of close-ups and slow motion were all superbly selected. These convey the Olympic spirit, effort and challenges magnificently.The extra element is given by the Berlin 1936 context. All the Germans, but precious few of those from other nations, give Nazi salutes. We see plentiful shots of Hitler apparently enjoying the German successes. I say 'apparently' because in an interview in a different documentary, Riefenstahl states that Hitler was not really interested.The controversy over Riefenstahl is magnificently presented in another 5* movie, The Wonderful, Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl.In watching Olympia, put that controversy to one side and revel in how her genius, allied to a vast budget, presents the definitive documentary about the Olympic Games.

This pictorial review of the 1936 Olympics is a masterpiece of documentary film making. It also raises many questions about the event that need a historians help. The Wikipedia source can provide many answers.

Le talent de Leni Riefenstahl culmine dans cet époustouflant film reportage des jeux olympiques de 1936. A regarder pour la beauté des images et comme témoignage historique. La copie reproduite sur ce dvd n'est toutefois pas d'une très bonne qualtié

Undoubtedly one of the greatest and most important films of the 20C. It allows the historian to note the evolution in technical styles in a range of sporting activities. It allows the communications specialist to analyse the clever use of sport and sporting personality to enhance the message.

A beautiful Film, in its phoyography way ahead of the standard of the times.By the way, I was there in Berlin at the time. a ten-year-old, and we boys knew "them" all., and everybody shared the excitement of the Games. Today, some call it a propaganda-film. I do not think it was. It refelcted exactly what was happening at the time. It is a sports film.. It is a fair presentation of what was happening at the games.It is a beautiful film. I remember Jessi Owens and his German comptetitor Lutz Long, I remember the decathelon, and that never ending pole-vault till late into the night. I remember "Morris USA". The American sprinters, the relays.We loved every minute of those two weeks. Had to read it in the paper or listen to the excitement on the radio. And have seen it on film now.I thought the opening sequence of the girls dancing was a little stretched. which is my only negative comment to the film if that is "negative". It was beautiful, just a liitle too long.I believe it was the first time, in 1936, that the torch was carried from Olympia in a relay through all the countries on its way to Berlin A sensation throughout Europe.I really recommend the film for viewing to everybody who is interested in sports, the Olympic Games, and those times. It is an outstanding film for its time, in every of its detail.By the way, I saw an American version of the film which showed Adolf Hitler geting all worked up when Jessie Owens ran his 10 sec. He did not. That shot was inserted. That was the actual scene with Adolf Hitler when the German relay girls, for the first time in history ahead of the US team, lost the baton at the last exchange.My review? My recommendation! A beautiful film indeed, but remember it was made 76 years ago.Mark W. BormannRenfrew, Canada