History Film / TriumphOfTheWill

* DocumentaryOfLies: Well, it ''self-defines'' itself as a documentary (of the 1934 Party Congress of the NSDAP), at least, and it was certainly innovative in the 'editing for emotional effect or make things appear to be other than they were' department.

* StockParody: Probably one of the most referenced films of all time: everything from ''Franchise/StarWars'' to ''Film/{{Gladiator}}'' to ''Disney/TheLionKing'' borrows imagery from this movie, along with the innumerable documentaries who cannibalize its footage. More generally our collective image of Nazis (marching masses of soldiers, Hitler's manic speechmaking) largely originates here.

* StockParody: Probably one of the most referenced films of all time: everything from ''Franchise/StarWars'' to ''Film/{{Gladiator}}'' to ''Disney/TheLionKing'' borrows imagery from this movie. More generally our collective image of Nazis (marching masses of soldiers, Hitler's manic speechmaking) largely originates here.

*** This shouldn't be that surprising. Antisemitism was undeniably part of Nazism, but it was a far smaller part of the overall ideology than most people think. Since the persecution of Jews was shocking and makes for good TV, it's almost the only part of Nazi Germany usually talked about in today's media. However, Nazism was more concerned with power, art, nationalism, and improvement of the Aryan race. Those are the things Triumph of the Will promoted.

* ExecutiveMeddling: Averted; Hitler gave Riefenstahl carte-blanche to make the film how she wanted. Joseph Goebbels was not happy about this (as propaganda was his department), and various senior Nazi officials complained that the movie [[{{Irony}} didn't have any propaganda]]. Hitler overruled them.

* StockParody: Probably one of the most referenced films of all time: everything from ''StarWars'' to ''{{Gladiator}}'' to ''TheLionKing'' borrows imagery from this movie. More generally our collective image of Nazis (marching masses of soldiers, Hitler's manic speechmaking) largely originates here.

* BadassArmy: Perhaps the most iconic scene in the movie is when Adolf Hitler is standing with SS leader Heinrich Himmler, and SA leader Viktor Lutze. Hitler, Himmler, and Lutze all salute the entire armed forced, and the troops salute the Nazis leaders back.

A 1935 film directed by Leni Riefenstahl and funded by [[NaziGermany the German government]]. It was shown once a year for propaganda purposes in every German cinema until 1945. Despite its loathesome subject matter (the 1934 Nazi Party Congress), it is regarded as an innovative, groundbreaking film that showed how cinema could be used for propaganda and documenting spectacle. It proved highly influential--the medal scene that ends ''[[Film/ANewHope Star Wars]]'' is a direct lift from the scene in this movie where Adolf Hitler, Heinrich Himmler and Viktor Lutze lay a wreath at the memorial for President Hindenburg.

A 1935 film directed by Leni Riefenstahl and funded by [[NaziGermany the German government]]. It was shown once a year for propaganda purposes in every German cinema until 1945. Despite its loathesome subject matter (the 1934 Nazi Party Congress), it is regarded as an innovative, groundbreaking film that showed how cinema could be used for propaganda and documenting spectacle. It proved highly influential--the medal scene that ends ''[[Film/ANewHope Star Wars]]'' is a direct lift from the scene in this movie where Hitler, Himmler and Viktor Lutze lay a wreath at the memorial for President Hindenburg.

** Not just a baddass army, but the SS in particular was also an [[ArmiesAreEvil evil army]].

* Badass Army: Perhaps the most iconic scene in the movie is when Adolf Hitler is standing with SS leader Heinrich Himmler, and SA leader Viktor Lutze. Hitler, Himmler, and Lutze all salute the entire armed forced, and the troops salute the Nazis leaders back.

*** This shouldn't be that surprising. Antisemitism was undeniably part of Nazism, but it was a far smaller part of the overall ideology than most people think. Since the persecution of Jews was shocking and makes for good TV, it's almost the only part of Nazi Germany usually talked about in today's media. However Nazism was more concerned with power, art, nationalism, and improvement of the Aryan race. Those are the things Triumph of the Will promoted.

A 1935 film directed by Leni Riefenstahl and funded by [[NaziGermany the German government]]. It was shown once year for propaganda purposes in every German cinema until 1945. Despite its loathesome subject matter (the 1934 Nazi Party Congress), it is regarded as an innovative, groundbreaking film that showed how cinema could be used for propaganda and documenting spectacle. It proved highly influential--the medal scene that ends ''[[Film/ANewHope Star Wars]]'' is a direct lift from the scene in this movie where Hitler, Himmler and Viktor Lutze lay a wreath at the memorial for President Hindenburg.

The movie is officially not public domain, [[AbandonWare but since it also has no owners]], it's available on in various online video places. Viewer discretion required, as well as not living in Germany. (Like all other Nazi propaganda, it is banned there.)

A 1936 film directed by Leni Riefenstahl and funded by [[NaziGermany the German government]]. It was shown once year for propaganda purposes in every German cinema until 1945. Despite its loathesome subject matter, it is regarded as an innovative, groundbreaking film that showed how cinema could be used for propaganda and documenting spectacle. It proved highly influential--the medal scene that ends ''[[Film/ANewHope Star Wars]]'' is a direct lift from the scene in this movie where Hitler, Himmler and Viktor Lutze lay a wreath at the memorial for President Hindenburg.

* AdolfHitler: [[CaptainObvious Obviously]].

** A few American propaganda pieces just showed the marching and translated parts of the speeches into English, letting the mere fact it was meant to be inspirational for the Germans speak for itself. The ''[[FrankCapra Why We Fight]]'' series did this a lot.

A 1936 film directed by Leni Riefenstahl and funded by [[NaziGermany the German government]]. It was shown once year for propaganda purposes in every German cinema until 1945.

The movie is officially not public domain, [[AbandonWare but since it also has no owners]], it's available on in various online video places. Viewer discretion required, as well as not living in Germany.

The movie is officially not public domain, but since it also has no owners, it's available on in various online video places. Viewer discretion required, as well as not living in Germany.

The movie is officially not public domain, but since it also has no owners, it's available on [[http://www.youtube.com/movie?v=BBfYncHshJc Youtube]]. Viewer discretion required, as well as not living in Germany.

* RousingSpeech: Well, they certainly seem roused. [[NightmareFuel And ready to kill on command]].

* HitlerCam: The TropeNamer, and possibly the TropeMaker, though it's actually used rather sparingly.
* HoYay: Not just the shirtless frolicking stormtroopers. Check out the glow in Rudolf Hess' eyes when he introduces Hitler's last speech.

* TheyPlottedAPerfectlyGoodWaste: See PropagandaMachine, above.

* RousingSpeech: Well, they certainly seem roused. [[HighOctaneNightmareFuel And ready to kill on command]].

A 1936 film directed by Leni Riefenstahl and funded by [[NaziGermany the German government]]. It was shown once year for propaganda purposes in every German cinema until 1945.