leni riefenstahl: das blaue licht and her return to berlin

8/9/2019 Leni Riefenstahl: Das Blaue Licht and her return to Berlin

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The Blue Light (1932) and

return to Berlin


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THE BLUE LIGHT(DAS BLAUE LICHT) 1932


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Background

Directed by Leni Riefenstahl

Co-produced with Harry Sokol

She starred in it. Original idea for the plot by Leni

She was also the editor

Story was turned to script by BelaBalazs

It was a Bergfilm (mountain-genre

film)


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Filmed at:

The Brenta Dolomites

Ticino, Switzerland and

Sarntal, Italy

A sound film which was filmed entirelyon location.

She used local mountain people as

extras in the film. There were problems in regards to

finance and production.


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Arguments about Lenis work:

Idea contained in the novel Rock Crystalby Gustav Renker, 1930

Novalis poem blue flower

Lenis dance called Blue Flower

To highlight the effect she wanted:

New form of infra-red called R material

Great use of filters

Conflict during the editing


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Released Dates & Award

Germany 24 March 1932

(Berlins Ufa-Palast am Zoo)

Denmark 16 January 1933USA 8 May 1934

Won the silver medal at theVenice Biennale Film Festival.


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Characters:

Leni Riefenstahl Junta

Mathias Wierman Vigo

Beni Fuhrer Tonio

Max Holzboer Innkeeper

Martha Mair Lucia

Franz Maldacea Guzzi


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Plot

A modern couple arrive in the village and show

interest in the story of Junta.

Junta is a half-wild mountain girl whose odd

behaviour has led to her being shunned from thevillage of Santa Maria.

Whenever there is a full moon, a mysterious blue

light shines from the summit of the nearby

mountain, Monte Cristallo Many men had died climbing up to work out the

mystery of the light; only Junta is able to do it. Only

she is pure enough of heart.


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Plot

Junta knows the secret and the village believe shemight be a witch. She is ostracised from the

village.

A Viennese painter called Vigo meets Junta, he

falls in love with her, despite the language problem.He follows her to the secret grotto from which the

light emanates and learns her secret.

He shares his secret with the villagers, hoping that

once the mystery is over, Junta will once again be

accepted by them.

The villagers find their way to the grotto, pillage it,

taking all the blue crystals.


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Plot

Junta returns to the grotto and finds the crystals

gone. Now denied the light of the blue crystals, she

falls to her death. Vigo tragically find Juntas body

knowing that he has been the cause of her death

The film returns to the modern couple who have

clearly been moved by this tragic tale.


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RETURN TO BERLIN


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27 February 1932 - Riefenstahl attended the

rally at the Berlin Sportpalast(Sports Palace)

A letter she wrote asking to meet him:

Dear Herr Hitler,

Recently Iattendedapolitical rally for the first

time in my life. You were givingaspeech atthe Sports Palace and I must confess that I

wasso impressed by youand by the

enthusiasm of the spectators that I would like

to meet youpersonally. Hitler asked Leni to make a film about him

and the Nazi Party. But she declined.


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Bibliography Webb, Ken, 2008, Kimberley Broadbridge

Martin, David, 2001, Melbourne

Individuals in Modern History: LENI RIEFENSTAHL pp.10-14

Wikipedia 2010,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Das_Blaue_Licht#Production_Background

(06 June 2010)

http://courses.washington.edu/ger371/riefenstahl/biography.html

(09 June 2010)

Ringer, Ronald E, Excel HSC modern history, pg. 46

Trimborn, Jrgen, Leni Riefenstahl: a life, pg. 195

leni riefenstahl: das blaue licht and her return to berlin

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