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6.2/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.2/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Der Sieg des Glaubens remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you have any interest in how history gets scrubbed, this is mandatory viewing. If you are looking for entertainment, look elsewhere. This isn't a movie you "enjoy," it's a strange, cold artifact from a time when the world was tilting off its axis.
It’s bizarre to watch this knowing what happens to the people on screen a year later. Especially Ernst Röhm. He’s all over this thing, standing right next to Hitler, looking like a best friend. Knowing he was executed shortly after makes the whole thing feel like you're staring at a crime scene.
The pacing is… well, it’s just people marching. A lot of marching. It doesn't have the heavy, polished artifice of later propaganda films. It feels raw, unedited, and honestly, a little bit clunky. It lacks the slickness of Comradeship or the weird energy you find in a flick like The Whoopee Party. It’s just brutal, rhythmic repetition.
Riefenstahl is behind the camera here, and you can see her starting to figure out the angles. The shots of the crowds are massive, dizzying stuff. It’s effective, which is exactly why it’s so unsettling.
The audio is mostly just wind, drums, and yelling. No music really helps you process what you’re seeing. It’s just the sound of a rally. It hits you harder than you’d expect.
There is this one moment where Hitler is walking through the field, and he looks so small despite the thousands of people surrounding him. It’s a weirdly humanizing shot that feels like it shouldn't be there. It’s almost like a mistake.
It’s a miracle this thing even exists today. The fact that it was supposed to be erased makes every frame feel heavier. You watch it and you think about how many other things just vanished.
Honestly? It’s not a movie. It’s a warning label in film form. Don’t expect a narrative arc or character growth here. Just look at the faces. That’s where the story is. Terrifyingly so.