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Olympia Part Two: Festival of Beauty

Play trailer Olympia Part Two: Festival of Beauty Released Mar 29, 1940 1h 36m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
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80% Tomatometer 5 Reviews 89% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
True to its subtitle, director Leni Riefenstahl's "Olympia: The Festival of Beauty" is a celebration of the human form. Where the two-part epic's first half, "Olympia: Festival of the Nations," focused on the international aspects of the 1936 Olympic Games held in Berlin, this film concentrates on individual athletes such as equestrians, gymnasts and swimmers, climaxing with American Glenn Morris' performance in the decathalon and the majestic closing ceremonies of the games.

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Olympia Part Two: Festival of Beauty

Critics Reviews

View All (5) Critics Reviews
David Parkinson Empire Magazine This epic record of the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games attempts to combine sporting reportage with a celebration of physical beauty and the spectacle involved in this uniquely unifying event. Rated: 5/5 Apr 9, 2021 Full Review Christopher Null Filmcritic.com Overrated pap. Rated: 2/5 Apr 9, 2021 Full Review John A. Nesbit Old School Reviews A combination of overhead cameras, telephoto lens, underwater cameras, and slow motion cameras create an unforgettable flourish for the film's finale. Rated: B+ Apr 9, 2021 Full Review Phil Hall HotWired's Pop It remains fascinating. Apr 9, 2021 Full Review Dwight MacDonald Esquire Magazine Although I'm no great sports fan, I was rarely bored for the whole two hours; there was much more drama and human interest than in most of the feature films I've reviewed here; a triumph of cinematic vision and inventiveness. Jul 12, 2019 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (11) audience reviews
s r 1001 movies to see before you die. Lost rating because I saw it when RT had an error. It was on youtube. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Artistically (cinematography, photography, musical score) ahead of its time by years. I'm not into sports films, but it doesn't take a sports of movie fanatic to see how well done this film was made. A shining example of how influential media propaganda could exploit and corrupt an entire nation. If you control the narrative or story, you control the outcome of people. A cautionary tale and also a shining example of how media needs to be held just as responsible as leaders. Unfort this artistic and creative Leni genius was not held responsible for any of her actions, including making the infamous Nazi Triumph of Will film. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/15/23 Full Review Audience Member Riefenstahl's second part of her legendary documentary Riefenstahl really does show the majestic Olympics in Nazi ruled Berlin as a work of art and, as the title say, a 'festival of beauty'. With her careful and poetic photography, most famously of the diving, her portrayal of the sporting event is a magnificent one, where the athletes become gods from the legendary place of Greek mythology Olympus; with that concept in mind, she is able to create a new feeling within the documentary that lets its audience really get lost inside its beauty and fully connect with its significance. Often cited as one of the major works of Hitler's propaganda, to call it this would be to understate its magnificence and importance, though Riefenstahl certainly may have been one of the few figures to turn propaganda into art. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/24/23 Full Review Audience Member Once again, the 1936 Olympic games were filmed very well. The camera angles and shots turn this sporting event into an artform. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/13/23 Full Review Audience Member Breathtakingly beautiful and immeasurably influential. Any modern Olympic coverage with lofty intentions owes it all to Riefenstahl. Everything from the dramatic photography to the John Williams music of today was first developed here. This second half of the documentary really lives up to its name with an increased emphasis on the titanic grace of the athletes set to dramatic natural backdrops. Compared to the first half, it is comparable in quality, but its shorter length, increased lusciousness, and possession of fewer track and field events makes it feel more concise. It's also not a Nazi propaganda piece as alleged. Germany does not win every event and victories by other countries, namely the United States are healthily represented. If displaying the physical prowess of Olympic athletes, filming said athletes in an staggeringly innovative fashion, or the existence of great female film directors upsets your sensibilities then I suppose this film is indeed propaganda. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/23/23 Full Review Audience Member the continuation of the first part.just as magnificent.this movie transcends politics and continues of enchant with its groundbreaking visuals. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/20/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Olympia Part Two: Festival of Beauty

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Movie Info

Synopsis True to its subtitle, director Leni Riefenstahl's "Olympia: The Festival of Beauty" is a celebration of the human form. Where the two-part epic's first half, "Olympia: Festival of the Nations," focused on the international aspects of the 1936 Olympic Games held in Berlin, this film concentrates on individual athletes such as equestrians, gymnasts and swimmers, climaxing with American Glenn Morris' performance in the decathalon and the majestic closing ceremonies of the games.
Director
Leni Riefenstahl
Producer
Leni Riefenstahl
Screenwriter
Leni Riefenstahl
Production Co
Tobis Filmkunst
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
German
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 29, 1940, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 5, 2016
Runtime
1h 36m
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