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  • Essay / Comparative analysis of the films Casablanca and Triumph of the Will

    Movies are a source of entertainment for countless people. They can also be used for other purposes such as propaganda. Especially during World War II, where so many powerful forces were at work, films used as a source of propaganda were a very effective method of gaining support. That's exactly what Leni Riefenstahl and Michael Curtiz did. Their two films, Triumph of Will and Casablanca, were a powerful and influential form of propaganda that was exposed to countless people. Each film managed to effectively convince its target audience through the use of thoughtful cinematography, plot and theme. The film Triumph of Will was produced, written and directed by Leni Riefenstahl. She was an actress turned director. She produced several influential films, but her most famous film is Triumph of the Will. This film was released in March 1935, a few years before World War II. It is a propaganda film starring Adolf Hitler. It is considered a historical documentary and was filmed over 4 days during the Nuremberg Rally. Partly due to the new techniques she developed, it will leave a legacy and influence cinema even today. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”? Get an original essay The film's cinematography includes a variety of different angles, a novel form of editing, and camera movements which all played a role essential in conveying the overall message, Hitler is powerful and a savior. She used different camera angles to convey the message. Shots including Hitler were shot from a low angle; this technique helped him appear majestic, tall and powerful. When he is filmed on the podium he takes up the majority of the frame, this further shows how dominant he is. When shooting with a long focal length lens, it creates a distorted perception. The viewer can see how small and insignificant all the spectators are, while Hitler is the center of attention. This shows not only the vast following he had, but also how he literally stands above everyone else, further implying how important he was. When Riefenstahl focuses on the people, it is filmed from a high angle, which shows how they look at Hitler and how they thought he was their savior. Casablanca was directed by Michael Curtiz and starred Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman and Paul Henreid. The film was released in 1942. It takes place in Casablanca, Morocco in 1941. The Nazis take control of most of North Africa and Europe and countless people. are ephemeral in Casablanca. It focuses on Rick, a nightclub owner, Ilsa and Laszlo who are part of the resistance, and the Nazis. Ilsa and Laszlo try to sail from Casablanca to America, but many obstacles stand in their way. It presents the struggles of refugees under the Nazi regime. In Casablanca, different types of cinematography are used. Most notable would be the use of light. The stark contrast between light and dark gives the film a dark film noir style; through this it shows the psychological depth of the whole film. Since it is filmed in black and white, the lighting was essential as it established the importance of the individual characters and their emotions, it showed the darkness and heaviness of the occupation by the Nazi party. A notable scene is when Captain Louis Renault comes looking for Rick. The Captain enters Rick's office but the only thing we see is the shadowof Rick projected on the wall. This shows how the Nazi regime is still present and still watching, and how Rick has secrets of his own. Another scene would be when Ilsa looks out the window and watches Laszlo leave at night, her face is half dark, half light, showing how torn she is between her love for him and for Rick and overall , the dark circumstances in which they find themselves. Adolf Hitler placed this film into production; he hired Riefenstahl because he wanted something "artistically satisfying", as to appealing to individuals who were not necessarily political. The plot of Leni Riefenstahl's Triumph of the Will was a film centered on Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party regime. It follows Hitler and his top officials through the Nuremberg Rally, a 4-day affair that was essentially an annual gathering of the Nazi Party, considered a Nazi propaganda event. The film opens with Hitler's plane landing in Nuremberg as thousands of adoring fans await it. Then you see his caravan heading towards the hotel where there are even more people, including men, women and children. Over the course of 4 days, many Nazi officials will give speeches, but the most monumental moments will be Hitler's. Casablanca is an amazing film that is both an entertaining film to watch, but also a very deeply complex political film. Casablanca is considered an object of propaganda. It was filmed alongside the OWI, or U.S. Office of War Information, in hopes of helping shape American public opinion on the war. Elmer Davis, director of the OWI, said: "The easiest way to inject a propaganda idea into the minds of most people is to let it pass through an entertainment image when They don’t realize that they are the subject of propaganda.” For this reason, the plot had to be shaped to fit this narrative. It's basically about the main protagonist Rick Blaine; who is isolationist. He owns a nightclub called "Rick's Cafe American". This is where many types of transactions take place, and this is where Nazis from the occupation zones and refugees who are desperately trying to escape take place. There is an old romance that blossoms between Bogart and Bergman, but is ultimately shattered once again because of the war. In Triumph of the Will by Leni Riefenstahl, the overall theme is how Germany will unite and then become a great power, and that will be Hitler. who could carry this out. Throughout the film, Adolf is portrayed as this German Messiah, from his descent from the clouds in his plane to the animals and statues that watch him pass by. Hitler is presented as the savior of the German people and the nation. Throughout the film, he also shows how he brings unity to all aspects of their lives. This is shown through various scenes, one of them being the aerial shot of the army barracks. All the tents are side by side, showing that all the soldiers are one. This is further reinforced when we see all the soldiers not wearing their uniforms; this once again shows the unity between all men. Throughout the film there are flags of former Imperial Germany alongside the swastika. There are several examples of confusion between the German people, the state and the Nazi Party. After Hitler delivers his closing speech, Rudolph Hess declares: “The Party is Hitler – and Hitler is Germany just as Germany is Hitler!” ". Frank Capra, a proclaimed director, explained Triumph of the Will as follows: "It fired no weapons, dropped no.