ET6: PROPAGANDA, REALISM, TRIUMPH AND POTEMKIN

I would like to first credit the directors on making such fantastic films. I would also like to state that I had to redo my entire essay because my retarded computer crashed, thus this is the second time writing this essay.

Today's Battle !

Triumph of the Will
directed by: Leni Riefenstahl

VS

Battleship Potemkin
directed by: Sergei Eisenstein

CROUD

   I would like to start of with my favorite element in both movies which is the crowds of the movie. In Triumph of the Will, men we're perfect, discipline and respectful. They showed great discipline and responsibility when ordered to line up in an entire field. I feel that people would want the same experience and honor thus wanting to join their leader. They also experienced organization and fun within the camps. Men would happily enjoy helping out fellow brethren have baths and such. Even the children showed perfection. They were all blond with blue eyes and everyone of them flawless. The image of Hitler's nation. This would be one of the best examples of a propaganda film because it shows not only why you should join the nation, but also what you are joining the nation for. A perfect use of crowd if I do say so myself. In fact, I had the feeling of joining the nation as well after watching this film, and I think my fellow audience members would agree.

   In Battleship Potemkin, the amount of people used was a real eye-opener ! There was so many people involved. They showed the large number of moving people unlike Triumph of the Will where people are formal and more used as a prop instead of a part of the film. People in this movie suffer and also enjoy the benefits of freedom. To start of, the crew of the battleship was treated so poorly that they stated 'Even the POW's in Japan are treated better'. This shows how much suffering is to be put up with by people who follow a single leader or organization. Eventually, after fighting for their rights and taking over the ship, they indulge in the sweetness of  victory and freedom. This shows a great deal of propaganda aspects. People are willing to fight under a different power to get a better life. Later in the movie, we see that a huge crowd of people come to mourn the loss of a single soldier. This eventually lead to a revolution of the people. They have had enough and want to be treated right! They stand up for one another and show co-operation! This is a perfect way for propagandas to target rallies(not naming any specific CLEAN rallies)

WOMEN

   Women back then were very different from our modern time women. They were treated more like companions and a person to go to after a long-days-work. In Triumph of the Will, there was not much use of women in the film except for an exception for a single lady who allows Hitler to kiss her baby. But other than that single scene, the presence of women was nowhere to be found. Women were seen as less valuable in the nation than men because of their limited uses towards their leader. Maybe because having women in warfare will not please the people. It is also quite ironic that the presence of women was absent, but the director of this entire film was a women herself. It sometimes boggles my mind.

   Women were used much more in the movie Battleship Potemkin. Even tho they were absent in the scenes of the battleship, they hold a very important part in the society. They were the mothers who would go the distance or die trying. These parts were shown in scenes in Part 4: The Steps of Odessa. There was a scene where a mother would die trying to save her son, and there is another scene where a mother would give up her life taking care of her baby. Even to the extent of taking bullets for their children. Their death would play a big part in propaganda because their loss tells the audience's conscious to call for justice. A single life loss is a single seed of hate planted in a man's heart.

   Overall, In both movies I found that the presence and absence of women played their own parts in reaching out to the people through proper propaganda. It shows that men still have respect for women no matter what the circumstances.

 

 

FLAGS & SYMBOLS 

   Flags and symbols play a big part in propaganda films because it simplifies all, if not most of the reasons you fight under that symbol. Even in history, flags and symbols represent a unity between people for a single cause. Even back in medieval times, men would ride to war with the crest of their king. Is it any different from now?

   In Triumph of the Will, a single logo known by everyone as the Swastika (Nazi Symbol) is used for the purpose of showing their allegiance to their leader. They are prepared to die for him and will do whatever he commands them to. I also chose symbols because in Triumph of the Will, I noticed that they also had an idol. It was an idol of an eagle. This idol symbolizes bravery and is used very frequently in historical and present logos and flags.

   In Battleship Potemkin, only 2 flags manipulated the movie, which is the flag before the takeover of the battleship and a single white flag. The white flag symbolizes freedom of the people and also an uprising. This was what I interpreted in the film. A large amount of variety of flags were put up on the departure of the battleship. This probably means that the people are united as one.

   In conclusion, flags are a representative of causes and ideology of people.

FACES

   Finally, we come down to the most emotional part of silent films, The Face! The face is one of the most important elements of a silent film, according to me anyway, second to the body. It brings out the emotions you (the audience) and also the character.

   In Triumph of the Will, the men at the camp were enjoying themselves and showed happiness. This expression shows how great it would be to be working along side these similar people. The audience will feel the urge to join in the action and thus another element of propaganda is born. Hitler's strict and monotonous face shows how serious this event is and how important this revolution is to him. It also shows people the need to respect such a man. Even in films like The Godfather, emotion is a weakness. People who show less emotion are more highly respected. Thus, the nation respects Hitler as their leader.

   In Battleship Potemkin, the faces were one of the most important element of it's film, It showed authority, depression, fear, anger, rage and many other emotions. Especially since there were no voices in this film. Most of the emotion of the face was set at the key scene which was the at the attack at the steps of Odessa. The citizens were so afraid by the retaliation of Tsar. Imagine without these facial expression, this movie would have very much less meaning. It would just be another version of Night and Fog. A massacre. These emotions that are released by the faces give hope to the audience and also gives them a sense of relativity. Towards those who are suffering.