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Article Evaluation

The Wikipedia article on Meshes of the Afternoon is reasonably comprehensive. It includes a plot summary and basic narrative structure, background of the film, production information, and provides the analyses and discussions of film critics. It also includes a section entitled 'Influence' that discusses Deren's unique cinematic elements and their influence on other filmmakers and films. This article, however, is lacking information from Maya Deren, herself, in discussing her intentions for making this film. There is only one small paragraph which discuses Deren's perspective, which mentions her then-husband as well:

The film was the product of Deren's and Hammid's desire to create an avant garde personal film that dealt with devastating psychological problems, like the French surrealist films of the 1920s such as Salvador Dalí and Luis Buñuel's Un Chien Andalou (1929) and L'Age d'Or (1930).

With the exception of the mention of the critics' analytical discussions, the article does not assert any specific claims or hold any specific positions regarding the film's content. Its plot summary is basic and speaks to what happens on screen. I would suggest that there be a section added, in which in addition to discussing the analyses of critics, there be mention of Deren's subjective opinion on the film and how it relates, in a greater scope, to the content in her other films. There is little mention or reference to her other works, and surprisingly, the article does not include the word 'feminist' or explanation of her role on capturing the female subjectivity in film. In the scholarly piece we read for our class discussion, "Maya Deren and an American Avant-garde Cinema," Rabinovitz includes a quote from Deren herself where she discusses her ideas for the film and how she was able to cinematically express them. Rabinovitz offers a detailed discussion of Deren's influence on feminist cinema, in analyzing her cinematic representation of the female experience. Therefore, this article is lacking Deren's own input and discussion, only including the analyses of male critics, Joseph Hoberman, Lewis Jacobs, and Joseph Brinton.

The article's citations are working and support the content included in the article. Most of the information provided are from reliable sources, either from archives, such as JSTOR, film guides, bbc.com, etc. Other sources are from personal blogs and less reputable websites. Most of the facts included in the article are referenced, however, some are not. The external links that are posted on the page are linked to the film's IMDB, Rotten Tomatoes, and All Movie pages.

The last revision to the page was on February 12, 2018, and revisions occur relatively frequently. The Talk page consists of one user asking other Wikipedia users to review his or her changes, asking to verify one specific link.

Week Seven

I plan to research and contribute to Leni Riefenstahl’s article the influence of the aesthetics of fascism on her filmography. I would like to look at the evolution of her work and see how the socio-political climate influenced it. I will use resources that analyze and refer to Riefenstahl’s earlier works, her works commissioned by Hitler, and post-Hitler and fascism films, and photography books, etc. I will use the following resources to aid me in my search:

Fehervary, Helen, Claudia Lenssen, and Judith Mayne. "From Hitler to Hepburn: A Discussion of Women's Film Production and Reception." New German Critique, no. 24/25 (1981): 172-85. doi:10.2307/488048.

Gardner, Robert. "Can The Will Triumph?" Film Comment 3, no. 1 (1965): 28-31. http://www.jstor.org/stable/43753296.

Hinton, David B. The Films of Leni Riefenstahl. London: Scarecrow Press, 2000.

Riefenstahl, Leni. The Sieve of Time: the Memoirs of Leni Riefenstahl. London: Quartet Books, 1999.

Rentschler, Eric. "Fatal Attractions: Leni Riefenstahl's "The Blue Light"." October 48 (1989): 47-68. doi:10.2307/778948.

Draft

Riefenstahl’s lead section begins with a summary of her professions, and then proceeds to give a brief background of her early life in Germany. It, then, discusses her decision to become an actress, which leads into her directing career. The summary of her life as a director is strictly condensed to Triumph of the Will and Olympia. The lead section merely references her first film, and does discuss or reference the other films that she directed. The nature of her relationship with Hitler is mentioned in the lead section; however, there is no mention of her directing style. The lead section ends with the cause and the date of her death, and her burial site.

I think that Riefenstahl’s Lead Section on Wikipedia is much more comprehensive than those of other female directors and women. However, I would that the early reference to Hitler shows that viewers are more interested in and intrigued by her relationship with Hitler than by her films. The question that I will explore is whether or not she should be appreciated for her art. I will edit the lead section to touch on the topics that I am looking to expand on—specifically about the content, form, and style of her other films and how they compare or differ from her films that were commissioned as means of nationalist propaganda.

The section headed ‘Directing Career,’ begins with her propaganda films. The content discusses the beginnings of Riefenstahl’s professional relationship with Hitler, beginning from her admiration of his public speaking talents. The section then mentions the opportunities that Hitler offered to her, and speaks of their friendly relationship. Regardless of the truth of her relationship with Hitler, this section negatively associates Riefenstahl with the atrocities committed by Hitler, rather than separating her filmmaking skills in Triumph of the Will from her relationship with him. However, her style and skills are mentioned in the discussion of Olympia. I will add a similar discussion of her style in Triumph of the Will.

There is no mention of her film Wild Water, made in between Triumph of the Will and Olympia, in 1937. I will add a section that analyzes this film to a greater extent, especially looking at her form and cinematography in relation to Triumph of the Will and Olympia.

Throughout her Wikipedia page are brief mentions of her 1954 film Tiefland (Lowlands), which she postponed working and producing for her propaganda films. I will add a section that compares and contrasts the style, tone, and underlying meaning of Tiefland compared to her propaganda films and her earliest film The Blue Light and to her unreleased 1965 film Alone Among the Nuba, and her 2002 film Impressions under Water. I will also add a section that discusses the evolution of her style as Hitler and fascism evolved.

Peer Review

Cayla Bamberger

Hi Sophie! Your draft seems like it's off to a great start.

Everything that you have included seems very relevant to your topic. I see no distractions throughout your work.

You do a great job at remaining neutral in your writing, even about a topic that brushes with a subject as heavy as Nazism and Hitler. I would just be careful, as you continue to write, that when you discuss "whether or not she should be appreciated for her art," you balance both sides of the argument and speak in factual terms—as I have no doubt that you'll be able to do! I especially commend you on recognizing that a "section negatively associates Riefenstahl with the atrocities committed by Hitler, rather than separating her filmmaking skills." This seems very important in representing all viewpoints!

Your sources look very solid and all your information appears to be up to date.