Most recent public comments by Tracy Shu https://nowcomment.com/users/19896 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43792?scroll_to=513750 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43792?scroll_to=513750 Fri, 20 May 2016 10:27:54 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43792?scroll_to=511607 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43792?scroll_to=511607 Fri, 20 May 2016 14:57:54 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43792?scroll_to=511606 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43792?scroll_to=511606 However, that content can be organized in a way where the main purpose of including those scenes is intentionally "scripted" to draw attention to the strong collective efforts of including EVERYONE in the war. Fri, 22 Apr 2016 07:16:30 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43792?scroll_to=511603 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43792?scroll_to=511603 Fri, 22 Apr 2016 07:15:40 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43792?scroll_to=511600 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43792?scroll_to=511600 in the street, its important to depict life as its naturally being lived by people in the film. Fri, 22 Apr 2016 07:14:45 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43792?scroll_to=511597 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43792?scroll_to=511597 Thu, 12 May 2016 19:10:58 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43792?scroll_to=511596 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43792?scroll_to=511596 gives people self motivation and drive to suceed. Fri, 20 May 2016 23:00:58 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43792?scroll_to=511595 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43792?scroll_to=511595 on an active fighting duty or being a messenger, each individual takes an important role. Fri, 20 May 2016 14:54:36 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43792?scroll_to=511594 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43792?scroll_to=511594 as contribution to the war. Whether that includes administrative tasks or taking larger roles such as active fighting. Fri, 20 May 2016 10:27:54 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43792?scroll_to=511069 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43792?scroll_to=511069 It reminded me of America's own Rosie the Riveter during WWII. Thu, 12 May 2016 19:10:58 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43791?scroll_to=510462 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43791?scroll_to=510462 Fri, 20 May 2016 14:42:42 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43791?scroll_to=510461 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43791?scroll_to=510461 Sun, 17 Apr 2016 07:34:38 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43791?scroll_to=510460 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43791?scroll_to=510460 Fri, 20 May 2016 10:08:10 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43791?scroll_to=510459 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43791?scroll_to=510459 Sun, 17 Apr 2016 07:33:01 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43791?scroll_to=510458 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43791?scroll_to=510458 Given that this film was focusing more on "the people", it was used to depict the everyday life of how people lived in Britain during the war. Fri, 20 May 2016 14:48:48 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43791?scroll_to=506326 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43791?scroll_to=506326 However in Why We Fight, we see the experiences of Americans and their participation in the war, which gives off a more democratic presence. Wed, 06 Apr 2016 06:57:36 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43791?scroll_to=506325 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43791?scroll_to=506325 Fri, 20 May 2016 14:42:42 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43785?scroll_to=506324 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43785?scroll_to=506324 Although Olympia and Triumph of the Will celebrated different events, they both highlighted the main focus and theme -- the power and strength of Nazi Germany. While Olympia celebrated the power of Germany via athletic competition, Triumph of the Will celebrated the dominance of Nazi Germany through the romanticization of Hitler. Wed, 06 Apr 2016 06:59:41 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43785?scroll_to=506323 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43785?scroll_to=506323 Adding to the idea of "German Romanticism", the Olympics were also another way to show political dominance. Since many world powers (countries such as US) were to participate, the fact that the Olympics was even held in Germany showed that it was at its strongest state, holding one of the most coveted and popular athletic competitions in the world. Wed, 06 Apr 2016 06:58:55 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43785?scroll_to=506322 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43785?scroll_to=506322 of the athletes. For example, focusing on runners' muscles on their legs. Wed, 06 Apr 2016 06:58:20 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43791?scroll_to=506321 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43791?scroll_to=506321 a time and place. Wed, 06 Apr 2016 06:55:06 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43791?scroll_to=505295 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43791?scroll_to=505295 While Triumph of the Will was very obviously filmed for propaganda romanticizing the power of Nazi Germany. This was intended to persuade people to follow Hitler's fascists ideologies. However, why We Fight showed the other side of how people lived on a day-to-day basis as well as factual content. Also in Why We Fight, we learned more about the history of the war and why soldiers were fighting the war from the British point of view. Sat, 02 Apr 2016 08:05:28 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43791?scroll_to=505294 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43791?scroll_to=505294 I think a voiceover narrator is used to defined a certain perspective. Although the voiceover was narrating facts and images, there are ways that narration can implicitly express views. I think Riefenstahl being a director of propaganda would support this-- using narration to explain events but also using narration in a tone that can imply messages to define a perspective. Sun, 17 Apr 2016 07:33:01 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43791?scroll_to=505293 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43791?scroll_to=505293 In the context of the film, the sense of realism is drawn by the reflection of how desensitized people became as a result of the war. Even though the war brought upon tragic events, people became numb to it because it was happening so often. Although it is not realistic to us to be reacting so apathetically, we must realize that these people have been living in war for a long time. Fri, 20 May 2016 14:42:42 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43790?scroll_to=502027 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43790?scroll_to=502027 I don't think that Riefenstahl had part in the execution Nazi Agenda, but I do believe that she influenced pro-Nazi sentiments that led to the support of the Nazi agenda with her films. Her films romanticized Hitler and Nazi Germany in a way that condoned what they did. Her films also promoted the idea of strength in the form of the aryan race. (She would film young, strong, blonde aryan men in Triumph of the WIl. Thu, 24 Mar 2016 07:49:41 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43790?scroll_to=502024 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43790?scroll_to=502024 I don't think the film was intended to present Riefenstahl as a liar. Instead, I think it was intended to show the different sides of her. We are only used to seeing the intelligent "director" oriented side of her, but the film was intended to depict her in different lights. The film showed Riefenstahl to be stubborn and picky (ex. when she chooses shots of herself), but maybe thats why she was able to produce nationally-acclaimed films. Fri, 20 May 2016 18:25:03 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43790?scroll_to=501873 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43790?scroll_to=501873 I am skeptical of Riefenstahl's comment that politics and art can be separated. Especially because of the political nature of her content (Nazi Germany- pro-Nazi government), any way she portrays her content will send a particular message. Art is used to send a message through visuals. It is very hard to separate art and politics just because art is driven by an incentive and message that the artist wants to portray whether it is subliminally or explicitly. Fri, 20 May 2016 18:03:11 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43790?scroll_to=501870 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43790?scroll_to=501870 Leni Riefenstahl's portrayal of herself of being naive and innocent is misleading given the scenes we've seen of her in the film. She is definitely aware of what other people intends to do and she gets what she wants by being adamant in her decisions. For example, in the scene of when she was talking to the director and staff about how she wanted to be filmed, she was adamant about particular camera shots/angles since she knows that different shots/angles will make he be perceived differently. Thu, 24 Mar 2016 07:45:35 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43790?scroll_to=501864 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43790?scroll_to=501864 Yes I do think Sontag is reading into it too much. This scene of her petting the stingray was intended to depict the human elements of Riefenstahl by showing her hobbies and interest. This occurs more naturally to her since it depicts her in her natural element. This also helped perceive her in a different light instead of the public brand that she's developed as this big time director for Hitler. Showing her underwater hobbies also spoke alot about who she is--adventurous. Thu, 24 Mar 2016 07:44:20 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43790?scroll_to=501850 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43790?scroll_to=501850 Yes, the film does support the conclusion of "the wonder horrible world of Leni Riefenstahl." It showed a very different side of her that is not typically displayed to the public on her accord. We see her being extremely particular about how she wants to be filmed. She also embodied a tone of annoyance when she is not being filmed the way she wants. Thu, 24 Mar 2016 07:43:06 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43785?scroll_to=501184 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43785?scroll_to=501184 Hitler's agreement to filming the Olympics in Germany is another strategy of his to maintain Germany as a dominant world power. Given that the Olympics is a highly coveted and public global event, Germany's hosting of the events showcased the extent of power that Germany has. This was a chance for Hitler to prove Germany's strength relative to the countries participating. Tue, 22 Mar 2016 08:43:17 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43785?scroll_to=501183 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43785?scroll_to=501183 The fascist aesthetic in Olympia represented what Hitler wanted his country to be -- strong, youthful, and resilient. This is why Riefenstahl included shots that focused in on the human form to depict strong people in representing Germany as a nation. Tue, 22 Mar 2016 08:42:14 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43785?scroll_to=501182 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43785?scroll_to=501182 The Cinematography is emphasized because the quality of the footage reflects the artistic credentials of the director and the message that she (Riefenstahl) portrays. Not only does she want to portray her message in a carefully constructed way using selective cinematographic decisions, but her decisions also reflect the credentials and truth-value in her message. Tue, 22 Mar 2016 08:41:41 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43785?scroll_to=501181 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43785?scroll_to=501181 An athlete's representation at the Olympics is much more than a game of sport. It represents a nation in a broader pool of other countries. It gives people belonging to a represented country something to cheer about-- a sense of pride and nationalism. Human form is also focused on with camera shots that captured athletes' bodies, especially legs. These camera shots helped parallel the symbolic power and strength that exists in sports. This might also explain why nationalism is touched upon in this film. Strength in athletics showcase power, which reflects the desires of a strong country (nationalism). Tue, 22 Mar 2016 08:40:51 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43763?scroll_to=501180 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43763?scroll_to=501180 After watching the film, the audience is free to view Hitler any way it wants-- based on the audience's extent of prior knowledge of Hitler. Given the limited content that only exposes and spreads one-sided propaganda on Nazi Germany, it is hard for audience members who do not know any better to look at Hitler in a negative light. Riefenstahl did a good job in depicting Hitler as Germany's savior in maintaining a "pure" and "strong" country, but her exclusion of Hitler's insidious actions (mass genocide) skew's the audience's perception of Hitler. Thu, 19 May 2016 18:42:35 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43763?scroll_to=501178 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43763?scroll_to=501178 Triumph of the Will focuses on shot selection by romanticizing Hitler in a way that perceives him as a savior for Germany. "Conduct" was a well chosen word because it showed that Hitler knew how to execute his objectives in a way that would persuade people to believe in his Nazi mission. Since Hitler was a very strong oral presenter, Riefenstal's inclusion of his speeches contributed to the propaganda effect of persuading people to glorify Nazi Germany. Tue, 22 Mar 2016 08:38:27 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43763?scroll_to=501177 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43763?scroll_to=501177 The content in Riefenstahl's film takes on a formal role in that it is carefully constructed to fulfill an objective. Although "documentary," this is also a propaganda film in which content is preconceived and executed accordingly to fit the objectives that the film is trying to project (pro-nazi / pro hitler sentiments.) Tue, 22 Mar 2016 08:37:37 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43762?scroll_to=494049 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43762?scroll_to=494049 Thu, 10 Mar 2016 07:19:26 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43762?scroll_to=494048 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43762?scroll_to=494048 Wed, 02 Nov 2016 12:23:44 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43762?scroll_to=494047 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43762?scroll_to=494047 Thu, 10 Mar 2016 07:17:30 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43762?scroll_to=494045 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43762?scroll_to=494045 Documentaries are never truly objective since there are limited ways in including everything into a film. Therefore, producers select the perspective they want you to see and continue building scenes that support this perspective. In Triumph of the Will, Riefenstahl glorified Nazi Germany and romanticized the strength of the young aryan race with the happy scenes of ambitious and vibrant young German boys. Fri, 20 May 2016 10:49:54 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43758?scroll_to=474992 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43758?scroll_to=474992 I believe that the moral lesson of Nanook of the North was that happiness lies on one's perspective and outlook on life. Even though bad things may happen, with the right perspective and outlook, you can still be content. Given that we've grown up in a modern civilization in a first world country (America), our perspectives are a little skewed to be "spoiled." Thus, if an average American had to live in the conditions that Nanook and his family lived in, their perspective on life might be discontent and struggles. However, with the right perspectives, you can make any way of life enjoyable-- as perceived by the smiling faces of Nanook and his family. Sat, 20 Feb 2016 08:25:25 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43758?scroll_to=474990 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43758?scroll_to=474990 Nanook was depicted of being a noble savage. He lived a pretty "raw" life being an eskimo with his family-- a life that isn't dependent on modern technologies and is . However, I felt a deep appreciation for this way of life. Even though his son had to drink (which many modern Americans would find disgusting) the fish oil? the fish oil for his stomach ache, it seemed as if he enjoyed the taste. Nanook's "noble savage" way of life helped him and his family be content and happy with simple things. Fri, 19 Feb 2016 15:23:11 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43758?scroll_to=474989 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43758?scroll_to=474989 I do not feel sorry for Nanook and his family. The purpose of a documentary is depict the true nature of a subject. Regardless of whether Flaherty was objective in shooting his film, he portrayed Nanook and his family in one perspective-- happy. Since Flaherty depicted Nanook's family to be with no issues, as an audience member, I do not have a reason to feel pity for his family. Sat, 20 Feb 2016 08:26:40 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43758?scroll_to=474987 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43758?scroll_to=474987 Personally, I believe that Flaherty should not have manipulated certain scenes and characters. In order to get the true authenticity of a documentary, one must capture the true intentions and behavior of their everyday lives. Although this may deviate from the uniform "theme" or "message" the film might be trying to promote, capturing the true spirit of the people is important to developing a documentary. Essentially, this true spirit includes the good and the bad occurrences. Sat, 20 Feb 2016 08:31:51 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43758?scroll_to=474984 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43758?scroll_to=474984 In my opinion, Nanook of the North was aesthetically pleasing in terms of its visual imagery. There were many wide angle shots that captured the environment of how and where Nanook's family lived. However, there were also close-up shots that showed the details of Nanook's face-- the deep lines and wrinkles. This gave a personal representation of his life. I enjoyed the variety of shots, as the images depicted were different. Sat, 20 Feb 2016 08:34:27 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43758?scroll_to=474982 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43758?scroll_to=474982 Sat, 20 Feb 2016 08:27:08 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43742?scroll_to=467467 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43742?scroll_to=467467 Wed, 10 Feb 2016 10:49:12 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43742?scroll_to=467457 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43742?scroll_to=467457 This statement is not the same as seeing is believing. This statement is simply appraising the value of photographs-- its ability to enhance its message. However, while photographs help enhance one perspective of something, it may not represent the full authentic picture of it. Similarly to film, film can depict images in a certain way as well. Tue, 09 Feb 2016 22:53:45 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43742?scroll_to=467444 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43742?scroll_to=467444 Tue, 09 Feb 2016 22:42:41 -0500