A three-part documentary about probably the most amazing and infamous woman in the history of film. Leni Riefenstahl was willing to reveal more or less her whole life story in front of Ray Müller’s camera and he was allowed to film her at work now. The film comprises spectacular shots of Riefenstahl, now well past 90, taking underwater shots of huge sting rays.Riefenstahl is of course best known for her lavish and lyrical documentaries such as Triumph des Willens and Olympiade, films which were made with the more-than-willing cooperation of Hitler’s regime. Riefenstahl has always since the war, that is argued that she did not regard herself as a propagandist for National Socialist and she does so again in this film. During the Neurenberg trials, she did not give an inch and it is not to be expected that she would after all these years. The value of The Wonderful, Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl is not in the revelation, but in making accessible a treasure¬house of material from the whole career of Riefenstahl as dancer, actress, film-maker, photographer and woman of the world.Using many well-chosen fragments, with comments from Riefenstahl, Müller gives a clear insight into her work. Nice moments are those when Riefenstahl intervenes in the way the documentary is made about her. Her vanity, egocentricity and bad temper are clearly revealed at moments like this and indicate something of the urgency with which she always worked.
