Hey, there! Log in / Register
Boston 2024: Get in that Olympic spirit by watching some Leni Riefenstahl and a movie about vengeance for the murder of Israeli athletes
By adamg on Sun, 03/22/2015 - 7:05pm
UPDATE: Boston 2024 has deleted the tweet.
This afternoon, Boston 2024 tweeted:
Have you seen all top ten Olympics movies on this list?
Get inspired. On your couch. #LazySunday #Boston2024
The tweet included a link to a list of must-see Olympic movies on a site called ShortList.com. Two of the movies make you wonder if anybody at Boston 2024 actually read the list.
The list starts by recommending Leni Riefenstahl's Olympia about the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Sure, the film "includes 3 minutes of footage of Adolf Hitler, whilst Riefenstahl allegedly had Nazi links," but, hey, how about that Jesse Owens and "the use of pioneering filming techniques, many of which were groundbreaking at the time?"
Here's part of a more sober look at the film by Robert C. Schneider and William F. Stier:
While official documentation ascribes “Olympia” to a company named Leni Riefenstahl Productions, the film’s finances were in fact controlled by Paul Joseph Goebbels, the Nazi minister of propaganda (Berg-Pan, 1980). Furthermore, a frank assessment of Riefenstahl’s possible complicity must not ignore her work for the National Socialist Party (prior to “Olympia”) making a film titled “Triumph of the Will.” In “Triumph of the Will,” the power of the National Socialist Party is clearly exhibited, and everything the German government believed good about Nazism is on display.
The Guardian also discusses Olympia: The shameful legacy of the Olympic Games.
Another entry in the list is Steven Spielberg's Munich, which is based on the Israeli operation to assassinate the Palestinians responsible for killing 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Games.
H/t Craig Caplan.
Neighborhoods:
Free tagging:
Ad:
Support Universal Hub
Help keep Universal Hub going. If you like what we're up to and want to help out, please consider a (completely non-deductible) contribution.
Comments
Not one but TWO German movies on the list
Germany must be so proud. Olympia and Munich are both on the Short List. And this on the heels of Hamburg being named the European candidate for 2024.
I'm going to move along now not make any comments about Leni Riefenstahl's allegedly Nazi ties. Nor will I make any mention of the growing anti-semitism in Europe these days.
*** Edited: Sorry, I meant "alleged" ties, not allegedly. I went to a nine hour retreat today. My brain is fried.
Hmmm ...
Yeah ... they are sort of like Whitey Bulger's alleged organized crime ties.
Meanwhile, maybe Boston 2024 should budget a small amount for one of these: http://www.chipandco.com/monorail-sale-190374/
Thanks
I obviously didn't read that far down the list to see "Munich." I've updated my original post to include that because while it might be a good movie (I don't know, I haven't seen it); I'm not quite sure it fits the definition of "inspire" that Boston 2024 was going for.
This has gone off track a little
The things I took away from this:
1. The deep pockets trying to capitalize on an Olympic Bid are not social media savvy at all. In fact they think it's beneath them. In the past they would make deals behind closed doors and manipulate the media as they saw fit by releasing press releases and making it a "need to know" organization. Today the privacy they used to enjoy is gone and the scrutiny is not only public and never ending but in real time. They truly don't get it. Not many over 50 do get it.
2. So what they do is hire a bunch of tech savvy children who may understand the nuances of social media but do not understand things like history, proof reading, fact checking, following up and overall being prepared. The Tweet that went out yesterday was a link to another site with a bunch of Olympic themed movies that this person in charge of "promoting" the #Boston2024 agenda thought was a positive thing. It turned out that they didn't bother to read the list or maybe didn't understand the history behind the Munich Olympics or more than likely just half assed it like so many people do. Once called out on it (after many hours) they took it down and pretended it never happened which of course is another mistake.
The under 30's running the social media and the over 50's running the money grabbing leave a big knowledge gap somewhere in the middle where huge mistakes often get made. At least that's my theory. It isn't really an age thing but a cultural gap.
So the Olympic Bid is failing. They aren't addressing the big picture which in my mind is getting the majority of people on board by showing us how we will benefit. So far all they have done is show us how it won't impact us and of course no one believes that.
Until these people realize that small businesses need to capitalize on this and that the locals need to rent their homes and parking spaces, get front row seats and VIP treatment as well as be treated as if they are SPECIAL and not in the way then this Bid is destined to fail. The hacks that are the powers that be have never wanted to share the pie and until they do the vocal and tech savvy majority will continue to be negative and critical.
http://cappyinboston.blogspot.com/
A relevant link:
http://www.3wiresports.com/2015/03/20/boston-2024-a-cool-hand-luke-problem/
"...Olympic bidding is truly for professionals only, who know and understand what’s at issue. There are billions of dollars at stake and communications needs to be a huge priority."
(Abrahamson is LA-based; I wouldn't expect him to have a dog in the fight of whether Boston *wants* the Olympics, but I think he'd prefer they be in Boston over, say, Hamburg.)
In what way...
...is Munich (an excellent movie) German? Apart from the title, that is.
Point taken
Munich isn't a German made move. It's a movie about the tragic end to a horrible event at an Olympics that just so happened to be held in Germany.
Munich isn't "about a tragic end to a horrible event"
It's about a country and a people exacting justice and retribution from the terrorists responsible for the "horrible event" that was, in fact, the cowardly murder of 11 Israeli athlete civilians .The terrorists meet their end but it could hardly be categorized as tragic. Not within the film nor in reality.
Great movie, by the way. And it's directed by Steven Spielberg, so you can rest assured that the Nazis aren't the good guys.
Dissonance
I think most people would call the murder of 11 innocent people "tragic."
Your appreciation for retribution may lead you to a different conclusion.
I don't think so
Well, no, not exactly. Within the film, that was the original and ostensible idea behind the operation, certainly. That was what the main character was told, and what he believed at first. As to what actually happened, and who/what was harmed and who/what was helped, well, that's a little more ambiguous. That ambiguity and uncertainty, and not "justice and retribution", is the main theme of the film.
not quite
Munich is English for München
Cool story, bro.
Cool story, bro.
Patrons of the Arts Have Their Messages
I haven't seen Olympia but I did see Triumph of the Will once. If it's not Nazi propaganda I don't know what is. It's a very slickly produced movie. It's all about the cool stuff and none of the uncomfortable evil stuff. You turn your critical intelligence off and just go with the flow. Leni Riefenstahl was a very talented and well supported filmmaker. I'm sure Boston 2024 would like to find someone as talented as her to make their case. But in the meantime let's recycle older propaganda because that turned out so well.
hucksters
They forgot one: I think "The Producers" would be recommended viewing for anyone trying to understand the hucksters at Boston2024...
Starring:
Starring:
John Fish as Max Bialystock
Rich Davey as Leo Bloom
Watching Olympia and Triumph of the Will
in highschool--they were shown to us by a very astute young history teacher--was a breakthrough moment for me, when I first understood the power of art as propaganda and how easily very ordinary people could be swayed and led. So while I can't defend the inclusion of Olympia in a group of rah-rah Olympics movies, I'd absolutely urge anyone to watch it as an example of excellent film-making put to a very dubious purpose.
Also...
"Birth of a Nation".
Exactly.
This is on my to-watch list--have never seen it but yes, have heard that it is (horrifyingly) excellent.
eh
it's easy to understand why it was so groundbreaking at the time, but it's a chore to watch now. not only for the racism (which is just mind-boggling), but for the hokiness. it's one of those Great Films that I hope I never have to see again. and don't get me STARTED on Intolerance.
source: someone with a B.A. and an M.A. in film studies
They took down the tweet
So it's comforting to know that SOME public opinion is actually getting through
New Olympics bombing movie in the works
Leo DiCaprio for this new one. http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv-movies/leonardo-dicaprio-jon...
"Blast" was another - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115701/
This movie game is kinda fun. With games footage requiring expensive licensing, movie makers find other script material, and besides, like showing stuff blow up! More percentage points to drop yet in public opinion...
For posteriority...
Occupocalypse grabbed a screenshot before the tweet was deleted.
Chicago Tribune weighs in on Boston 2024
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/international/chi-20150323-boston-2...