This is a slander of Leni Reifenstahl. Her film Triumph of the Will is, indeed, an outstanding piece of propaganda. It is slanted to glorify Hitler. It is somewhat "manipulative" in that scenes were staged to please the camera and other scenes emphasized the Aryan features of the participants. But, it was truly a documentary which covered an event that actually happened. It was not manufactured from clips taken out of context: There was no time shifting; no "explanatory" voice over; no insinuation that unrelated events were related. It was not a lie.
Michael Moore may be "talented." But he is not in the class of Leni Reifenstahl, who changed the perceived limits of cinematography. His talent is more of the class of a Joseph Goebbels' attack on Jewish bankers. He attacks with lies and innuendo, not to build up or glorify, but to tear down.
Nor was Leni Reifenstahl "unscrupulous". Her film, Olympia, about the 1936 Olympics, included (indeed, featured) the achievements of the American black athelete Jesse Owens, despite enormous pressure from the Nazi party.
In short: Leni Reifenstahl was an extremely talented artist; Michael Moore is a no-talent scumbag.
Afterthought: Leni Reifenstahl lived to a 101; if Michael Moore pulls his obese carcass another 10 years, it will be major surprise.
maybe we should send mikey some big macs to help speed him on his way.
I humbly defer to your obviously greater knowlege of film history and artistic content. I thought I was doing pretty well just to get her name spelled right. And thank you for ending your comments on what I consider to be a very upbeat analysis of Moore's health & longevity prospects.
Excuse my french, but that is bullshit. Lumpy Riefenstahl is not "talented". He is marginally clever, and considerably sneaky. Period. He LOOKS talented, because he Plays to a predictable crowd, AND is in an Uninhabited field.
The moveon.org commercial contest had more talented entires than the swill he puts out.