Extra Credit Question #1

How does Lenny Riefenstahl manifest power through the aesthetic choices of her nazi films?

Lenny Riefenstahl was a German Actress/film directer who was very well known for her propaganda and uses of aesthetics towards the Nazi war effort. Through her films she displays only blond haired, blue eyed boys. This suggested that only boys who were blond and had blue eyes were more accepted in society, putting down anyone who did not meet the criteria. She did not use any negative ways of putting down brown haired, brown eyed boys (or any other combination of difference) to promote the blond haired blue eye, but instead focused on and obsessed over the positive of being blond and blue eyed. Through her strive to positively show these people in a positive light, she promoted negative feelings towards anyone who was not blond haired blue eyed. This goes to show that what you promote acceptable as a designer, also implies what is not acceptable in society. Are we doing the same thing in todays fashion magazines? Is anyone who is not a size zero not considered beautiful? Society's obsession with being skinny is with out a doubt fueled by the media and their promotion of scary skinny models. The designers of this media, like Lenny Rienfenstahl have the power to control how we think, and what we deem to be beautiful and acceptable in our society.