The diving sequence at the end should be mandatory viewing in every film school. It could make Dziga Vertov blush.
Like part one, this is at its best when the breathless commentary stops and the images speak for themselves. There's less Hitler in this part, but the bastard still shows up periodically to kill the vibe.
From the moment the first swastika appears on screen at around the 17 minute mark, it was impossible for me to experience Olympia as anything other than the description I've always heard: a groundbreaking sports documentary that is inseparable from its geopolitical context.
One can't look at Hitler's smiling face and the crowd of adoring Germans without thinking about what was to come. Nor could I help but wonder how many of the friendly military age athletes would soon be…
This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.
Two hedgehogs sit on the surface of the moon pondering the nature of love and loss a few minutes before they destroy it with a giant laser.
Being aware that you are the slop does not absolve you of being the slop.
