Date: Tue, 16 Sep 2003 12:47:01 -0400 (EDT) From: "John Francis" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: OT: Leni Reifenstahl: A giant passes away Message-Id: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
> > But then I've always tended to think that "art" can stand and be judged > independent of the artist. Good thing, since many famous painters have been real > assholes in real life. Not just painters, either. I can just about understand this when it's a highly competitive field such as intertnational sports - to be the best you have to beat your competition, and nice guys finish last. But in a less competitive atmosphere it still seems that having whatever it takes to set your work ahead of the pack often comes at the cost of social skills. Is this the price of fame? Nah! Great artists are just people with great artistic ability. By all counts (no pun intended), Haydn was this great guy and Bach, other than being truly parsimonious (with all those kids, no wonder) gave freely of his time to help his peers, while Wagner was jealous and totally self-centered. Dickenson was totally reclusive while Whitman seemed to always be out cruising. Django Reinhardt and Picasso remained "above the fray" during WWII while others fled on moral principles. Reifenstahl was one of the best documentary makers ever. She was excedingly bright and chose to make what she wanted. I can't believe she didn't have the smarts to know just what was going on. I have a friend who was 12 when the war ended. Her father was a Nazi mayor in Germany and there are pictures of her presenting flowers to the Leader. She says that she knew what was going on, so it's difficult to believe that Leni didn't. It was to her benefit, so she did it. People like that don't cause millions to be killed, but they do make it easier for the monsters to ply their trade. This doesn't stop us from enjoying the quality of their work. Larry
