Leni Riefenstahl - in Popular Culture

In Popular Culture

Riefenstahl’s filming merits are discussed between characters in the Quentin Tarantino film Inglourious Basterds. Tarantino explained the significant presence of Third Reich filmmaking in his film: “Riefenstahl and Goebbels despised each other. He was in charge of every single person in the German film industry with the sole exception of her”.

Leni, an award winning play by Sarah Greenman, is based on the life and work of Leni Riefenstahl. It saw productions in Oakland, California in 2004, Portland, Oregon in 2007, Seattle, Washington in 2008, and was showcased at the New York Fringe Festival in 2007.

A play based on Riefenstahl, Playing Leni (originally titled Dysfictional Circumstances) by David Robson and John Stanton, won the Hotel Obligado Audience Choice Award for New Work at the 2010 Spark Showcase in Philadelphia. It subsequently received a staged reading at the Philly Fringe Festival and was produced in May 2011 by Madhouse Theater.

Riefenstahl was referenced a number of times in the movie-lampooning television show, Mystery Science Theater 3000. In a season 8 episode of the show, as the characters in the show watch the 1950s horror film The Leech Woman, the lead female character of the film is transformed to a younger version of herself with a potion. Robot Tom Servo, upon seeing the newly rejuvenated character, says: “They turned her into Leni Riefenstahl!” The director was also mentioned by an MST3k character as they watched a short 1950s film Century 21 Calling; at one point Crow rhetorically asks “Did Leni Riefenstahl direct this?” as the blond, idealized-teens enthusiastically cavort at the Seattle World's Fair.