Die Nibelungen
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Movie Reviews of Die Nibelungen
Movie Review: A Landmark In Cinematic History Is Released For All !!!
Summary: 5 Stars
I have been a fan of Fritz Lang's Die Nibelungen since my purchase of the BETA tape version many years ago. I have anticipated this release for some time and have been thoroughly rewarded with the wait. Based on the 1861 play by Hebbel, it ignores Wagner's treatment of the story to present us with mythical characters set in a medieval background. For many, Die Nibelungen myth is the foundation of Germanic Kultur. It is a story of love, honor, betrayal, loyalty, and revenge which culminates in the destruction of family bonds.So, who will be interested in Die Nibelungen? Lovers of Wagner's Der Ring Des Nibelungen will be familiar with the story and will no doubt enjoy seeing a variation of the Nibelungen myth. Wagner's Brunnhilde will be seen as an amalgamation of Kriemhild and Brunhild. Lovers of fantasy will no doubt find much to enjoy here. The 60 foot dragon is a marvel to behold when you consider when the film was produced (1924). Lovers of drama will not be disappointed in the complex story that weaves it's way towards the catastrophic finale of Kreimhild's Revenge. And finally, lovers of movies, in general, and movie history will truly want to see one of the major motion pictures that have ever been produced.
What does this DVD version offer that the BETA and VHS versions do not? Plenty! We will start with Gottfried Huppertz score. I was initially concerned that I would hear a hackneyed reworking of Wagnerian themes. Thankfully Wagner is avoided which is at is should be. As noted, this version does not copy the Ring story, so it is right that the music should be as original as the screenplay. If you are a lover of early 20th century German romanticism, such as the composers Schrecker and Zemlinsky, you will like this score. Film score devotees will think of Korngold, Waxman, and Steiner. Since there is of course, no dialog or sound effects, you have the equivilent of a soundtrack cd at your disposal which you may listen to without even viewing the film.
Previous versions of Siegfried ran for 100 minutes, while this DVD version runs app. 143 minutes. Many of the previous scenes are now extended. Consider Peter Jackson's extended version of the Fellowship of the Ring as a comparison. However, there are a few vital additions to the Lang film which produce a fully realized story. SPOILER ALERT: I will provide a few examples from Siegfried for those already familiar with previous versions. For anyone new to this movie, you may wish to skip to the paragraph that is preceeded by a series of asteriks (*********)
There are some extended scenes which simply add more flavor to the story such as with the slaying of the dragon and Siegfried's defeat of Alberic. But, there are a number of additional scenes which help propel the story further. Kriemhild's dream is restored which depicts a white dove (Siegfried) being attacked by two black crows (Hagen and Gunther). Brunhild's slight rejection of the cross, and the wedding ceremony have been added. You have a clearer understanding of Gunther's dilemma on his wedding night, and his wish for Siegfried to replace him when Hagen states."Damned be the deed half done.." At the conclusion of the hunting scene, after Hagen slays Siegfried, he waves his hand and announces "The Hunt is Over!" Dramatic stuff that. But, the most important addition occurs at the very end. While Kriemhild is veiwing Siegfried's body, Hagen arrives. At that instant, blood flows from Siegfried's wound making it clear to Kriemhild who the murderer was. The wound scene was restored. Also an extended scene follows when Kriemhild, wanting revenge against Hagen, watches in horror as Gunther and her other brothers shield Hagen. The most important title card is then displayed, which is the centerpiece of the story. It reads: "Loyalty for loyalty, Kriemhild. His deed is ours. His fate is ours. Our breast is his shield." You wont find this crucial scene in the previous version, for there it is only implied.
The transfers are excellent when you consider the age of the film and sections of the movie which appeared deteriorated in previous versions have been restored. There is no decrease in the quality of the extended scenes versus the previously released scenes, resulting in a homogeneous quality in the film.
To save time and space, I will not devote any detailed attention to Kriemhild's Revenge which is also an extended version. Suffice it to say, that everything I noted for Seigfried applies. You will not be disappointed
Fritz Lang's Die Nibelungen defies genre and time and is a pivotal film in cinematic histoy. For those of you who have never invested the time watching a silent movie, there is no better place to start than right here. Urgently recommended!
Movie Review: An Outstanding Nibelung Legend
Summary: 5 Stars
No, not Wagner's, Fritz Lang's.
For several days now I've been obsessed overwatching Fritz Lang's two films
comprising his monumental epic "Die Nibelungen." Having spent most of my
life glimpsing bits of "Siegfried," it has been a phenomenal experience
finding KINO's painstakingly restored version of both it and "Kriemhilde's
Revenge."
The film truly is remarkable and must be seen to be believed. All the more
remarkable when one realizes almost (or all?) of it was filmed in a
soundstage. Even the amazing trees in Siegfried were man made!
First off, the story is quite the departure most of us know from Wagner's
epic, though many characters - in name at least - are familiar.
Hagan is the true villain of both films and Hans Adalbert von Schlettow is
a menacing, enormous, nasty Hagan.
The biggest character difference would have to be Brunnhilde who, here, is
a fiery, vindictive man eating warrior. Her castle (on a rocky mountain in
Iceland!) is encircled by a sea of flames. Yet another impressive visual
from Mr. Lang's company. Hannah Ralph's rather butch Brunnhilde can only
be won if Gunther can best her in 3 physical challenges - otherwise he
faces death. This section has its humorous element as Siegfried puts on
the magic tarnhelm and Gunther merely goes through the acts (the jumping
scene is a howler, but still impressive).
Paul Richter is terrific as Siegfried with his bleached blonde chopped mop
of hair. Margarete Schön is Kriemheld the love of his life. Docile and
dutiful, her performance in Siegfried in no way prepares you for the
revenge driven, unrelenting Queen of the Huns, Kriemheld becomes in the
second film "Kriemheld's Revenge" where the eternally grieving Kriemheld
takes up with no less than Attila the Hun, and bears him an heir! Attila
is played as a marvelous grotesque in a searing performance by Rudolf Klein
Rogge.
Siegfried has what must be one of the earliest nude scenes for a general
release motion picture. Paul Richter, the actor portraying Siegfried, had
daily fights with Lang over how he was being shot, etc. Things reached a
head when Richter refused to shoot the pivotal nude scene where the hero is
required to bathe in the blood of the freshly slain dragon to become
invincible. To take a dig at Richter, Lang called in his Attila, the not so
attractive Rudolf Klein-Rogge. Klein-Rogge immediately stripped and
performed the scene as Richter, quite vain about his perfect body, stood
off watching from the corner infuriated audiences would now see Klein-
Rogge's bare tuckus and believe it to be Richter's!
Gottfried Huppertz's score provides an excellent accompaniment to the film
at times recalling some Wagnerian themes, most notably a recurring (and
moving) passage based on the Act III Tristan prelude. At times some themes
are overused a bit and I almost believe complete silence would not have
been a bad idea. (But they didn't ask me, now then, did they?)
Lang works absolute cinema magic in both films. I can't imagine sets and
costumes more exciting or stunning than these. The robes in which he
covers Kriemheld, alone, are absolutely breathtaking; futuristic art deco
patterns over ancient designs. Indeed, the number of jaw dropping visual
moments are countless here. For anyone with an interest in Wagner's Ring,
or fans of early cinema this "Nibelungen" is a definite must see.
Movie Review: "For the German people"
Summary: 5 Stars
The title card "For the German people" precedes each of the two movies in the Die Niebelungen and it's probably good that it does.
First off, each of these movies draws from the old Nordic classic story (which is sort of Germany's answer to Beowulf). Secondly, a different version of this story was actually done by Germany's Hitlerian poet laureate himself Richard Wagner. And finally, of course many of themes raised in this two part series came to be very much a part of the leit motif of German consciousness through the end of World War II.
However, fortunately, this version of the story is under the enlightened directorial control of Fritz Lang who by the time he directed these movies (1924) had already given us Destiny and of course would later give us Metropolis. And like with Metropolis, Lang spared no expense in creating this classic. In this way, it's probably good to think of Lang -- in terms of his commitment to quality at any cost -- as being most like today's James Cameron.
It's also good that Lang directed this movie because under his hand, the focus of the Die Niebelungen story was sharpened to its essentials. In the first movie, Siegfried, we predictably focus on the character of Siegfried who looks like the mideval version of the soldier off a German army recruitment poster. He's bigger than life. He knows no fear. He slays a very realistic looking dragon. He slays another dragon of sorts when he helps his friend King Gunter win the hand of Brunhild (a female who pretty much looks like what you think a female named Brunhild would look like). And of course he wins the hand of fair Kreimhild, sister to Gunter.
In the second movie, entitled Kreimhild's revenge, we focus on...well...Kreimhild who is out for...well...revenge. This is because at the end of the first movie Brunhild realized that Seigfried and not Gunter was the one who beat her at sporting contests. And she was really cheesed off because losing those contests was the reason she married Gunter in the first place. Anyway, Kreimhild marries Attila the Hun (played by the same actor who so expertly portrayed Mabuse in Fritz Lang's first two Mabuse movies) and she pretty quickly starts going Rambo on everyone she thought was involved in Siegfried's death.
When the Nazis came to power, they actually re-released the Siegfried movie because they liked that whole story about how it portrayed a good German guy being betrayed. However, they didn't re-release Kreimhild's Revenge because of the way it accurately portrayed just how empty getting revenge turns out to be. It's perhaps in this later sense that we best see Lang's hand in this classic. In a way that would turn out to be all too non German Lang was always uniquely aware of the human cost at stake in his movies.
If you're new to silent cinema, I'm not going to lie to you. This might not be your cup of tea. Even with the cool dragon killing special effects and the blood and gore of Kreimhild's Revenge, it still might not be the one to start with. But if you like other movies by Lang or even other silent movies already then this just might be the one for you.
Movie Review: Truly an Epic and a Work of High Art!
Summary: 5 Stars
My real initiation into silent films started with a DVD release of The Lost World, which interested me because it was based on one of my favorite novels. As I have expanded my silent horizons, I have discovered that the artistic quality of many early films ranks easily with the great works of the later parts of the 20th century.
During the inter-war depression in Germany, the economics of the horribly weak German mark put the German film industry in the enviable position of paying their people in marks and selling the films abroad for dollars and pounds sterling. This allowed the most extravagant productions and virtually eliminated artistic restrictions on German filmmakers.
Die Nibelungen is a great example of what could be done. It is huge in scale with fabulous sets and costumes that might rival many modern spectacles. The story is, of course, the great German epic myth of Siegfried, though the plot is much much more along the lines of the medieval epic poem than the more Nordic version of Wagner's operas. It is original in concept and Lang's direction is superb. The photography is beautiful. The characters develop fully, taking good advantage of the nearly 5-hour length. Full of complex themes - love, hatred, a strange medieval concept of loyalty, and especially vengence - this film has the capacity to draw the viewer in and strain the emotions. I just couldn't stop watching, even though I was emotionally exhausted at the end.
Of course, one must make allowances for the special effects - this was the early 1920's. The dragon was described by my daughter as laughable, which I suppose it was. But if you can at least try to look past the technical limitations of the time, you will find an exquisite classic film that is well worth the time investment.
I have discovered a whole world of fine films by learning to see silents within their own context. Many of them, and Die Nibelungen is near the top of the list, are truly great works of art, and must not be dismissed by the modern SFX-glutted audience. Yes, they are black and white. Yes, they are silent. Yes, they have primitive special effects. But the photography is often gorgeous, the acting can be superb, the production values sometimes rise to equal the best of the modern films, and some of the old directors could mold a really fine product. Die Nibelungen is one of the best I have seen.
Movie Review: The Enchanted Forest
Summary: 5 Stars
Long before "Lord of the Rings" and "Gladiator" there was "Die Nibelungen". The great German director of "Die Nibelungen" was Fritz Lang, who stated that only he and Erich von Stroheim made movies for art; not money. And 1924's "Die Nibelungen" made money. A Nordic legend, "Die Nibelungen" is the story of Siegfried, son of King Siegmund, who seeks the hand of lovely Kriemhild. First, he must tour a strange, primevil forest and wrestle mountain gnomes, mystical dwarfs, and a fire-breathing dragon. He wins the true love of Kriemhild, only to fall victim to jealous murder. His widow's vendetta of revenge comprises the rest of this massive 5-hour epic. This enchanting fantasy features stark symbolism and brilliant animation. Stop-motion, animatronics, and in-camera dissolves(never done today) are among the many special effects. Filmed mostly on the massive Berlin UFI studio sets, "Die Nibelungen" is Lang's first great masterpiece of mise-en-scene; a treat for the eyes, a numbing of the senses. Raised eyebrows,... and rolling eyes dominate the dated(but classical) Germanic acting. A leading role is played by Rudolph Klein-Rogge, who joined Lang 5 years later for "Metropolis". The magical cinema ambience is aided by veteran producer Erich Pommer. Kino's gorgeous new DVD of "Die Nibelungen" contains 100 minutes of film never seen before in the modern world. Despite some artifact damage and minor pixelation, scenes are so clear and pristine as to be disturbing. When Siegfried dies, DVD clarity reveals the trembling of the spear in his back; as the very much alive actor continues to breath. The DVD offers several amazing special features, including scene selections, an original color storyboard, miniature-set production notes, actual footage of Lang shooting the movie, and a photo gallery. A comparison of the fire-breathing dragon scene here, and in Douglas Fairbank's "Thief of Bagdad(released 6 months later)" concludes that movie piracy in China today had it's roots in America long ago. The Revenge Motif of Fritz Lang's "Nibelungen" surfaced again years later in his films "Fury" and the "The Big Heat". In Joshua Logan's classic story of "Camelot", King Arthur proclaims that "Vengance is the most worthless of motives..". In "Die Nibelungen", it's the only game in town.