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Yar, you be here: Die Nibelungen > Customer Reviews Die Nibelungen Customer Reviews (1 - 3 of 12 Reviews)A classic tale brought to the silver screen
Die Nibelungen (1924) filmed at UFA ("The UFA Story" ISBN: 0809094835). Director Fritz Lang, the original story "Siegfried's Tod" I have seen it with German subtitles and other versions with English subtitles. Paul Richter (Siegfried) was in 45 other films, from 1921 to 1972. Siegfried (Paul Richter) is the son of the King of Xnnetn (Sigmund). He forges his own sward so sharp that it cuts chicken feathers. He is told that near the Rhine at Worms the King of Burgundy (Gunter) and his sister, Kriemhild is at a castle. Siegfried, "On the hour I leave for Worms to win Kriemhild"..."Show me the way if you want to live!" He falls for the "I know a short-cut" routine. Die Nibelungen snickers when he is out of earshot;"Your way leads not to Worms, but to Death" Guess who lives in the heart of the forest? Yep it is Fafnir the Dragon. Poor Fafnir was minding his own business getting a drink when Siegfried gets that "What can I hack" look on his face. The dragon even wags his tail with the approach of Siegfried. I won't give you the blow by blow. I'll just say that smoking can kill you. Fafnir gets stuck for the drinks and dragon blood drinks allows you to understand the birds. A little birdie tells him that bathing in dragon blood will make him invulnerable. You guest it cover your eyes. Oops look real quick. "Dragon tail flicks a linden leaf on Siggie's back." Can you say Achilles heel? Meanwhile back at the castle Volker von Alzey is already singing to Kriemhild of Siegfried' triumph over Fafnir. From here it goes on to deal with treasure, invisibility, and all the stuff that Teutonic mythology holds. Truly an Epic and a Work of High Art!
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. Before Frodo "Lord of the Rings" (2001)
Die Nibelungen (1924) filmed at UFA (The UFA Story ISBN: 0809094835). Director Fritz Lang, the original story "Siegfried's Tod" I have seen it with German subtitles and other versions with English subtitles. Paul Richter (Siegfried) was in 45 other films, from 1921 to 1972. Siegfried (Paul Richter) is the son of the King of Xnnetn (Sigmund). He forges his own sward so sharp that it cuts chicken feathers. He is told that near the Rhine at Worms the King of Burgundy (Gunter) and his sister, Kriemhild is at a castle. Siegfried, "On the hour I leave for Worms to win Kriemhild"..."Show me the way if you want to live!" He falls for the "I know a short-cut" routine. Die Nibelungen snickers when he is out of earshot; "Your way leads not to Worms, but to Death" Guess who lives in the heart of the forest? Yep it is Fafnir the Dragon. Poor Fafnir was minding his own business getting a drink when Siegfried gets that "What can I hack" look on his face. The dragon even wags his tail with the approach of Siegfried. I won't give you the blow by blow. I'll just say that smoking can kill you. Fafnir gets stuck for the drinks and dragon blood drinks allows you to understand the birds. A little birdie tells him that bathing in dragon blood will make him invulnerable. You guest it cover your eyes. Oops look real quick. "Dragon tail flicks linden leaf on Siggie's back." Can you say Achilles heel? Meanwhile back at the castle Volker von Alzey is already singing to Kriemhild of Siegfried' triumph over Fafnir. From here it goes on to deal with treasure, invisibility, and all the stuff that Teutonic mythology holds.
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