Die Nibelungen
| Die Nibelungen | |
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Original 1924 film poster
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| Directed by | Fritz Lang |
| Produced by | Erich Pommer |
| Screenplay by | Fritz Lang Thea von Harbou |
| Based on | Nibelungenlied |
| Starring |
Paul Richter Margarete Schön Hanna Ralph Bernhard Goetzke Theodor Loos Rudolf Klein-Rogge Rudolf Rittner Hans Adalbert Schlettow Georg August Koch Georg John Gertrud Arnold Hans Carl Müller Erwin Biswanger Fritz Alberti Annie Röttgen |
| Music by | Gottfried Huppertz |
| Cinematography |
Carl Hoffmann Günther Rittau Walter Ruttmann |
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Production
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| Distributed by | UFA |
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Release date
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Running time
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143 min. (1st part) 145 min. (2nd part) |
| Country | Weimar Republic |
| Language |
Silent film German intertitles |
Die Nibelungen (The Nibelungs) is a series of two silent fantasy films created by Austrian director Fritz Lang in 1924: Die Nibelungen: Siegfried and Die Nibelungen: Kriemhild's Revenge.
The screenplays for both films were co-written by Lang's then-wife Thea von Harbou, based upon the epic poem Nibelungenlied written around AD 1200. The Nibelungs received its UK Premiere at the Royal Albert Hall in London, where it played for forty performances between 29 April-20 June 1924. Siegfried was released in the U.S. on 23 August 1925, premiering at the Century Theatre in New York City in the short-lived Phonofilm sound-on-film process. Kriemhild's Revenge was released in the U.S. in 1928.
The title character Siegfried, son of King Siegmund of Xanten, masters the art of forging a sword at the shop of Mime. Mime sends Siegfried home, but while preparing to leave, Siegfried hears the tales of the kingdom of Burgundy, the kings who rule there, as well as of Kriemhild, the princess of Burgundy. Siegfried announces he wants to win her hand in marriage, much to the amusement of the smiths. By way of physical violence, Siegfried demands to be told the way. Mime, who is envious of Siegfried's skill as a swordsmith, claims there is a shortcut through the Wood of Woden; in reality, this route will lead Siegfried away from Burgundy and expose him to attack from the magical creatures inhabiting the wood. During his journey, Siegfried discovers a dragon, and deviates from his path to slay it. He touches its hot, yellow blood and understands the language of the birds, one of which tells him to bathe in the dragon's blood in order to become invincible to attack — except for one spot on his shoulder blade, which is missed after being covered by a falling lime (linden) leaf.
Soon after, the powerful Siegfried trespasses on the land of the Nibelungs and is attacked by Alberich, King of the Dwarves, who has turned himself invisible. Siegfried defeats Alberich, who offers Siegfried a net of invisibility and transformation. Siegfried is not persuaded to spare Alberich's life, whereupon Alberich offers to make Siegfried "the richest king on earth!" [intertitle 1.14]. While Siegfried is mesmerized by the treasure and the sword Balmung, Alberich tries to defeat him, but dies in the attempt. Dying, Alberich curses all inheritors of the treasure and he and his dwarves turn to stone.
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