They were Germany's powerhouse couple, filmmaker Fritz Lang who had a successful hit with "Dr. Mabuse: The Gambler" (1922), the famous director would marry writer Thea von Harbou, the woman he helped writing her screenplay and helped her with the production of the adaptation of her 1917 novel "Das indische Grabmal" (The Indian Tomb).The two worked together for the film "Der mude Tod" (Destiny) in 1921 but for von Harbou, she would continue to gain acclaim in 1922 for her adaptation of F.W. Murnau's "Phantom" and the 1924 film "Die Finanzen des Grobherzogs" (Finances of the Grand Duke).
But as von Harbou was planning on her next novel known as "Metropolis", before that novel, she would and Friz Lang would work together in what would become a major, epic collaboration between the husband and wife team.
Writing a detailed script for an adaptation of "Nibelungenlied" (The Song of the Nibelungs), an epic poem created between 1180-1210 in Middle High German and is a tragic story.
The script would be part of "Die Nibelungen" and be featured as two films "Die Nibelungen: Siegfried" and "Die Nibelungen: Kriemhilds Rache" (Kriemhild's Revenge). And suffice to say, the film was a success. Deemed as a form of German Expressionist through symbolism, it is said that "Die Nibelungen" was the inspiration for Sergei Eisenstein when he created "Alexander Nevski".
At an event in Yale back in 1966, Lang said of "Die Nibelungen", "I was interested in bring to life a German saga in a manner different from Wagnerian opera, without beards and so on. I tried to show in the "Nibelungen" four different worlds: the primeval forest, where lives the crippled Mime who teaches Sigfried to forge his sword, the dragon and the mystic subterranean realm of Alberich, the deformed dwarfish keeper of the Nibelung treasure, which he curses when slain by Siegfried. Secondly, the stylised, slightly degenerate, over-cultured world of the kings of Burgundy, already about to disintegrate. And finally the world of the wild Asiatic hordes of the Huns, and their clash with the world of the Burgundians (Who changed their names to Nibelungen after taking over their treasure).
Filmed in nine months, it was the most challenging film that Lang had undertaken in his career thus far. It pushed his crew to create something that has never been done but also to create a film knowing they will not have the budget, compared to something like a D.W. Griffith Hollywood drama. He and his wife, Thea von Harbou knew how to work around budget constraints, while Lang knew how to push people's buttons but get the best out of them.
Working with a distinguished crew such as Carl Hoffman as cinematographer but also working with art direction courtesy of Otto Hunte and Karl Volbrecht, set decoration by Erich Kettelhut and Vollbrecht and costume design by Paul Gerd Guderian and Aenne Willkomm, it was a production that required the best in visual effects of that time period.
Atmospheric landscapes were built, Attila was inspired by etchings by Max Klinger and the German Expressionist of creating harmony, balance through its characters, its structures and architectural composition was important.
So, nearly 90-years after this film was released to theaters and would be released on DVD, an extensive 35mm restoration was conducted by Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau-Stiftung . While there is no original cut that exists, fortunately many negatives of a variety of versions made for different countries did survive, albeit in various states of deterioration.
Using today's modern digital technology, "Die Nibelungen"which took four years to restore, was screened in April 2010. And now, the HD special edition of "Die Nibelungen" was released on Blu-ray and DVD in the U.S. courtesy of Kino Lorber as part of their Kino Classics lineup.
VIDEO:
"Die Nibelungen: Special Edition" is presented in 1080p High Definition and is color-tinted. Having owned the previous Kino DVD release, "Die Nibelungen: Special Edition" looks absolutely magnificent on Blu-ray but most importantly, the restoration done by Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau-Stiftung was incredible!
It's important to note that when you start up both Blu-ray releases, you are given the following message:
"Despite its rich history and reputation, no complete, German version of Die Nibelungen exists today, neither in the form of original distribution prints nor camera negatives. This photochemical restoration is derived from incomplete camera negatives. Missing parts were supplemented with various dupe negatives and surviving distribution prints. The tinting follows the color scheme of the original prints and utilizes the authentic photochemical method: the creation of a black and white print, which is then colored in a dye bath. The German intertitles were digitally restored, taken from preserved prints and negatives. Reconstructed titles are indicated with the logo of the Murnau foundation. For the HD mastering, the picture was corrected in some places and severe film damage was digitally repaired."
Similar to "Metropolis" which incorporated footage from other sources, you can not tell by watching this film on Blu-ray. The film looks as if it hasn't aged. Yes, you can see specks and scratches from this nearly 90-year-old film but the film's clarity is impressive.
AUDIO & SUBTITLES:
"Die Nibelungen: Special Edition" is presented in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and the original 1924 score by Gottfried Huppertz is captivating. HR-Sinfonieorchester and the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra should be commended for recreating Huppertz 1924 score because as epic as the film is for its artistic and visual achievement, the music is magnificent! I absolutely loved the music for this film!
Also, included is a LPCM 2.0 stereo soundtrack and intertitles are included.
SPECIAL FEATURES
"Die Nibelungen: Special Edition" comes with the following special features:
The Legacy of Die Nibelungen (1:08:36) A 10-part documentary on the making of the film, Nazi Germany's plagiarism of the film, the restoration process and the recreation of the original score by Gottfried Huppertz.
Fritz Lang on Set (1:44) A behind-the-scenes look at Fritz Lang on the set at Ufa Studios.
EXTRAS:
"Die Nibelungen: Special Edition" comes with a slipcase and an essay by Film Scholar Jan-Christopher Horak If you have a BD-Rom drive, included is an essay.
JUDGMENT CALL:
Over a decade ago, when I first watched Fritz Lang's "Metropolis", I absolutely fell in love with the film. I came to enjoy Fritz Lang films, as well as films written by Thea von Harbou.
Watching as many Weimar-era films, watching many films based on German Expressionism, reading books on the genre and really, trying to imagine how filmmaking was in Germany during that era. But one film has always caught my attention in terms of epic early German films and that film was "Die Nibelungen".
Yes, "Metropolis" was a masterpiece but "Die Nibelungen" was a major achievement for both Lang and his wife-at-the-time, Thea von Harbou. Not only did this film lead to Harbou's work becoming internationally known but for its visual and artistic achievement, it would show producers that Fritz Lang was a capable filmmaker that is able to take on huge films. Films that may not have the budget or the size of a D.W. Griffith Hollywood epic but Lang would have to find a way and von Harbou would have to accommodate any writing changes to reflect any changes that would be deemed to expensive.
So, during this time of German cinema, there was a lot of experimentation that Fritz Lang and his cinematographer Carl Hoffman would have to tinker with. For example, one scene in which the dwarfs are turned into stone by Alberich had to show a moment where the dwarfs are screaming. The other well-known cinematographer Gunther Rittau would find ways to come up with movie magic through superimposing images.
For Siegfried's fight against the dragon, mechanisms were needed to be created in order to make the movement seem life-like. So, I can imagine for early 1920′s, how this film would be a marvelous achievement in visual effects in cinema. The crew was pushed to their limits and no matter how strict Lang was to pushing one over the edge, it led to the efficacy of the film as "Die Nibelungen" looks and feels like an alternate world that has come alive.
But as the first film was more of an introduction of characters, the first film was important in establish Siegfried and Kriemhild, King Gunther and Hagen as well as Brunhild and how far one would go into exacting revenge. Vengeance is a theme that shows no positive conclusion to either film as it only leads to tragedy.
For "Die Nibelungen: Siegfried", viewers were probably in shock as what looked to be the films protagonist, finds himself betrayed by the same people he worked and cared for. The film was like an an adventure, a dream come true with tragic results.
But of course, Germans had a different interpretation of the film at that time. Marx-Engels wrote in 1953 for "Uber Kunst and Literature", "Siegfried is the representative of German youth. All those among us whose hearts are still untamed by the oppressions of life know what this means. We are filled with the same thirst for action, the same resistance against the conventional... in us, the eternal weight up of things, the philistine fear of quick action is something we hate with all of our soul..we would like to tear down the barricade of circumspection.".
While "Die Nibelungen: Kriemhild's Revenge" was a film that felt bittersweet, dark and vengeful. And because of that, I found it the most fascinating of the two films. Mainly to see how a woman, so full of love, would literally give her soul and her life to see the man who killed her beloved Siegfried, killed. And because she believes her life died when Siegfried was killed, but also when her family would do nothing but protect Hagen, the man who killed Siegfried, she is a woman on one mission. And that mission is to exact revenge on Hagen and to her, that is all that matters.
Suffice to say, people have various interpretations of this film. People are moved differently when watching this film. Sergei Eisenstein was inspired by "Die Nibelungen" and it would give him the inspiration to go on and create his own epic "Alexander Nevsky", many debated the film because it was loved by Hitler and Goebbels and some even felt the film was anti-semitic and that the character of Alberich depicted in the film had Jewish features. In Lang's defense, he did consult the Ulmlauff of the Hamburg Ethnographical Museum in order to capture the overall look of these characters.
I'm not an erudite on German history or culture, so I'll leave it to the debaters to engage in polemic discussion. For me, personally, I saw this film as a good vs. evil storyline with tragic consequences. I know this is probably a bad example to use as a comparison, but in order to create a juxtaposition that some people reading this review will be able to understand, one can look at a film like "Star Wars" and see how one can be good, but easily consumed by darkness and vengeance.
In the first film, Siegfried and Kriemhild wore white and were the couple who were the symbol of love, Hagen and Brumhild in black and were symbols of darkness or instigators of tragedy. The second film, Kriemhild who was once the purist princess had become a dark queen. So dark that even Attila the Hun seemed as if he was weakened by his new wife. Nevertheless, a tragic film, an epic film with wonderful architecture and the scale of the many people who were involved as extras without having to go to extravagant when compared to D.W. Griffith's 1916 film "Intolerance".
But one can easily look back at the film and think, how things would have never gotten out of hand if Siegfried kept his mouth closed. Suffice to say, no lessons would be learn and this is based on a tragic poem. But you have to give credit to Thea von Harbou for taking on such a monumental task of crafting a screenplay with full detail and Fritz Lang for bringing that script to life in cinema.
For silent epics, I found "Die Nibelungen" to be a more engaging and accessible silent film because its story and actors are coherent. Sometimes, words do not need to be said and everything can be seen within one's eyes. Actress Margarete Schon was fantastic as Kriemhild as you can easily sense the tragedy, the emotions of pain, happiness, sadness, love and evil. Sometimes, there are characters who tend to overact but when it matters most, it's the look that you get from watching Margaret Schon, the eyes of Kriemhild and the transformation she goes from one film to the the second. An innocent flower to a cold-hearted queen.
And for decades, this film has continued to entertain audiences of different generations. I'm glad that Fritz Lang did not accept offers to remake "Die Nibelungen" because the film would lose have lost its luster and possibly be overacted or poorly acted. For the way they are now, these two films manage to be effective and highly entertaining as silent films that can never be duplicated.
Now, with its release on Blu-ray, fully-restored, one can appreciate the painstaking effort by Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau-Stiftung for its four years of restoring the film. Picture quality was fantastic and no sign of major damage. Yes, for a nearly 90-year-old film, it will have its white specks and scratches but for the clarity alone, I was impressed of how awesome both films look on Blu-ray. This is the cleanest, sharpest and best looking version of the film to date and I was impressed of how much of a difference "Die Nibelungen: Special Edition" looks in HD compared to its previous Kino DVD counterpart. Big difference!
And as for the music, HR-Sinfonieorchester and the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra's rendition of the original 1924 Gottfried Huppertz composition presented in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 was simply magnificent. I was captivated by the music soundtrack and to heart in HD, I was moved and even going so far to look up if a soundtrack is available! And as far as special features are concerned, there is a 68-minute documentary plus newsreel footage of Fritz Lang included. But I'm just happy that these two films were presented together on Blu-ray and they look and sound so awesome on Blu-ray!
Overall, "Die Nibelungen: Special Edition" is an epic that silent films fans should watch and also own! May you be a Fritz Lang or Thea von Harbou fan or a cineaste who appreciates German Expressionist cinema, "Die Nibelungen: Special Edition" is a Blu-ray release that is highly recommended! 5-stars!
The film perfectly captures a medieval atmosphere with an authentic feel to the sets and costumes. The performers especially are in total sync with the grandeur this subject matter demands. Everything is in keeping with how epics should be made, and Kino did a splendid job of presenting the film in a fully restored Blu-ray edition that looks glorious. Transferred from 35mm sources and dyed orange via a photochemical process (as per the original release prints), this is the closest we have to Lang's original vision. And there's a lot to see just knowing that the grand sets were actually constructed for the film instead of having the actors popped into flat, digitally enhanced backgrounds adds a dimension of reality lacking in most contemporary films of this type.
For years historians focused attention on the first part, SIEGFRIED, whereas the second part, KRIEMHILD'S REVENGE, had a somewhat underrated reputation. While the entire film presents a profusion of imagery worthy of classical painting, it's the second part, for me anyway, wherein the heart of DIE NIBELUNGEN lies. One of the most moving scenes in any film ever made is in KRIEMHILD'S REVENGE where Siegfried's (Paul Richter) grieving widow (Margerete Schon) leaves home and stops enroute at the stream where her husband was murdered. She dismounts her horse and tells her escort to remain back as she, alone, walks over to the water's edge. She kneels down and with her bare hands digs through the snow and earth bringing up a handful of dirt upon which her husband's blood was spilled, and she swears an oath that his murderer's blood will drench the same soil. The poignant beauty of this scene, surrounded in snow and birch trees, combined with the intensity in Kriemhild's face as she makes her vow, creates a poetic moment upon which rests all that follows. Indeed, this scene is recalled to our mind twice: first, when Kriemhild bears a son to Attila the Hun (Rudolf Klein-Rogge) and she takes the cloth containing the holy soil to her bosom; then at the end when she unfurls the cloth, spilling its contents upon the slain Hagen (Hans Adalbert Schlettow), her huband's murderer, thus fulfilling her oath. It's the cornerstone upon which the entire story is built.
Maturely told, DIE NIBELUNGEN proves that a film doesn't need spoken dialogue to be great. The musical score on this edition is the original 1924 composition by Gottfried Huppertz, and it amply provides the appropriate degree of power and passion. Very much in the spirit of a grand opera, DIE NIBELUNGEN belongs in the collection of every serious classic film lover.
Extras include a feature length documentary on the making and restoration of the film, as well as newsreel footage of Fritz Lang directing on the set.
My highest recommendation but not for those challenged by a short attention span.
Buy Die Nibelungen: Kino Classics Deluxe Remastered Edition (1924) Now
While I won't comment on the film, I will comment on the Blu-Ray. I am blown away by the restoration of "Die Nibelungen." There are rarely any artifacts to be seen, and the detail is incredible. This is one of the best restoration jobs I have seen. The soundtrack sounds incredible. It sounds obviously uncompressed and jumps out from my speakers. It is so crystal clear, you can hear the shifting chairs of the orchestra and I like to think I can even hear the cleaning of the woodwind instruments. :) I have always had a soft spot in my heart for live performances where you can hear the occasional shift of chair and audience cough, and this performance fits that... so some of you may find that annoying, yet it isn't overpowering. The soundtrack is so rich, I have turned my TV off, set my OPPO player to "Audio Only", and have enjoyed the soundtrack on its own while studying. I highly recommend this Blu-Ray if you are interested in the film. For screenshots, please check out the review from DVDBeaver.com. They also gave it a glowing review and compare it to the MoC international version. Enjoy!Read Best Reviews of Die Nibelungen: Kino Classics Deluxe Remastered Edition (1924) Here
I'm a fan of Metropolis, like many so I couldn't help but notice this movie posted in it's entirety on the web... It blew me away. Like Metropolis this film is simply astounding, what Lang envisioned and achieved is an epic production in every way. If you're interested in the history of film this is simply a must have. Imagine Lord of the Rings only decades before at the dawn of film making art and you have Fritz Lang productions.Want Die Nibelungen: Kino Classics Deluxe Remastered Edition (1924) Discount?
I give this work 5 stars without hesitation. A wonderful restoration! a difficult as a complete version was no longer in existence. The story of this effort is included in the 'extras' portion.As to the two films that comprise The Niebelungen ('Sigfried' and 'Kriemhild's Revenge'), I was bowled over. Completely riveting! A truly magical work with amazing cinematography and musical score. Fritz Lang's work should make modern interpreters of ancient myth ashamed of themselves. I have watched it again and again.
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