Die Nibelungen: Siegfried

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Die Nibelungen: Siegfried

Directed by	Fritz Lang
Produced by	Erich Pommer
Written by	Fritz Lang Thea von Harbou
Starring	Paul Richter Margarete Schoen Hanna Ralph Bernhard Goetzke Theodor Loos
Cinematography	Carl Hoffman Günther Rittau Walter Ruttmann
Release date(s)	February 14, 1924
Running time	143 min.
Country	Germany
Language	Silent
Followed by	Die Nibelungen: Kriemhilds Rache
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Die Nibelungen: Siegfried is a 1924 fantasy film directed by Fritz Lang. It is the first half of his Die Nibelungen series. Die Nibelungen is based upon the Teutonic poem "Die Nibelungenlied" written around 1200 A.D.. The film uses the soundtrack to Wagner's Der Ring Des Nibelungen opera, but Lang's work has little in common with Wagner's opera other than using the same myths.^[1]

Die Nibelungen is made up of two separate films, Siegfried and Kriemhild's Revenge , which were originally intended to be viewed back-to-back.^[1]

1 Plot summary
2 See also
3 External links
4 Notes

[edit] Plot summary

The title character Siegfried, the son of King Siegmund, masters the art of forging a sword at the shop of Mime. On a journey home, Siegfried hears tales of Kriemhild, the princess of Bergundy. En route to Bergundy, Siegfried slays the dragon Fafnir, and bathes in his blood. This makes him invulnerable to attack — except for one spot on his shoulder blade which is missed after it his not touched by the blood after a leaf from a tree falls on it while Siefried bathes. Soon after, the powerful Siegfried encounters and defeats Alberich, King of the Dwarves, and obtains an invisibility cap. After finding the treasure of the dwarfs, Siegfried arrives in Bergundy. Siegfried wins the love of the beautiful princess Kriemhild, but cannot marry her until he finds a way to have Kriemhild's brother, King Gunther, get married to Queen Brunhilde. Siegfied accompanies King Gunther to Iceland. With Siegfried's help, Gunther beats Brunhilde in a battle of strength and the king wins the powerful Brunhilde as his wife, and Siegfried weds Kriemhild. These situations do not appeal to the man-hating Brunhilde, and she plots to have Siegfried killed and makes up lies about him to the King. Gunther's uncle, Hagen Tronje, finds Siegfried's weak spot and pierces it with a spear. After confessing that she made up stories about Siegfried, Brunhilde kills herself.