{"id":4312,"date":"2007-09-20T12:47:54","date_gmt":"2007-09-20T19:47:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=4312"},"modified":"2021-02-05T19:16:37","modified_gmt":"2021-02-06T02:16:37","slug":"siegfried-siegfrieds-tod-1924","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=4312","title":{"rendered":"Siegfried \/ Siegfried&#8217;s Tod (1924)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;Young Siegfried understood the bird&#8217;s song: If the dragon slayer would bathe in the dragon&#8217;s blood, his body would become invincible, forever safe against word and spear.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/09\/Siegfrieds-Tod-Poster.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/09\/Siegfrieds-Tod-Poster-209x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"209\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-23008\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/09\/Siegfrieds-Tod-Poster-209x300.jpg 209w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/09\/Siegfrieds-Tod-Poster-89x128.jpg 89w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/09\/Siegfrieds-Tod-Poster.jpg 580w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 209px) 100vw, 209px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nWhile traveling to Worms to propose to Kriemhild (Margarete Schon) &#8212; the sister of King Gunther (Theodor Loos) &#8212; Siegfried (Paul Richter) kills a dragon and becomes invincible in all but one spot by bathing in its blood; he also captures the dwarfish Nibelungen&#8217;s hoard of treasure, and acquires a magic helmet which makes him invisible. In payment for Kriemhild&#8217;s hand, Gunther asks for Siegfried&#8217;s help in winning the mighty Brunhild (Hanna Ralph) as his wife &#8212; but when Brunhild discovers that Siegfried has used magic to trick her into marriage, she seeks revenge, enlisting the help of Gunther&#8217;s treacherous half-brother, Hagen Tronje (Hans Adalbert von Schlettow), to murder him.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Fantasy<\/li>\n<li>Fritz Lang Films<\/li>\n<li>Revenge<\/li>\n<li>Royalty and Nobility<\/li>\n<li>Silent Films<\/li>\n<li>Strong Females<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Response to Peary&#8217;s Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nThis first installment of Fritz Lang&#8217;s two-part, five-hour saga &#8212; <a href=\"http:\/\/www.answers.com\/nibelungen\">based on an early 13th century Norse epic poem<\/a> &#8212; is, as Peary notes, &#8220;a marvel, one of the truly great silent films, and one of the most spectacular ventures into fantasy and legend&#8221; that has ever graced the silver screen. It&#8217;s full of countless memorable moments and images &#8212; all stunningly choreographed and framed &#8212; with its expressive sets and cinematography evoking &#8220;the paintings of <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Arnold_B%C3%B6cklin\">Swiss Romanticist Arnold Bocklin<\/a>&#8221; (who also inspired the set of Skull Island in <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=43687\">1933&#8217;s <em>King Kong<\/em><\/a>). The story itself is consistently exciting, &#8220;subtle enough for adults and magical enough for kids&#8221;, and many of the special effects remain impressive. While I&#8217;m not a fan of the early dragon fight (it&#8217;s hard not to laugh when we see &#8220;blood&#8221; gushing out of the hole Siegfried pokes in its cardboard side), many other fantasy scenes &#8212; including Siegfried&#8217;s use of magic to help Gunther fight against Brunhild, and the Nibelungen dwarves turning to stone &#8212; are noteworthy. <\/p>\n<p>Although <em>Siegfried<\/em> is ostensibly about its titular hero, it&#8217;s interesting to note that strong females play an important part in both this film and its sequel (<em>Kriemhild&#8217;s Revenge<\/em>). Brunhild is a no-holds-barred warrior woman who surrounds herself with a bevy of female associates; and while Peary notes that she &#8220;harbors a secret love for Siegfried&#8221; (a fact which is apparently borne out in the original story), it&#8217;s not made explicit here. Instead, Brunhild comes across as simply a powerful female who resents being forced to marry and give up her independence; significantly, it&#8217;s her actions and motivations which propel the tragic final half of the film. It should also be noted how androgynous the leads appear: Margarete Schon and Hanna Ralph are positively transgendered, while Siegfried &#8212; with his wildly poofed-out hair and dramatic make-up &#8212; makes for a somewhat &#8220;feminine&#8221; counterpart. Ultimately, then, <em>Siegfried<\/em> remains a mythic tale of larger-than-life beings who transcend traditional gender roles, instead embodying core human emotions and values. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Paul Richter as Siegfried<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/09\/richter.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/09\/richter.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4324\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Hanna Ralph as Brunhild<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/09\/brunhild.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/09\/brunhild.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4313\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>The wonderfully androgynous Margerete Schon as Kriemhild<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/09\/siegfried-schon.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/09\/siegfried-schon.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4359\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Marvelous set designs<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/09\/set-designs.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/09\/set-designs.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4315\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>The baroque costumes and headdresses<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/09\/headdress.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/09\/headdress.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4316\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Carl Hoffman and Gunther Rittau&#8217;s cinematography<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/09\/fighting-dragon.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/09\/fighting-dragon.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4318\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Brunhild&#8217;s luminous castle<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/09\/castle.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/09\/castle.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4319\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>The fiery plains surrounding Brunhild&#8217;s castle<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/09\/fiery.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/09\/fiery.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4320\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>The Nibelungen dwarves turning into stone<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/09\/dwarves.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/09\/dwarves.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4321\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Siegfried and Kriemhild&#8217;s brief but intense romance<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/09\/romance.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/09\/romance.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4322\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Siegfried using magic to help Gunther win Brunhild&#8217;s hand in marriage<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/09\/magic-winning.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/09\/magic-winning.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4323\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>A refreshing depiction of a truly <em>strong<\/em> female (Brunhild)<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/09\/strong-females.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/09\/strong-females.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4326\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Lang&#8217;s &#8220;geometric&#8221; framing of characters and buildings<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/09\/Siegfried-Geometric.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/09\/Siegfried-Geometric.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-69096\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/09\/Siegfried-Geometric.png 640w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/09\/Siegfried-Geometric-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/09\/Siegfried-Geometric-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/09\/Siegfried-Geometric-360x270.png 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nYes. This early cinematic masterpiece should be seen by all film fanatics. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Categories<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Foreign Gem<\/li>\n<li>Historically Relevant<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/imdb.com\/title\/tt0015175\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.movierapture.com\/siegfried.htm\">Movie Rapture Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tcm.com\/tcmdb\/title\/554148\/die-nibelungen-siegfried#articles-reviews?articleId=13312\">TCM Article<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Young Siegfried understood the bird&#8217;s song: If the dragon slayer would bathe in the dragon&#8217;s blood, his body would become invincible, forever safe against word and spear.&#8221; Synopsis: While traveling to Worms to propose to Kriemhild (Margarete Schon) &#8212; the sister of King Gunther (Theodor Loos) &#8212; Siegfried (Paul Richter) kills a dragon and becomes invincible in all but one spot by bathing in its blood; he also captures the dwarfish Nibelungen&#8217;s hoard of treasure, and acquires a magic helmet&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=4312\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4312","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-responses-to-peary"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4312","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4312"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4312\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":69098,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4312\/revisions\/69098"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4312"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4312"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4312"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}