Canto 1: How Siegfried Slayed the Dragon: Siegfried (Paul Richter), the son of King Siegmund, forges a sharp sword and hears stories from the locals about Princess Kriemhild (Margarete Schön). He decides to go to Worms to win Kriemhild. Along his journey, he kills a dragon and baths in its blood to become invincible.
Canto 2: How Bolker, the Bard, Sang of Siegfried in Front of Kriemhild and How Siegfried Came in Worms: Siegfried fights and defeats the dwarf King of the Realm of the Nibelungen Alberich (Georg John) that was wearing his wonder cap that makes the user unseen or in whatever form he wishes. Alberich asks Siegfried to spare his life and in return he gives the Treasure of the Nibelungen and the Balmung sword. Siegfried makes twelve kings as his vassals, and when he asks the hand of Kriemhild to her weak brother King of Burgundy Gunther (Theodor Loos), he advises that he would accept is Siegfried helps him to win the strong Queen of Iceland Brunhild (Hanna Ralph).
Canto 3: How Siegfried Won Brunhild for Gunther: Siegfried wears the invisible helmet and helps Gunther to win Brunhild in the proofs of throwing stones and spear and jumping.
Canto 4: How Brunhild Enters Worms and How the King Celebrate Their Wedding: Brunhild tells Gunther that she is her captive but not his bride. Gunther asks Siegfried to help him again in his wedding night, and Siegfried takes his form and accidentally brings Brunhild's armlet with him.
Canto 5: How After Half a Year, Siegfried's Gift to His Bride, The Nibelungen Treasure, Arrives in Worms and How the Two Queens Quarrel With Each Other: When Kriemhild finds Brunhild's armlet, Siegfried tells her how her brother won the queen. While going to the mass, Kriemhild and Brunhild quarrel and the offended Kriemhild discloses the truth to her brother's wife.
Canto 6: How Gunther Betrayed Siegfried: Brunhild lies to Gunther and tells him that she lost her virginity with Siegfried. Gunther organizes boar hunting in the Odenwald Forest and asks Hagen Tronje (Hans Adalbert Schlettow) to slain Siegfried. Hagen lures Kriemhild and she tells the vulnerable part of Siegfried's body where the lime leaf has fallen. Brunhild fasts, Gunther betrays Siegfried, and Hagen impales him with a spear.
Canto 7: How Kriemhild Swears Revenge to Hagen Tronje: Brumhild tells Gunther that she lied and he killed his only loyal friend. Then she dies of starvation. Kriemhild swears revenge to Hagen.
The magnificent poetic saga of Siegfried is told through seven cantos, in one of the most beautiful fantasies ever. The story has drama, adventure, romance, betrayal and stunning special effects for a 1924 movie, when cinema was very incipient and technology primitive. However, the solid screenplay with a perfect development of the characters, the excellent performances of the cast and the awesome direction of Fritz Lang produced an epic ahead of time. It is inevitable the comparison of this masterpiece with "The Lord of the Rings", both unforgettable fantasies. My vote is ten.
Title (Brazil): "Os Nibelungos Parte 1: A Morte de Siegfried" ("The Nibelungen: The Death of Siegfried")
Canto 2: How Bolker, the Bard, Sang of Siegfried in Front of Kriemhild and How Siegfried Came in Worms: Siegfried fights and defeats the dwarf King of the Realm of the Nibelungen Alberich (Georg John) that was wearing his wonder cap that makes the user unseen or in whatever form he wishes. Alberich asks Siegfried to spare his life and in return he gives the Treasure of the Nibelungen and the Balmung sword. Siegfried makes twelve kings as his vassals, and when he asks the hand of Kriemhild to her weak brother King of Burgundy Gunther (Theodor Loos), he advises that he would accept is Siegfried helps him to win the strong Queen of Iceland Brunhild (Hanna Ralph).
Canto 3: How Siegfried Won Brunhild for Gunther: Siegfried wears the invisible helmet and helps Gunther to win Brunhild in the proofs of throwing stones and spear and jumping.
Canto 4: How Brunhild Enters Worms and How the King Celebrate Their Wedding: Brunhild tells Gunther that she is her captive but not his bride. Gunther asks Siegfried to help him again in his wedding night, and Siegfried takes his form and accidentally brings Brunhild's armlet with him.
Canto 5: How After Half a Year, Siegfried's Gift to His Bride, The Nibelungen Treasure, Arrives in Worms and How the Two Queens Quarrel With Each Other: When Kriemhild finds Brunhild's armlet, Siegfried tells her how her brother won the queen. While going to the mass, Kriemhild and Brunhild quarrel and the offended Kriemhild discloses the truth to her brother's wife.
Canto 6: How Gunther Betrayed Siegfried: Brunhild lies to Gunther and tells him that she lost her virginity with Siegfried. Gunther organizes boar hunting in the Odenwald Forest and asks Hagen Tronje (Hans Adalbert Schlettow) to slain Siegfried. Hagen lures Kriemhild and she tells the vulnerable part of Siegfried's body where the lime leaf has fallen. Brunhild fasts, Gunther betrays Siegfried, and Hagen impales him with a spear.
Canto 7: How Kriemhild Swears Revenge to Hagen Tronje: Brumhild tells Gunther that she lied and he killed his only loyal friend. Then she dies of starvation. Kriemhild swears revenge to Hagen.
The magnificent poetic saga of Siegfried is told through seven cantos, in one of the most beautiful fantasies ever. The story has drama, adventure, romance, betrayal and stunning special effects for a 1924 movie, when cinema was very incipient and technology primitive. However, the solid screenplay with a perfect development of the characters, the excellent performances of the cast and the awesome direction of Fritz Lang produced an epic ahead of time. It is inevitable the comparison of this masterpiece with "The Lord of the Rings", both unforgettable fantasies. My vote is ten.
Title (Brazil): "Os Nibelungos Parte 1: A Morte de Siegfried" ("The Nibelungen: The Death of Siegfried")