39-0-13 Can you believe: a film made in 1924 with the drama, excitement and interest of a film made a century later. Yes, there are creaky passages and actors more used to the theater than film. Oh, you know: the wide distended eyes and flaring nostrils, the standing still wrapped up like a mummy, and the signs of histrionics; but you get past that stuff and focus on the plot. There's a powerful story line that carries along the viewer over many a hump. I didn't know the basic plot of the Nibelungen saga. My knowledge of Wagner's opera actually spoiled an appreciation of this movie since the stories took different directions. But I found myself chasing down the history on Wikipedia that gave rise to the story lines which the movie tries to hew close to. The folks in the era who saw the original film knew what the movie was talking about, so they could appreciate the depiction of fabled events around AD 450. As for the movie, the opening scenes will entice the modern viewer with the hero's encounter with a dragon. Maybe not as good as the first KING KONG in terms of special effects, but still amazing for its time. Once hooked a viewer has to see more.

Michael_Elliott Die Nibelungen: Siegfried (1924) *** 1/2 (out of 4) The first part of Fritz Lang's five hour epic has Siegfriend slay a dragon, bath in its blood and then head off to win the hand of Kriemhild. Story wise there really isn't anything overly excellent about the film but the real key naturally is all the special effects and set design. This here is another film that makes me believe that CGI has caused filmmakers to become lazy because what happens in this film is a lot more realistic and amazing to the eye than anything a computer could make. The slaying of the dragon works very well after all these years and the sets are downright eyedropping, although I still think those in Intolerance look better. I wasn't too drawn into the story and I think some editing could have helped but this is still a must see for film buffs.

cicero99 This film, and its companion, are a remarkable achievement that captures the story of "Das Nibelungenlied." It combines elements from additional sagas that are not part of the source text to fill in some of the history of Sigfried. For me, it does capture the essence of the saga.The film is a masterful accomplishment for its time with Fritz Lang's trademark vision and a great script by Thea von Harbou.

RKIRCHHOFF essential viewing (and listening)...the newly-restored Munich Film Archives dvd of this film is simply wonderful. the G. Huppertz score is a marvel (lovingly restored by Erich Heller making use of the widow's piano score). Kurosawa's tribute to this classic can be seen in his handling of the "siege of the third fire tower" in RAN)...and, of course, Kriemhild's vindictive widow was the model for the Wicked Witch in SNOW WHITE... a landmark of international cinema: not to be missed.