Post by Aj_June on Oct 2, 2018 4:30:50 GMT
Der müde Tod (1921) came only one year after The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) and brought to fame one of the greatest directors of all time - Fritz Lang. Just like Dr. Caligari I would rate it as one of the most definitive German expressionist film. For whatever reasons that I don't understand this movie is less popular than it ought to be. That said the movie is very highly praised by critics and directors. So relative obscurity of this movie is not because of conflicting reviews among critics.
The only response to this 1921 silent movie by Fritz Lang, now restored and rereleased, is a kind of amazement – at its ambition, its enigma, its combination of innocence and sophistication. As so often with early cinema and silent cinema, you see the kinship with fable and fairy story, but also find yourself suspecting that it is somehow silent cinema that is truly aware of the medium’s possibilities; these seem to elude the more evolved, yet earthbound realist cinema that comes later. (Review by The Guardian film reviewer who rated it 5/5).
Drawing on folklore, Lang and his screenwriting partner Thea von Harbou, fashion a portrait of Weary Death, to use the film’s original German title. A young woman (Lil Dagover) confronts the personification of Death (the unnerving Bernhard Goetzke), so that she might beg for the life of her fiancé (Walter Janssen). “Love is more powerful than death,” pleads the plucky heroine.
Death, who is worn by his duties, outlines three romantic tragedies and makes a deal with the grieving girl: if she can prevent the death of the lovers in any one of the episodes, she will be reunited with her own love. The three tales of star-crossed romance transport us to the Middle East, Quattrocento Venice, and imperial China. Weimar cinema stars Dagover (The Cabinet of Dr Caligari) and Goetzke play multiple role against fascinating Expressionist tableaux (Irish Times).
Death, who is worn by his duties, outlines three romantic tragedies and makes a deal with the grieving girl: if she can prevent the death of the lovers in any one of the episodes, she will be reunited with her own love. The three tales of star-crossed romance transport us to the Middle East, Quattrocento Venice, and imperial China. Weimar cinema stars Dagover (The Cabinet of Dr Caligari) and Goetzke play multiple role against fascinating Expressionist tableaux (Irish Times).
I have never seen a movie in which the plot moves seamlessly between totally different human civilizations and yet preserves the continuity of the underlying theme of the story and interest of the audience. The movie deals with death and has reportedly influenced Ingmar Bergman's The Seventh Seal (1957). Though Der Mude Tod is not just about death but also about love and longing and that's what separates it from The Seventh Seal. Death, Love and longing for the departed serve as timeless themes for fables and tales across every human culture and Fritz Lang has done an amazing work to give us hauntingly beautiful movie. It's been said that Lang got the inspiration for the movie from one of his childhood dreams and it seems this belief is true because this movie has a very dreamy atmosphere. I cannot recommend this movie enough and hope some of you have seen it and others get the chance to see it.
English title - Destiny
My rating - 10/10
