Destiny (1921)

This beautiful gothic fantasy was inspired by a childhood dream of its writer/director, Fritz Lang, who first gained world recognition with this film's triumph. "Destiny" is the story of a young man taken by Death just as he is to be married. His lover makes a deal with the Death figure--if she can save one of three possible lives, her fiance will be returned to her. Otherworldly atmosphere is created by extraordinary, bizarre sets, gothic lighting, and eccentric characters combined with spectacle and camera trickery astonishing for its time. With its many magical and haunting images, "Destiny" still possesses real power to impress the imagination!

Another Lang Classic

I have never seen this film before. But I am a Fritz Lang fan. A Great Film, wish the restoration could have been better. But this is the best they could do. March 20, 2008

An inetersting look at death.

Why are we so fascinated with death? It's a theme in countless books and movies, and yet it never seems to get old, and this movie is a very interesting look at death and love. Sure, the acting is somewhat corny, but the plot is quite interesting and the themes so timeless I can't help but enjoy it greatly. Anyone who likes the old German silent films should see this one. July 30, 2007

A Poem! A Ballade!

When I first began to study film history, Fritz Lang's "Destiny" was a film I never expected to see. It was widely considered a "lost" film. When prints surfaced in the '60's, I anticipated seeing it very eagerly. I saw it as part of a course in the aesthetics of German expressionism/surrealiism while in graduate school, with a synchronized taped music track especially created by one of my fellow students. I was enthralled. Since films were available "as film" in those days, I knew that, sadly, my budget precluded my ever hoping to own a print. Thank the gods for DVD!

"Destiny" is surely one of the finest films of its time and place -- a pinnacle of German filmmaking. It contains humor, adventure, pathos and visual poetry. the acting, executed by a top-rank German cast, is stylized, but in ways very suited to the distinct art of the silent film. The special effects, done by means as old as film itself, and far cruder than today's computerized examples, still surprise and delight. "Destiny",
as a whole, tells several stories within an elegiac framing, but is still tightly organized and coheres to reveal itself as a visual/dramatic poem
a ballade. It is one of the most beautiful silent films I have ever seen. November 9, 2006

Song of Solomon 8:6 "For Love is stronger than Death"

A young betrothed couple is traveling and stops at an unnamed town on their travels. Here the young man's (Walter Janssen) time on this world has expired and the Grim Reaper (Bernhard Goetzke) has taken him away. Distort and refusing to believe the situation is hapless his fianc?e (Lil Dagover) reads that love is stronger than death. So death strikes a bargain with her. If she can save one of three men that are also about to expire she can save her betrothed.

The three people are from different lands and times. As each story unfolds we see that the same actors that played the original people also play the main characters in each scenario.

Will she succeed in the task by saving one or more of the soon to expire men?
If she does not succeed, is there any hope?
What would you do given the choices?

Who is to say what love really is?

This is based upon a dream that Frits Lang had as a child.

The only drawback on this version of the movie is that they use different fonts on the verbal displays in this silent film to depict the different eras and scenarios. It takes time to get use to the different fonts.

Die Nibelungen
April 9, 2006

A Masterpiece about Love versus Death

I am very cautious about recommending silent films but some transcend genres. This is such a film. Basically, Death takes
a woman's lover, and she embarks on a quest to save him. The theme of the movie is the Song of Songs..."love is as strong as death." Here the Death figure takes pity on the lover as
the Queen of Hades took pity on Orpheus in the Underworld. The photography is dreamlike, transporting the viewer to distant, exotic lands. This is not one of Fritz Lang's best known works but I believe it approaches the genius of his other film oevre. I am privileged to own this DVD and I see it once a year. February 9, 2006

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