Smartorhypo Highly Overrated But Still Good

Stevecorp Don't listen to the negative reviews

Comwayon A Disappointing Continuation

Janis One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

Horst in Translation (filmreviews@web.de) I wonder what he is today, almost a 100 years later. "Destiny" is a silent movie by famous German director Fritz Lang and it runs for 100 minutes, at least the version I watched. Lang gut help with the script once again by Thea von Harbou, with whom he worked together on a regular basis. This was a very early project of the two, considerably before "M" and "Metropolis". Both were around 30 years of age at this point. The story is as follows. Two people are madly in love, but sadly for the guy the time has come and Death takes him on his last journey. The woman will not accept it and begs Death until he finally gives in and giver he the chance to win his beloved back. People about to die are symbolized by candles who are about to go out. Death shows her 3 candles who are about to go out soon and tells her that if she can keep one of these from going out, then she will get her beloved back. But this is where the contradictions start. If a man's time has come, then there is no way in keeping him from dying. Death said so himself earlier in the film. So is he just toying with her?Maybe, as the woman does not manage to save a single one of these three souls. So, she gets another chance... I always think of Death as a relentless character and I just cannot understand how he shows mercy so many times in this film that he would even give her another chance at the end. I quite liked the core action here. I only wondered why they would introduce all the townsfolk in the pub early on if they don't play a role at all later as the film progresses. But it wasn't bad and the actual idea of those 3 challenges is a decent one too. However, it hurts in terms of predictability. It was so clear that she would at least fail the first two, so this was basically half an hour wasted and we knew the outcome anyway. Apart from that, I did not like these 3 sequences anyway. Putting her in completely different regions of the world was a nice idea, but everything that happened during these 3 parts was just so uninteresting and I never really felt for her and prayed that she would manage to save the guy. The ending wasn't bad either. I read the core plot afterward, but this film was just so confusing at times that it was really difficult to understand what exactly was going on. I would definitely prefer it as a book version and I am not even a great reader. Then again, I am not the greatest silent movie fan either. Giving this one a chance does not change my perception that the genre is generally not too interesting and certainly not my cup of tea. Dagover did not impress me really here, but the actor who played Death was pretty good. I recommend "Destiny" only to silent film lovers. Everybody else will not enjoy it.

Zapi Sisma Watched it on the big screen, big happiness. I expected music, but there was none, was watching it in complete silence except for the humming of the projector. And the mumbles of the old guy who talked to himself. It was a little unusual at first, but perfect and beautiful. Death takes the life of a young man, and his girl goes to heaven hell limbo whatever and there gets three chances to save his life, saving either one of three lives. Every one of these stories is set in a different historic age and that tickled my love for the costumed period pieces. First part is the 1001 Night Persia with some impressive action sequences, second is the renaissance Venice, the least interesting or innovative part of the film, and the third is the ancient China, a comic segment with innocent racist depiction of Chinese people, perfect special effects, flying carpet, miniature army, biggest sword ever and transfiguration spells. The closing sequence is somewhat intense. Sets are not as artistic as in Caligari, but more than in Nosferatu. To compare it with two other German expressionist films I watched. Special effects are impressive, better then in some films made even 40 years later. Bernhard Goetzke (Death) is brilliant, so scary, charismatic, constant. The girl is tepid, no skill nor sex appeal.

Eumenides_0 My discovery of Fritz Lang's cinema continues to take me to wonderful places. After enjoying his Mabuse movies and the seminal thriller M, I take a look at one of his earliest silent movies: Destiny.Written between Lang his frequent collaborator, Thea Von Harbou, Destiny is an anthology fantasy movie comprised of three stories and bookended by a game between Death and a woman trying to bring her dead lover back to life. The movie begins as a newlywed couple stops at an inn. On the way an austere man dressed up in black gets on their coach. The woman leaves the table for an instant and when she returns, the husband and the stranger are gone. She looks for them and discovers her husband's spirit wandering outside the walls of a giant precinct Death erected to make a garden, presumably of souls.Death is so amazed by her devotion, that he proposes a challenge: he gives her the chance to save one life about to perish; she has three chances and needs only save one. If she does, Death will return her lover to him.This is an artifice to tell three wonderful and fantasy-laden stories in different settings: there's one in Persia, one in Venice, and one in ancient China. All are variations on the same themes - love and the inevitability of death.What most impressed me in this movie were the art direction and costume design of the different stories. They were epic: imagine thousands of extras, flamboyant designs, huge sets. It's like watching a D.W. Griffith movie at times. One of the most impressive sets was the interior of Death's room, an endless space cluttered with burning candles, each representing a soul burning itself out.Next was the imagination of the stories. In particular there's the last story, set in China, that has many wondrous elements, like flying carpets, flying horses, a miniature army, and many magic spells transforming people into objects and bringing objects into life. This story alone has influenced movies such as Douglas Fairbanks' The Thief of Bagdad and The Adventures of Prince Achmed.Then there's the premise underlying the story: that death is irreversible. The movie has a touch of sentimentality, since it shows the lovers reuniting in death, but the movie shows death is not something that can be bargained with. It's a fact that must be accepted.Fans of Ingmar Bergman's The Seventh Seal will want to watch this movie to compare Bernhard Goetzke's portrayal of Death with Bengt Ekerot's. Lang and Bergman didn't see Death the same way: Lang's Death is a cursed soul, weary of its own existence, whereas Bergman's is cynical, scheming and perhaps has a certain taste in its job.I was amazed at how easily I immersed myself in this movie. I was afraid I'd have no interest in this movie, being a silent movie, but Lang's direction is so good and modern I was in thrall most of the time. I'm glad I watched this movie, it's a part of film history that should never be forgotten.

MartinHafer This was an early film of Fritz Lang--before he made his incredibly famous silent METROPOLIS. However, despite being a younger and less experienced director, this film shows a real deftness and I enjoyed it quite a bit.This viewing experience was helped quite a bit by a nice musical score--something that not all silents come with on DVD. As musical scores were almost never written specifically for films, many DVDs have scores that often don't match up well with the films--this is certainly NOT the case with this lovely film.The story is an allegory about death and it reminded me, in part, of Bergman's films "The Seventh Seal", as both films concerned a person trying to make a bargain with the Angel of Death--to somehow get a second chance. "Der Müde Tod" is a bit different because this time it is not the fated to die who tries to make the bargain but his new wife--who can't stand the idea of losing him right after the wedding.Unfortunately, the middle portion of the film is a bit of a drag. While all three segments were well made, they weren't at all necessary to the plot. All three stories were apparently told by Death to illustrate that ones fate cannot be overcome--even by love. All this tended to do, though, was slow down the film. The first and last portions (which dealt with the Angel and the new bride) were exceptional--and just didn't need the three stories. In many ways, this style of filming was a copy of D. W. Griffith's "Intolerance"--as the three stories are meant to illustrate the premise.Fortunately, when these three irrelevant stories are complete, the film jumps back into gear. The Angel tells the lady he is willing to return her husband IF she is able to find someone to take his place in the afterlife. She asks around and naturally no one wants to die. Later, when she comes upon the child in the fire, this leads to a terrific ending--one that really helps the movie to end on an excellent note.Exceptionally beautiful throughout and compelling, this is a silent film worth seeing.