The Dance of Death

Der Totentanz

Germany, Denmark

1912

23 Min

Black and White

1.33:1

Silent

Currently 4.7/5 Stars.
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CAST Asta Nielsen, Oskar Fuchs, Fritz Weidemann, Fred Immler, Emil Albes

Berlinale (Retrospective), Berlinale (Happy Birthday, Studio Babelsberg)

Synopsis

In Totentanz (Urban Gad, 1912), Asta Nielsen plays a guitarist-dancer who must take to the stage to support her infirm husband. She attracts the devotion of a composer, and soon she feels attracted to him. Torn between desire and duty, she snaps during a rehearsal of his latest piece, “Totentanz.” In a chilling gesture, she uses his dagger to slice her lute strings. Soon the two are locked in a violent erotic struggle, and a stabbing ensues. In all, melodrama as ripe as one could want. —http://www.davidbordwell.net

Director

Urban Gad

Peter Urban Gad (12 February 1879 – 26 December 1947) was a Danish film director. He directed 40 film between 1910 and 1927. His wife Asta Nielsen starred in 30 of his films. Also in his debut the famous movie Afgrunden (The Abyss) from 1910. They moved to Germany in 1911 where Gad worked until 1922. —Wikipedia