ludwig : requiem for a virgin king
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ludwig: requiem für einen jungfräulichen könig - wagner - syberberg. (eng - subs )
four decades on – and a world war that could be said that have started from ludwig’s old kingdom of bavaria – two major filmmakers turned to ludwig’s story, with both films appearing first in 1972. luchino visconti’s italian film is simply called ludwig. hans - jürgen syberberg ‘s german film is ludwig – requiem für einen jungfräulichen könig (ludwig: requiem for a virgin king). both are rich films, using ludwig’s story in vastly differing ways .
3. ludwig requiem for a virgin king. a facets video release. contains ludwig – requiem fur einen jungfraulichen könig (jurgen syberberg, germany, 1972) source material is a somewhat damaged release print, but colour is vivid. german with english sub - titles. an all - zone ntsc / pal dvd .
ludwig: requiem für einen jungfräulichen könig - wagner - syberberg. (eng - subs) - youtube
mix - ludwig: requiem für einen jungfräulichen könig - wagner - syberberg. (eng - subs )
ludwig: requiem for a virgin king (1972) [ 140 mins. ] director: hans - jürgen syberberg. first of a trilogy, followed by
karl may
( 1974) and
hitler: a film from germany
( 1977. )
ludwig - requiem for a virg ...
this video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by filmgalerie 451 .
ludwig: requiem for a virgin king (1972) [ 140 mins. ] director: hans - jürgen syberberg. first of a trilogy, followed by
karl may
( 1974) and
hitler: a film from germany
( 1977 .): obscuremedia
hans - jürgen syberberg’s 1972 film ludwig: requiem for a virgin king (which premiered in new york in july 1980 but was only recently seen by me) is, most immediately, a brilliantly realized study of the bizarre bavarian monarch, the haunted wagnerophile castle - builder of the late nineteenth century .
ludwig: requiem for a virg ...
the youtube account associated with this video has been terminated due to multiple third - party notifications of copyright infringement .
the
o sink hernieder - sleigh scene
taken from hans jurgen syberberg' s
ludwig: requiem for a virgin king
. english subtitles. opening scene of
ludwig
urltoken the film is a dreamlike remembering of the life of king ludwig ii of bavaria. it forms part of hjs ongoing engagement with german romanticism. as was ludwig' s life entwined with the music of richard wagner, so is the film. (gesamtkunstwerk ?) the scene opens with the prelude to lohengrin, and ludwig wrestling with the demands of his fate; and then slips into the beautiful duet
o sink hernieder, nacht der liebe
, from tristan & isolde, as ludwig slides into the night and escapes into nature and wagner. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ terms ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ (ludwig requiem for a virgin king lohengrin vorspiel, tristan und isolde o sink hernieder, nacht der liebe tristan and isolde o sink hernieder, nacht der liebe & prelude lohengrin vorspiel richard wagner music drama, opera. bayern ludwig requiem für einen jungfräulichen könig, english subtitles
the film is not to be confused with luchino visconti' s ripe 1972 film,'' ludwig,'' in which helmut berger played ludwig, romy schneider was empress elizabeth of austria, and the running time was about evenly divided between orgies and displays of ceremonial arrivals and departures.'' ludwig: requiem for a virgin king'' is far more interesting, which is not to say it is completely successful as either cinema or theater .
in'' ludwig: requiem for a virgin king,'' which he made in 1972, mr. syberberg was experimenting with the methods he used later in his far longer (seven and one half hours), far more abrasive meditation on hitler,'' our hitler,'' which was shown in new york earlier this year .
in the same year of visconti’s ludwig, hans jurgen syberberg released ludwig – requiem fur einen jungfraulichen könig (ludwig – requiem for a virgin king .) this was to become the first part of syberberg’s german trilogy, with karl may (1974) and hitler, ein film aus deutschland (hitler, a film from germany, or our hitler, a film from germany, 1977), which alone has a running time of 442 minutes. karl may (1842 - 1912) was a popular writer particularly of adventures set in america’s old west. he created the characters of winnetou and old shatterhand who have featured in many german westerns .
or back to the other films where once again we make ludwig endure the agony of his life. unless we’re haunted by the final image of syberberg’s ludwig: requiem for a virgin king. there the child, bearded and dressed royally as ludwig, shambles towards us, white gloves in hand. with a finger, he wipes the tears lining his face while looking squarely at us. in bold white letters superimposed on the screen, appears “requiescat in pace! ” before dissolving into a maelstrom of blue toned smoke like from a volcano for the film’s final director credit. “rest in peace. ” it becomes more than a blessing asked for ludwig, but also a plea from ludwig. “let me rest in the peace i never had in life. let me free from the curse of lola montez. ”
in 1986 another german filmmaker, christian rischert, returned to ludwig for im ozean der sehnsucht (in the ocean of longing), made for bayerischen rundfunks (bavarian broadcasting). the format of a television documentary allows for speculation and reflection on ludwig’s influences, and legacy not possible in a more narrative film. for example, if ludwig is the last flicker of the concept of the absolute monarch, where did this idea come from, and how did these ideas take hold of ludwig? rischert looks back to louis xiv and xv of france. some of ludwig’s castle building is clearly linked to his passion for the sun king and versailles .
hans jurgen syberberg' s'' ludwig: requiem for a virgin king,'' which opens today at the public theater, is a german movie that owes more to the theater, especially to german cabaret theater, than it does to the cinema. here are a series of sketches and tableaux that, through dialogue, music and spectacle, have the function of a series of essays on the nature and meaning of the life of ludwig ii of bavaria (1845 - 86), the mad king who is now remembered chiefly as the patron of richard wagner and as the fellow who built all those crazy castles on the rhine .
in a key tableau scene, ludwig’s ministers actively discuss ludwig’s fate – he must go. progress is needed for roads, automobiles – again, an anachronistic comment spreads the relevance of ludwig’s fate. this scene clearly sees ludwig’s death as a deliberate assassination, with the cover - up carefully planned. as well, the prince regent advises “we will seize his majesty’s personal archives. do not forget that no records, no advice, nothing from his architects, no records at all that could possibly suggest any serious work of ludwig’s must be made known to the public. this would destroy his image as a king of kitsch. ludwig can only remain harmless as a kitsch king. and most important of all, don’t make a martyr of him. ”
up there with films like the seventh seal, fanny and alexander, persona, the virgin spring, wild strawberries and scenes from a marriage .
hans - jurgen syberberg, director of the controversial'' our hitler,'' started out at the workshop with'' ludwig ii - requiem for a virgin king.'' peter lilienthal, whose'' david,'' about a lone jewish survivor hiding out in wartime berlin played last year in new york, has made many films for the workshop, including'' calm rules over the country,'' a study of fear and dictatorship reminiscent of costa gavras''' missing.''
finally, two of his famous earlier films have been released on video to contextualize that later behemoth, “ludwig: requiem for a virgin king” (1972) and “karl may” (1974), the three of which supposedly comprise a “german trilogy. ” syberberg hardly seems disposed to ever make films about anything else, and it’s an unassailable career project, especially in light of the last decade or so of holocaust movies produced in germany and elsewhere, which have tried to straitjacket and even romanticize the horrifying mystery of german culture’s evolution .
as well, rischert explores these strains of ludwig finally being played out in hitler. it is not fanciful to imagine that ludwig and hitler could have met if ludwig had not died young. ludwig would only have been sixty - nine at the start of world war i, and rischert includes a photograph of a crowd in munich celebrating that event. in that crowd, hitler can be identified. the outcome of that war would create the environment in which hitler could live out ludwig’s dreams of genius and greatness .
ludwig, also, does not survive. he is the king, but he does not understand what it means to be a king at this point of the 19 th century. the king is not just a person with the divine right of power, but also a person with responsibilities. ludwig’s tragedy comes from his inability to accept or handle those responsibilities. his cousin, elizabeth has a deeper, if more cynical, understanding. “monarchs like us don’t make history. we are needed as a facade. unless they give us a little importance by killing us. ”
the camera pulls back to reveal three rhine maidens, posed on rocks, as they speak. “i proclaim the curse of lola montez, the cast - off mistress of ludwig i, the grandfather. cursing all that follows, the incest of the parents, max of bavaria and maria of hohensollern. the birth of ludwig, the last king of bavaria. in the grip of royal madness, furor paranoicus bavariae” they prophesy the birth of a new era, the coming of a new proletariat. “king ludwig has no chance. ”
( luchino visconti, 1972) with helmut berger as ludwig and romy schneider as empress elisabeth of austria .
the story of the legendary king ludwig ii of bavaria (1845 - 1886), his opera interest and friendship with theatre personalities such as richard wagner and joseph kainz, and at the same time a reflection of the german 1800s .
these accounts keep in mind the political dimension of ludwig’s life. if he is occupying himself, perhaps losing himself, in the arts and sciences, he is still the ruler, and there are expectations that a state has of its king. we are kept aware of these expectations and responsibilities, even if ludwig is trying to flee them .
æthelstan or athelstan, (893 / 895 – 27 october 939) was king of the west saxons from 924 to 927 and king of the english from 927 to 939. he was the son of king edward the elder and his first wife, ecgwynn. in 927 æthelstan conquered the last remaining viking kingdom, york, making him the first ruler to control the whole of england, leading historians to regard him as the first king of england .
coretta scott king (april 27, 1927 – january 30, 2006) was an american author, activist, and civil rights leader, and the wife of martin luther king, jr. from 1953 until his death in 1968. coretta scott king helped lead the african - american civil rights movement in the 1960s. king was an active advocate for african - american equality. in her early life, coretta was an accomplished singer, and she often incorporated music into her civil rights work. close
rischert is also able to be speculative about how ludwig dies, raising questions about the investigation of ludwig’s death including the autopsy. to start with there is a big question – how did such a physically strong man drown in such shallow water so close to the shore ?
out of all these royal personages, one has perhaps endured in the popular imagination more than others, at least if tourist visits and dedicated movies are taken as a guide. (1) this is ludwig otto friedrich wilhelm, ludwig ii of bavaria. but why has this failed, unhappy king endured as possibly the best - remembered european ruler of the 19 th century ?
although syberberg’s detached brechtian style would seem to remove the audience from having any emotional identification or sympathy for ludwig, this isn’t the case. the very sense of ludwig as a hapless victim of destiny is one factor that actually does draw our sympathy. but the style allows syberberg to draw us into the drama in other unusual ways. at one point, ludwig bequeaths all the future tourist income from his castles to bavaria. a short time later, in the tableau scene covering wagner’s death the back - projected image dissolves into film of modern day tourists being ushered through one of the castles, ogling at the architecture and artifacts of ludwig’s home. the sense of invasion of ludwig’s privacy is palpable .
félix abraham hernández garcía (born april 8, 1986), nicknamed
king félix
, is a venezuelan professional baseball starting pitcher for the seattle mariners of major league baseball .
ludwig
- opening scene - syberberg - - - prelude to das rheingold - richard wagner. (eng - subs )
ludwig’s dramatic death, drowning in a lake in very shallow water in front of the palace where he was being restrained, at night and in the rain, has been the final element keeping his story fascinating for many generations. was it an accident? suicide? political assassination? visconti would seem to see it as ludwig’s final, dramatic gesture. talking to a servant after a short time before that night, ludwig has commented that drowning is a fine death. that night, shortly before going for his final walk in the rain, he comments to dr gudden (who will drown with ludwig), “i am an enigma. and i want to remain an enigma, forever… for other people… and also for myself. ”
ludwig ii ascends to the throne at 18 years of age. the people sing his praises and idolize his beauty. but no one is able to follow his high - flown thoughts. he recognizes this and flees, disappointed into the solitude of his mountains… this causes discontent in the capital… the government chastises…and so ludwig ii, king of bavaria, begins his tremendous final battle. (3 )
when the officials feel they are now in a position to dethrone ludwig, they toast this with champagne glasses. a cut links their champagne with the beer steins of the “ordinary people” in the tavern. ominously, they are now saying, “he was an artist’s king, but through his ideals he lost sight of the people. “ but again sympathy is expressed for ludwig, “if they wanted to declare all kings insane on those grounds, soon there wouldn’t be any left. ”
mr. syberberg' s thoughts about ludwig often sound like his thoughts about hitler.'' did he really exist or did we create him in our fantasy?'' someone asks. says someone else,'' he is our own fairy tale.'' when ludwig' s ministers conspire to murder him, they call him'' the kitch king'' and plot to make him a public joke .
( hans - jłrgen syberberg, 1972) with harry baer as ludwig, patron of wagner. on december 9 at 6: 30pm is
in fact, the first half of the film focuses on richard wagner, and his relationship with ludwig. the film opens on wagner, reading of the death of maximilian ii. as wagner reads the reports about the new king, he bemoans, “there will never be a ruler idealistic enough to bring my works to the stage. ” so, the opening of the film is structured to highlight this aspect of ludwig’s reign .
ludwig is also shown as aware of the science of the day, with one scene in a room ludwig has set up so the passage of the planets and the earth and moon can be demonstrated with models and light. (compare this interest to the observatory scene in the leopard, where we see the prince and his telescopes – perhaps showing the prince as one who wants to see for himself, where ludwig is content with the comfort and security (and aesthetics) of a model. )
wagner’s lament is followed by a dance from hitler. there is the sense that wagner, like ludwig, is aware of a past and a future ethos in which his work and life exist .
on december 5 at 7: 00pm. directed by french - egyptian filmmaker namir abdel messeeh, the film, set in cairo, investigates the phenomenon of miraculous virgin mary apparitions in egypt' s coptic christian community .
after having been given such a significant role in the narrative structure at the start, wagner disappears almost perfunctorily about thirty minutes into the film, abetted by the sleight of hand of a title, “years have past”. (sic) after some scenes of ludwig enjoying wagner’s culture (and wagner more than enjoying the king’s patronage), wagner simply tells ludwig that he must take a journey. “i am accused of being a bad influence on the king. ” next, a committee of munich citizens rejects plans for a festival theatre (surely a reference to wagner’s dream that did result in the bayreuth opera house as the home for his ring cycle of operas .) ludwig is hurt by this, “i wanted to make all of you rich, proud and happy. from now on i will erect monuments to my happiness in the wilderness. ” and so the building of linderhof palace and the neuschwanstein castle is explained to us .
overall, the interest of the silence at the starnberg lake is directly in how much it is a document of its time. cinematically, it is almost primitive. many interiors are clearly filmed outdoors because of slow film stock, the acting is theatrical and frequently over demonstrative (at least to our eyes), and the camera work is frequently static. in some cases, postcards are used instead of filming the real rooms inside the picture post - card palaces ludwig built. it also is basically sympathetic to ludwig. for all his weaknesses, it would seem ludwig was still a popular monarch. it was a time when royalty engendered the unquestioning love of a nation simply because it was royalty, and ludwig, handsome and personable when he became king, certainly enjoyed the love of many of his people. just two generations on, it was not yet time for a critical or psychological examination of the king. for another thing, the 738 - year reign of the house of wittelsbach in bavaria had only ended two years earlier in the wash - up to the first world war .
this structuring device of the inquiry into ludwig’s fitness operates in several interesting ways. it establishes the “present time” of the film as being at the close of ludwig’s reign in 1886, and invites us to view all the scenes we see as flashbacks, and to regard those scenes as evidence proffered up to us to judge ludwig as a ruler. throughout the film, different witnesses at the enquiry address us directly, a single talking head. these different witnesses effectively introduce key moments from the life, until at the end events overtake the enquiry, and the film follows events subsequent to the decision to remove ludwig from the throne .
although some images and titles seem to present wagner as almost predatory – a very credible interpretation of his relationship with ludwig – the film is basically sympathetic to wagner. the scandal about wagner’s affair with cosima von bulow, the wife of his conductor and the daughter of franz liszt is completely ignored. and when ludwig is heartbroken at the collapse of his own relationship with sophie it is wagner who consoles him. “let the magic of art transport you to valhalla, ” wagner advises him. it appears ludwig takes this advice instantly to heart, because the next title informs us, “ludwig’s empire of beauty begins. ”
if that opening title was meant as an argument for a new film about ludwig only ten years after the silence at starnberg lake¸ so many aspects of the film itself make an even stronger argument. dramatically, it is much better structured, with most of the film covering only the last few years of ludwig’s life, when his passion for solitude was now eccentric, and disquiet was certainly rife amongst his ministers .
alfred the great (849 – 26 october 899) was king of wessex from 871 to 899. alfred successfully defended his kingdom against the viking attempt at conquest and, by the time of his death, had become the dominant ruler in england. he is the only english monarch to be accorded the epithet
the great
. alfred was the first king of the west saxons to style himself
king of the anglo - saxons
. close
1. ludwig ii. , könig von bayern, edition filmmuseum. contains ludwig der zweite (ludwig ii, king of bavaria, wilhelm dieterle, germany, 1930), das schweigen am starnbergersee (the silence at the starnberg lake, rolf raffé, germany, 1920) (both films with musical accompaniment). also, im ozean der sehnsucht (in the ocean of longing, christian rischert, west germany, 1986), presentation of film & kunst gmbh in cooperation with the munich filmmuseum and the goethe institute, munich. booklet in german and english, english sub - titles. region code o .
when raffé made his film in 1920, the event was still within living memory for some bavarians. many more would have heard the stories of the mysterious death of the handsome king from their parents and grandparents. raffé reflects the legendary status of this event in his title, but it is ultimately only a small part of his film, and he does not really investigate the event, or argue for a particular view on ludwig’s death .
“they say he’s losing his mind”, one says. the camera follows another beer stein to the police station, where officers are discussing rumours of a plot against ludwig. a document case passes from a lowly official, higher and higher up the chain of command. it is carried in turn by a number of attendants and flunkeys and contains material that could be used against the king. we see it in a cabinet meeting, where a senior minister states that whatever action is taken, “the welfare of the people takes precedence. ” one of the officials declares the king’s building plans “are our hope”. this is the cue for the final part of this very smooth transition sequence and takes us to our first glimpse of ludwig, supervising the work on one of his castles .
( helmut kšutner, 1955) with o. w. fischer as ludwig ii and paul bildt as richard wagner. on december 21 at 2: 00pm is
billie jean king (née moffitt; born november 22, 1943) is an american former world no. 1 professional tennis player. king won 39 grand slam titles, including 12 singles, 16 women' s doubles, and 11 mixed doubles titles. king is an advocate for sexual equality. in 1973, at age 29, she won the so - called battle of the sexes tennis match against the 55 - year - old bobby riggs. king is very involved in the women' s sports foundation and the elton john aids foundation. she says
i believe in the missions of these two organizations because they are about helping others, and making a difference in the lives of those around us. close
the structuring of the film brings in the political element. after the opening confessional scene with ludwig at the beginning of his reign, we cut to a talking head, addressing us directly. he is initiating an enquiry into whether the king is still fit to rule “our ill - fated, despised, ridiculed and tormented bavaria. ” he has, he informs us, been a minister since that inauguration back in 1864, which is a cue for a cut to that inauguration. the pomp of that ceremony is undercut by ludwig and his younger brother otto, playing a joke by switching roles as the dignitaries are introduced at court .
visconti’s ludwig can be seen as the final film in an informal trilogy exploring key moments of the 19 th century. senso (1954) is a love story set in 1866, the final days of austria’s occupation of venice. il gattapardo (the leopard, 1963) is set against events of great social and political upheaval at the start of the same decade in sicily. and ludwig, though it covers a greater period of time, starts midway between the two films, with ludwig’s ascension to the throne of bavaria in 1864 .
the simplicity of this explanation for ludwig’s retreat to his solitary castle building, or command performances of operas for him alone is very much the tone of this film. his relationship with his one - time betrothed, the duchess sophie, is seen as collapsing because she dared to go paddling bare foot in a small stream and because she perhaps flirted a bit with her portrait painter. there is absolutely no suggestion of ludwig’s own sexuality, or his inability to advance the relationship .
clovis (latin chlodovechus; c. 466 – c. 511) was the first king of the franks to unite all of the frankish tribes under one ruler, changing the form of leadership from a group of royal chieftains to rule by a single king and ensuring that the kingship was passed down to his heirs. he is considered the founder of the merovingian dynasty, which ruled the franks for the next two centuries. close
in this short, concise opening, we have covered so many of the “facts” of the king’s early reign, facts that can be in danger of bogging down a film’s narrative. several important aspects of the film’s approach have also been sketched in, especially the role of “the people”. there is a sense of a nation, a polity with a king, officials and “the people”. at particular moments in this drama of the last days, we return to the people. as well, this sense of nation is an important element of the drama. in those pre - mass media days, ludwig was a popular monarch, and that popularity was a safeguard against some of the political manoeuvring against him. ludwig himself believed his relationship with his people – even if he hated venturing among them – would protect him .
harold godwinson, or harold ii; old english: harold god? inson (c. 1022 – 14 october 1066) was the last anglo - saxon king of england .
if raffé, in his 1920 film, emphasises the significance of wagner by privileging him with the opening scene, visconti perhaps betrays his italian / catholic background with his opening sequence, a conversation between ludwig and his priest. the priest advises ludwig, “…don’t be too proud, but fear the duty you have been called to fulfil. because from this moment on, the path to salvation will become more arduous for you. ”
andrew lloyd webber, baron lloyd - webber (born 22 march 1948) is a british composer and impresario of musical theatre. several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the west end and on broadway. he has composed 13 musicals, a song cycle, a set of variations, two film scores, and a latin requiem mass. he has also gained a number of honours, including a knighthood in 1992, [ 4 ] followed by a peerage from queen elizabeth ii for services to music. close
william i (1028 – 9 september 1087), usually known as william the conqueror was the first norman king of england, reigning from 1066 until his death in 1087. close
ludwig’s reply gives a premonition that already he sees his reign as a time for great art. “you know how i’ve been waiting in anguish for this day…lately i’ve been feeling more serene because i’ve understood how i should use my power…i will be able to gather around me truly wise men, men of great talent, great artists. and to all of them i will humbly ask for help. the monuments of my kingdom will be built for them. ”
philip ii of spain (spanish: felipe ii; 21 may 1527 – 13 september 1598) was king of spain (as philip ii in castille and philip i in aragon) and portugal as philip i (portuguese: filipe i). during his marriage to queen mary i, he was king of england and ireland and pretender to the kingdom of france .
there is also, as the opening title promises, a deeper understanding of his personality, even if some aspects cannot be explored in depth. there is a telling scene, hinting at his homosexuality. the king receives a consignment of classical statues, greek studies of male nudes. one is of an athlete standing, another depicts two naked wrestlers. as ludwig admires them, a cut suggests he is also thinking how his manservant would look in the same stance as one of the athletes. it is a well - handled, discreet scene, but when ludwig smashes one of the statues, we can certainly read that as suggesting he feels tormented by his sexuality .
nikolas
nik
wallenda (born january 24, 1979) is an american acrobat, aerialist, daredevil, and high wire artist. described as
the king of the wire
, he is known for his high - wire performances without a safety net .
, the film about eliot spitzer which was several critics' choice for an oscar. he won an academy award for
gilgamesh gilgameš) was a king of uruk, mesopotamia, who lived sometime between 2800 and 2500 bc. he is the main character in the epic of gilgamesh, a mesopotamian poem that is considered the first great work of literature. in the epic, gilgamesh is a demigod of superhuman strength who built the city walls of uruk to defend his people and travelled to meet the sage utnapishtim, who survived the great deluge. according to the sumerian king list, gilgamesh ruled his city for 126 years. close
rodney glen king iii (april 2, 1965 – june 17, 2012) was an american construction worker who became nationally known after being beaten by los angeles police officers following a high - speed car chase on march 3, 1991. a local witness, george holliday, videotaped much of it from his balcony. the footage shows five officers surrounding king, several of them striking him repeatedly, while other officers stood by .
elizabeth i (7 september 1533 – 24 march 1603) was queen of england and ireland from 17 november 1558 until her death. sometimes called
the virgin queen
,
gloriana
or
good queen bess
, elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the tudor dynasty .
ludwig’s fascination with richard wagner is always seen as an integral part of his story. visconti clearly loved telling this part of the story, even indulging himself with a recreation of wagner’s christmas present to cosima of his siegfried idyll, m arking the birth of their son, siegfried. this event is really more part of a wagner narrative than the ludwig narrative, but visconti recreates the legendary first performance, with musicians playing the beautiful piece of music on the staircase of the wagner home, waking cosima on christmas morning. the sheer beauty of the music and visconti’s sensitive filming of the episode becomes the justification of its inclusion in ludwig’s story .
ludwig’s fascination with architecture, or more particularly, palaces is well known. compared to the earlier films, visconti has access to the original buildings, and colour film. the interiors are always ravishing, with the ‘scope frame revelling in the details of nineteenth century interior decoration. within the terms of ludwig’s era, his own innate sense of taste is captured by visconti, in a way that is beautifully contrasted when several scenes take place in wagner’s residence. at first glance, his sitting room seems to reflect the same taste for ornate furniture, knickknacks and ornaments everywhere, fussy wallpaper, luxuriant indoor plants. but then you sense a falseness, a coarseness in the wagner interiors as opposed to the quiet taste of ludwig’s rooms .
with a running time of just under two and one half hours,'' ludwig'' is virtually a short subject, and because ludwig is not someone about whom i have strong feelings (somewhere deep inside me i suspect he' s the creation of mel brooks), i didn' t respond to this film with the same kind of impatience i felt about'' our hitler.'' because'' ludwig'' is a less engaging (and less enraging) movie than'' our hitler,'' one is able to attend to the director' s methods, which have a theoretical interest that is not always realized in what we see on the screen .
these words could be the key to this trilogy. although syberberg is ostensibly making films about three famous germans, the films in no way resemble the routine “biopic. ” rather, they are more like an examination of the german soul, a soul that encompasses great music and genocide, goethe and goebbels. a film about the soul, or perhaps the ‘ethos’ of a nation, is a rare thing indeed, and syberberg’s film about ludwig is unlike any of the other films about the king .
i' m not exactly sure how mr. syberberg connects ludwig to hitler, beyond the conceit that both became mythical figures in response to a public demand and the fact that it was ludwig who eventually gave in to bismarck and signed bavaria over to prussia, thus to create the modern germany. mr. syberberg' s movie contains a number of references, musical as well as historical, that are beyond most of us not obsessed with the subject .
“the film has two parts: the curse and once upon a time i was (italia prize contribution) with a prologue and epilogue. the story of the last bavarian king with his euphoria, his anxieties, his dreams told in a style of an oratorio or a medieval passion. present and past are combined in a film of wagnerian scenes, music of the thirties, bavarian legends, ‘oktoberfest' waxworks, magic lantern, still life, surrealism, elements of silent films, guillotine, quotations from goethe, brecht, valentin and shakespeare. a musical by offenbach... melodrama... requiem... . ”
juan carlos i (born 5 january 1938) reigned as king of spain from 1975 to 2014, when he abdicated in favour of his son, felipe vi. generalísimo francisco franco, the spanish dictator, took over the government of spain by force in 1939, and ruled as
regent to the [ exiled ] king of spain
. in 1969, he chose prince juan carlos, expecting him to continue franco' s own authoritarian regime. juan carlos became king on 22 november 1975, two days after franco' s death. soon after, juan carlos introduced reforms to dismantle the francoist regime and begin the spanish transition to democracy. this led to the approval of the spanish constitution of 1978 in a referendum, which established a constitutional monarchy. in 1981, juan carlos played a major role in preventing a coup that attempted to revert spain to francoist government in the king' s name. close
in 2009, 2011, and 2013. jolie promotes humanitarian causes, and is noted for her work with refugees as a special envoy and former goodwill ambassador for the united nations high commissioner for refugees (unhcr) .
a sketch for anyone who has cancelled more appointments than they’ve kept. which is everyone .
a new documentary argues for the unhappy life of whitney houston, who died in 2012 .
isaiah jay
izzy
brown (born 7 january 1997) is a professional footballer who plays as a forward or a winger for chelsea in the premier league, having previously played for west bromwich albion .
like'' our hitler,'''' ludwig'' appears to have been shot on a single soundstage, with a minimum of props and a great deal of elaborately lit dry - ice fumes, all photographed against a backdrop on which a lot of stunning scenery and decor are projected to great effect at comparatively little expense .
during the farcical events surrounding the first attempts to restrain ludwig, the tavern philosophers say, “when the men in power don’t like someone he’s gone. but when we don’t like someone he’s bound to stay. ”
whereas our hitler isn' t just about hitler but all of german culture and more, this film doesn' t escape the grand narrowness of ludwig' s castle into the rich world of 19th century germany .
martin luther king, jr. (january 15, 1929 – april 4, 1968) was an american clergyman, activist, and leader in the african - american civil rights movement. he is best known for his role in the advancement of civil rights using nonviolent civil disobedience .
interview (edited and without its introduction) to allow for the director - producer to speak for himself about his artistic ambitions as well as for a better understanding of the changing commercial and production realities in america. in the issue of
the first film in han - jurgen syberberg' s
german trilogy
( followed by karl may and our hitler) is a low budget, but nonetheless imaginative interpretation of the life of ludwig ii of bavaria. harry baer portrays the so - called
mad king ,
who was the patron of richard wagner, the man who sold bavaria to prussia, and the builder of many a mythic castle in the rhineland. modernist to the core, ludwig is both theater and film - - a montage of sketches and tableaux with cabaret music, wild costumes, and even wilder characters. in german with optional english, spanish, french or portugese subtitles. hans jurgen syberberg - - - west germany - - - 1972 - - - 134 mins .
movies and tv shows are certified fresh with a steady tomatometer of 75% or higher after a set amount of reviews (80 for wide - release movies, 40 for limited - release movies, 20 for tv shows), including 5 reviews from top critics .
sejong the great (may 15, 1397 – april 8, 1450, r. 1418–1450) was the fourth king of joseon - dynasty korea. he was the third son of king taejong and queen consort min. he ascended to the throne in 1418. sejong reinforced confucian policies and executed major legal amendments. he also created the korean alphabet hangul, encouraged advancements of scientific technology, and instituted many other efforts to stabilize and improve prosperity. close
architecture and music were the two fields where ludwig’s involvement had great impact, to the extent that he may be as important a 19 th century patron of the arts as, for example, were the medici in the 14 th century. he indulged his obsession with grandeur and seclusion by commissioning (with state money, of course) a number of magnificent palaces, including schloss neuschwanstein, the prototype fairy tale castle, and surely the inspiration for the walt disney company’s logo. and in music, his name goes hand in glove with that of the composer richard wagner. he absorbed wagner’s sometimes extravagant dreams, and lost himself in the operas celebrating old teutonic heroes. at a time when many solid german citizens disliked the composer’s daring music, resented his indulgence in luxury at other people’s expense, and abominated his domestic and conjugal arrangements, ludwig stood by him. in this, ludwig was clearly of great importance in supporting the artist responsible for the great cultural peak of the ring cycle of operas, still the benchmark for many opera companies .
the subject of all this is a solemnly mad, prettily handsome young man (played by harry baer, seen here in a number of rainer werner fassbinder films), a fellow who weeps a lot, behaves rudely to his courtiers and often poses as if playing a game of living statues. in one of the most effective sequences, ludwig, having just learned of wagner' s death, lies grief - stricken in a royal chamber while, on the screen behind him, we see masses of contemporary tourists, their instamatics at the ready, being herded through the halls of one of ludwig' s castles .
in the first part of syberberg’s german trilogy, harry baer portrays the so - called “mad king, ” who was the patron of richard wagner, the man who sold bavaria to prussia, and the builder of many a mythic castle in the rhineland .
that paragraph effectively serves to introduce discussion of a second film about ludwig, because it is actually from the opening titles to the film itself. ludwig der zweite (ludwig ii) had the sub - title one man’s fate (das schecksal eines menschen), and was made in 1930, directed by wilhelm dieterle who also took the lead role. that same year, dieterle became one of the many creative artists who migrated to america. there, as william dieterle, he began a successful career as a director. his filmography included three more film biographies, the story of louis pasteur (1936), the life of emile zola (1937), and juarez (1939), as well as a famous version of a midsummer night’s dream (1935) from a famous theatrical production by another émigré, max reinhardt. ludwig ii was produced by joe pasternak. pasternak, hungarian by birth, had been a busboy at paramount in the 1920s before being sent to its production operations in berlin by universal. with the rise of nazism he returned to hollywood and a subsequent successful career as a producer including films with deanna durbin, mario lanza and elvis presley .
rolf raffé directed his film das schweigen am starnbergersee (the silence at the starnberg lake) in 1920. early in june, 1886, ludwig’s ministers had him declared insane, and his uncle luitpold took over as regent. after one bungled attempt at restraining him, ludwig was removed to castle berg, on the shores of lake starnberg. shortly after his arrival, he went for a night walk. he never returned alive, his body, as well as that of his doctor, being found in the lake. the official coronial verdict was suicide by drowning. certainly ludwig had spoken of suicide, but the manner of his death did not prevent theories of murder, assassination, foul play. the water was shallow. why was his doctor also dead? were there bullets in the bodies ?
gilgamesh was a king of uruk, mesopotamia, who lived sometime between 2800 and 2500 bc. he is the main character in the epic of gilgamesh, an akkadian poem that is considered the first great work of literature, and in earlier sumerian poems. close
a truly incredible year for world cinema indeed! and consequently, an exceptionally difficult year for the voters. by the way, i was of the opinion that jancso’s red psalm is a 1972 movie .
the rhine maidens leave their places to share in a bump - and - grind dance to an upbeat cabaret song, while the dwarf wagner also joins in. at the same time, the hypnotic slow siegried’s rhine journey continues as part of the sound mix. the rhine maidens continue their prophecy for ludwig. “i proclaim his eternal life in the memory of his people…. the finish. environmental pollution. pressure to produce! crimes against nature. ” and a small boy as ludwig, with full beard, crown and court dress walks towards us pulling a stuffed swan on a rope behind him. he wipes a tear from his eyes with one of his white - gloved hands .
during his life, ludwig became more and more of a recluse, retreating more and more into his own solitude, even when political events demanded his very public presence in munich, his capital. like howard hughes, the most famous recluse of the next century, legends grew up around him. the legends, the whispers, the history have inspired film makers over much of the twentieth century, their “printing of the legend” often revealing as much about their own interests and times as of ludwig and his century .
anna andreyevna gorenko (june 23 1889 – march 5, 1966), better known by the pen name anna akhmatova was a russian modernist poet, one of the most acclaimed writers in the russian canon. [ akhmatova' s work ranges from short lyric poems to intricately structured cycles, such as requiem (1935–40), her tragic masterpiece about the stalinist terror. close
yay for “a clockwork orange” winning best director and actor (malcolm mcdowell). wait, what? my top choice for the year is not listed? ?? ? this movie is amazing! !! ! i vote “etat de siege” for best film in 1972. (filmed in chile) i vote costa - gavras for best director (“etat de siege”) for best director in 1972. i vote woody allen for best actor in “play it again, sam” in 1972. i vote meiko kaji for best actress in “female prisoner # 701: scorpion” in 1972. i vote christopher lee for best supporting actor in “horror express” in 1972. i vote “female prisoner # 701: scorpion” for best cinematography. i vote “variations on a cellophane wrapper” for best short in 1972. wow, a whole write - in ballot. i’m weird .
'' ludwig'' is a most rigorous kind of film making. the end effect is that of a feature - length montage so dense with associations and references that it is impossible to get them all at one viewing, though not compelling enough to make one want to sit through it all again.
ludwig : requiem for a virgin king ( german : ludwig – requiem für einen jungfräulichen könig ) is a 1972 west german historical drama film directed by hans-jürgen syberberg , starring harry baer as ludwig ii of bavaria . the film was shot on a soundstage with rear-projected scenography and an intentionally artificial style . the film received the deutscher filmpreis for best film and best screenplay . it is the first part in syberberg 's " german trilogy " and was followed by karl may in 1974 and hitler : a film from germany in 1977 . 
ludwig: requiem for a virgin king (german: ludwig – requiem für einen jungfräulichen könig) is a 1972 west german historical drama film directed by hans-jürgen syberberg, starring harry baer as ludwig ii of bavaria. the film was shot on a soundstage with rear-projected scenography and an intentionally artificial style. the film received the deutscher filmpreis for best film and best screenplay. it is the first part in syberberg's " german trilogy " and was followed by karl may in 1974 and hitler: a film from germany in 1977.
ludwig: requiem for a virgin king (german: ludwig – requiem für einen jungfräulichen könig) is a 1972 west german historical drama film directed by hans-jürgen syberberg, starring harry baer as ludwig ii of bavaria. the film was shot on a soundstage with rear-projected scenography and an intentionally artificial style. the film received the deutscher filmpreis for best film and best screenplay. it is the first part in syberberg's " german trilogy " and was followed by karl may in 1974 and hitler: a film from germany in 1977.