Archive Watch
Poster for Der steinerne Reiter (1923)

Der steinerne Reiter (1923)

Also known as The Stone Rider

1923 · Silent film · 73 min · dir. Fritz Wendhausen

  • Drama
  • Horror
Watch now On the Internet Archive

Synopsis

In a distant Teutonic village, people dance and drink merrily celebrating a wedding feast. However, an elderly man tells the villagers that the valley where they live wasn't always happy but sorrowful. This was due to the tyranny of the master of the mountains ( Herr Rudolf Klein-Rogge as wild as his hairdo ) who ruled the valley despotically.He lived in a Schloss up the mountains, whipped his servants for any reason (Sound familiar?) and when a wedding was going to be celebrated, he descended into the valley asking for his "droit de seigneur".During one such encounter, a young bride is accidentally killed by the groom who was trying to protect her from the claws of the master of the mountains. The girl's sister vows revenge and journeys to the Schloss with the intention of killing the tyrant.It is very strange that this remarkable film, "Der Steinerne Reiter", directed by Herr Fritz Wendhausen, has not received the attention its many merits deserve, especially considering its Expressionist touches.Outstanding are the settings included in this film, particularly the gloomy Schloss carved out of the mountains contrasting with the idyllic village that lies below. The sense of constant menace is pervasive, exemplified by the superb shot when the master of the mountains approaches the village and his shadow as a rider darkens the town.

Synopsis from OMDb

Details

Director
Fritz Wendhausen
Writer
Fritz Wendhausen
Cinematography
Carl Hoffmann
Studio
Decla-Bioscop
Released
1923-03-31
Original title
Der steinerne Reiter
Running time
73 minutes
Language
German
Collection
Silent Films, Feature Films

Cast & crew

More like this