Il lago d'oro, ovvero I ragni

A surprisingly weak film. The pacing is haphazard. The special effects are ineffectual. It's hard to believe that these pitiful sets were from the set designer for The Cabinet of Dr Caligari. The actors use guns the way that inexperienced toddlers might. And the Americans, Peruvians, and Inca all look very, very German. This film is only for the compleatist, desiring to view all of the films of Fritz Lang or of this genre. Don't come here for entertainment.

I first became familiar with THE SPIDERS in David Shepard's 1999 version on Image DVD. It will always have a special place in my silent film collection as it was my introduction to the exotic pulp fiction serials of the silent era that would culminate years later in the INDIANA JONES films of Steven Spielberg. After seeing the 2 silent features that make up THE SPIDERS (THE GOLDEN SEA and THE DIAMOND SHIP), I was primed for THE INDIAN TOMB (which Fritz Lang co-wrote but missed out on directing until he made his own version 40 years later) and the earlier serials of Louis Feuillade (THE VAMPIRES, JUDEX, FANTOMAS) which inspired this film. In the company of the Feuillade serials and the later silent films of Lang, THE SPIDERS gets unfairly dismissed which is unfortunate as it has much to offer especially in this new transfer.

The biggest knock against the old version was that the print was not in great shape. Shepard explained that we were lucky to have the film at all and that it took a lot of work to put it back together from materials found in Czech archives. The new version appears to use the same Czech materials but has the advantage of new restoration techniques developed in the last 10 years. Nevertheless those expecting a complete restoration are bound to be disappointed as compared to NOSFERATU, PHANTOM OF THE OPERA or the 2003 version of METROPOLIS, this still looks pretty rough. It is longer (173 minutes -vs- 137 minutes) and, as much as I love Gaylord Carter organ scores, the new Ben Model score will be more audience friendly as will the print improvement and new title cards.

For those unfamiliar with the scenario, it involves intrepid adventurer Kay Hoog (pronounced HOAG - Carl de Vogt) and his confrontations with the international criminal organization The Spiders headed up by the remarkably intense femme fatale Lio Sha (Ressel Orla). Separately they seek to recover Incan treasure and later a priceless diamond known as the "Buddha's Head". Murders, betrayals, escapes, exotic locales are all there in the mix along with Lang's eye for striking visual composition which is what separates THE SPIDERS from the serials of Feuillade. The sets are fabulous, the costumes elaborate, and the performances (most notably Ressel Orla's) are deliriously intense. This more complete version is a welcome addition to the Fritz Lang filmography just don't expect M or METROPOLIS or for it to look like it was shot yesterday...For more reviews visit The Capsule Critic.

This serial-esque action epic is told in two parts. In the first part, "The Golden Lake", man-of-action Kay Hoog (Carl de Vogt) heads for South America to look for a secret city of Incas living in temples much as they did centuries ago. They have a Harvard professor prisoner, and are also sitting atop a huge gold mine. Kay is challenged in his quest by the Spiders, a secret multi-national criminal organization. Their chief agent Lio Sha (Ressel Orla) has the hots for Hoog, but she won't let that get in her way of taking the gold for her gang. Kay makes cute with Inca priestess Naela (Lil Dagover), which really peeves Lio Sha. In the second part, "The Diamond Ship", Kay Hoog is once again racing against the Spiders, this time in search of the Buddha diamond, a fabulous gem that is foretold to be the great emancipator of Asia from the control of the West.

There's a lot going here, with secret societies, hidden cities, cowboys, pirates, guys dressed like ninjas, a samurai, safecrackers in top hats and domino masks, human sacrifice, clairvoyants, hot air balloon rides, and much more. Despite the 137 minute running time, I was rarely bored, although the first half is much better than the second. It also ends rather abruptly, as this was originally intended to be quickly followed up by another 2-hour, 2-part installment in the war between Hoog and the Spiders, but that never got made. Instead, Lang was inspired to bring Mabuse to the screen, and the rest is history.

Forgive me for reviewing both episodes together, but things just fit together better in this format.

Die Spinnen, 1. Teil: Der Goldene See/Spiders Part 1(1919) was one of the first films to ignite the golden age of German silent film. Part 1 introduces arch villainous and adventurer Lio Sha. Part One deals with the search for the Golden Lake. This is one of the few early Fritz Lang films to be available on home video. The set designs are stunning and the costumes are wonderful. Spiders Part 1(1919) is a visual treat to behold.

This first episode of Fritz Lang's "The Spiders" is an entertaining adventure story, and it is particularly notable for its imaginative settings and visuals, and for the way that each sequence leads smoothly into the next. The story is far-fetched, of course, but Lang tells it quite well, and it makes for enjoyable viewing.

The basic setup of the sinister organization of "Spiders" involves some of the themes that Lang used in more detailed form in his Dr. Mabuse movies. Here, the story is strictly for entertainment purposes, and as such it works well. Ressel Orla is suitably elegant as the leader of the "Spiders", and she usually makes the best of her opportunities.

The opening message-in-a-bottle scene sets the tone, establishing tension and mystery right away. From there, Lang builds up the story nicely, as the characters learn about the hidden treasure and compete with each other and with other adversaries to find it. His style here is similar to that in some of the best of contemporary action movies, such as the Indiana Jones films. Most of the scenes work well in themselves, and once it gets going, each scene also moves the story ahead immediately to the next scene, without letting you pause for breath.

Lil Dagover also adds a lot in her role as the priestess. Carl de Vogt is adequate as the hero Hoog, but he does not have a lot of presence or charisma, and most of the energy level in the characters comes from the female leads.

This episode got "The Spiders" off to a good start, and it is the best of the two segments that Lang actually filmed. It does not have the deep themes found in Lang's best movies, but as entertainment it works quite well.