On this day in 1876, Richard Wagner premiered the 4th and final part of his epic drama Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung).
Gotterdammerung (Twilight of the Gods) premiered at Wagner’s own opera house Bayreuth Festspielhaus.
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| Richard Wagner |
One particular composition, Siegfried’s Funeral March, was featured extensively in the greatest version of the best story ever told.
Not up for debate.
John Boorman’s Excalibur (1981) - Siegfried’s Funeral March
He’s all about Wagner.
Gotterdammerung was referenced in Zach Snyder’s Zombie/Heist crossover Army of the Dead. The name of the maker of the safe that they have to crack is Hans Wagner and the safe to be cracked is the fourth and final safe that he built.
The name of the safe is Gotterdammerung.
A snippet of Siegfried’s Funeral March is played as the safe is cracked and opened.
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| Entering Gotterdammerung |
Snyder also used Wagner’s music in Watchmen (2009) which leads me to believe that Zach Snyder is, in fact, all about Wagner as well.
Siegfried’s Funeral March was also used in the totally batshit Czechoslovakian surrealist film Daisies (1966) directed by Vera Chytilova.
It plays during a scene in which two girls circle a banquet table before gorging themselves on food. What makes this scene that much more absurd is that Czechoslovakia at the time was experiencing a food shortage.
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| Jitka Cerhova and Ivana Karbanova |
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| Daisies (1966) |
I just watched Daisies and thoroughly enjoyed every second of its 76 minutes.
…and that’s saying something since the internet ate my brain.
Also on this date:
Sheena: Queen of the Jungle released 1984
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