Watch The Spiders: Part 1 - The Golden Sea For Free

Very Cool!!!

Good concept, poorly executed.

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

"Die Spinnen, 1. Teil - Der Goldene See" is a German full feature film from almost 100 years ago. It was intended as the first of 4 films, but in the end, there was only one sequel. The protagonist is played by Carl de Vogt, but the most prominent cast member today is probably Lil Dagover. I am not too big on silent films (don't be fooled by the soundtrack) or adventure films in general, but I enjoyed this one. The version I saw only went for 55 minutes, so I guess they sped things up or some scenes were missing here, possibly lost. One good aspect is that there were definitely enough intertitles, something these very old films are badly in need of. Also the acting was solid, even if I wasn't too moved by the love story. But I liked how writer and director Lang did not go for happy endings in here, but for realism. And as many other times with his works, there is a sinister criminal organization playing a major role. The Spiders are not really spiders, but said organization. And there are definitely many moments during which I felt I was watching a very very old Indiana Jones movie. I also liked the prologue with the guy on the island. Not the main character, but he made a nice initialization to the movie. I will certainly watch the sequel after this one. I hope it's equally good. Recommended.

Imagine waking up and turning over to your lover only to find her missing and a huge black spider on her pillow. Imagine parachute jumping from a hot-air balloon high above the ruins of an Incan city in Mesoamerica. Imagine the chief protagonist dressed like Batman sans cape and living shipboard in a crate complete with your favorite liquors, a reading library and arsenal. Imagine a primary character name Kay Hoog – who happens to be a man. If you can imagine that, then it might be a flash-back to this film. Fritz Lang showed his filmmaking genius early in his career with "The Spiders." These two first installments, beg for a remake and for some creative effort to produce the final two segments - "The Secret of the Sphinx" and "For Asia's Imperial Crown" - that were never made.

Well, well... Even if you're a fervent admirer of Lang's silent films, this early one - the first part of a two-part unfinished four-part serial(!) - will leave you in doubt about Fritz's narrative skills. (His directorial skills aren't that evident either, but here and there one senses his talent for building up atmosphere.) The pic's just pure juvenile nonsense, which wouldn't be half as bad, were it not for the long ponderous stretches in between the childish action scenes.But the whole affair almost gets by on its amiable innocence.4 out of 10 Inca treasures

In San Francisco, the sportsman Kay Hoog (Carl de Vogt) tells to the members of a club that he has found a message in a bottle with a map from a Harvard's professor telling about a treasure of an Inca lost civilization still alive. He decides to go to Peru to seek the gold. However, members of the secret criminal organization "The Spiders" leaded by Lio Sha (Ressel Orla) break in Kay's mansion during the night and steal the map. Kay Hoog travels to Peru, where he retrieves his map and a document about the Diamond Ship from The Spiders. Later he saves the Priestess of the Sun Naela (Lil Dagover) and brings her to San Francisco. However, The Spiders kill Naela and Kay Hoog promises revenge for the death of his love."Die Spinnen,1. Teil - Der Goldene See" is so far the weakest movie of the Master Fritz Lang that I have seen. The silly adventure is messy and pointless, with the (weak) hero going to the Inca civilization without supplies and returning engaged of their priestess that falls in love with him without any explanation. The Incas are destroyed by the criminals, and in the end I really did not like the story of this film. Anyway, Kay Hoog seems to be the source of inspiration of Indiana Jones. My vote is six.Title (Brazil): "As Aranhas Parte 1 – O Lago Dourado" ("The Spiders Part 1 – The Golden Lake")