Technically innovative and stylistically unique, German director Fritz Lang's Metropolis (1927) is an undeniable masterpiece, and one of the most important films of the Silent Era. Pioneering in it's approach to Science Fiction and in it's portrayal of a "dystopia", Metropolis still holds eerily relevance when compared in relation to the class divisions fought by the present day "99%" and "Occupy" movements. An expensive film for it's day, Lang employed hoards of extras, costly sets and intricate miniature models to get the proper futuristic look. The film certainly pushed the envelope. European standards were less prudish than American policies, otherwise Brigitte Helm's nearly-nude dancing scene (in which she is only wearing pasties), would never have passed. Full of interesting camera tricks, double-exposures and negative manipulation, Metropolis is an astounding achievement and a marvel to watch, even 85 years later.
A futuristic city is divided between the upper class people who live above ground and enjoy the comforts and benefits of the metropolis...
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| Metropolis. 1927. Fritz Lang |
and the workers, who live in squalor and slave below ground, maintaining the machines that keep the city running above...
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| Metropolis. 1927. Fritz Lang |
The city master's son falls in love with Maria (Brigitte Helm), a beautiful civil liberties fighter living below. Maria is respected amongst the disgruntled laborers. Fearful of an uprising, the master gets the idea to have a crazy inventor use his skills to make a robot double of Maria to go down below, and corrupt the worker's morale...
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| Metropolis. 1927. Fritz Lang |
But the inventor has ulterior motives and wants to see the master destroyed. The robot double is sent, and she does a sexy, provocative dance (nearly nude) to distract and control the workers...
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| Metropolis. 1927. Fritz Lang |
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| Metropolis. 1927. Fritz Lang |
and the ideas she plants with the workers...
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| Metropolis. 1927. Fritz Lang |
creates chaos...
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| Metropolis. 1927. Fritz Lang |
and a violent revolt...
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| Metropolis. 1927. Fritz Lang |
Can these two different groups within the society learn to get along...
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| Metropolis. 1927. Fritz Lang |
