Summary:
Fritz Lang’s 1927 epic Metropolis established the benchmark or originality, design and scale for science fiction sets which has perhaps yet to be bettered. Met with a negative reception upon release, subsequent restorations and critical re-evaluations have led it to be reclaimed as a masterpiece. With its fusion of grand modernist cityscapes and oppressive industrial working class machinery, Metropolis triumphantly heralded the ability for filmmakers to create entire new worlds. Its influence can still be seen in almost every science fiction film released since.
Analysis:
“The set design, for instance, runs the gamut from cavernous Christian catacombs to abstract cityscapes in the tradition of the futurist architect Antonio Sant’Elia, from the mystical Tower of Babel to art deco interiors, from abstract moving machine parts at the beginning of the film to the Gothic cathedral at the end” (Isenberg, 2009: 175)
“The film reaches back into the mythical past and forward into the far future; its buildings stretch to the sky, while inhuman machine halls are underground...expressionist architecture is meant to underscore the contrast between the timeless pleasure gardens high above and the subterranean darkness deep below, where time is measured in ten-hour shifts.” (Isenberg, 2009:176)
Isenberg, Noah. (2009) Weimer cinema: an essential guide to classic films of the era. USA: Columbia University Press
Release:
1927
Director:
Fritz Lang
Screenplay by:
Thea von Harbou, Fritz Lang
Produced by:
Erich Pommer
Genre/subgenre:
Science Fiction, Silent
Country:
Germany
Cast:
Alfred Abel, Gustav Frölich, Rudolph Klein-Rogge, Fritz Rasp, Theodor Loos, Erwin Biswanger, Heinrich George, Brigitte Helm
Selected Director Filmography:
Related Films:
Cabiria, Intolerance: Love’s Struggle Throughout the Ages, High Treason, Just Imagine, Things to Come, Logan’s Run, Star Wars franchise, Blade Runner, Brazil, Dark City, The Crow, The Fifth Element, Batman franchise, Metropolis (Anime)
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