METROPOLIS (1927)

Metropolis (1927) In a futuristic city sharply divided between the working class and the city planners, the son of the city's mastermind falls in love with a working class prophet who predicts the coming of a savior to mediate their differences.


Origin

Metropolis was a very popular film made during the time of 1920-1940 from the director Fritx Lang, who is also famously known for film like M (1931) and Fury (1936). The film was met with a mixed response upon its initial release, with many critics praising its technical achievements and social metaphors while others derided its "simplistic and naïve" presentation. Because of its long running-time and the inclusion of footage which censors found questionable, Metropolis was cut substantially after its German premiere: large portions of the film were lost over the subsequent decades. The film is a good example of new advancements in film like elaborate special effects and set designs. Even though movies with sound were being made at the time, Metropolis was a silent film.

Purpose

In an interview, Fritz Lang reported that "the film was born from my first sight of the skyscrapers in New York in October 1924". Describing his first impressions of the city, Lang said that "the buildings seemed to be a vertical sail, scintillating and very light, a luxurious backdrop, suspended in the dark sky to dazzle, distract and hypnotize" (http://en.wikipedia.org/) Metroplis like New York with a futuristic vibe to it to symbolize how the buildings were distracting from bigger problems in the movie like people being divided by the working class and city planners.



Value

The film's set was inspired by the Art Deco movement. Art Deco is an influential art movement that first appeared in France after WW1 and bloomed internationally during the 1930's and 1940's. The style is often characterized by rich colors, bold geometric shapes, and lavish ornamentation.The film’s use of art deco architecture was highly influential, and has been reported to have contributed to the style’s subsequent popularity in Europe and America.

Limitations

A major limitation that this film has is that it is silent, so it tcan't tell us that films had sound and people spoke during the time. None the less, Metropolis was one of the most popular films of the decade and topped IMDB's list of the top 20 movies of the 1920's. This film was not unusual to see during the time. There were no other perspectives that were left out of the film either