Space Oddities: Metropolis

Fig 1. Metropolis

This review explores Fritz Lang's 1927 film, "Metropolis". A masterpiece of a film that set many sci-fi conventions, relations to story of the tower of babel, depicts the differences between high & low working classes, and shares many other elements of other genres such as horror, Sci-fi, romance, and sub-genres like disaster.

Not only by genre but 7 years after Robert Wiene's Des Cabinet Das Dr. Caligari (1920) so much has evolved by how scenes are conveyed through shot types, special effects and aesthetics. Iconic scenes like the flood scene "The climactic scenes in which Fredersen's son Freder (Gustav Frölich) saves crowds of children from floods have a rousing blockbuster intensity, setting a template for the disaster movie." (Romney 2010) The detailed miniatures, crumbling buildings on set, Freder, Maria, Josaphat and the children running to escape, actual actors creating this sense of panic and tension something that is done with movies today but more computerised, seeing the origin of this type of scene in metropolis and being able to still create the tension with actors shows that it's possible without special effects.

Fig 2

Speaking of iconic scenes, there's once particular film in the movie that set popular sci-fi conventions, Maria's Transformation scene. It demonstrates the process of Maria's physical body being duplicated and converted onto the machine-man and the process is shown very abstractly, Dr. Rotwang pulling levers and dials, electricity and rings of light, chemistry bottles bubbling, all the more growing intense and building up to the finale. "It was strange to me, not being a technician and one who does not know even how to repair and electric bell. A huge, impressive and uncanny chamber representing the laboratory of the renowned inventor, Rotwang. Full of complicated and puzzling apparatus, machines, induction coils, resistances, switches, cables, fly-wheels, transmissions tables, upon which were different formulæ, boiling chemicals in bowls, tables of glass, intricate wire connections, and a number of most mysterious objects. I was over come with a very strange feeling when i entered the room lighted with numerous mercury lamps" (Klein-Rogge 1927) The actor of Dr. Rotwang was even taken away by the set design, all these mysterious contraptions of science and technology depicts the idea of futuristic conventions. On top of that the effects used were surprising to see from a time this movie was made, Special effects at the time were hand made, each frame hand painted on, and yet her it seems so convincing and surreal.

Fig. 3

Two different scenes that communicate different genres all the while being apart of the same plot and movie, this is what Metropolis is, a story that splits into multiple roots and rejoins again. With Freder and his journey from the Club of sons to the the workers city, putting himself in others shoes and trying to rejoin the workers with the Creators of the capital, Dr Rotwangs revenge against Fredersen for Hel's death creating a robot to tear down what Fredersen created, Maria being kidnapped and cloned into the machine man and being chased down by the corrupted mob. It keeps the viewers on edge, as scenes are happening at the same time but switch every so often it makes one focus on one scene and pulls you to the next.

Metropolis, with or without parts of the original footage still perceives the same message to the viewer. "Despite the fact that parts of the film are no longer available, the efforts to reconstruct the original film from its remains are valiant enough to provide enough to make the story clear. The special effects were far ahead of their time and the set designs were, in some cases, phenomenal."  It was a turning point for movies, the narrative, special effects, and shot design. Sure today not many people will enjoy it due to it's missing parts, muddled plot, but tat's what makes it phenomenal

Bibliography:

J Romney (2010) - http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/metropolis-fritz-lang-145-mins-pg-2076981.html

Klein-Rogge (1927) METROPOLIS Premiere Presentation Marble Arch Pavilion on March 21, 1927. -  http://socks-studio.com/2012/08/15/about-metropolis/

Cane (2004) - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0017136/reviews

Illustration: 

Fig.1 [Poster] - https://annabelleedwardsxukc.wordpress.com/2014/12/10/bfi-film-poster-research-metropolis-poster-design/

Fig.2 [Behind the scenes] - http://movieclassics3326.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/metropolis.html

Fig.3 [Video] - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcReykfvqi4