metropolis review.docx

7/27/2019 metropolis review.docx

1/9

(fig1)

Metropolis is a German science fiction silent film made in 1927 directed by Fritz

Lang. The film a futuristic representing of separation in classes, the 'hand' and the

'heart' as quoted in the film by Maria. Maria is the savior maiden to the lower class

working men. Who seek out help to lead them into the light a concious in a way that

shows them they way which is good.

Metropolis has repeatedly and is still influencing film makers and costume designers.

The famous Maria robot is a big part of our since fiction work now. As you can see

the costumes designs is resembled in films like Star Wars. As well as in the

photography and fashion industry you still she structures of maria portrayed as theevil robot or even as the virgin marry character she played.

(fig2)
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JudstRRyGlY/Uk6-l2_CLMI/AAAAAAAAAME/jJbhYtDbL80/s1600/images.jpghttp://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WXUXk5fmFU8/Uk65rcw1cHI/AAAAAAAAALw/6OiqcoTTH1E/s1600/Metro_001.jpghttp://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JudstRRyGlY/Uk6-l2_CLMI/AAAAAAAAAME/jJbhYtDbL80/s1600/images.jpghttp://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WXUXk5fmFU8/Uk65rcw1cHI/AAAAAAAAALw/6OiqcoTTH1E/s1600/Metro_001.jpg


2/9

(fig3)

(fig4)

The film opens to a scene of the workings walking through tunnels in big groups a

grim and harsh reality that is portrayed in the film. You get a sense of what the life of

a working man is like, the men dragging their feet walking in sync, holding their

heads down preparing for the day ahead. The music in the sense has a great impact to

the type of gloomy and depressed state in which these workers are in. Resembling the

idea of slaves, it was made around the time of the German War and you can really see

that imprinted into the film. The men walking in unison like the Jews all held together

in concentration camps.As you enter the world below you understand the extreme demands that these workers

have to fulfill. 'The workers labor in a monstrous machine, a hellish industrial

complex where they must accomplish repetitive and dehumanizing tasks' The Vigilant

Citizen (Oct 19 2010).

The sets for the film are so extravagant and tall, visually it looks like something you'd

watch at a theater, everything coming to life in front of you and changing form like
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qI-g2gI4SnM/Uk6-l6_zKhI/AAAAAAAAAMI/Anb--jsrXmg/s1600/METROPOLIS-1927-UFA-film-006.jpghttp://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ln-aVj2Tu94/Uk7B5x-pqeI/AAAAAAAAAMU/FUgRi5IylXc/s1600/images+(1).jpghttp://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qI-g2gI4SnM/Uk6-l6_zKhI/AAAAAAAAAMI/Anb--jsrXmg/s1600/METROPOLIS-1927-UFA-film-006.jpghttp://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ln-aVj2Tu94/Uk7B5x-pqeI/AAAAAAAAAMU/FUgRi5IylXc/s1600/images+(1).jpg


3/9

acts and scenes, smoke blasting from the machines as though it is breathing, aspects

that create a more visually pleasing experience. These kinds of elements don't occur in

today's movies as they are set in a more realistic fashion.

You see the workers die in an explosion to one of the machines and you see them

being feed into the machines against their will a metaphor for the life they once had.

Working to their deaths, serving miserable every day in pain, something they have nocontrol over because they have no choice.

(fig 5)
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AsYIdl4mHj4/Uk7EEzjTYFI/AAAAAAAAAMg/SNYVqaoL_Vg/s1600/moloch.jpg


4/9

Yet when you venture above to the city of metropolis you see a different world of

glamor and lights a look into the future that they had imaged up at th e time (1920s).

The setting is truly a visual insight for the standards set for futuristic designers, large

buildings that tower over the city. In a way that is so magnificent it gives such an

illusion for the viewer that is so powerful. You can see modern transportation devices

that were way beyond their time. The city and system are so overpowering theydwarf any merely logical problems, Robert Ebert March 28 1998

(fig 6)


5/9

(fig 7)

The special effects of the film seemed to demonstrate a reality that at the time was soreal for the viewers. The scene in Rotwangs lab where Maria is captured and is

cloned for the robot he built is a scene that has been used many times in films like Dr

Frankenstein. That relation between the mad doctor trying to make his robot real to

Frankinstein bring back the dead is so evident. The effects in that sence looks so real,

the


6/9

(fig 8)


7/9

(fig 9)

Bibliography

The Vigilant Citizen October 19th 2010

http://vigilantcitizen.com/musicbusiness/the-occult-symbolism-of-movie-metropolis-

and-its-importance-in-pop-culture/

Robert Ebert March 28 1998

http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-metropolis-1927
http://vigilantcitizen.com/musicbusiness/the-occult-symbolism-of-movie-metropolis-and-its-importance-in-pop-culture/http://vigilantcitizen.com/musicbusiness/the-occult-symbolism-of-movie-metropolis-and-its-importance-in-pop-culture/http://vigilantcitizen.com/musicbusiness/the-occult-symbolism-of-movie-metropolis-and-its-importance-in-pop-culture/http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-metropolis-1927http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-metropolis-1927http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-metropolis-1927http://vigilantcitizen.com/musicbusiness/the-occult-symbolism-of-movie-metropolis-and-its-importance-in-pop-culture/http://vigilantcitizen.com/musicbusiness/the-occult-symbolism-of-movie-metropolis-and-its-importance-in-pop-culture/


8/9

Illustrations

Figure 1

http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lyzkhpa6dq1qf4yar.jpg

Figure 2

http://squa.re/wp-content/themes/square22/img.php?w=960&src=http://squa.re/wp-

content/uploads/2010/01/VOGUEGERMANY-METROPOLIS-FEB10-1.jpg

Figure 3

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tPZzR7EpIjg/TMTwyRkCEII/AAAAAAAAARo/-wNc9ZhX49o/s640/C3PO-

Robot.jpg

Figure 4http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Observer/Pix/pictures/2010/9/9/1284047852183/METROPOLIS-

1927-UFA-film-006.jpg

Figure 5

https://reader009.{domain}/reader009/html5/0419/5ad7876f338d2/5ad78775d59b6.jpg

Figure 6

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2uw-

zJW87js/T9qmLvA0_tI/AAAAAAAAAXE/Gzx4YuraeU0/s1600/MetropolisCity.jpg

Figure 7

http://davidszondy.com/future/city/Metropolis%2001.jpg

Figure 8

http://media.sfx.co.uk/files/2010/11/METROPOLIS_610.jpg

Figure 9

http://www.moviemail.com/film/dvd/Metropolis-Reconstructed-Restored-Masters-of-

Cinema/
http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lyzkhpa6dq1qf4yar.jpghttp://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lyzkhpa6dq1qf4yar.jpghttp://squa.re/wp-content/themes/square22/img.php?w=960&src=http://squa.re/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/VOGUEGERMANY-METROPOLIS-FEB10-1.jpghttp://squa.re/wp-content/themes/square22/img.php?w=960&src=http://squa.re/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/VOGUEGERMANY-METROPOLIS-FEB10-1.jpghttp://squa.re/wp-content/themes/square22/img.php?w=960&src=http://squa.re/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/VOGUEGERMANY-METROPOLIS-FEB10-1.jpghttp://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tPZzR7EpIjg/TMTwyRkCEII/AAAAAAAAARo/-wNc9ZhX49o/s640/C3PO-Robot.jpghttp://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tPZzR7EpIjg/TMTwyRkCEII/AAAAAAAAARo/-wNc9ZhX49o/s640/C3PO-Robot.jpghttp://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tPZzR7EpIjg/TMTwyRkCEII/AAAAAAAAARo/-wNc9ZhX49o/s640/C3PO-Robot.jpghttp://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Observer/Pix/pictures/2010/9/9/1284047852183/METROPOLIS-1927-UFA-film-006.jpghttp://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Observer/Pix/pictures/2010/9/9/1284047852183/METROPOLIS-1927-UFA-film-006.jpghttp://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Observer/Pix/pictures/2010/9/9/1284047852183/METROPOLIS-1927-UFA-film-006.jpghttp://i0.wp.com/vigilantcitizen.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/moloch.jpghttp://i0.wp.com/vigilantcitizen.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/moloch.jpghttp://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2uw-zJW87js/T9qmLvA0_tI/AAAAAAAAAXE/Gzx4YuraeU0/s1600/MetropolisCity.jpghttp://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2uw-zJW87js/T9qmLvA0_tI/AAAAAAAAAXE/Gzx4YuraeU0/s1600/MetropolisCity.jpghttp://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2uw-zJW87js/T9qmLvA0_tI/AAAAAAAAAXE/Gzx4YuraeU0/s1600/MetropolisCity.jpghttp://davidszondy.com/future/city/Metropolis%2001.jpghttp://davidszondy.com/future/city/Metropolis%2001.jpghttp://media.sfx.co.uk/files/2010/11/METROPOLIS_610.jpghttp://media.sfx.co.uk/files/2010/11/METROPOLIS_610.jpghttp://www.moviemail.com/film/dvd/Metropolis-Reconstructed-Restored-Masters-of-Cinema/http://www.moviemail.com/film/dvd/Metropolis-Reconstructed-Restored-Masters-of-Cinema/http://www.moviemail.com/film/dvd/Metropolis-Reconstructed-Restored-Masters-of-Cinema/http://www.moviemail.com/film/dvd/Metropolis-Reconstructed-Restored-Masters-of-Cinema/http://www.moviemail.com/film/dvd/Metropolis-Reconstructed-Restored-Masters-of-Cinema/http://media.sfx.co.uk/files/2010/11/METROPOLIS_610.jpghttp://davidszondy.com/future/city/Metropolis%2001.jpghttp://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2uw-zJW87js/T9qmLvA0_tI/AAAAAAAAAXE/Gzx4YuraeU0/s1600/MetropolisCity.jpghttp://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2uw-zJW87js/T9qmLvA0_tI/AAAAAAAAAXE/Gzx4YuraeU0/s1600/MetropolisCity.jpghttp://i0.wp.com/vigilantcitizen.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/moloch.jpghttp://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Observer/Pix/pictures/2010/9/9/1284047852183/METROPOLIS-1927-UFA-film-006.jpghttp://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Observer/Pix/pictures/2010/9/9/1284047852183/METROPOLIS-1927-UFA-film-006.jpghttp://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tPZzR7EpIjg/TMTwyRkCEII/AAAAAAAAARo/-wNc9ZhX49o/s640/C3PO-Robot.jpghttp://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tPZzR7EpIjg/TMTwyRkCEII/AAAAAAAAARo/-wNc9ZhX49o/s640/C3PO-Robot.jpghttp://squa.re/wp-content/themes/square22/img.php?w=960&src=http://squa.re/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/VOGUEGERMANY-METROPOLIS-FEB10-1.jpghttp://squa.re/wp-content/themes/square22/img.php?w=960&src=http://squa.re/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/VOGUEGERMANY-METROPOLIS-FEB10-1.jpghttp://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lyzkhpa6dq1qf4yar.jpg


9/9

Documents

metropolis review.docx