Gustav Fröhlich

Brigitte Helm

Alfred Abel

Rudolf Klein-Rogge

Theodor Loos

Fritz Rasp

Erwin Biswanger

Heinrich George

Fritz Alberti

Grete Berger

Olly Boeheim

Heinrich Gotho

Gottfried Huppertz

Georg John

Margarete Lanner

Rose Lichtenstein

Hanns Leo Reich

Arthur Reinhardt

Curt Siodmak

Henrietta Siodmak

Olaf Storm

Rolf von Goth

Helen von Münchofen

Helene Weigel

Günther Rittau

Fritz Lang

Walter Ruttmann

Edgar G. Ulmer

Erich Pommer

Karl Freund

Aenne Willkomm

Eugen Schüfftan

Ernst Kunstmann

Horst von Harbou

Walter Schulze-Mittendorff

Robert Baberske

Konstantin Irmen-Tschet

Frank Strobel

Thea von Harbou

Erich Kettelhut

Karl Vollbrecht

Rudi George

Erich Holder

Otto Hunte

Otto Harzner

Slatan Dudow

Drama

Science Fiction

Metropolis

Germany

No Language

future

metropolis

class society

man vs machine

underground world

tower of babel

based on novel or book

inventor

dystopia

delirium

mad scientist

prophet

steampunk

grim reaper

robot

destruction

silent film

expressionism

seven deadly sins

depravity

mob justice

downtrodden

saviour

social unrest

german expressionism

mediator

Metropolis is one of the greatest films ever made. It's amazing set design, brilliant cinematography, groundbreaking special effects and futuristic story truly makes it one of the must-sees in cinema! 

It is set in the future, in a city called Metropolis where the citizens are divided into two groups: workers (who live under the ground and are working 10 hour shifts by enormous machines that keeps Metropolis working) and the royals (living in luxury in the great city on the surfice). And over them all, is the creator of Metropolis: Joh Fredersen (Alfred Abel). His son Freder (Gustav Fröhlich) falls in love with a woman of the working-class called Maria (Brigitte Helm) who preaches that a mediator will come and create peace and equality for both workers and royals. Joh Fredersen sees Maria as a big threat agains his "order", so he and the inventor Rotwang (Rudolf Klein-Rogge) kidnaps her and copies her appearence onto a robot, which will destroy the workers faith in Maria. However, Rotwang secretly plans to programme the robot to make the workers destroy the city and crush Joh Fredersen, as an act of vengeance against Fredersen for a sin he committed in the past...

Lang made this film in 1927, and it was a huge blockbuster event of that year. However, after the premiere, the US distributor heavily cut down the film, and thereafter the original version was considered lost for almost a decade. In 2008 they found the original version in Argentina (very damaged, but watchable), which became the basis for the most recent reconstruction (2010). If you are going to watch this movie (as I highly recommend that you do!) that's the version to watch!

Overall, Metropolis is a REALLY REALLY great movie, that you, once again, MUST watch!

I give it a 10/10

CinemaSerf

This has got to be the ultimate cinematic illustration of the strata of human existence. Whether it be a story of the survival of the fittest; the cleverest; the most devious; most beautiful - or a hybrid of some/all - it reflects poignantly how humanity always seeks to exist within a hierarchical structure (merited or otherwise, but perfectly epitomised here by the matriarchal, deific robot), but how much more effectively mankind can succeed if it accepts and values everyone and works together. It also clearly identifies the perennial problem of those with the brain always ending up far more successful, comfortable - and powerful than those who do the labour. Hence, this wonderful tale from Fritz Lang takes us to "Metropolis" - a totalitarian - though not necessarily intentionally malevolent - society, in which everyone has their place and role. Except, that is - for the son of the "Master". Like many a fickle youth; he has little to occupy his time and his meaningless existence leaves him ripe for new ideas. When he takes pity on a recently sacked employee of his father and shortly afterwards is exposed to a lifestyle he couldn't even have imagined, the story starts to gain a thought-provoking and unstoppable pace. The score magnificently guides us from the drudgery of day-to-day-life through the emancipating revolution that inevitably follows, with all of the ill-foreseen, largely devastating consequences - like a bottle of champagne that has been shaken, sooner or later the cork pops! It is also a story of love between the son and a woman way, way, way beneath his station. Yes, there is light on the sunlit uplands - and much like a forest fire that destroys all in it's path; this film clearly suggests at the end that hope and optimism will triumph and a green shoots of recovery starts to grow again... It also, as a piece of cinema, is clearly the inspiration for so many directors, cinematographers and story tellers that followed...

Official Trailer

Metropolis( 1927)

There can be no understanding between the hands and the brain unless the heart acts as mediator.

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A review by Gurre

Written by Gurre on Sat May 31 2014

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