Metropolis (1927)
About This Movie
In a futuristic city divided between privileged elites living in towers of light and exploited workers toiling in underground machines, a young man from the upper world falls in love with a worker's prophet and sets out to bridge the divide. Fritz Lang built the visual vocabulary of science fiction cinema nearly a century ago, and his vision of towering skyscrapers, underground factories, and a female robot has influenced every dystopian cityscape since. The film is a silent spectacle of extraordinary ambition.
Why It's a Classic
Lang's set designs, created through a combination of massive physical sets and the Schüfftan process (which used mirrors to combine miniatures with live action), established the look of the science fiction city for the next hundred years. The Maschinenmensch, the female robot created by the mad scientist Rotwang, became the template for every humanoid robot in fiction, from C-3PO to Ex Machina's Ava. The film's social message, that the heart must mediate between the head and the hands, is simplistic but sincere, and its depiction of class warfare resonates with contemporary anxieties about automation and inequality. The recently discovered nearly complete restoration adds nearly half an hour of footage that was thought lost for decades. The expressionist acting style, enormous crowd scenes, and pioneering special effects create a visual experience that remains breathtaking nearly a century later.
Fun Fact
The film employed over 36,000 extras and took nearly two years to shoot, making it one of the most expensive productions of the silent era and nearly bankrupting UFA Studios. Brigitte Helm, who played both Maria and the robot, was only nineteen during filming and endured extremely uncomfortable conditions in the robot costume. The film was cut dramatically for various international releases, and for decades only truncated versions existed. A nearly complete print was discovered in a Buenos Aires film archive in 2008.
Parent Note
There is no objectionable content by modern standards. The expressionist acting style of silent cinema may require adjustment for viewers unfamiliar with the era. The film runs over two hours in its restored version and requires willingness to engage with title cards instead of spoken dialogue. Musical accompaniment varies by version. Best appreciated by viewers with some interest in film history and visual art.
Quick Facts
- Year
- 1927
- Type
- 🎬 Movie
- Category
- Fantasy / Sci-Fi
- Age Group
- Adults (Ages 18+)