Metropolis is a famous science fiction film silent film from 1927, directed by the German director Fritz Lang. The film is considered one of masterpieces of cinematic history and was an important milestone in the evolution of cinema as an art form.
The plot of the film is set in a large futuristic city called Metropolis, which is divided into two parts: the upper city, where the wealthy and privileged individuals live, and the lower city, where the workers who power the city reside. The story revolves around the son of the city’s founder, Freder, who discovers the terrible condition of the workers in the lower city and falls in love with Maria, a woman who fights to improve the living conditions of the workers. Meanwhile, Freder’s father is building a robot to control workers and to protect the interests of the wealthy.
The film is known for its stunning special effects and stunning production design, which created an iconic image of the futuristic city that influenced many subsequent film productions. The film was also innovative in the way it tackled social and political issues, such as social inequality, class struggle and the struggle for workers’ rights.
Metropolis is a dystopian movie which influenced many subsequent directors and filmmakers and had a significant impact on popular culture in general. It is considered one of the greatest films in the history of cinema and a cornerstone of cinematic art.
Plot
The story of Metropolis follows the story of a young man named Freder, son of Joh Fredersen, the man who built the futuristic city of Metropolis. The city is divided into two parts: the upper city, where the wealthy and privileged live, and the lower city, where the workers who feed the city reside.
The story begins when Freder accidentally meets a young woman named Maria while in the lower city. The woman is organizing a protest to improve the working conditions of the workers. Freder falls in love with her and decides to follow her in secret until he sees her enter the city’s cathedral.
Here Freder attends the preaching of the pastor, who speaks of the need for a mediator between the upper city and the lower city. But Joh Fredersen, Freder’s father, fears that such a mediator could endanger his authority, and asks his assistant, Rotwang, to create a humanoid robot capable of destroying the revolt.
Rotwang, who was previously abandoned by Maria for Joh Fredersen, decides to use Maria’s face to create the robot. Meanwhile, Freder discovers the horror of factory work and the fact that the workers are unaware of the presence of the upper city.
Meanwhile, Maria is kidnapped by Rotwang and replaced by the robot, who incites the workers to destroy the upper city. Freder, horrified by the situation, joins the workers’ fight and tries to stop the robot.
Characters
Here are the main characters of the film Metropolis:
Freder – played by Gustav Fröhlich, is the son of the founder of the city of Metropolis, who falls in love with Maria and joins the workers’ struggle to improve their living conditions.
Maria – played by Brigitte Helm, is a young woman from the lower town who fights to improve conditions for workers and becomes Freder’s inspiration.
Joh Fredersen – played by Alfred Abel, is the founder and boss of the city of Metropolis, who uses technology to control the workers of the lower city and protect their own interests.
Rotwang – played by Rudolf Klein-Rogge, is a mad scientist who builds the humanoid robot that becomes a threat to the city.
Grot – played by Heinrich George, is the leader of the workers of the lower town, who tries to organize an uprising to improve the living conditions of the workers.
The robot – played by Brigitte Helm, is an artificial entity created by Rotwang to destroy the workers of the lower city.
These are just some of the main characters in the film, but there are many other characters who play important roles in the story as well.
Film Production
Metropolis was a 1927 German film produced by Fritz Lang and written by Lang and screenwriter Thea von Harbou. The film was produced by UFA (Universum Film AG), a large German film production company at the time.
Metropolis was very expensive to produce, with an estimated budget of around 5 million Reichsmarks, making it one of the most expensive films of its era. The production took nearly a year and a half and involved more than 36,000 extras.
The film was shot at the UFA studios in and around Berlin, using advanced special effects for the time. In particular, director Fritz Lang used for the first time highly complex filming techniques and connection between scenes, with the use of multiple shots and close-ups that contributed to making the film very innovative.
The film was released in Germany in January 1927 and attracted mixed reactions from audiences and critics. While some critics spoke favorably of the film, others criticized it for its length and complex plot.
In the following years, the film has become a milestone of cinema and a reference work for the genre of science fiction. Today Metropolis is considered one of the masterpieces of silent cinema and an example of the power of cinema as an art form.
Distribution and Reception
Metropolis was released in Germany in January 1927, immediately becoming a major event in the film world. The film met with mixed reception from both audiences and critics, with some positive and some negative reviews. Many critics appreciated the futuristic vision of society, while others found the film too complex and too long.
Despite the mixed reaction, Metropolis enjoyed great commercial success in Germany, where it ran for several months. However, the film was less successful in the United States, where it was released by Paramount Pictures with a cut and edited version, which removed some of the film’s political and social references.
In the following years, the film has undergone several revisions and restorations, with the reintroduction of many scenes that had been cut in previous versions. Today, Metropolis is considered one of the masterpieces of silent cinema and one of the most influential cinematic works of the cinema history.
The film has influenced many other directors and artists, including Ridley Scott, who has stated that Metropolis was an inspiration for his film Blade Runner, and George Lucas, who has stated that Fritz Lang’s film influenced the creation of the world of star wars.
Movie Style
Metropolis is a film that stands out for its unique and innovative visual style. Director Fritz Lang has used a combination of advanced cinematic techniques, such as lighting, perspective and close-ups, to create a world of images and symbols that represent the alienation and dehumanization of modern man.
The film is characterized by a complex and articulated narrative structure, which combines action and drama with social and political themes. The plot is set in a futuristic world, dominated by a social hierarchy rigidly divided between the rich and powerful of the upper city and the working poor of the lower city.
The world of Metropolis was created through the use of elaborate sets, futuristic costumes and advanced camera techniques. In particular, director Fritz Lang used the slow camera technique to emphasize the movement of the characters and to create a feeling of slowness and alienation.
The film also features an impressive score, composed by Gottfried Huppertz, which uses a variety of instruments to create a dramatic and eerie atmosphere.
In general, the style of Metropolis is distinguished by its visual imagination, its narrative complexity and its innovative approach to the representation of the future world.
Director
Fritz Lang was the director of Metropolis, one of the masterpieces in the history of cinema. Lang was one of the most important and innovative German filmmakers of his time, known for his visual creativity and his ability to mix social and political themes with drama and adventure.
Born in Vienna in 1890, Lang began his film career in 1919, working as a screenwriter and director for UFA, the German film production company. His first film as a director was Halbblut (Mudblood), a western genre film.
In the 1920s, Lang achieved his greatest success with a series of innovative and visionary films, including Metropolis, M – The Monster of Düsseldorf, and Frau im Mond (Woman on the Moon). Lang has developed his own distinctive visual style, which is notable for his attention to detail, his ability to create powerful and symbolic images, and his skill in directing actors.
Following the Nazi rise to power in Germany, Lang moved to the United States in 1934, where he worked as a director for Hollywood studios. Here he made many successful films, including Fury, A Portrait Woman, and The Big Heat.
Lang died in Los Angeles in 1976, at the age of 85, having left an indelible mark on the history of world cinema.
