Metropolis (1927 film)

Metropolis is a landmark of German expressionist science-fiction cinema.

Released in 1927, it is considered a pioneering feature-length work in the science-fiction genre. The film was directed by Fritz Lang and written by Thea von Harbou. It was based on von Harbou's 1925 novel of the same name. The production took place at the Babelsberg Studio for Universum Film A.G. (UFA). The story explores a futuristic urban dystopia. This setting features a massive divide between different social classes.

The film's central message is found in its final inter-title: "The Mediator Between the Head and the Hands Must Be the Heart."

The plot follows the interactions between two very different worlds. In the city of Metropolis, wealthy industrialists live in colossal skyscrapers. Below them, workers live in underground levels to operate massive machines. The city master is a man named Joh Fredersen. His son, Freder, lives a life of leisure until he meets Maria. Maria is a saintly figure to the workers. Freder becomes fascinated by her and enters the lower levels. There, he witnesses a machine explosion that kills and injures many workers. Freder experiences a hallucination where the machine acts like a temple of Moloch.

This event drives his desire to help the workers.

Conflict arises through the actions of an inventor named Rotwang. Rotwang has a complicated history with Fredersen and a lost love named Hel. He builds a robot known as the Maschinenmensch, or machine-human.

Fredersen orders Rotwang to give the robot Maria's likeness. This is intended to discredit her among the workers. The false Maria preaches chaos and urges the workers to rise up. This leads to the destruction of machines and a great flood. The workers eventually realize the machine is a robot and burn it. The film concludes with Freder attempting to unite the ruling and working classes. He links the hands of Fredersen and the foreman, Grot, to create peace.

The visual design of Metropolis is highly complex and eclectic. The art direction was led by Otto Hunte, Erich Kettelhut, and Karl Vollbrecht. Their work draws from several distinct artistic movements. They used elements of Bauhaus, Cubism, and Futurism in the design. The city also features Art Deco architecture, which became very popular afterward.

Some scenes, like the catacombs and the cathedral, use a Gothic style. The New Babel Tower was inspired by the Upper Silesian Tower in Poznań. Lang also noted that the skyscrapers of New York influenced his vision. He described the sight of New York as a "beacon of beauty." This vision helped shape the film's massive, vertical scale.

Producing Metropolis was a massive undertaking for the Weimar-era German film industry. Filming lasted 17 months during 1925 and 1926. The cost exceeded five million Reichsmarks. This made it one of the most expensive and ambitious films of its time. The screenplay was a collaboration between Lang and his then-wife, von Harbou. The story also drew inspiration from authors like H.G. Wells and Mary Shelley. Themes of industrialization and mass production are central to the narrative. These themes reflected the culture of the Weimar Republic and the aftermath of World War I. The film also explores ideas regarding fascism and communism.

Upon its release, Metropolis received a mixed reception from critics. Many praised the beautiful art direction and the complex special effects. However, some critics found the story to be too simple or "naïve." The famous writer H.G. Wells even described the film as "silly." Others criticized its political messages and its long running time. Because of these criticisms, the film was cut substantially after its German premiere. For many years, the original version of the film was not complete. This led to many different versions existing throughout the 20th century.

One version in 1984 used a rock soundtrack by artists like Freddie Mercury.

Efforts to restore the film have been a major focus since the 1970s. A significant breakthrough occurred in 2008 when a damaged print was found in Argentina. This print, along with footage from New Zealand, allowed for a major reconstruction. This version brought the film to within five minutes of its original length. It was shown in Berlin and Frankfurt in February 2010. Today, Metropolis is regarded as one of the greatest films ever made. It was the first film to be inscribed on UNESCO's Memory of the World International Register. On January 1, 2023, its American copyright expired, placing it in the public domain.