Fritz Lang's Metropolis




Original 1927 theatrical release poster

This 1927 science-fiction epic from the silent film era is set in a sprawling Utopian Art Deco city called Metropolis. 

Set in the year 2026 in a future society divided by economic classes. The working class and the well...um...the one percent, no, check that make it the uber wealthy Mnuchin/Trump type .01 percent class. The Working Class live in a dystopian underground hellscape beneath the machines they operate to keep the surface world working in tune to the rhythm of the Uber Class who live in opulent homes and a life of grandeur.

The two main protagonists Freder and Maria each come from one of the classes. Freder is the son of the Lord of Metropolis Johhan Fredersen while Maria is a children's educator in the working class underground dwellings and leader of the workers.

One day while reaping the rewards of inherited wealth Freder spots Maria who had brought a group of working class children to the surface to observe the life style and gloriousness of the surface world. Maria and the kids are spotted by the authorities then taken back to the underground but not before Freder hears Maria speaking about equality of humanity to the crowd gathered in the Eternal Gardens. Freder is so intrigued he follows the group back to the underground and is horrified by what he sees. He witnesses a deadly accident and explosion on the machine level where men labor in misery. Can you say OSHA? Can you say "Live Better, Work Union!" but I digress. 

Anguished by what he saw, Freder confronts his father only to find out Johhan truly believes the surface dwelling elites have a birthright to their luxurious lifestyle and the working class are there to serve them, wretched existence or not.

Freder resolves to go it alone without his father's help. He decides the best place to start is by contacting Maria. Freder goes underground and takes a job while he looks for Maria. 

Are you intrigued?

No spoilers here, you will have to watch  Fritz Lang's Metropolis to see how it all plays out.

2026 is just around the corner people.

 Recommended: Aelita: Queen of Mars

1 comment:

  1. AnonymousJanuary 2, 2018 at 8:21 PM

    The party finally gets let off the chain at 1:31:00 enjoy the freaky weirdness as only Germany circa 1927 could imagine.

    ReplyDelete

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