WBG+: Aelita: Queen of Mars

Director: Yakov Protazanov
Script: Fedor Ozep

Cinematographers: Emil Schünemann & Yuri Zhelyabuzhsky
Released: September 25, 1924
Running time 113 min.

Starring:

Nikolai Tseretelli
Valentina Kuindzji
Yulia Solntseva
Pavel Pol
Igor Ilyinsky
Nikolai Batalov
Vera Orlova

The Bullet Points:

The story begins in December of 1921 with the worldwide transmission of a cryptic message that reads: “Anta… Odeli … Uta”.

It is determined to originate from Mars, but what does it mean?

In Moscow, Chief Engineer Los becomes obsessed with deciphering the message and finding a way to get to Mars.

On Mars, the 1% rule over slaves who are confined underground and put into cold storage when not required.

Adventure ensues after Los commits murder and flees to Mars in his homemade rocket ship.

Released before Metropolis, this movie has the same basic theme of the oppressed rising up against their oppressors and winning equality. Equality of Income and Equality of Freedom. But there is a twist to Aelita.

Aelita is accused of being nothing more than "Socialist Propaganda" by Western critics. If that were the case why was Aelita banned from cinemas in the USSR until after the fall of the Iron Curtain?

This film is more likely to be despised by hardcore Capitalist. Not unlike the Oligarchs of today who are making an end run for world domination and the demise of Democracy around the globe.

Aelita like Metropolis is about those who drone on daily in the factories and office buildings and let's not forget the wars of the uberwealthy, yes I said WARS, I have yet to ever read of any war provoked or funded by a poor man or woman, getting some respect and a share of the wealth and a less miserable life.

I'm sure Walmart employees and every other person employed in the retail marketplace can relate. Foxconn workers I'm pretty darn sure are feeling what I'm saying.

Politics aside, Aelita is a ground breaking Sci-Fi epic that influenced the genre for decades and is well worth your time.

Checkout: Fritz Lang's Metropolis