Movie Talk: Metropolis (1927)

[JBird]

Not the 2001 anime loose adaptation of the 1949 manga that is loosely based on the 1927 film. We're going right to the source.

Originally Posted by "Netflix

In the year 2026, when the populace is divided between workers who must live underground and the wealthy, who enjoy a futuristic city of splendor, a man from the upper class abandons his privileged life to join oppressed workers in a revolt.

The version I watched is labeled as "Metropolis Restored", but there were two or three pieces of footage still missing from the film. It's still watchable, and there are title cards describing what was suppose to have been there to that connect the scenes. If you're a film buff of any kind, and does not mind watching a silent film for two and a half hours, this is a must see.

...Also, this is reportedly one of Adolf Hitler's favorite films. But that's a fact I can easily ignore.

At the risk of overhyping the film, it's practically a masterpiece. It's awe-inspiring for what the filmmakers were capable of in the 1920's. And Brigitte Helm was downright disturbing as the robot doppelganger, with the way she had that manic smile and her twitchy eye. She also wore the robot costume, which, being made of plastic wood, gave her many cuts and bruises. So, major kudos to her for powering through, even though the director insisted she wear it.

[nightfieldzero]

Great film. One of the first big SCI-FI films other than Thomas Edison's Frankenstein.

[DalekSec]

Pure classic, from beginning to end. Setting aside the, still stunning effects, the story line alone has a universal and timless nature that speaks directly to the human animal and our relationship with technology.

[JBird]

I'm honestly surprised this hasn't been remade. Especially nowadays, when remakes and adaptations are coming out of the woodwork. But, it would have to be placed in the right hands.

[DalekSec]

Originally Posted by JBird

I'm honestly surprised this hasn't been remade. Especially nowadays, when remakes and adaptations are coming out of the woodwork. But, it would have to be placed in the right hands.

Count your blessings, I say. Given the penchant for flash over substance in so many "remakes", I dread to think of what they would make of it.

[GearRyu]

The difficulty with remaking the film would be giving it a modern spin. The movie's German Expressionism lends a certain atmosphere to the movie. Also, being made in black and white, and silent... well, my point is that I don't think it would be worthwhile to remake the movie in the same style. I don't think we'd be saying anything new about the movie's themes by doing that. But, then, the question is what style do you remake it in to say something new about the movie's themes? I'm not being rhetorical, but I don't know what would work well.

[Prof_Sai]

I like the Giorgio Moroder restoration from 1984. (The one with the pop music.) I've also seen another version that totally ruined it by trying to me "authentic" without the requisite common sense.

[DalekSec]

Very very yes, on both counts!!

It is the feel of the film as much as the film itself that makes it so memorable. Rather like the odd attempt to recreate the 3 Stooges in the recent film. Amazingly good effort but, it was missing the essential element of the original Stooges.

The restoration was brilliant with the modern music as it gave a nice tie in, past to "present" (for the time).

[Prof_Sai]

And thanks to unstoppable corporate power, the 1927 film is now somehow back under copyright until January 1, 2023! You know I might stop making Gallifrey Girls if people in the 22nd century can distribute it without paying me!

[JBird]

This is just wishful thinking, but I would like to see an attempt made to update the art deco design of it all. Like, still retain the overall style and design and add in some extra detail that shows something having moving parts to it. Not too much, though, like a robot from Transformers.

[JBird]

It just occurred to me that Bioshock Infinite is somewhat similar to Metropolis. Both stories have their own magnificent cities that are split between the upper class aristocrats and the lower class workers, and they end with the latter revolting against the former.

[sodacat]

The difference is that Bioshock is about shooting everyone. If they remade Metropolis as a modern movie it also would be about a hero who shoots everyone.