Metropolis (1927)

As an aspiring set designer Metropolis was an inspiring watch with its breath-taking, large-scale sets that were revolutionary for the early 20th century. These sets, bought to life designer by Erich Kettelhut and artists Otto Hunte and Karl Vollbrecht, and heavily inspired by the Art Deco movement emerging at the time, were not only impactful and influential they hugely enhanced the narrative with the workers scenes being dark and mechanical reflecting the oppression and struggle they faced. In contrast the above ground city appeared full of money, power and influence. The skyscrapers could be seen to cleverly echo the oppression below as they tower over those who work below emphasising the dominating power above. These symbols and links within the set elevate the already unique storyline creating a masterpiece of its time.

The choreography was another intriguing element to this film as it was very effective at portraying the characters struggle and emotions without the use of sound and speech. The repetition of the workers movements during scenes such as the explosion and Freder's switch with a worker, emphasised the strain, desperation and suppression of the workers as they are forced to keep up with these machines. As well as these thought provoking movements, the length of these scenes are clever as they reflect the seemingly never-ending tasks, they had to endure evoking distress in the watcher as they reflect on the suppression.

Thea Von Harbou's unique and at the time controversial story line, criticized for its communist approach, reflects on both the society that it was filmed in and the idea of oppression, as well as looking into a possible future society. This combination of present and future creates an interesting and distinctive storyline that both draws from fantasy and reality which allows the audience to both feel transported to the future whilst being able to relate and sympathise with the characters.

Pictures today continue to be inspired by this film as it incredibly paved the way for the science fiction genre, introducing robotics into the film industry making it, I think, a must watch.