Vintage Lab Week: Metropolis
Little introduction is needed for Metropolis, a 1927 film by Fritz Lang; written by his wife Thea von Harbou. Complete with a futuristic city set only 100 years in the future, this science fiction morality tale features amazing alchemical laboratory sets. The neon lighting is a great touch.
Rotwang (Rudolf Klein-Rogge) is a scientist ordered by the master of the city, Joh Fredersen (Alfred Abel), to make a robot doppelganger of Maria (Brigitte Helm). Maria’s spirit transcends the class system–by sending a robot imposter back to the oppressed working class, the master of the city hopes to suppress an uprising. Rotwang has some really great neon light accented minimal lab sets.
Joh Fredersen, Rotwang and robot.
Sparse laboratory where the real Maria is encased–her form will be transferred onto the robot through Alchemy and Science!
Totally tubular!
A flick of the switch…
zap
whirrrr
zzzzt
zzzzt
zzzzt!
Rotwang with the fleshed-out Robot Maria.
Mad Science at work!
SheWalksSoftly 
August 31, 2012 at 4:33 pm
Pentagram!
I’ve been wanting to see this film for ages, I think I heard a radio dramatisation ages ago but don’t remember a thing.
Man, I love science fiction! It took me way too long to realise what a great genre it is.
August 31, 2012 at 4:51 pm
The latest restoration of the film really put this film into the right mind set for me. I refused to see the Moroder version had previously appreciated but not been too impressed with the 2001 release. But the 2010 restoration with newly discovered scenes gave me a great perspective on the film. Check it out! (available on Kino Lorber website)
August 31, 2012 at 5:02 pm
I will! Thanks!
August 31, 2012 at 5:02 pm
Absolute classic.
August 31, 2012 at 9:46 pm
I just got the restored version of it on DVD a few weeks ago. Classic stuff!
September 2, 2012 at 1:49 am
Great stuff, dear sir!! Time to watch some old goodies now 🙂