Metropolis

A Timeless Classic

Director: Fritz Lang
Release Date: 1927
Rating: 12
Running Time: 140 mins
Genre: Silent/ Sci-fi/ Drama
Actors:

'The connection between the head and the hand must be the heart'

Nearly 90 years on and still so modern. Metropolis explores such relevant themes of a modern world it's almost spooky. Exploring the ideas of capitalism, exploitation, alienation, the controlling and manipulating upper class, it's a very sociological as well as psychological film, it also presents ideas of the Holocaust that happened 15 years later so in that respect it can be seen as fairly controversial. It's one that makes you really think about the world and how much we take for granted and also how we take care of and treat one another, it says so much both about society and humanity.

Set years ahead of our own, despite perhaps originally being aimed at a time period perhaps similar to the one we live in now, we a taken by Fritz Lang to great city of Metropolis. Futuristic and much different world than one we live in today, we see the upper class living a life of luxury, when far below the ground we see the workers of the 'undercity' struggling to survive powering the great city of Metropolis. Ruled by an evil creator of Metropolis we see his son try and restore peace and bring together the two worlds in the hope that they can live in harmony. But a plan takes place to make sure this will never happen.

It's truly a film taking place way ahead of it's time and fantastically shot, designed and developed, it's amazing to see that cinema so long ago could produce a film still so modern and incredible. Having said this however, the film being 2 hours and 20 minutes of silent cinema, it requires unbelievable concentration to keep up with and having little to no sound effects throughout and instead relying on just music alone, it does draw a little tedious.

Inspiring a revival in the 70's that sparked a massive interest in the film, inspiring the music video for Queen's 'Radio Ga Ga', there's no doubt that this is an inspiration pushing morale values and the good of humanity. Overall 'Metropolis' proves to be a moving and captivating film that will stand the test of time for years to come.

7/10