I have made it my mission to see as many classic movies as I can. It took me a long time to appreciate older movies (basically anything that wasn't in color). There was a point in my life that I thought all films that weren't in color were boring and not worth watching. I used to hate it when my mom would put on one of her Betty Davis movies or when she'd have a Turner Classic Movies marathon going on all day. Thankfully I have since learned the error of my ways.
My preferences for older movies (or those made before my parents were born) tend to be along the liens of mystery noir, campy horror, and fast talking comedies (mostly starring Carry Grant). In recent years, I've been doing my best to branch out and see as many "classics" as I can. Silent films are my latest obsession, mostly because they are a lot harder to find*. They are incredibly interesting to watch since all of the acting is based on movement and facial expression. The ones that have survived helped set the standard for modern film making and created many of the cliches and tropes we know and love today.
For those who are unfamiliar with Metropolis, it takes place in the 2026. The lower classes must toil away below ground, keeping the great city running, while the elites are allowed to spend their days as they please with lavish parties and gardens for them to enjoy. One fateful day, the son of the ruler of the city witnesses an explosion that kills some of the workers and decides that something must be done. There's also a pretty girl, a mad scientist who builds a "machine man", and an evil plot to destabilize the city. The everything is resolved by holding hands (no seriously this is how the movie ends).
I would call this movie cliche, except that it was created well before most of these tropes were considered cliche. For example the mad scientist has super crazy hair, which I think is how you know he's a mad scientist. He is hung up on his dead ex-girl friend, which is why he created the "machine man". There's also a lot of blatant religious symbolism that at times feels over the top at times. The tower of Babel is referenced quite a bit.
Then again there's a lot of things that are over the top in silent films. The story is told through the acting and facial expressions since you can't hear the dialog. There's a lot of exaggerated movements, heave shadows, and the makeup makes people's facial expressions really stand out. I couldn't help noticing how much eyeliner everyone was wearing and I definitely burst out laughing a few times when the film wasn't trying to be funny. There's a really trippy dream/hallucination sequence that I had a hard time following.
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| So much eyeliner |
But please don't think I dislike this film. As over the top and cliche it is by today's standards, Metropolis is incredible to watch. The story is very entertaining to watch unfold and a lot of the major themes are still relevant to problems we face today. The special effects and stylized imagery are amazing. It's easy to see where a lot of modern cinema found its influence.
Metropolis might seem better suited to the steam punk genre now, but there are a few things that I totally see in the year 2026. The mad scientist character, Rotwang, builds a "machine man" (exact text, I would have used the word mecha) who is supposed to look like his dead ex-girlfriend. I can totally see robots designed to look a specific way being available in less than a decade. There's also the issues and tensions between the working class and elites. The extreme wealth gap between the haves and the have-nots nearly destroys the city in the film. It's not that hard to see comparisons to the struggles people face today.
Metropolis isn't the first German Expressionist film I've watched. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari was actually my first film in the genre and it's a lot of fun to watch. The eerie set designs and make up add to the creepiness of the story and would be extremely difficult to recreate for today's audiences. It also has a twist ending that no one will see coming. If you enjoy horror movies, it's a great movie to watch.
Cinema is a recent addition to the human narrative. There have been a lot of innovations and advancements in film's story telling, special effects, and visual devises since people first started making movies. But that doesn't mean that we can't appreciate the movies that started it all. I 100% recommend seeing Metropolis at least once to appreciate what its done for modern cinema.
Story telling is a universal constant for human societies. They have helped reflect and shape culture. It can be amazing to read or watch something written nearly 100 years ago and see that it still applies to modern audiences. What types of story telling experiences will be available in the future? Will virtual reality and gaming be the next great innovations for story telling?
I have no idea, but I'm excited to find out.
If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me.
Until next week.
*Hugo is an excellent film that goes into why a lot of older films weren't preserved and why the few that are should be treasured.
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