Fritz Lang’s, one of the first feature-length sci-fi films ever made Big city It took the bold visual approach of the time, incorporating Bauhaus and futuristic influences into the thrillingly designed sets and outfits. Lang’s visual language resonated strongly over the next few decades. The film’s rather surprising alchemy and female physical traits lie in the destructive android body – so-called alchemical movement Maschinenmensch– It started a very long trend in female robots in movies and TV. Most of them are as dangerous and inexplicable as Lang. Still, for many of its imitators, Big city It continues to bring surprises. Here we bring you new discoveries A 32-page programme distributed at the 1927 film premiere in London and recently rediscovered.
In addition to underwriting almost 100 years of science fiction film and television ratios, Big city It has a very long life in other ways: All-Star Soundtrack produced by Giorgio Moloder in 1984Freddie Mercury, Rubberboy, Adam Ant, and Kraftwerk Album.
2001, reconstructed version Big city Following screening at the Berlin Film Festival, memories of UNESCO’s world registration added it to their roster. There was an exceptional release in 2002 Big city– An inspirational anime with the same title. And in 2010, almost fully restored printing of a long and comprehensive film from Recut from footage found in Argentina in 2008, adding a little more refined consistency to the simple storyline.
Even at the film’s first reception, the footage was lost and critics were not warmed to the story. For all of that intense visualism, it always seemed like a very quaint, naive story, struck by serious religion and mysterious archaic. Modern reviewers I found the story of generational and class conflicts unconvincing. HG Wells – “something like the authority of science fiction” – “A “silly film” filled with all the possible stupidity, cliches, casualness and confusion about mechanical progress and general progress provided a source of general sentiment.” He was kind in terms of the story, and despite its obvious religious theme, many viewed it as communist propaganda.
Many of the film’s scenes seen after subsequent events in Germany in the 20th century look “unsettled foresight.” I write unrelated critics“The vision of giant industrial machines such as Moloch, “a bald, inadequate human beings are led by chains into the furnace.” Lang and his wife Thea von Harbou wrote the script after writing the novel, but of course commented on Weimar Germany’s industrialization, working conditions and poverty. Big city“Classism’s clear message” IO9 What I write is most clearly seen in its arrest image, like its horrifying, monster furnace and “the looming symbol of wealth in the Tower of Babel.”
The visual effects and spectacular set pieces cast a spell on almost everyone they saw (except the well) Big city. And they continue to be the main reason for the film’s cultural valence, for all its stupidity. Wired I’ll call it “Arguably the most influential science fiction film in history” said, “A poster for a single film from the original release sold seven years ago for $690,000 and is expected to win more at auction later this year.”
Now there’s another artifact from the film’s premiere. This 32-page program was properly called Metropolis magazineit provides a rich east feast to the audience and offers more interesting texts than the film’s script. (you You can view the program in full here. ) I imagined that I owned a smartphone with a backlit. Early film fans may have noticed that they struggled not to view their programs while the film was on screen. But of course, Big cityThe visual excess will catch their attention as they still do ours. Futuristic urban scenes have always captivated viewers, filmmakers and (most) critics. Roger Ebert was able to write “Spacious Future City” as a staple of some of the best science fiction in 21st century anime reviews Big cities-“Vision…it’s goofy yet exhilarating at the same time.”
The program is truly amazing documentationa treasure for film fans and scholars. It’s full of stills from the production, behind the scenes articles and photos, technical minutes, short columns by the actor, Thea von Harbou’s bio, “The Author,” excerpts from her novels, scripts, and short articles by her. There is a page called “Speaker” that tallies production costs, cast and crew numbers (including very rough drawings and numbers of “black” and “China”). Lang himself, by chance, has a refreshing introduction, followed by a classic silent era line. Film history agreed, and Lang found his representation “in photographs.”
“It is known that there are only three surviving copies of this program,” he wrote. Wiredand one of those pages that come to this page is for sale at Peter Harrington Rare Bookshop for £2,750 ($4,244). Big city The poster went. But the market is whimsical and whatever the current or future price is, Metropolis magazine It’s incredibly valuable to Cineastes. look All 32 pages of the program on Peter Harrington’s website.
Note: Previous versions of this post were published on our site in 2016.
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Josh Jones He is a writer and musician based in Durham, North Carolina. Follow him in @jdmagness
