Metropolis

Synopsis

In a futuristic city sharply divided between wealthy elites in the clouds and oppressed workers underground, Freder discovers the grim reality of his father's domain. He joins forces with the saintly Maria to bridge the gap, but a mad scientist creates a robot replica of her to incite violent chaos. Fritz Lang’s sci-fi epic features monumental architecture and groundbreaking effects, remaining the most influential vision of the future in cinema history.

Critique

Fritz Lang’s sci-fi epic is the most visually influential film ever made. Its towering Art Deco skyscrapers and subterranean machine rooms defined the look of the future for a century, inspiring Blade Runner and Star Wars. It pioneered the Schüfftan process and complex miniatures to create a convincing, massive world. While its plot is melodramatic, its imagery, the robot Maria, the Moloch machine, is indelible. It represents the peak of UFA’s ambition and remains a terrifying prophecy of industrial dehumanization and the struggle between head and hands.

Technical sheet

Director

Fritz Lang

Year

1927

Country

Germany

Running time

148 min

Genre

Drama, Science Fiction

Written by

Fritz Lang, Thea von Harbou

Cinematography

Karl Freund, Günther Rittau, Walter Ruttmann

Cast

Gustav Fröhlich, Brigitte Helm, Alfred Abel, Rudolf Klein-Rogge, Theodor Loos, Fritz Rasp

Production

UFA

Music

Newly composed original score

Licensing