METROPOLIS AND GENRE

CONTEXT LIST

• Sci-fi- how the genre links to Metropolis and how its changed to now.
• Dystopia- the origins and how it ties into Metropolis
• Disaster and Robots-
 SCI-FI
Fiction based on imagined future scientific or technological advances and major
social or environmental changes, frequently portraying space or time travel and life
on other planets.

“While science fiction had been part of

movies since the beginning…there had
been very few feature-length forays into
the genre before Metropolis”. (Snider,
2011)

Fig 1,Metropolis. Berlin:

August Scherl, (1926)
 SCI-FI AND METROPOLIS

What makes Metropolis sci-fi apart from its architecture is also its
imagined future, both in terms of industrialization and technology,
which can be seen through is introduction of the M-Machine and the
heart machine. FIGURE 2,MR. ROBOT CREATOR
TURNING SCI-FI CLASSIC METROPOLIS
INTO TV MINISERIES, (2016)
Another is its social change, displayed through the extreme capitalism
with its class divide and working conditions for the lower class in
comparison to the higher class where our protagonist derives.

The genre had existed before, but the design of this film helped to “Earlier science fiction films, such as “A
shape it into what we know today, so by enlarge the film was Trip to the Moon” played science
considered Sc-fi at the time, but it carries through or modern definition. fiction for laughs. Fritz Lang created
the first serious science fiction epic,
giving us a glimpse into the
future” (1927: Metropolis - How Cinema
Changed the Way We See the Future, 2016)
• Quote 1 http://www.mtv.com/news/2766021/whats-the-big-deal-metropolis-1927/
While science fiction had been part of movies since the beginning (you've seen images from the 1902 short "A
Trip to the Moon"), there had been very few feature-length forays into the genre before Metropolis. The
definition of "science fiction" is somewhat fluid, and not every film from the silent era is accounted for today.
But we can say with some confidence that Metropoliswas, at most, the 20th sci-fi movie of at least 60 minutes
in length, and probably more like the 15th or 16th.
• Quote 2 http://www.utopiaanddystopia.com/dystopian-movies/metropolis/
• It is science fiction film that provided the first visual image of far future
• Quote 3 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLxe92EgT9Y
•
 SCI-FI NOW AND THEN
“Influenced the visual codes
of cinema, change what science
fiction looks like and our collective
vision of the future”

• Due to censorship restraints for the American release in until

2008, Metropolis’ influence therefore is seen as more visual than
narrative. Figure 2, The Return of Neo-

• Sc-fi as a genre had existed before Metropolis, however its Noir, (2017)

Lang’s unique style and design for the M-Machine that influenced
the way we see modern science fiction today- with examples
stemming from Rotwang’s mad scientist design and lab to the city
scape design.
“A heavy architectural influence an bee seen
through Blade Runner, another sci-fi film which was
also plagued by edits and cuts that impacted the
original meaning.” (1927: Metropolis - How Cinema
Changed the Way We See the Future, 2016)
 Dystopia
Fig 4. Dystopia, [Unknown]
Dystopia is a futuristic world/setting where the illusion of a perfect society
is maintained through
Cooperate, technological, moral, totalitarian control. It creates
exaggerated worst cases scenarios.
To comment on the current trends, social norms and political system.
Origin of Dystopia And It’s Audience

The origin of the word Dystopia and Utopia came from Sir Thomas
(1748-1535) the books were
Written in in Latin.

‘‘Utopia is a pun, designed to put us in mind of the Greek u-topos (‘no

place’) and eu-topos (‘good place’).
Utopias, More appears to be saying, are too good to be true’’
interesting literature April 11, 2016

‘’The first known use of the term dystopia appeared in a speech before
the British Parliament by Greg Webber
and John Stuart Mill in 1868. In that speech, Mill said,
"It is, perhaps, too complimentary to call them Utopians, they ought
rather to be called dys-topians, or caco-topians’’
4 October 2017 newworldencyclopedia
 Modern Dystopia And It’s Audience
Modern dystopia became popular again due to
the success of the Hunger Games trilogy written by Suzanne Collins.
Set in post-apocalyptic North American totalitarian state.
Even though the idea of dystopia is not new,
- Madeleine L'Engle- A Wrinkle in Time
(1962)
- William Sleator- House of Stairs (1974)
- Lois Lowry- The Giver (1993)
There are many conflicting opinions on why dystopia is
popular with young adults.
• Some believe it might be because, it reflects the teen
life. With strict rules, and new responsibilities with very
few freedoms.
• The dystopia serve as a escapist fantasy to a unknown
world, breaking it’s rules and becoming a hero of this
broken world.
• Dystopia is selling a dream of being able to stand up to
the system, and change it. Selling hope that it’s possible
to change it.
 History Of Metropolis
• The film was directed by Fritz Land and written by his
wife Von Harbou,
• it was consider the best film silent film of it’s time due
to the special affects and the sets.
• The film was not a success in it’s initial German
release as it was cut from it’s original 210 minuets
to 153 minutes and then to 91 minuits in 1936 due
to heavy censoring of the communist and religious
subtext.

In 1984 a 87 minute print was

released with the rock soundtrack composed by Giorgio Moroder.
1927 seemed to have been lost,
till 2008 when an old but nearly completed print that run 147 minutes.
Was found in the archives of Museum
of Cinema in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
After many months of restoration in Germany, the film had
it’s first showing in Berlin national movie festival
In 2010
 New Dystopia vs Old Dystopia

Fig 6. The City of the Future, (2015)

Fig 5. The The Capitol, (2015)

’’Futuristic city divided into a working and an elite class. Its

exhilarating climax brings the city to its knees, as the classes
clash against each other. In the 21st century, a de-humanized
proletariat labours non-stop in a miserable subterranean city
beneath a luxurious city of mile-high skyscrapers’’ [unknown],
2015)
GENRE

• We’ll be exploring the sub-genres that are derived from Sci-Fi. By doing so
we hope to link the multiple sub-genres seen in the film to the main theme of
Sci-fi.
• We’ll be exploring Sci-fi, Dystopia, a bit of Disaster, and Machine (Robots)vs
Humans.
DISASTER
• Disaster makes up the last section of the film, as this is when the city of the workers and society begins to crumble due to the actions of humans from both
worlds, but mostly from the robot.
• “Catastrophes can take so many different forms - but they are mostly man-made or natural. They can be either impending or ongoing, or set in a distant
future, or they can exist locally or globally. The most-commonly portrayed disasters in films are:
• natural or environmental disasters or destruction (earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, tropical storms, etc.)
• accidents (skyscraper fires, plane crashes, ocean liners capsized or struck by icebergs, viruses unleashed)
• planetary-related (asteroids, comets or meteors off-course)
• Criminally-instigated (bombs planted in planes, terrorist conspiracies)
• alien invasions and rampaging creatures/monsters/zombies or viruses (often mutant)
• nuclear-related crises, sometimes prophetically Biblical (nuclear war, Armageddon)
• millennial-related or apocalyptic (the end of the world, or end of the century tales)
• about failed technology or technology-gone awry (computers running amok, plague/scientific error)
• Along with showing the spectacular disaster, these films concentrate on the chaotic events surrounding the disaster, including efforts for survival, the effects
upon individuals and families, and 'what-if' scenarios. The best disaster films comment upon the negative effects of advancing technology, demonstrate the
'hubris' of scientists and other individuals, deliver uplifting moral lessons of sacrifice, and provide a 'how-to' in terms of survival skills.” (Dirks, [unknown])

Fig 7, Metropolis, 1927

DISASTER CONTINUED

• The previous quote emphasizes the fact that disaster in this film originates from the hubris of
scientists and the upper class, but more importantly the advancement of technology which
ultimately leads to the collapse of society as they know it. The destruction and disaster that
unfolds is almost apocalyptic and hints the end of man at the hands of technology, which is
quite fascinating because the films goes from being very Sci-Fi and modern to biblically
apocalyptic.
• This disaster due to machines as well as the battle between machine and man is a key part of
the film. Machine/Robots vs Man as a sub-genre has been seen in very many Sci-Fi films but
Metropolis was the first film to consider this as a possibility for the future, which plays into
Germanys fear of the future post WW1.
MACHINE VS MAN

• Within Metropolis, the battle between man and machine is quite prominent.
This film explores the fear that some day technology could take over the roles
that humans have created and that we will rely so heavily on technology that
if its destroyed, we will be thrown back into the dark ages.
• Even in the film, "Rotwang claims, “No one will be able to tell a Machine-Man
from a mortal!”’ (Pynadath, 2008). This theory and fear can be applied to
modern day society whilst also playing into the technology based Disaster
trope and the AI/Robots trope.

Fig 8, Rotwang and his robotic invention:

Metropolis, 1927
MACHINE VS MAN
• The legacy of Sci-Fi and the sub-genre of Machines vs Man has influenced modern
day films such as Transcendence, I,Robot etc.
• Transcendence is somewhat an opposite to Metropolis as it shows how man has
become a machine, creating chaos. In the film, Dr. Will Caster wants to create a
sentient machine in order to live on and stay with his wife, but as he transcends
humanity and gains more power and knowledge, people try to destroy him in
order to stop his increasing rate of growth. His transcendence into a machine leads
to chaos and destruction, which hints at the fear that one day humans will have the
ability to transfer their minds into machines and create chaos.

Fig 9, Transcendence, 2014

 MACHINE VS MAN
• I,Robot is another example of the threat that technology poses on society. In this film, robots fill high level positions
throughout the world to keep humans safe. So this has already blurred the lines between man and machine, much like
Metropolis. This is also evident in a conversation between Del Spooner and the robot Sonny as it shows how the robot is
mimicking human behavior.
• “Del Spooner: I think you murdered him because he was teaching you to simulate emotions and things got out of control.
• Sonny: I did not murder him.
• Del Spooner: But emotions don't seem like a very useful simulation for a robot.
• Sonny: I did not murder him.
• Del Spooner: Hell, I don't want my toaster or my vacuum cleaner appearing emotional...
• Sonny: I did not murder him!
• Del Spooner: That one's called anger. Ever simulate anger before?” (Rotten Tomato, 2004)
• The link between Metropolis’ hint at mans reliance on machines is shown in the film when the machines that humans rely on
turn against them.

Fig 10, I, Robot,

2004
 IN CONCLUSION

• Metropolis contains a wide variety of genres and has been influencing a lot of
films even to this day. It set the bar for modern Sci-fi and influenced what
other Genres, such as Dystopia and Disaster films would be like.
 Illustrative Bibliography

Figure 1, Metropolis. Berlin: August Scherl, (1927), [Poster], AT: https://historical.ha.com/itm/books/science-fiction-and-fantasy/thea-von-harbou-metropolis-berlin-

august-scherl-1926-german-language-movie-tie-in-edition-issued-to-coinc/a/6069-30361.s, (Accessed; 27/09/18)

Figure 2, MR. ROBOT CREATOR TURNING SCI-FI CLASSIC METROPOLIS INTO TV MINISERIES, (2016), [ONLINE IMAGE], AT;
https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/sci-fi-classic-metropolis-getting-remade-miniseries-mr-robot-creator, (Accessed; 27/09/18)

Figure 3, The Return of Neo-Noir, (2017), [Online Image], AT: https://www.sothetheorygoes.com/film-noir/, (Accessed; 27/09/18)

Fig 4. Dystopia, [Unknown], [Concept Art],

AT: https://medium.com/@gianpaolo.barozzi/moving-beyond-the-utopia-dystopia-dichotomy-cba1b18d6047
(Accessed: 27/09/18)

Fig 5. The The Capitol, (2015),[Web Image] ,

AT: https://architales.wordpress.com/2015/02/22/the-architecture-of-the-capitol-from-the-hunger-games/.
(Accessed: 27/09/18)

Fig 6. The City of the Future, (2010), [Concept Art], AT:https://voxeurop.eu/ro/content/article/161601-ce-europa-2034, (Accessed: 27/09/18)

Disaster: Figure 7, Metropilis, 1927 [Film Still] https://www.britannica.com/topic/Metropolis-film-1927 (Accessed 27th September 2018)

Machine vs Man: Figure 8, Rotwang and his robotic invention: Metropolis, 1927 [Film Still] https://www.britannica.com/topic/Metropolis-film-1927 (Accessed 27th
September 2018)

Figure 9, Transcendence, 2014 [Poster]

https://www.readthespirit.com/visual-parables/transcendence-2014/ (Accessed 27th Septmeber 2018)

Figure 10, I, Robot, 2004 [Film Still]

https://www.zdnet.com/pictures/15-of-the-best-movies-about-ai-ranked/12/ (accessed 27th September 2018)
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