Reves Center for International Studies Events
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Reves Center for International Studies
[PAST EVENT] Filmabend: Metropolis
January 24, 2012
7:30pm - 10pm
Metropolis is a silent science-fiction movie released in 1927 by Fritz Lang, a master of German Expressionism. It is now seen as the mother of sci-fi movies, an inspiration for film-makers such as George Lucas and Ridley Scott.
The story tells of a great city whose two halves--the pampered citizens of the surface and the slaves of the depths--are ignorant of one another. The city is run by the ruthless Joh Fredersen, a businessman-dictator. His son Freder is in the Pleasure Gardens one day when Maria, a woman from the subterranean city, brings a group of workers' children to the surface. Freder, struck by Maria's beauty and astonished to learn of the life led by the workers, seeks out the demented genius Rotwang, who knows the secrets of the lower world.
What follows is Freder's descent into the depths and his attempts to help the workers, who are rallied by the revolutionary Maria. Meanwhile, Rotwang devises a robot, captures the real Maria, and transfers her face to the robot--so that the workers, still following Maria, can be fooled and controlled.
The story tells of a great city whose two halves--the pampered citizens of the surface and the slaves of the depths--are ignorant of one another. The city is run by the ruthless Joh Fredersen, a businessman-dictator. His son Freder is in the Pleasure Gardens one day when Maria, a woman from the subterranean city, brings a group of workers' children to the surface. Freder, struck by Maria's beauty and astonished to learn of the life led by the workers, seeks out the demented genius Rotwang, who knows the secrets of the lower world.
What follows is Freder's descent into the depths and his attempts to help the workers, who are rallied by the revolutionary Maria. Meanwhile, Rotwang devises a robot, captures the real Maria, and transfers her face to the robot--so that the workers, still following Maria, can be fooled and controlled.
Contact
akschroer@wm.edu