Metropolis Movie and the Industrial Revolution - Essay Example

Metropolis (1927) and the Industrial Revolution The movie, “Metropolis” released on 1927 in United s by FirtzVon Lang remains as one of the most renowned silent melodramatic movie set in a dystopian backdrop. As a German science –fiction movie, it unfolds the mechanisms of a sprawling city, with its horror and dreadfulness. The industrial revolution inspired the cold, mechanical, industrial Metropolis of Fritz Lang’s expressionistic movie where machines controlled the repressed, impoverished masses. “The digital revolution” by then, “had enabled the mass to become the wired multitude” (Wynants and Cornelius, 268). The story of ‘Metropolis’ was co- written with Lang’s wife Thea Von Harbou. Throughout the movie, one is entertained in observing the innovativeness of imageries used by cinematographer Karl Freund. Otto Hunte handled the art designing department. Its lead actors include Alfred Abel as Joh Frederson, Gustav Frohlich as Freder, Rudolf K. Rogge as Rotwang, Theodor Loos as Josaphat, Fritz Rasp as the Thin Man, Brigitte Helm as Maria and Heinrich George as the Guardian of the Heart Machine, Grot. Besides the ill impacts of industrial revolution, the movie was also inspired by ‘Gas’, ax expressionist play by Georg Kaiser (Huyssen, 223). Background: Chaos In the 1920’s, the city of Los Angeles represented the whole condition of America in a nutshell. The city dwellers were clearly divided into two sections. While the former was bright, full of fun and frolic the other was embedded deep into darkness. However, this division was unplanned and never static (Sitton, 1-3). Darkness was in the lives of people belonging to the latter group, who inhabited the city’s dark underworld. They were restless and aimless, struggling for identities within dingy working conditions. It was quite impossible to unnotice the vigorous potential of energy or force soaring among the masses. As more and more immigrants poured in during 1920’s America began to transform. Big Red Cars of Pacific Electric began to flood the streets of Los Angeles downtown. Expansion came hand in hand. It was immediately followed by oil discoveries and subsequent effects of industrial revolution. While one section of society fully reaped the benefits of this revolution, the other section got plunged into darkness. The business leaders became synonymous with exploiters and the terms like “industrial employment”, “industrial capitalism”, etc. were defined in a new way (Sitton, 15). Practically, with the huge inflow of labors, number of factories increased but the quality and quantity of facilities remained the same. This resulted in congestion, less availability of basic human requirements, and an increase of crime and sickness. It was this abhorrence and horror that inspired making of ‘Metropolis’ in 1927. Industrial revolution: theme of Metropolis According to Parker, “Metropolis was all about movement, crowds, noise, smoke and a constant atmosphere of menace and danger” (Parker 155). Being a silent film, it successfully brings out the unforgiving nature of city life, without using any dialogue. It is not a film that inspires hope. It rather focuses on the destitution and hopelessness prevails. At the same time, it also highlights the notion of Proletarian women, of which Maria is the chef spokesperson. Along with oppression, the movie also shows the lessening of family values with the advent of industrial revolution. However, in the latter half of the movie the maternal instinct is shown to be growing stronger and ends up in the form of a rebellion. Mass dynamism and force is the only remedy for escaping the tyrannies of capitalism- is the only note of hope that this movie offers. (Gabriela, 30). To emphasize the theme of industrial revolution, several scenes represent use of technology. Such scenes, not only increases the emotional effect of the picture, but also directs the flow of narrative. Some of these memorable scenes are- the beginning of the movie where giant machines are shown in the backdrop moving about in their own obstinate rhythms. Secondly, there was a scene where Freder, the son of the owner of watches a violent explosion, a bright while light reflects the “sun- like spinning disk of the central power house”. The light symbolized technology, as an omnipotent force controlling all things around it. Yet in another scene, the clash of interests between the elite capitalists and the working class people is shown by the biased behavior of the machines. The machines themselves remain in control of its master in control and communications centre but cruelly exploit and exhaust the workers. Lastly, the most dehumanized outcome of industrial revolution is depicted in transformation of humanity into a robot (Huyssen, 222-223). Class- division The movie ‘Metropolis’, has taken the delineation of industrial revolution to a different level. The struggle and rebellion is judged from the aspects of gender, sexuality, discrimination and finally “larger goal of class struggle”. What assumed meaning was “reproduction” of individuals in the economic terms and gradually it replaced the human values and senses. It also blurred the aspects of sexuality and men and women alike were exploited by the bourgeoisie of the city. Low wages, poor working conditions, absence of relaxation time, exhaustion and accidents caused by machines and explosions were some of the things that were experienced by both the genders. Freder’s first visit to the underground city of workers is one such scene where the horror is unleashed. In the movie, government was shown to be on the same side- “analysis of Fritz Lang’s celebrated film Metropolis suggests, elites and governments have always sought to regulate gender and sexuality, sometimes precisely by keeping them outside the official political and economic discourse” (Gabriela, 22). Dystopia: a view of the future ‘Metropolis’ presents a view of the future- where the world will be leading after industrial revolution. With the working class will work under vicious and barbaric conditions, the elites will play the role of observer. The workers will become human counterparts of big huge machines that were introduced by the Industrial Revolution. An excerpt in the movie showing the workers—“seen throughout as ling, shuffling lines of ant- like nonentities- lose what is little left of their humanity”- depict their true condition during that time. (Barsanti 80). The city of Metropolis shown in the movie carried with itself promises and hopes. It was glowing with dreams of thousand of common people. However, the future of the distant city was “fraught with great problems” (Sitton, 18). But the movie gives a note of hope towards the end when the son of controller of Metropolis declares truce between the clashing interests of the capitalist and the working class people. Background and music The orchestrated shots in the beginning bear symbolical significance. Also one can find illusion of geometric shapes. These illusions were created on screen by variedly using light and shadows. It resulted in intersection of shapes and dissolving of a prominent image. At the backdrop there were high- raising buildings and beyond everything, fine lines indicating mountains. Thus, at the very beginning, one is introduced to ‘metropolis’, to its literal and implied meaning. As the movie advances the focus slowly moves from the eponymous city to personal discourses. From an image of a single machine, the shots swiftly shift to images of numerous machines, insisting expansion- the prime nature of industrial revolution, more precisely, of capitalism. ‘Metropolis’ also exhibited the concept of synchronization, where a group of workers were accumulated and made to work. Machines took place of manual labor and the system of ‘shifts’ were shown by means of iron bars which contained the workers (Gabriela, 24 -25). Shots that are usually used in documentary films are adopted here, just to capture the movement and pulse. The rhythm is pulsating and originates from movements like the spinning of wheels and rotation of metallic devices. Above all is the clock whose dramatic strokes create an unparalleled effect of unending agony of the industrial workers and their per capita “reproduction” (Gabriela, 23). Conclusion Though several scenes were edited out from the original movie and also some part of the film lost, it still remains one of it its kind and a milestone in the genre of silent science fiction. It boldly portrays the then contemporary industrial revolution and its perilous effects (Gabriela, 22). The movie also asserts that only a large- scale political struggle could uproot systems of mass- oppressions like capitalism. Considering the period in which the movie was made, it can el be said that it stood quite ahead of its time. The devices and perspectives that colored the director’s mind is said to have influenced some other great movies like the ‘City Lights’ (1931) and ‘Modern Times’ (1931) (Parker, 155). The movie has also inspired and adopted newer forms of music. A sharp contrast is drawn between a loving, delightful, peace- loving Maria, a central character in the movie, with steely and havoc- creating robot controlling the workers. It makes the audience shudder. Creation of such an effect movie a popular one as well as one of the most criticized movies of all times. References Barsanti, Chris., Filmology: A Movie-a-Day Guide to the Movies You Need to Know. New York: Adams Media, 2010 Huyssen, Andreas., The Vamp and the Machine: Technology and Sexuality in Fritz Lang’s Metropolis , New German Critique, September 1, 1981. Parker, Simon, Urban Theory and the Urban Experience: Encountering the City. UK: Routledge, 2003, Print. Stoicea, Gabriela., Re- Producing the Class and Gender Divide: Fritz Lang’s Metropolis, Women in German Yearbook, 2006 Sitton, Tom., Metropolis in the Making: Los Angeles in the 1920s. US: University of California Press, 2001. Print. Wynants, Marleen., and Jan Cornelius, How Open Is the Future?: Economic, Social and Cultural Scenarios Inspired by Free and Open-Source Software. Asp / Vubpress / Upa, 2005 Read More