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Greetings, and welcome to VIEWING THE CLASSICS. Here you'll find capsule reviews of vintage movies from the early days of cinema through the 1970s, with a special emphasis on sci-fi, horror, and mystery movies. Be sure to check out the Pages links, where you can find a Film Index of all my reviews, links to the reviews organized by cast members, directors, and other contributors, and links to my reviews of the films of talented young director Joshua Kennedy.

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Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Metropolis (1927)

Starring Alfred Abel, Gustav Frohlich, Rudolf Klein-Rogge, Fritz Rasp, Theodor Loos
Directed by Fritz Lang
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)

The son of the master of an utopian city of the future discovers it's powered through the efforts of the subjugated worker class, who are on the verge of rebellion.

A science-fiction epic assembled by the great Fritz Lang at the height of his powers, this film still looks impressive decades after it's original release, with striking visuals, excellent photography, and a suspenseful and exciting climax.  There's much to admire in this influential masterwork, from the golden robot that's become iconic, to Brigitte Helm's dual performance as the saintly Maria and her manic evil alter ego, to the imagery of Metropolis' machines, which are contrasted to the gates of hell consuming men's souls in a memorable sequence.  Kino Video's recent restoration of the film, per its onscreen credits, adds many scenes cut over the years culled from an existing nearly complete print recently discovered overseas.

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