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Metropolis (1927)

Not Rated | | Drama, Sci-Fi | 13 March 1927 (USA)
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In a futuristic city sharply divided between the working class and the city planners, the son of the city's mastermind falls in love with a working class prophet who predicts the coming of a savior to mediate their differences.

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(screenplay), (novel)
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Top Rated Movies #105 | 4 wins & 4 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview:
Alfred Abel ...
...
...
Fritz Rasp ...
Theodor Loos ...
Erwin Biswanger ...
11811 - Georgy
...
...
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Storyline

Sometime in the future, the city of Metropolis is home to a Utopian society where its wealthy residents live a carefree life. One of those is Freder Fredersen. One day, he spots a beautiful woman with a group of children, she and the children who quickly disappear. Trying to follow her, he, oblivious to such, is horrified to find an underground world of workers, apparently who run the machinery which keeps the above ground Utopian world functioning. One of the few people above ground who knows about the world below is Freder's father, Joh Fredersen, who is the founder and master of Metropolis. Freder learns that the woman is Maria, who espouses the need to join the "hands" - the workers - to the "head" - those in power above - by a mediator or the "heart". Freder wants to help the plight of the workers in the want for a better life. But when Joh learns of what Maria is espousing and that Freder is joining their cause, Joh, with the assistance of an old colleague and now nemesis named ... Written by Huggo

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Taglines:

Fritz Lang's 1927 Masterpiece Now With 25 Minutes of Lost Footage (2010 re-release) See more »

Genres:

Drama | Sci-Fi

Certificate:

Not Rated | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Country:

Language:

Release Date:

13 March 1927 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Metrópolis  »

Box Office

Budget:

DEM 6,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$1,070 (USA) (8 August 2003)

Gross:

$26,435 (USA) (11 November 2011)
 »

Company Credits

Production Co:

 »
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Technical Specs

Runtime:

| (premiere cut) | (re-release) | (1927 cut) | (2002 Murnau Foundation 75th aniversary restored) | (DVD edition) (2002 Murnau Foundation 75th aniversary restored) | (Giorgio Moroder) | (2010 restored)

Sound Mix:

(1995 restored version)| (original release)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Over 25,000 extras were involved in the making of the film. See more »

Goofs

When Freder and Maria reach the top of the stairs, when they are saving the children, their clothes suddenly dry up quite a lot. In the shot before they are still soaked. See more »

Quotes

The Machine Man: DEATH TO THE MACHINES!
See more »

Crazy Credits

Restoration based on the version in the Filmmuseum Munich and material preserved in the Bundesarchiv-Filmarchiv See more »

Connections

Edited into Histoire(s) du cinéma: La monnaie de l'absolu (1998) See more »

Soundtracks

Love Kills
Music and Lyrics by Freddie Mercury and Giorgio Moroder
Produced by Freddie Mercury, Giorgio Moroder and Mack
Performed by Freddie Mercury
Courtesy of Raincloud Productions, Ltd.
(from the 1984 re-release)
See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

See more (Spoiler Alert!) »

User Reviews

Movie Milestone and Masterpiece!
1 February 2000 | by (NC) – See all my reviews

Metropolis is surely one of the greatest films ever made. Its scope, its reach, its magnitude and its message are truly incredible even by today's standards of film-making. Seen in context of its premier in 1927, Metropolis is a giant of filmdom and film history. Lots of people always ask what makes a movie great, and in particular, Metropolis. A great film is one that stirs the imagination, leaves the viewer with images that will last perhaps forever, forces contemplation of issues dealing with the very essence of life, and achieves a kind of immortality. Metropolis is a film that succeeds with each of these criteria. Metropolis is a film that hailed in a new era of making films with it futuristic settings, halluciatory scenes, and its breadth of spirit and sheer scope, most clearly exhibited by its cast of epic proportions. There are images that blind the viewer with genius such as the beginning scene of the changing of the workers or the creation of the robot Maria. Metropolis challenges its viewers to think about their relationship with society both as a whole and with each individual, as well as contemplate the rationale of divisions amongst peoples and groups. Lastly, Metropolis has stood the test of time. It is a landmark film and an ignitor for the evolution of the science fiction/fantasy film genre. The story itself is simple,a Biblical allegory, about how people with a vision should share that vision in order to make it happen. The film is anything but simple. It is immense, and a rich legacy that director Fritz Lang has left us.


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So watched Metropolis at 1.5 fast forward speed......... webber16879
Metropolis movie history Onehughjazz69
I really want to like it, but... Matt-the-Hasp
Restoration turned this from classic to one of the all time greatest? sxemax
The dance of shadow Maria. notorious918
Film4 showing the 2010 restoration PointingMonkey
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