"A vast, miserable proletariat squanders its days in meaningless toil. Society is under the control of ultra-wealthy business magnates. In order to pacify the underclass, the ruling class pins its hopes on a technological solution: artificial intelligence. Welcome to the year 2026, as envisioned in Fritz Lang's Metropolis."
"Yet when we watch Metropolis today, the elements that now seem prescient stand out more than the fantastical ones. The new short documentary from DW examines the making and legacy of Metropolis, paying special attention to its considerable influence on much of the science-fiction and dystopian cinema since."
"2001: A Space Odyssey, Star Wars, Blade Runner, Terminator 2, Madonna's "Express Yourself" video: these are just a few of the productions that take no great pains to hide—and in some cases, even emphasize—their debt to Lang's vision."
Fritz Lang's 1926 film Metropolis presents a dystopian vision set in 2026 where an impoverished working class toils meaninglessly under control of ultra-wealthy business magnates who employ artificial intelligence to pacify the underclass. The film's Art Deco aesthetic and production scale were unprecedented, yet its thematic elements regarding class struggle and technological solutions appear remarkably prescient when viewed today. A documentary examines Metropolis's creation and lasting legacy on science fiction and dystopian cinema. Numerous influential productions including 2001: A Space Odyssey, Star Wars, Blade Runner, Terminator 2, and Madonna's "Express Yourself" video openly acknowledge their debt to Lang's vision. The film's iconic imagery—vertiginous illuminated skyscraper canyons, laborers manipulated by oversized clockwork mechanisms—has permeated popular culture for decades.
#metropolis #science-fiction-cinema #dystopian-themes #film-legacy-and-influence #class-struggle-and-technology
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