Metropolis (1927 film)
| Metropolis | |
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Original 1927 theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Fritz Lang |
| Produced by | Erich Pommer |
| Screenplay by |
Thea von Harbou Fritz Lang (uncredited) |
| Based on | Metropolis by Thea von Harbou |
| Starring |
Alfred Abel Gustav Fröhlich Rudolf Klein-Rogge Brigitte Helm |
| Music by |
Gottfried Huppertz (original score) |
| Cinematography |
Karl Freund Günther Rittau Walter Ruttmann |
| Distributed by | UFA |
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Release date
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Running time
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153 minutes (1927 premiere, lost) 118 minutes (2002 restoration) 148 minutes (2010 restoration) |
| Country | Germany (Weimar Republic) |
| Language |
Silent film German intertitles |
| Budget | 5,100,000 Reichsmarks (estimated) |
| Box office | 75,000 Reichsmarks (estimated) |
Metropolis is a 1927 German expressionist epic science-fiction drama film directed by Fritz Lang. He and his wife, Thea von Harbou, wrote the silent film, which starred Gustav Fröhlich, Brigitte Helm, Alfred Abel and Rudolf Klein-Rogge. Erich Pommer produced it in the Babelsberg Studios for Universum Film A.G.. It is regarded as a pioneering work of the science-fiction genre in movies, being among the first feature-length movies of the genre.
Made in Germany during the Weimar Period, Metropolis is set in a futuristic urban dystopia and follows the attempts of Freder, the wealthy son of the city's ruler, and Maria, a poor worker, to overcome the vast gulf separating the classes of their city. Filming took place in 1925 at a cost of approximately five million Reichsmarks. The art direction draws influence from Bauhaus, Cubist and Futurist design.
Metropolis was met with a mixed reception upon release. Critics found it pictorially beautiful and lauded its complex special effects, but accused its story of naiveté. The film's extensive running time also came in for criticism, as well as its alleged Communist message.Metropolis was cut substantially after its German premiere, removing a large portion of Lang's original footage.
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