Metropolis Restored (1927 NR)

   The movie stars Alfred Abel (Dr Mabuse The Gambler), Gustav Frohlich, Rudolf Klein-Rogge (Dr Mabuse The Gambler, Destiny), Fritz Rasp, Theodor Loos (M Murders Among Us), Erwin Biswanger, Heinrich George, Brigitte Helm.
  The son of the creator of Metropolis decides to join the opressed workers in a revolt.  Its about the father wanting an excuse to use force to justify keeping the workers done.  A female religous leader is in the fathers plan and also is in love with the son.
   The start of the movie is a nice visual with the autoton of the workers. A scene towards the beggining is a nice visual the symetry works well.  the music is also an enhancement.  Some things are curious, there is a lack of futurism in the planes they use and see in the sky.  The views of the city remind me of Escher prints.The costumes remind me more of 1927 then 2026. The ffuturistic computers look like what I think people of the time think they would look like.
 A lot of the movie the actors seem to be over acting using big gestures.  I did not like but came to accept it because without dialog they had to do something toget the point of the scene across.
   One scene where the son is distraught it reminded me of the druged out scene from the boat scene in Willie Wanka and the Choclate Factory. Some of the set decoration reminded me of Flash Gordon (1980 or 1981) kind of sharp edges.  There was a scend where there were flying eyes that kind of reminded me of the Twilight Zone episode Eye of the Beholder.
   With some masterpeices there is social comentary.  Abusive working conditions, monopolies, and the dangers of capitalism (not too sure of the last one but Ill leave it in), and the dangers of mob mentality Some of the scenes towards the end look really good some look like mini sets.  But I thought they did a good job wth the real sets.
   The ending is alittle corney and it kind of hits you over the head.
   Im all for making up your mind if something is worthy of the title a classic or not.  But with some of them you just have to say ok Ill see it because experts say its good.  This is why I watched this but it was better then I thought.  A warning the running time is 2 hours 28 minutes be forwarned its a long movie.
   Im rating this movie as a C+ or B-.