[deleted by user]
By TrailSecret
Seems like it’s a fan community for The Cure—just reposting “New Reddit” makes me think it’s new.
Reader discussion: Metropolis
Public reader discussion about Metropolis in the WeRead Catalog by Thea von Harbou.
Book 5: Metropolis by Thea von Harbou
By hardcoverStorm
I’m a bit behind on my reading goal. I finished the last book and just felt totally burned out, so I took a breather. Part of me has accepted that I probably won’t hit my 52 books by the end of the year, but I’m also hoping that getting a library card and using Hoopla/Libby will help me catch back up. Anyway—about the book/movie. I thought everyone already knew this, but I somehow only just found out that Metropolis is based on a novel by Fritz Lang’s wife. I feel a little silly about that. If you’re interested in the story, there are spoilers below. Freder is the son of Metropolis’ leader, and he’s basically raised in luxury with no real understanding of how awful things are for everyone else. Then he meets Maria in the underground city and it’s instantly “love at first sight” and he decides he wants to be part of what she’s doing. His dad, Joh Fredersen, and Rotwang try to mess with the revolution, but Rotwang is bitter too since Joh stole Rotwang’s wife back in the day and Freder exists because of it. The city gets destroyed, but somehow Freder, Joh, and Maria survive and there are plants at the end, like they’ll rebuild. There’s a lot of Biblical stuff going on, like Freder being treated like some kind of messiah, the whole destruction/flooding thing, and then the “redemption” of Joh. I don’t feel like Joh really does much to redeem himself during the story though—mostly he just regrets his son being in danger. It’s kind of implied that he’ll be in charge of rebuilding, but a lot of the actual hero moments are Maria’s. Freder and Joh get credit for saving her at the end, but I’m not sure how much Freder actually “earns” besides driving the redemption plot forward a little. Maria definitely carries a lot. One thing that hit me was how directly Joh’s attitude toward workers feels like the modern ultra-rich vibe. There’s that scene where Freder sees workers dying just to “feed” the machines that keep everything running, and Joh basically acts like that’s all they’re worth. People today probably wouldn’t get away with it like that, but it still reminded me of the Amazon warehouse tornado stuff—employees dying, not being allowed to leave, and Bezos not saying anything. Not exactly the same, obviously, but the cold “this is acceptable” energy feels too close. And the whole romance thing is messy in that typical “men fall in love and wreck everything” way. Joh ruined his friendship forever when he married and had a kid with the woman Rotwang loved. We’re told she loved Joh back, but we never really hear her side because she dies giving birth to Freder. Then the whole plot basically kicks off because Freder sees Maria and falls for her right away. It also feels like there’s some theme about men wanting what they can’t have: Joh loves the friend’s wife, Freder is surrounded by women who are basically described as “harlots” and yet Maria is the one who’s free. There’s also the Madonna/whore angle, which is… pretty loud. Maria is the one trying to get everyone to slow down and work for peace with patience and a mediator. Meanwhile Rotwang builds a robot version of Maria to stir up lust and help drive the elite toward violence. Robot Maria ends up getting burned as a witch, which is wild. Overall, I did end up enjoying it. I didn’t expect it to feel so connected to real life almost 100 years later. I’m a sucker for old-school sci-fi, and even if it doesn’t really match what sci-fi looks like today, it still scratched an itch for me.
Metropolis, by Thea von Harbou
By Round-Signal
I’ve watched the movie like three times and I really love it. It feels like the whole surface story is done really well, but the eerie, deeper meaning stuff is handled well too. So yeah, I want to finally read the book. But when I try to find it, I’m only seeing a “New Revised Edition,” a “75th Anniversary Edition,” and one that just says “Metropolis: The Classic Novel of the City of the Future” (and that one already has notes/markings from the previous owner… which is gross). For books like this, I just want the English version that’s closest to the original, if that’s even possible. Like, I want to read what the author actually wrote. How do I tell which edition matches that best? Can someone point me to the right one or explain what to look for so I don’t end up with a bunch of changes?
Metropolis (Thea von Harbou)
By midnightlazy1992
Hey all! I’m still kind of unclear on how copyright/public domain works. Quick question about *Metropolis*: the original came out in 1925, and then the first English translation showed up in 1927. Does that English translation still have copyright, or did it also expire along with the original?
1920s Weimar Republic Cinema : Why did Fritz Lange's Metropolis draw such praise from Nazi figures like Goebbels, despite its anti-authoritarian messages?
By turtleDistant
Honestly, I don’t think there’s a clear answer here. It’s all kind of up to someone’s personal read of the movie, and I can’t really find anything solid about what Goebbels’ own take was. I know Fritz Lang talked about it, though—like, he said Goebbels was really impressed with his work even though he supposedly hated another Lang movie (The Testament Of Dr. Mabuse) and then offered him a big role in German film production. There’s even an interview about it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wk22GME79S0. But then I saw something (Film Quarterly) saying there’s nothing in Goebbels’ diary about that meeting, and apparently Lang didn’t fully leave Germany until about four months later than the story suggests. So yeah, it feels like the gist might be true, but also kind of embellished on Lang’s end—like he wanted a good narrative. Since I can’t really pin down how Goebbels felt personally, I’d rather focus on the film itself. And yeah, parts of it do feel like they’re pushing back against authoritarian stuff. It’s basically dystopian from the start, Freder grows up believing in some kind of Utopia, then finds out the society’s dark secret, and eventually he clashes with the dystopian ruler—who is his dad. There’s also this whole critique of industrialism/capitalism, and the Tower of Babel image is huge here. The movie kind of lands on the idea that the “mediator” has to be the heart (Maria’s lines), and the rebellion ends up in chaos, so the story sort of argues they need a leader—Freder as that “heart.” By the end, it’s like the old dystopia gets swapped out for a new Utopia. That’s where I start feeling weird about the whole thing, because it *could* also be read as having fascist-ish vibes. Like fascism is big on unity, and people point out the whole background stuff too—Thea von Harbou wrote it, she was in the Nazi party, Lang divorced her before fleeing, so it’s easy to assume she put some fascist ideas in and Lang just didn’t catch it because he was more into the robots and visuals. But it’s also messy, because there’s the explanation that she joined to advocate for Indian immigrants, and it’s honestly hard to tell how much of it is “actually pro-fascism” versus “can be interpreted either way.” So it feels like the real problem might be that everyone’s trying to lock down what the movie “means,” and then also what Goebbels would’ve wanted from it. As for why Goebbels would think Lang could help the party—yeah, I get it. The movie has that massive epic scale Goebbels seemed to like, so it would make sense he’d think he could use Lang’s style to his advantage.
Welcome to Metropolis: The Prequel Junior Novel (Superman) releases today
By YoungMoose4
Just finished it—feels like a pretty wholesome little story. Timeline-wise I don’t think it’s that far from what happens in the movie, maybe a couple years tops. A few things in it: Metallo, aka John Corben, is basically a secondary villain, and they also bring Kryptonite in. Lex figures out (or at least it’s shown) that it actually messes Superman up in this book. Metallo’s whole plan seems like his way of trying things out and basically using that to discover Superman’s weakness.
Suggesting the book called “Metropolis” by Ben Wilson. (Non-fiction)
By steadyMarten1977
“Metropolis” is basically a history of cities—starting with the early ones from ancient civilization like Uruk in Iraq, all the way over to Lagos in Nigeria. Ben Wilson really digs into what life was like there and the people who lived in these places, and it honestly feels like almost every sentence has some kind of cool fact in it. I ended up grabbing it after I was just looking around inside Barnes & Noble, and I’m not disappointed at all. This is one of the best books I’ve read, hands down. 10/10, five stars, 100%
What are your thoughts on Metropolis (1927)? Art by me.
By BrushFog
I ended up watching it a bunch of times, trying it with different kinds of music, and it felt totally different each time. I don’t think you’d really get that kind of experience from a regular sound film, since the soundtrack is just there the whole time.
Metropolis - the novel (1925). Illustrated by Michael Kaluta (1988)
By SageMarble2004
Michael Kaluta has these 1988 illustrations for Thea von Harbous’ Metropolis, and I think some of the scenes in the art weren’t in Fritz Lang’s film version. There are a bunch of them listed here—everything from stuff like Rotwang and the Heart Machine to scenes like “Yoshiwara” (warning, it’s NSFW). I’m not 100% sure how many are totally exclusive to the book, but it’s cool seeing the extra stuff he did.
Books to read if you like Bioshock 1,2 & infinite
By BenLovesBooks
I’ve already gone through Atlas Shrugged, Brave New World, and 1984, and I was wondering if there are any other books worth checking out that give off a similar vibe to the game.
Before C3PO, there was Maria - Actress Brigitte Helm cools off while filming "Metropolis" in 1927
By cosmic2002
That robot model is seriously awesome. It’s from the 1920s and still feels like it could fit right into a sci-fi movie today.
I watched Metropolis (1927) KL Complete for the first time. My quick and simple thoughts.
By NeedleRusty5
Seriously, wow. This movie is just incredible. I really can’t get over the fact that it’s from 1927. It holds up way better than I expected. I’d had it on my watchlist for a while, and I managed to get the BD really cheap on Amazon. I honestly think this should be remade at some point. The practical effects are amazing for the time. Like I said, it still works really well, and even if the themes feel kind of familiar now, they probably matter even more today. The people at the top crushing the poor, and the pushback against the upper class. The world building too, and how much it leaves open. That’s basically all I can say. Just wow after finishing it. Easy 12/10. I really love movies like this, and I can’t believe I waited so long to watch it.
Which are some of the most thought provoking books you've ever read?
By DaltonWater1982
Honestly it can be any genre, but I feel like the ones that really stick with me are the books that keep making me think long after I finish them. Also wow, I didn’t expect this thread to blow up like this—thanks everyone for all the replies! I’ve got a bunch of books I’m excited to check out now. Seriously, thank you!
The 1927 film "Metropolis" is truly peculiar, and I'm not entirely certain how to interpret it.
By heatherkey1989
At first it really felt like the movie was backing the workers getting organized for a revolution, with that whole communist vibe. But then the ending kind of goes nowhere—Metropolis doesn’t seem to change much at all. It almost looks like the workers just accept that the upper class is still in charge. I also got the weird sense like two different people made the film with totally different ideas. There’s this big clash between the start and the ending, like one part wants revolution and the rest ends up saying the rich will stay running the city.
Was wondering if any of you comrades had taken the time to watch Metropolis (1927 silent film) and had any thoughts on it
By Reed_Shadow
This movie looks gorgeous, but the ending feels pretty shady to me, and the message seems pretty naive—almost like it’s trying to be reformist. You could even argue it has reactionary vibes. Like, the workers go through this whole revolution, but then they end up basically following the woman who talks about peace with the city leaders. So it’s kinda pushing class harmony even though everything in the city is unequal. And they only actually get the revolution through the really destructive parts because they’re being influenced by that “evil mad scientist.” By the end it seems pretty clear that the revolt was pointless and nothing really changes in Metropolis. Overall, it makes struggle look negative, and it doesn’t really give the working class much credit for organizing or thinking on their own. Also, did you know it was one of Mussolini’s favorite movies?
[Theme: Sci-Fi] #3. Metropolis (1927)
By turtleDistant
Robots go way back, like way before anyone even had the tech for it—there are stories/refs to mechanical stuff in ancient places like China, Greece, and Persia. But they were basically hands-on contraptions, not something that could really do things on its own. So when people talk about machines acting independently, that feels like it only really shows up in the 20th century, and even now it’s still kinda limited. Because of that, Maschinenmensch feels like this perfect early sci-fi “look into the future” moment, even though it’s also got that old myth-ish vibe too. As for Metropolis (1927), I’m not totally sure how to read its influence, but it’s hard to ignore. It feels like it helped set the tone for a lot of later sci-fi—stuff like the whole robot/android identity angle in Blade Runner, and even the more “iconic robot” vibe that later shows up in Star Wars. Visually it’s got that Art Deco style, and it’s probably part of why Art Deco stayed so popular. Also, it’s kind of wild that it’s both the oldest and one of the newest films on the list—because it got cut up and was basically missing for years. Then a 16mm copy from the original got found in Argentina in 2008, and after restoration it finally premiered in 2010. And then there’s the messy part: Lang later wasn’t too happy about the film, maybe because of its message and who ended up liking it. Meanwhile Goebbels was super into it, and the writer/ Lang’s wife (Thea von Harbou) later became a pretty early Nazi supporter. That whole situation makes me feel like the film’s history is almost as complicated as its themes.
Recommendations for books (B1/B2) - social science fiction/psychology?
By late_otter
I can totally read translated stuff, but I’d really like to find some German authors instead. I don’t read a ton yet, but I’m starting to get into it, and the ones I’ve liked most are Brave New World and Flowers for Algernon. Does anyone have suggestions for similar social science fiction / psychological books by German writers? Thanks!
Any lovers of the classic Film Metropolis?
By spoonBear1980
Really loved this movie. I saw it in high school like 30 years ago, then watched it again a couple years ago with my husband—he’d never seen it before. He basically fell for it right away.
What did you think of Metropolis aside from it's cinematic achievement?
By ivoryHoney
I’m curious what you thought about the story itself. I honestly loved it for the first couple hours, like genuinely amazing, but I felt like the ending didn’t really land. It almost seemed like it was unintentionally turning the workers into villains or something, and then it just sort of abruptly ends with that handshake. I know it was supposed to be foreshadowed and symbolic and all that, but I still didn’t feel satisfied. What did you think?
Interesting utopias
By basilcomet77
I saw George R. R. Martin say something along the lines of “if you write a utopia, you’ll probably end up with a pretty boring story,” and I get why he’d think that. But is it really that cut-and-dried? I can’t help wondering if there are actually good, interesting books that set things in paradise-like places or mostly happy settings—without turning into total snoozefests.