May 29

Visions of Futures Past

In attempting to forecast the future, science fiction often winds up revealing something profound about the present—or, in the case of the 1927 Metropolis, about the distant continues to resonate. Which moments in this movie strike you as missing the mark in the present day? Which ones work, and why?

In thinking about what makes this movie work, consider Roger Ebert’s account in an essay he wrote in 2010, upon the release of the restored print we viewed last night. Besides noting the influence of Metropolis on later science-fiction movies, he makes an intriguing case for the value of primitive special effects in conveying an out-of-this-world experience.

In posing a question you’d like for us to discuss, focus the faculty’s attention on a key scene or character. You can review the movie here.