šæ Metropolis, 1927 - ā ā ā ā ā
I donāt know why Iām ever skeptical of silent films that are highly regarded. Iām always so hesitant to watch - surely theyād be dated by now. But with The Passion of Joan of Arc, Chaplinās silent films, and now this, Iām ditching that skepticism for good. What an awesome film. Terrible in the biblical sense. Strikingly relevant even today.
Favorite moments (incomplete and in no order):
- The legend of THE TOWER OF BABELā - what a beautifully framed sequence (literally, love the creative vignette), and a really interesting take on the story.
- Frederās struggle over the clock. The end of his shift is seconds away... and then the hands of the clock move backwards. Everyone whoās worked a day in their life can relate.
- Brigitte Helm!! What a crazy performance. To swing between two extremes of acting like that... just incredible. Also... Saoirse Ronan is clearly her reincarnated.
- āMOLOCH!ā
- The chase scene in the catacombs. Very inventive use of light and framing. Brigitte Helmās movements are almost dance-like.
- Speaking of dance-like... the robot Mariaās dancing is hilarious. Literally the most goofy dancing caught on film and all the dudes in attendance are like šļøš«¦šļø
- The creatively animated intertitles were incredible. A lost art for sure.
- The montage of the eyes and then of the faces watching the robot Maria.