Metropolis

Photo of my personal copy of Metropolis

Metropolis 

I am a movie buff and one of my favorite movies is the 1927, black and white film, Metropolis.  I am captivated at the powerful messages conveyed through this silent film, in particular the foreshadowing of complete government control.  The concept of moment by moment monitoring of all citizens through every form of electronic eye is startling.  I was amazed at the power of imagery used to depict the multiple levels of society and the details of the scenery, from the buildings to the various forms of transportation to the rooftop gardens.  There are harrowing scenes of workers using elevators, being over worked, underpaid and disrespected by the Overseer.  You can feel the desire of everyone wanting more, not just the lowly workers hoping for a better quality of life, but even the wealthy trying to find an existential meaning in life.  It all makes for a great thought provoking movie that challenges revolution, government and the collective soul of the entire society from the top down.  All of this using techniques and special effects very unique to the time and still being used in film production today.