Metropolis - In 1927 and an unnamed future, Brigitte Helm tempts the masses in a dual role that delighted this jaded twenty-first century viewer — pasties, visible ribs, [noembed]
Kevin Aviance-worthy choreography, costumes and set design[/noembed].
What I Liked: Most everything.
— I went in knowing Lucas had borrowed a lot from Metropolis, but I was surprised at how much. The Machine Man / C3P0 comparison was obvious. What wasn't was a segment where Freder, the central protagonist, gets trapped in a maze of opening and closing doors. The scene played very closely to the scene of Skywalker's entrance in the Cloud City in
Empire. Doors open to invite him deeper into the heart of the trap and close immediately behind him. That's just one example; there were others.
— Brigitte Helm - She is introduced in the opening scene as Maria, a typical Virgin Mary figure, imploring Freder to look down on the downtrodden masses below. I kind of dismissed her at this point. Then when she takes the role of the Machine Man with Boobs, she surprised me. Yes, if the acting style were replicated today it would be high camp, but there was something in the performance that had me genuinely creeped out. She thrusts her exposed ribs out, hunches her back, closes one eye — perfect for the Hunchback of Notre Dame. Instead, she is dressed in flashy 1920's high fashion. Put the Hunchback in a flapper, and you got a really crazy/awesome/creepy performance.
— Choreography - The scenes of the workers working the machines were right out of Janet Jackson's "Rhythm Nation" and Madonna's "Express Yourself" videos. The opening scene, as one group of workers marched double-time behind another group marching half-time, was just awesome.
— Everything else, though my reasons for liking this movie may piss off some hardcore movie buffs. I was delighted in a sort of ironic, post-pop, post-ironic, post, post, post way.
That said, there were some moments of genuine, non-ironic, delight. This movie took over a year to complete. It was the 20's version of a summer tentpole, and it showed. The sets, though not up to today's standards, were pretty amazing. Same with the special effects.
What I Didn't Like: Nothing, or if something, I'd have to really dig to pick something out. I was really, really fortunate in my dictation.
Kevin Aviance - FILMSPOTTER!y Bjork- Big Time Sensuality