Metropolis: Early Sci-Fi Blended With Horror

[JaseSF]

I know not many people think of the classic Metropolis film in terms of being an Horror film and clearly it's much more in the realm of futuristic Science Fiction yet I cannot help but notice all the elements in it that are also present in many of the horror films that followed it in the following decades, not that Metropolis was necessarily the first in this regard either. Still there's some undeniable horror imagery present in this film. In the film, there's a mad scientist of sorts with Rotwang, a female soulless doppelganger robot that nevertheless undertakes obviously evil and immoral actions and seemingly delights in them, the "evil machine god" sequence with Moloch, the pentagram constantly behind the robotic Maria, and I'm sure others I'm forgetting. Anyone else have any thoughts on this and how Sci-Fi and Horror were so closely intertwined in the early silent era of films and even into the 30s and 40s and beyond. Feel free to expand upon and discuss this.

[tracy]

Very interesting....I'd never actually thought of that but I have to agree. "Metropolis" blended Science Fiction with some truly frightening images/concepts which made it a true classic of both. 

[Chainsawmidget]

There's something about those old style effects and setting that make things seem far more unsettling than if they had been done with modern affects. 

[Raffine]

[JaseSF]

Another great image from the film. Obviously the film was influenced by the Gothic Horror of the period.

[tracy]

There's something about those old style effects and setting that make things seem far more unsettling than if they had been done with modern affects. 

Very true.

[rebel_1812]

I didn't notice, but your right it has alot of horror elements.  Society being destroyed.  The end fight on the top of a cathedral.  Its all there.

[RCMerchant]

METROPOLIS is a true classic.
Why did you post it in the BAD movies section?

Metropolis has everything-social commentary-a prerun of FRANKENSTEIN with the creation of the Robotrix Maria,Rudolf Klien Rogge-(who is CLASSIC!-check hinm out in the DR.MABUSE FILMS!!!!)...and it was directed by Fritz Lang-in my opinion a master. Hitchcock learned all he knows from Lang.
M
The DR.MABUSE series
SIEGFRIIED
WOMAN IN THE MOON

Lang was a f**king master.
Forrest J.Ackerman said METROPOLIS was his favorite film of all time.
I can see why he would feel so.

It's a bonafide classic.

And call me strange-( like that would be the first time),but I think Brigette Helm is dam sexy!

[JaseSF]

To be honest with you RC, I didn't intend to really post it in the Bad Movie section. I just happened to be there when it popped into my head for a thread idea. And honestly I do feel some of the very eary horrors/sci-fi  have a lot of similarities from the 20s through the 30s and 40s with Universal. Before the fifties, sci-fi and horror seems so very married to one another. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Frankenstein, The Man Who Changed His Mind, etc. etc.

[JaseSF]

So O.K. technically the 50s and beyond had a lot of sci-fi merged with horror as well but the focus seemed to shift more towards the sci-fi in the 50s I felt what with werewolf and vampire films even given scientific explanations of sorts.

[RCMerchant]

To be honest with you RC, I didn't intend to really post it in the Bad Movie section. I just happened to be there when it popped into my head for a thread idea. And honestly I do feel some of the very eary horrors/sci-fi  have a lot of similarities from the 20s through the 30s and 40s with Universal. Before the fifties, sci-fi and horror seems so very married to one another. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Frankenstein, The Man Who Changed His Mind, etc. etc.

I would agree with that statement 100%.
The Universal films borrowed heavialy from-well-
FRANKENSTEIN from the CABIENTof DR.CALIGARI.
Look at the sets of MURDERS IN THE RUE MORGUE(1932)-It's CALIGARI...

Thing is-silent films were very infulamtual on popo culture-Batman came from the BAT (1929)

...and the Joker-yeah-

[Ed, Ego and Superego]

.

And call me strange-( like that would be the first time),but I think Brigette Helm is dam sexy!

SHE might be, but that pic is not.  Thisi s one I really need to re-watch, I saw in back in the 80's, and don't remember a lot of the stylistic stuff.

[JaseSF]

To be honest with you RC, I didn't intend to really post it in the Bad Movie section. I just happened to be there when it popped into my head for a thread idea. And honestly I do feel some of the very eary horrors/sci-fi  have a lot of similarities from the 20s through the 30s and 40s with Universal. Before the fifties, sci-fi and horror seems so very married to one another. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Frankenstein, The Man Who Changed His Mind, etc. etc.

I would agree with that statement 100%.
The Universal films borrowed heavialy from-well-
FRANKENSTEIN from the CABIENTof DR.CALIGARI.
Look at the sets of MURDERS IN THE RUE MORGUE(1932)-It's CALIGARI...

Thing is-silent films were very infulamtual on popo culture-Batman came from the BAT (1929)

...and the Joker-yeah-

Virtual karma to you RC for that. Everything influences everything else it seems as times goes on although each new era adds something new for better or worse.