Metropolis (1927)

There can be no understanding between the hand and the brain unless the heart acts as mediator.

My friends Kevin, Haze and Lisa accompanied me last night to the Harvard Film Archive to watch a free screening of the great silent epic Metropolis (1927) (some sites list it as 1926). It was quite a treat to see this monumental film up on the big screen. However, that was dampened by my disappointment in the audience reaction to the viewing. I believe that if most of the people in that audience had voted on my poll which asks "What do you think of Fritz Lang's Metropolis (1927)?" they would have chosen "Weird! Hello? Have you seen it?" as an option. I noticed that a couple people left in the middle of the movie while others stayed to gripe and moan about the over-the-top elements of the movie. I for one was tremendously irked by the negative reaction. Sure it's over-the-top. It's a silent film people!

I find solace in the fact that most of the people in the audience were probably required to be there and they obviously did not understand the background, history and impact of the film in order to enjoy it fully. I didn't enjoy Citizen Kane (1941) until I studied it in a film class as an undergrad and I hated The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) until I read Tolkien's books and got what the hell was going on. And if I didn't appreciate Metropolis' impact on history and culture and didn't enjoy futuristic art deco style, allegory, social commentary and biblical references, I probably would have bolted from the theater as soon as "The End" appeared on screen, as so many did yesterday evening. Knowledge is indeed power. Even if it only extends into the power of enjoyment.



On a more positive note, watching Metropolis last night reinvigorating my strong interest in this movie. I highly recommend that you read the Wikipedia entry on this film. Usually entries on this site are bare-bones, but this one contains a lot of interesting content as well as links to other sources. And Metropolis fans, like myself, can look forward to the complete film being released after an original print was discovered a couple of months ago in Argentina. One website claims, a new release on DVD and Blu-Ray may be on the market as soon as next year! Huzzah!

In the meantime, please vote on my poll to let me know what you think of Metropolis. Also, please feel free to share your thoughts in the form of comment entries on this blog (I love reading those!).

Bette Davis Stamp On Sale Now!

Must! Buy! NOW!

Thank you to Frank who gave me the heads up about this.

Out of the Past, Into the Now ~ Deuil

Je suis dans le deuil

I am in mourning for the Back to Basics - Christina Aguilera. Christina Aguilera reinvents herself with each new album, as many pop stars are prone to do. It keeps their fans from getting bored and allows the musician to experiment with a new and different style. It also brands their album with an image that is intrinsically tied into the music. So when I saw the glamorous old Hollywood style of the Back to Basics album I was full of glee. I knew that this was an Aguilera I could identify with and I was so proud of her of bringing some sense of the past to her fans. I even posted (sort of) here about it!

First there was Ain't No Other Man, which captured the noir essence of a '40s night club. Then there was Hurt, an homage to the bohemian-gypsy style of the turn of the 20th century. Finally, there was Candyman, a hyper-sexualized delight that was a throwback to the youths of WWII. This was only the visuals for the music videos, the music itself was astounding on a whole other level. I loved it all, ate it up and couldn't get enough.

I knew full well that this was only a phase and that it wouldn't continue past the life of the album. This was confirmed at the recent VMA's where she performed decked out in a new futuristic style which told me the Back to Basics - Aguilera is gone. ::sigh:: I will miss her.

At least I have Katy Perry to keep me company...