Metropolis

Released 1927
Stars Brigitte Helm, Alfred Abel, Gustav Froehlich, Rudolf Klein-Rogge, Heinrich George
Directed by Fritz Lang

Fritz Lang's most famous silent film uses science fiction and spectacular special effects to tell a story of biting social criticism. In a futuristic time and place, an above-ground city of lightness, culture and respectability is kept going only by the enslaved proletariat laboring beneath in the underground city; a nightmarish, cruel and dark place. Metropolis is considered one of the hippest films of the sci-fi genre and an innovative, influential film in its day and ours.

Summary from netflix.com

I can see how this would have been a stunning film in its day, but it's paced much too slowly for today. Also, there's surprisingly few title cards; more dialogue would have made it more interesting. Its influence on later films (including those today), however, is obvious.

Bill Alward