“Metropolis”
is one of my favorite movies. It’s a wild science-fiction romp from 1927; it’s
silent, but you can now see it with its original musical score, which is very
expressive.
Here’s the plot: the city of Metropolis is divided between
the lofty towers of the rich and powerful and the dark underground cities of
the workers. A woman named Maria (played luminously by Brigitte Helm) is preaching
to the workers and telling them to expect a “mediator.” The dictator of
Metropolis, in an attempt to stop Maria, asks crazy Doctor Rotwang to create a
evil robot replica of Maria; the robot proceeds a) to stir up all kinds of
discord in the underground cities, and b) to dance at Yoshiwara, the hippest
nightclub in the tower city, and drive all the upscale men insane with lust.
This is the false Maria’s dance. It’s beyond amazing. (Just
so you know: the young man in bed is the true Maria’s boyfriend (who also
happens to be the dictator’s son),
having visions of the Apocalypse.)
Enjoy.
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