DEATH TO THE MACHINES!

Coming out of the hot topic world of our last film and continuing the trend, it's time to get political with a little bit of stylistic flair. So let's throw the switch and head back through the vortex to a time where the world is at peace after years of war, picture houses come with their own musicians and you can now call London from New York. Yes it's 1927 and we're about to enter the overcrowded, overworked and under-appreciated socialist depths of Fritz Lang's Metropolis.

From the get go Metropolis hits two major marks straight out the gate on our crazy adventure through the Cineverse, as not only is it the first black and white film on the list but it is also the first silent film to grace our screens and with it brings a whole new dimension to explore. And boy what a place it was, with Lang and fellow art designers Otto Hunt, Erich Kettlehut, and Karl Vollbrecht constructing one of the greatest and most stylish pieces of set design I've ever laid eyes on.  The city of Metropolis is magical with it's towering sky-scrapers, interweaving multi-lane highways and dazzling lights, it really takes your breath away and I can only wonder what audiences of the day would have thought when seeing it for the first time.  It's certainly not difficult to see why this film inspired Superman creators Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel to name the city of the man of tomorrow after this iconic spectacle.

It's not only the city that impresses when it comes to set in this film, as the theatrical design of the working classes machine is one of power and beauty, especially during a sequence when our hero sees it for what it truly is and envisions hundreds of workers being swallowed up by the great mechanical beast. The costume design of this film is incredibly well done with its mix of industrial revolution and predictions of future elite fashion. I wouldn't be surprised if Metropolis has been used as reference material for video games such as the Bioshock franchise. The big show piece here being the machine man, which went on the inspire the look of C3PO from Star Wars (1977) and is reflected in the Cybermen of Doctor Who (1963). Actress Bridgette Helm went on record in multiple interviews to complain about how much the suit constricted her movement and gave her several bruises, and in one scene almost cause her to suffocate due to Lang's desire for multiple takes close to a raging fire.

Within this piece Lang tells of the dangers of creating a society heavily defined by class boundaries and the eventuality of self destruction these systems will cause. Unfortunately for him as the film, (first released in Germany) started making waves across the globe and gained popularity, it was taken up as a guideline for how a government should view it's subjects by young political party leader Adolph Hitler, who along with the rest of his inner circle enjoyed the film to such an extent that Lang was offered to be made a honorary Ayran despite his Jewish background.

Nazi's aside Metropolis's futurism minded design and concepts have influenced practically all science fiction culture that came after it especially that seen on the silver screen, with even modern franchises such as The Matrix (1999) and The Terminator (1984) and of course the regimented dystopian future of George Orwell's 1984, copying it's ideas of mass surveillance to the horrors of the machine acting as man, and using them to chilly effect.

Dark, elaborate, and with a story that still resounds in the daily struggles of the work life balance of today it's hard not to enjoy the movie magic being spun by this film. Though at a run time of 2 hours and 33 minutes for the recently restored version it's one that definitely demands attention and is not recommended for the easily distracted. But for those interested in seeing the worlds essentially first sci-fi blockbuster Metropolis is not to be missed.

I dream her dreams.

It's been a little while since we last counted down, hit ignition and blasted off through the cineverse, so dust off those flights suits and strap in as we head to the far end of 2015 for a tale of radical ideas, radical people and a not so based on true story with Tom Hooper's smash hit, The Danish Girl. 

Eddie Redmayne has only been on the silver screen for a relatively short term and already he's pushing the envelope with a number of knock out performances such as his role as legendary Stephen Hawking in the incredible biopic piece The Theory of Everything (2014) and dream boat revolutionary Marius in Les Miserables (2012). And with his twin role as Einer/Lili in this film he is just oozing with star potential, I honestly believe if Redmayne keeps this type growth he will easily become one of this generations most beloved and awarded actors. Something the studios Hollywood could really use more of. 

One of the most astounding things I found about The Danish Girl, was its wonderfully clever use of locations. Hooper uses just enough of Nyhavn, Copenhagen, to construct a beautiful mis-en-scene and really bring the world these characters live in to life right in front of the audiences eyes. Whilst cleverly interweaving sets amongst the real world locations and even reusing some with other dressings such as the characters Danish and Parisian apartments.

I say characters as though the plot of the film is supposedly based on the real life story of Lili Elbe much of the screenplay has been adjusted to add drama, whole characters have been revised such as Alicia Vikander's Gerda. Who throughout the film is depicted as a straight devoted wife and artist, when in reality Gerda was a very public bisexual with an amorous taste for women and lived largely as a lesbian whilst her and Lili lived in Paris, the couple also divorced long before Lili's surgeries were complete.

The costumes of this film are another shining example of what can be done with big budget money, immaculate, stylish and each and everyone of them a show stopper, from Einer's streamlined suit, to Gerda's nightdress, each dazzles the eye and is gorgeous to behold. The hair stylists of this film really do deserve some credit here too, especially those who designed Lili's hair piece as it really does make the transformation realistic and completes the look of Lili's persona.

As a fictional story about the world's first transgender operation and it's subject, this one is a great gateway for folk not so in the current know-how to begin exploring the real culture and stories of those of us not defined by binaries, or sexual preference.

I enjoyed The Danish Girl immensely and whilst a little predictable that ending is a real tear jerker. If you missed this one at the cinema then make sure you hut it down on DVD or online as soon as you can, you won't regret it.