Definitions of any style or genre will be terminally flimsy once we poke a hole or two in them, but I would note that there are strong "expressionist" elements in METROPOLIS: the chaingang shuffle of the underground workers, the vision of the machine as Moloch, the little hut of Rottwang in the midst of the Metropolis (rather like discover a mushroom growing in a stainless steel lavatory), and the performance of Klein-Rogge himself as the mad scientist. I do think that Lang's relationship to Expressionism is problematic, but he does keep showing traces of the style. Don Larsson On Wed, 01 Jul 1998 13:00:45 -0700 "Horak, Chris" <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > In reference to Scott Hitchin's query, I would argue that METROPOLIS is > not a German expressionist film in the narrow sense of the term. It does > not use distorted sets (expressing a subjective vision), nor is the > acting particularly stylized (as in expressionist theatre). It is a > science fiction film with a highly melodramatic plot that may be > considered to have expressionist touches (lighting!). Of course, > refering to my earlier post on PANDORA'S BOX, METROPOLIS must also be > considered an art film. But like another of Pabst's art films, THE > JOYLESS STREET, I would consider METROPOLIS as much a product of German > Neue Sachlichkeit (New Realism), as influenced by elements of > expressionism. > > > Chris Horak > > Jan-Christopher Horak > Director > Archives & Collections > Universal Studios > 100 Universal City Plaza, 503-LL > Universal City, C.A. 91608 > Fax: 818 866 5120 > Fon: 818 777 7571 > > ---- > Online resources for film/TV studies may be found at ScreenSite > http://www.tcf.ua.edu/screensite ---------------------- Donald Larsson, Mankato State U (MN) [log in to unmask] ---- To sign off SCREEN-L, e-mail [log in to unmask] and put SIGNOFF SCREEN-L in the message. Problems? Contact [log in to unmask]