New Visions of Lang's Metropolis

I went to watch the new cut of Fritz Lang's Metropolis on Friday at the Coolidge Corner Theatre.

Although I've always heard it's a classic, I'd never seen it. Good thing too as this 2010 release is said to be the closest thing to full length.

It premiered in Berlin in 1927 and at 210 minutes I don't think many people could handle it. With a budget of $200 million in today's dollars it almost bankrupted the German studio which produced it. When Paramount released it in the states, the film was butchered down to 90 minutes leaving out huge chunks of the story and cutting out anything with a seemingly Communist bent. Another blow to its popularity was that it was often projected at the 'talkie' speed of 24 frames per second instead of the intended 'silent' speed of 20 frames. (Nosferatu suffered from this malady as well in many of its releases. When I bought my DVD I made certain the version retained the correct speed!)

In 1984 an attempt was made at restoration. A new soundtrack (it WAS the '80s ya know) was added by Giorgio Morodor. Well, what would Metropolis be without songs from Loverboy and Freddy Mercury? Ouch.

In 2001, another version was released—this one attempting to plug some of the holes with stills and re-written subtitles.

It was accepted by this point that finding a complete copy of the picture was akin to locating the Holy Grail.
Amazingly, in 2008 a print with 25 additional minutes of footage was discovered in the hands of a private collector. Practically the entire film has now been edited together and digitized.

The odd thing is that they left the 'new' bits, the 25 minutes from Buenos Aires, practically unrestored. IF you've already seen Lang's film a few times, this would be a fascinating experience; it would now be quite clear precisely where the recently discovered footage had been added. However, being a newbie I found it distracting. It was like being switched over to a really crummy projector for maybe a minute or perhaps 10 seconds and then back to the crystal clear image.

For the first time since it's premier, the film's narrative is practically comprehensible. I hear that this 'new' footage really aides some critical elements of the story.

Still, Metropolis is a chaotic film with many ideas and subplots; political and religious assertions are tossed in to muddy the waters. While Hitler and Goebbels were admirers, H. G. Welles proclaimed it "the silliest film" without a "single new idea... in the whole pretentious stew." I'm a bit inclined to agree with him about the "plot".

However, the visuals are a knock-out. In 1927? How the heck did they do this stuff? Today it would take months of CGI work to populate this film with the ground-breaking images Lang conceived. I truly feel for the cameraman and editors who had to physically render Lang's incredibly imaginative fantasy. I see why every film student has to study this—and how easy it is to spot its influence on about 90% of the films you've seen.

Many folks have pigeon-holed Metropolis as a Sci-Fi work. I'm not buying it. My impression was of it as more of a political film. A philosophy of politics with a daft mix of religion. As Neil Gaiman and Joss Whedon have both said, "sci-fi is not a genre."

Anyroad, if you've never seen it, now is the time. This 2010 release is a stunner.

United Fan Con -- Springfield, MA, Nov 10-12, 2006

[Originally posted on the NewEngland Browncoat board]

The Marriott in Springfield was very fancy but not really up to the chain's standards. It's in a less-than-thriving neighborhood and has some of the poorest signage imaginable. The parking is rather expensive (yes… having to pay additional $$$ to park in the hotel's own lot leaves a bitter taste) and the guest parking card I was given did not work.

We win! Our Browncoat quartet (Holly, Michelle, Drew & Simon from CT) did luck out big time with our room location: 1 floor above the photo shoot room and only 2 floors above the main convention halls. Saved mucho time skipping the long wait for the elevators.

If you're ever looking for an easy convention roommate, Simon's great: insisted he was just fine sleeping in a chair(!) We tried to ply him with extra blankets and pillows, but he claimed he was all set. By the end of each night, however, he'd slipped down onto the floor. The second night, despite great pains, I managed to trod on him on my way to the bathroom.
(Sorry!!!)

Got photo sessions with Jewel Staite, William Shatner, and Mark Stricksen -- companion to the 5th Dr. Who or somesuch back in '85. Tried to sell / give that one away: My pass automatically included auto and photo sessions which were scheduled against our FF/Serenity panels. Eventually I ended up going to the Stricksen session and he was wonderful! I read his program bio back at my room and realized I needed to talk more with this fellow. Fascinating life! Wouldn't mind borrowing it for a few weeks. During the banquet when our table was lining up for the yummy food, I popped over to his table and had a lengthy conversation about his current doings. At the cabaret, he read a bit from a book (actually chewed by a rat) he'd written when he was 6(!) and illustrated how it foreshadowed his present career. He produces, directs and occasionally stars in loads of nature films for Animal Planet, the Smithsonian, and another similar big nature network. Exotic locals, tales of Steve Irwin, near death (twice in one day) and malarial adventures were recounted. Got to talk to him again in the line for the mass auto session on Sunday. Came away very impressed.

Evidently I unknowingly used the Jedi mind trick on Jewel and her minder while getting her to `john hancock' my grenade. I didn't think to pay them and they didn't think to ask! At the photo session she thanked me for asking good questions and the previous Q&A. I did ask about Rebecca Gayheart's first day on the FF set. She was politic and wouldn't vouch for Alan Tudyk's take on the series' first read-through. (She joked(?) that Alan was probably a little tight with drink when he told that story.) While Drew was naturally entranced by Claudia Christenson (sp?) (Babylon 5) in her tight leather push-up skin revealing through the leather-laced side outfit, I found her conversation a bit bawdy and her Q&A more fit for a late-night comedy club.

Grace Park (BSG) and Jewel are in a close race for sweetest humans on the earth, but at the risk of offending, I'm gonna say Grace wins. And these two women are SO UGLY! Wait… the other thing. Disgustingly beautiful even up quite close.

I think we should propose a bill: all sci-fi shows filmed and / or shown in the US must only star Canadian actors. Good god they're nice!

Shatner was great on stage but his people protected him so thoroughly that it was impossible to get any time with him. At the auto session, a 10-foot mote was created to protect the Man from the unwashed masses shuffling past behind a rope. The con assistants grabbed your items for signing and rocketed then beneath his pen. I really can't make out what he wrote!? It was so ridiculously quick that I thought for sure the pro photo session would be conducted as each fan ran past a cardboard cutout of Shatner.

In line as I approached the camera area I noticed no one touching him and vice versa. It's so much more usual to have the actor fling their arm around you and make small talk. I asked the session supervisor about it. "Do not touch the Bill." Fortunately, the talk, auto and photo sessions were to run straight into the banquet so I had already donned a black (and if I do say so myself fairly flatteringly cut) dress. I had a feeling the girly-girl thing might work well – he's got that reputation. Ah, it did! I got eye contact and a `hello' from Cap'n Kirk. After the shoot HE thanked ME. Other folks said, "He talked to you?" I also got to chat with x-Monkee Peter Tork about music – he's really into the blues currently. Plays 5-string banjo like me.

Met lots of terrific folks and picked their brains on all sorts of stuff including one fellow who had the Perfect Storm's Clooney and Walberg invade his Gloucester kitchen and cook him a meal.

Had to practically drag the interesting but verbose Peter David out of Melissa and my panel room We needed to begin our 3rd discussion – the one on all the cool Firefly / Serenity collectibles out there.(Thanks to David - thehey - for adding lots of info to this one!) P.David kept asking how much time he had but showed no sign of stopping. Finally Melissa and I just went around his back, moved the table right up to his butt where he stood preaching, and started opening boxes and bags and setting out our collections.

At her Q&A, Jewel recounted the whole story of her vs. Nathan in the rude finger-off they conducted during their appearances re: Serenity. Nice to hear it from one of the horses' mouths. Although she claimed that Nate was the actor she bonded most closely with on FF, she also revealed an annoying side to him. He played a dangerous prank (greased her dressing room door handle, the failure of which causes the would-be opener to pitch backward down the stairs) Injury could've been serious but NF rolled around on the floor laughing. She says he is relentless and annoying and will play the same trick over and over until you stop him. Meanwhile, he ends up practically in stitches over it every single time. (This was all delivered in a tone of sisterly affection.) On the bright side, she praises him heavily -- saying is amazing to work with because even after 16 hours, he's still in a good mood pulling up the morale of everyone on set. Jewel also painted Ron Glass as possessing a droll dark sense of humor; he constantly took shots at Morena and her wardrobe. "What is this, a circus?" Evidently Morena is much more of a "t-shirt and jeans" kinda gal and was a bit overwhelmed with some of her more spectacular costumes.

I had a great time both attending and leading the panels. Saturday's discussion on Faith vs. Belief in the `Verse was wonderful – even wandered into the Miltonian realm. Melissa's stately readings from "The Book of Joss" were hysterical as well as illuminating to the discussion. (The B of J being the Serenity movie companion.) And a big thanks to Deb - kessa - for many wonderful insights. Your remark about it being a discussion Joss would've loved made my weekend! Unfortunately, camera equipment was brought in just AFTER this panel but I believe Melissa's thought provoking topic of post-Miranda speculation was recorded. Mistypendragon followed with updates on the entirety of the World of Whedon.

**A broadcast of these panels will be available soon at: http://n1jdu.org/Fandom/science.htm

So, now I am poorer -- yet richer -- for the adventure!

(Word for the wise: don't eat at the fried chicken dump down
the street from the hotel.)

Whedon Women II

[Response to a post on NEBrowncoats board re: Hating Buffy — any good female characters out there?]

See my recent "Spike" comment. I've got no trouble with terrific male leads (Malcolm Reynolds/Nathan Fillion) and masculine strength.

But I'm finding that the networks* have smartened up a (tiny) bit — "strong" female characters are showing up more and more (especially in Dramas).

The difficulty lies in their definition of "strong". Big ol' gender difference: what constitutes female strength vs. male? I see many women (based on the Maggie Thatcher model) whose strength just mimics that of any male lead. (most action stuff, certainly in the movies.) I guess the message is, if you're female and you're gonna be strong, better just emulate stereotypical male leads. Be terse. Kill stuff. Oh, and wear tight leather clothing and high heels while you're at it.

And sometimes, it's just a wolf in sheep's clothing (to really confuse things with a metaphor.) It was a boyfriend who pointed out to me that the initially "strong" female is often quietly punished in mainstream tv movies and film; she has neglected her traditional role and has dared to become involved in a career. Thus she is by definition unfulfilled and a 'failure' as a "true" woman. Social convention dictates that inevitably, the woman, just having played at being strong, must end up in a more 'traditional' relationship, i.e., as more of a sidekick to the male. Can't drive off those important 'red state' ratings! (and yes, please think of a few mold-breakers here…)

The Lie of It? All the women are just dolled up as can be. Definitely seriously sexualization. Even CSI's "Catherine" just 'has' to be an x- topless dancer. The funny part is that when they put a woman in a suit (e.g., lawyer) she still's gotta have on that push-up peeking out the jacket. (Even Scully!!) Well, no one claimed tv is realistic – it's must-see-eye candy, and I suspect the suit jacket is their laughable token concession to an emerging key demographic – women w/$$$.

Haven't actually seen much of the new Geena Davis vehicle - am hoping against hope that it's not duplicitous. After all, she's stuck trying to re-create the uber male bastion of the U.S. presidency. I `spose Patricia Arquette's character in "Medium" is definitely headed in the right direction. Any more to add to this list?

Joss Whedon often writes his female characters as having many traditional male strengths. However, Buffy with all of her "male" physical skills, uses a much more feminine strategy to defeat the final enemy. She "shares" her gift with ALL potential "strong" women (i.e., girls).

Can you picture a male hero deciding to do such a thing?

I do like the way that in Firefly, Mal's character treats Zoe as an equal and easily accepts her counsel. (Kaylee, Inara & River, although possessing real strength, are treated by Mal in a more traditional way –- younger sis, love interest, little crazy person. Well, maybe that last one's not too traditional.) It would be very interesting to see how the Captain's relationship with River evolves now that she's intellectually and physically his superior. Mal's still got maturity, emotional strength and experience on his side and would probably make a good mentor for her.

Anyway, please feel free to come back with some examples that support of disprove any of this.

Any of you guys object to the way men are portrayed on tv?


*I don't have cable, so there might be some good ones out there.

Whedon Women I

[Response to a post on NEBrowncoats board re: Hating Buffy]

I saw bits and pieces of a few episodes of Buffy The Vampire Slayer when it first aired.

And I was really turned off. What did it?

Willow.

(Before you Willow fans jump in, let me explain.)
I'd graduated from Wellesley College, surrounded by strong, opinionated women. TV portrayals of female characters as overly meek, insecure, and too self-deprecating are a redflag to my fingers to hit the remote and flip channels.

I'm not saying that Willow as introduced was necessarily all these things. And I'm certainly not saying that she didn't evolve big-time during the series. However, when I first glanced at the show -- her character drove me away.

It wasn't till the 6th season, [Smashed?] I flipped by the station during the big building demolition moment* and went, Whoa! Who is that blond stud? What? THEY're together?

Hook, Line & Sinker. Who sez s*x doesn't sell? I don't know if this makes me a reverse sexist or not... but that scene motivated me. I borrowed all the dvds and galloped through them at lightening speed. Realized all the Buffy goodness I'd been missing out on for years!

Never really a big Angel fan, but final season was must-see-Spike tv for me.

It was Firefly, however, that really stepped it up a notch and made me think, "gee, I kinda liked this guy Joss' stuff!"


*Buffy and Spike do the deed

I want to go to the crappy planet where I'm a hero: My review of Serenity

PLUMB CRAZY: What’s happened to me? My entire life, I’ve never ever been this enamored of a film. It’s like catchin' a serious case of the Beatlemania. There’s way too long a wait for entertainment worthy of some serious fanaticism. Never fear: ‘Serenity’ has arrived.

HOT AS A WHOREHOUSE ON NICKEL NIGHT: Terrific dialogue rendered in a wickedly engaging lexical mixture of American West / Mandarin / semi-antiquated English. Hi-larious repartee. Strongly delineated characters that (gulp!) actually drive the plot rather than the innocuously interchangeable folk we see in today’s tv/film. Unique future worlds where the only aliens are the people who inhabit them. A frontier-style existence butting heads with the 26th century. And that’s just the beginning. ‘Serenity’ is a rodeo ride of adrenal action, bucking emotional intensity, jolting plot-twists (ok, enough metaphor.) Oh! I can’t forget the stirring score by David Newman. Haunting musical motives for the ship as well as for its captain, passengers and enigmatic foe. Did I mention absolutely perfect casting? Can’t imagine anyone else in these roles. (And yes, I’ve ordered multiple copies of Serenity – a most excellent Christmas gift for the deserving.)

POWERFUL GOOD: Once upon a time, my housemate forced me to view a single downloaded episode of this movie’s tv series precursor: ‘Firefly.’ Bang! I was hooked. This little bit of illegality paid off in spades for the network beancounters; I went on to purchase 4 dvd sets of the tv series. (One is going to my local library. Share the wealth!)

Having said how enthralled I became with the show, I’m way too close to these great characters and their world to ever step back and judge impartially. So I can’t really attest to the ‘standalone-ness’ of ‘Serenity’ for newbies.

However – some anecdotal evidence says it’s a great introduction to this wonderful world of writer/director Joss Whedon: I took an uninitiated friend to the Boston ‘Serenity’ opening. By her demand, I loaned the Firefly discs one by one. Within 5 days, she was phoning me, “Ok! I’m ready for the next disc!” “Uh… sorry, those 14 episodes– that’s all there is.” “WHAT? YOU’RE KIDDING! WHAT AM I GONNA DO?” (See Serenity again, naturally!) Now, with her own Firefly dvd set permanently occupying the player, she’s begun filming a documentary focusing on Firefly/Serenity's New England fans.

FINE AS CREAM GRAVY: One last thing – for me, frustratingly irresolute Anti-heroes and downright congenial Villains never fail to create that delectably mysterious ‘grey’ area so reflective of our actual lives. Thanks for the inspiration Joss!

 

Birds of a Feather: Holly, Robert & Blueberry

Welcome to miss-direction

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