Customer Reviews

Metropolis

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is rather didactic, more a book to read for interest rather than fun, as such. Obvious politics and propaganda abound. Some will like the style, and some won't. Obviously it is of academic interest. Politics, eugenics, how far will you go for control and other such themes are front and centre in this work by a German author and film maker.

Thea von Harbou (1888-1954) was indeed Fritz Lang's wife and wrote a number of novels/screenplays which Lang produced, including "Il frau im Mond" and "Spione". He divorced her in 1932 when she joined the Nazi party. "Metropolis" dates from 1926, NOT 1888 (von Harbou's birthdate). The first German edition, Berlin: A. Scherl, 273 pp., with a cover based on an original design by Walter Reimann was published in 1926, the anonymous English translation appeared in 1927. It retrospect the book is quite propagandist, but certainly quite unique. A 75th Anniversary edition is available, with numerous illustrations/stills from the film and an introduction by Forrest J. Ackerman, from Sense of Wonder Press, James A. Rock & Co. Publ.

The incessant repetition, the melodramatic characters, and the convoluted prose make Metropolis the novel an excruciating read. Seemingly only a masochist could love this book.

Don't say I didn't warn you.

I first saw the film when I came across it at my local library maybe 5 years ago. I had no idea what it was but it looked interesting so I checked it out. I fell in love with this movie and have been following it ever since! It's my favorite movie that I have never seen in its entirety. I decided to read the novel to fill in the missing pieces.

If you like the movie you will love the book. It fills in the gaps from the movie and gives much more detail to the story. The suspense in this book is phenomenal and many extra scenes are action packed. I even cried at the end and there was only one other book I cried at. I even knew what happens at the end because I saw the movie and I still cried. Even if you have never seen the movie this is an excellent book about the roles of men and technology.

I only gave this book 4 stars out of 5 because there are many errors in this book. There are a lot of rogue periods in the middle of sentences and orphaned quotation marks. Also some spelling errors, for example in one chapter the character "Slim" was spelled "Slim", "Sum", and one other variation I can't recall. It took me a while to determine if this were intentional or an error. It was a little confusing, but overall did not completely ruin the story. The story itself is so good I can't take anymore stars away.

I was always fascinated by the movie "Metropolis" (1927, Fritz Lang). I followed the movie from the recovered fragments to the almost complete version with the added footage from Argentina. Then it dawned on me that the movie was probably adapted from a story. Looking at the credits I found this story, "Metropolis" by Thea von Harbou (1888-1954). I had no idea that Thea Gabriele von Harbou was part of 77 great movie titles, including "M" and "Siegfried".

You might find Thea's (second wife of Fritz Lang) writing style quite interesting not white modern but clear. She repeats herself quit often, sort of in the style of the Bible.

As with many movies that time the story in the description stuck a lot closer to the book they do nowadays. Today's movies should say inspired by instead of adapted from. Reading the book you could see the movie almost blow-by-blow.

I however with a few strategic modifications here and there the book and movie deviate greatly in their purpose and deliverance. While the movie was about class struggle between what was called the hands and the head with a mediator the heart. The book was more of a personal struggle for man's soul and redemption.

Of course the book had the freedom to take more time to describe actions and actors. Also of course there were a lot of scenes that would have to be cut out for the movie. But of those left him they were quite accurate. Whether you liked or didn't like the movie you cannot afford to overlook this book there are a lot of shocks and surprises awaiting you. And there is always time enough for love.

This is a great book to read, and I great classic to experience. The writing is well written and the setting is great!! I HIGHLY reccomend purchasing this book, watching the original 1928 silent movie, and watching the new anime movie. Metropolis will live on!!

I just saw the movie on Turner Classic Movies. I normally do not watch silent films, but this one grabbed me and held on. Freder is the son of Joh Fredersen, and because he is rich, he gets to live above ground. Maria is a young woman who Freder falls in love with, and resides underground. Freder believes that he is the mediator that Maria often speaks of to the other underground residents. I believe that kind of has the same reference that the messiah would have. Any way an evil scientist keeps getting in the way of mediator progress, by making a robot to look exactly like Maria. This impostor nearly wrecks everything for fredor.

Revoltionary writing for it's time (1888) Metropolis speaks of the western world's growing fear of the indusrtial revolution, as well as young love, and the question of man as God. Harbou's charactors have to overcome a world which centers around machines, in order to become fully human again. These machines having truned the human workers into food for it's never ending hunger, and their brains into grease for it's gears. If you liked Bladerunner, Brazil, 12 Monkeys, Dark City, here is their mother. There is also there is a film by Fritz Lang (who was married to Harbou for a time)based on this book. There are many vertions of the film, try to get the longest one that is on black and white. If you can get a copy of this book hold on to it for dear life.