“Metropolis” Examined: German Expressionism in Film

Course Overview

Course No. 200004

Go behind the scenes of Fritz Lang’s Metropolis and uncover how this masterpiece of German expressionism and science fiction transformed cinema forever.

In Metropolis Examined: German Expressionism in Film, get behind the camera and explore the roots of the film’s striking set design, its brilliant use of light and shadow, its hallucinatory characters, and its piercing social critiques. High and low, dark and light, nature and machine—enjoy interpreting these cinematic contrasts in this fascinating lecture on a fascinating film.

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Video Lessons

1. “Metropolis” Examined: German Expressionism in Film (7 min)
   • What does contemporary cinema owe to the world’s first feature-length sci-fi movie, Fritz Lang’s Metropolis? Gain a greater appreciation for this bold, operatic masterpiece of German expressionism with a detailed look at its rebuttal of visual realism, its piercing social critiques, and its lasting influence on filmmakers like Tim Burton and Christopher Nolan.