Expressionism, according to The Complete Film Dictionary(1), is a "movement in German cinema, from 1919 to approximately 1933, that sought to present physical reality on the screen as a projection, or expression, of the subjective world, generally of a character in the film. This was accomplished through distorted and exaggerated settings, heavy and dramatic shadows, unnatural space in composition, oblique angles, curved or non-parallel lines, a mobile and subjective camera, unnatural costumes and makeup, and stylized acting. Such films create a dreamlike or nightmarish world."
Lang was born in Austria and studied art and architecture before taking off for the Far East to paint. When he returned to Germany, he gravitated to the Expressionists, where he met and later married Thea von Harbou. Together, they created the world of Metropolis and then went on to make the most expensive film in German cinema history. The cast budget alone must have been enormous, even if the same extras were used for both the mobs of workers below the city and in the "Tower of Babel" scene. According to Jonathan Law(2), 1100 bald men were employed in the Tower scene, and only a small fraction of the mega-meters of film shot were actually used in the finished product.
Originally three hours-plus in run time, the film was cut for American audiences. The editing shows even in the 126-minute Allied Artists Classics version, but is definitely an improvement over a butchered 90-minute video that is also available.
Still, even with half an hour or so missing, the story in Metropolis is not only compelling but amazingly modern in tone. Lang's artistic and architectural background is obvious in the sets, beginning with the soaring Art Deco image of the city in the opening scenes. Yet there is a sense of cold isolation in those lines and angles that sharply contrasts the crowded spaces of the undercity. There are no people visible, only structures and machines.
Lang avoids the more extreme Expressionist techniques except where they enhance the story, as in Freder's fever dream which segues into the Maria-Robot's belly dance. His actors rarely succumb to excess, and he carefully uses rationed closeups rather than exaggerated or stylized performances to heighten emotional effects. Perhaps the best of these performances is Brigitte Helm, who gives Maria a strength and courage that isn't diminished by her terrified flight from
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