Metropolis

Fri., Aug. 21, 8:30 p.m., $10, BYOB, Cinema 16:9, 35 N. Lansdowne Ave., Lansdowne, 484-461-7676, cinema169.com.

by John Vettese

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Published: Aug 18, 2009

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The soul-crushing capitalist dystopia predicted in 1927's ber-canonized Metropolis didn't entirely come to pass. Then again, did it? We're not living in a world of ominous steam-spewing time clocks scarring Art Deco cityscapes, nor is our working class entirely subterranean. But filmmaker Fritz Lang's unsubtly socialistic themes of businesses lounging in wealth while laborers struggle remain relevant in an era of government bailouts and mass layoffs. It's prime time to revisit Metropolis, and Lansdowne's Cinema 16:9 has taken a unique approach. Rather than the classic piano accompaniment, this silent film is backed by a live, improvisatory DJ mix by Overbrook's Lens Flare, putting a contemporary spin on Lang's future (present), as well as other mechanical/sci-fi classic shorts like Méliès' Le Voyage dans la Lune.

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