074 // MSN1 // Research 022 / Maschinenmensch
While working on the Industrial Palace, I almost forgot about one of the most famous machine-man-characters created more or less at the same time as Fritz Kahn’s machinery: The Maschinenmensch (mechanical person) from Metropolis, the silent science fiction film directed by Fritz Lang from 1927. Set in a futuristic urban dystopia, Fritz Lang’s film examines a common science fiction theme of the day: the social crisis between workers and owners in capitalism.
“The Maschinenmensch from Metropolis, played by German actress Brigitte Helm in both her robotic and human incarnations, is one of cinema’s most famous icons. The haunting blank face and pronounced female curves have been the subject of disgust and fascination alike.” (…) It is described as a very delicate, but faceless, transparent figure made of crystal flesh with silver bones and its eyes filled with an expression of calm madness. (…) The Maschinenmensch is a perfect example of the Frankenstein complex, where artificial creations turn against their creator and go on a rampage.”
[From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia]
And here is a site from La Cinémathèque Française with a close look on the robot:
http://metropolis.robot.bifi.fr/index_en.html
