Set in a dystopian future, Metropolis story follows Freder, the son of the city’s mastermind, whose love for a working-class woman leads him to the city’s unpleasant underbelly. Metropolis is often cited as one of the first science fiction feature films, opening the door to the hundreds of movies in the genre that exist today. 

In 1985, film critic Roger Ebert called Metropolis “one of the great achievements of the silent era, a work so audacious in its vision and so angry in its message that it is, if anything, more powerful today than when it was made." Renowned director Martin Scorsese included it on a list of "39 Essential Foreign Films for a Young Filmmaker." 

Fun Fact: Being one of the most influential science fiction films of the 20th century, Metropolis has been adapted, used, and referenced by dozens of pieces of media, including albums and music videos by Queen, Janelle Monáe, Lady Gaga, and David Bowie; movies like Star Wars and The Bodyguard; a West End musical adaptation, and a manga! 

This is just one screening in our Silent Movie Mondays series at the Balboa Theatre. Learn more and see the full lineup!