Metropis by Fritz Lang and Modern Times by Charlie Chaplin

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Discuss Fritz Lang's Metropolis and Charlie Chaplin's Modern Times
Very few movies portray the relationship between the government and civilian masses during trying moments such as Fritz Lang's “Metropolis”, and Charlie Chaplin's “Modern Times”. These are two critically acclaimed films made in the late 1920’s and mid 1930’s. The time period captured is the great depression, and examine the role of the governing authorities in relation to those governed.
“Metropolis” simply passes as one of the original science fiction movies in the world, and it has vivid imagery in it. Its’ main themes revolve around cultural exploitation and political issues facing the citizenry. It is set in Germany and tells the story of a metropolis where there are two classes of individuals who are the thinkers and the workers living side by side yet oblivious of each other. The city is run by a business dictator whose son falls for a lower class lady. The son called Freder has been brought up in luxury but later discovers the dehumanizing conditions in which the workers living down under are experiencing. To get access to the lady, he seeks help from a friend who is a demented genius, where he exchanges his place as a thinker with that of a worker. The workers adore him, seeing him as a liberator sent from above. The young lady named Maria is also liked by the workers since she is charismatic, and speaks about peace, and patience. The movie talks in general of an embryonic world where a few individuals control all means of production and the majority are left to languish in poverty as they work for the rich.
On the other hand, Charlie Chaplin's “Modern Times” is a satirical comedy produced in 1936 and has commentaries touching on the great depression of t...

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...industrialized and jobs are hard to come by as the state is not able to offer employment opportunities. It advocates for a socialist state which is able to take care of the masses. Chaplin hates capitalism as it only enables a few individuals to be wealthy as the rest struggle to earn a living.

Works Cited

Grunes, D. (2010), ‘A Short Chronology of World Cinema’, Amazon. www.filmeducation.org/metropolis/pdf/Metropolis_Themes_and_context.pdf Retrieved on 3/02/1014 http://www.ebertfest.com/four/metropolis_silent_rev.htm Retrieved on 02/02/2014
Ebert, R. (2010), ‘Review, Great Movies-Metropilis’, Retrieved from http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-metropolis-2010-restoration-1927 on 03/02/14
Austerlitz, S. (2010), ‘Modern Times: Exit the Tramp’, retrieved from http://www.criterion.com/current/posts/1656-modern-times-exit-the-tramp on 02/03/2014

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