Fritz Lang
Today’s piece is a still from a film that rivals Huxley’s Brave New World (1932) or Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949) in terms of prophetic art despite its naïve socialist conceptions. Fritz Lang’s 1927 film Metropolis predates both novels, but in the context of dystopian science fiction it bears similarities to both in its rendering of perfect worlds gone wrong.
The picture is truly biblical: the ‘whore’ sits upon a multi-headed beast, and is unashamed, proud and triumphant.
There are different interpretations of the symbolism of this image, but whatever your beliefs it is clear that there is a universality of lies, idolatry and abomination being brought to life. This ‘whore’ or ‘false Maria’ in the film is a tool used to counter the revolution being led by the real Maria in which freedom is being sought for the oppressed workers who live in the subterranean city. At this point in the film the utopia that we were initially led to believe was a success has crumbled, and the viewer is presented with this ghastly image, resplendent in a kind of despotic glory and arrogance that seem insurmountable.
The most significant aspect however is the historical context within which these works were made and published. Lang in 1927, Huxley in 1932 and Orwell in 1949: Hitler had overcome his rivals within the Nazi Party and assumed the title of Führer, then giving a speech at the 1927 Nuremberg Rally; from there he led the Nazi Party in a continual rise to power despite losing the presidential elections to Hindenburg in 1932; by 1949 it was all over and Europe was rebuilding itself.
What’s my point and how does it relate to today’s image? Simply put this picture is emblematic of danger – she is a German Expressionist’s idea of the dominance of greed and corruption over nations. Like the novels previously mentioned she could be seen as a warning: we should not fall for the rhetoric of those who make lofty, short-term promises; we should be wary of being caught up in the frenzy of misplaced adoration; and most of all, we should always look to history for lessons in making better choices.
-Sarah
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