I Didn't Know It Was In German - Metropolis (1927)

METROPOLIS (1927)


Fritz Lang is one of those directors that took me from being a movie watcher to a movie nerd, specifically his first 'talkie' M. His movies are dark and forlorning that speak of great societal issues that usually represent impending doom upon a community or the collapse of humanity itself. I was in Brussels this summer and during our travels we were searching for a movie theater hoping to find an old deco theater and catch a film. They had a list of amazing films that were playing; most of them in other languages and Brussels having 3 nationally recognized languages and none of them being English we decided to sit in and watch Fritz Lang's silent epic Metropolis. The theater was minimal, rows of seats and a medium sized white rectangle in the middle of the floor. The theater was lit by two flood lights that were on tripods and when the film started someone had to manually come down and turn off the switches. There was no masking for screen so it just looked like it was being projected onto a wall. As bare bones as it was it felt completely appropriate for the mood of the film.

When the feature did finally begin the music rang in and the images of steel workers building a city; sparks flying and clocks being wound. World order coming into creation. Being a silent film, and it being a while since I've sat through a feature length silent movie I forgot about the title cards. The first one came on and I realized, "Shit. This is in German." So the title cards were in German and it was translated into both French and Dutch. I was lost. I had seen the film before, but years ago and remembered almost nothing about it prior to going in. So for over two hours I sat, watching something in which no words could help describe the action, and again it kind of felt appropriate. Lang is able to tell the story through just action and the dialogue is just a device to keep the audience more engaged. His story of corruption, destruction and rebirth is a powerful and epic masterpiece. This film will all and leave you thirsty for more more German Expressionism.


Samichlaus Bier. (Samichlaus = Santa Clause) Or according the Guinness Book of World Records, "The World's Strongest Beer." Brewed only once a year on Dec. 6 then stored for ten months before being bottled this lager matures into an intense and delicious brew. A perfect winter beer and an example of German influenced perfection. Like our waiter said in France, "Very good! Very strong!"

Country of Origin: Austria
Alc. Vol. 14%


Talking Heads, Remain in Light (1980)
There are no words to describe the beautiful complexity to this album. The Talking Heads have always pushed the conventional styles of music and rebelled against standards. Just like Metropolis this album deconstructs chaos and rebirths it into something beautiful.

Recommendations: The whole album.