Maschinenmensch
Maschinenmensch | |
---|---|
First appearance | Metropolis |
Created by | Thea von Harbou Fritz Lang |
Designed by | Walter Schulze-Mittendorff |
Portrayed by | Brigitte Helm |
In-universe information | |
Species | Robot |
Gender | Female |
Family | Rotwang (creator) |
The Maschinenmensch (literally 'machine-human' in German) is a fictional robot featured in Thea von Harbou's novel Metropolis and Fritz Lang's film adaption of the novel. In the film, she is played by German actress Brigitte Helm both as a robot and in human guise. She was created by the scientist Rotwang in dedication to his deceased lover, Hel, though in the novel they have no correlation. Maschinenmensch was one of the first fictional robots ever depicted in cinema, and as a result popularized the concept worldwide.
Variant names
The robot is usually—and erroneously—referred to as "Maria", after the human original whom she impersonates. She was never named in the film, though in the novel her name is Futura. The opening credits refer to her as "the Robot". She has been given several names through the decades: Parody (the name Rotwang calls her in the novel), Ultima, Machina, Robotrix, False Maria, Robot Maria, Roboria and Hel. The intertitles of the 2010 restoration of Metropolis quote Rotwang, the robot's creator, referring to his gynoid Maschinenmensch, literally translated as "Machine human".
Versions
This section needs additional citations for verification. (December 2023) |
Novel
In the novel, the Maschinenmensch is destroyed. Though mention is made of Rotwang's former lover, Hel, they are never directly associated with each other.[citation needed]
Film
The film version is different due to limitations of the practical special effects available at the time. The Maschinenmensch is a metallic automaton shaped like a woman. In the film version Rotwang proudly proclaims that Hel, his former lover, is not dead but alive in the form of the automaton. Hel had chosen Fredersen over Rotwang, who never forgave his rival. The Maschinenmensch is ultimately destroyed when the city's rioting workers burn it at the stake.
Walter Schulze-Mittendorff, who designed the robot costume, described how it was made.
The 2010 restoration of Metropolis revealed a previously unseen scene where Rotwang confides his plans to the robot. The shot is unusual because it reveals part of the back of the robot, namely the back of her head and shoulders.
The cast was made while Helm was standing up, making movements such as sitting down difficult and uncomfortable. According to actor Rudolf Klein-Rogge, it was tight and confining, pinching and scratching the actress despite many attempts by the stage hands to file away all sharp edges. People took pity on Helm and slipped coins into slots in the armour, which she collected to buy chocolate in the canteen.[2] The scene where Rotwang presents his creation to Fredersen took nine days to film in January 1926.[3] Director Fritz Lang shot the scene so many times that an exhausted Helm asked him why she should play the role, when no one would possibly know she was inside the costume. Lang answered, "I'd know."[4] Helm's son believes that Lang was trying to teach the 17-year-old girl some discipline and mold her in his image, almost like the characters she played.[5] The costume allowed little freedom of movement. To help Helm get up from the throne made of sheet metal, a wooden rig was constructed, so that a stage hand could give her a push. Behind the scenes stills show the rig and the hinged plate on the seat.[6][7]
The memorable transformation scene was another early miracle of special effects, using a series of matte cutouts of the robot's silhouette and a number of circular neon lights. All effects were filmed directly into the camera rather than edited separately. As a result, the film had to be rewound and exposed many tens of times over to include the plates showing the heart and circulatory systems as well as cuts between the robot form and Maria showing her gradual transformation.
For years, people have speculated how the light circle animation was made. The magazine
According to the film's set designer, Erich Kettelhut, a glass plate was positioned halfway between the robot and the camera. The silhouette of the robot and throne were carefully drawn onto a piece of plywood to be used as a matte, and using a pair of circular neon lights of a diameter corresponding with the matte's silhouette. By covering the glass plate with grease and filming the moving lights through it the illusion of a light circle moving up and down was created.[8]
When playing human Maria's evil twin — the gynoid in human form — Brigitte Helm wore heavy makeup and her expressions, gestures, and poses were exaggerated and jerky compared to Maria's composed and demure demeanor.
The Maschinenmensch is an archetypal example of the
Popular culture
The Maschinenmensch's appearance and concept has influenced many artists over the years. It was depicted on the 1977 album Live! In The Air Age by
Fashion designer
Replicas
Though some props and costumes from Metropolis did survive, the iconic Maschinenmensch apparently was destroyed during filming. Its actual fate is unknown.
Replicas of the robot are found in many museums, notably in the
- One made by Walter Schulze-Mittendorff for Henri Langlois in the 1970s is on permanent display in the Cinématheque in Paris-Bercy. The Bibliothèque du Film attached to the Cinématheque set up a very detailed website about its replica.
- In 2006, Maschinenmensch was inducted into the Carnegie Science Centerin Pittsburgh.
- Forrest J. Ackermanhad a replica made by sculptor Bill Malone.
- An official replica made by Strausstoys/Germany can be seen at the Seattle, Washington.
- The 1996 Deutscher Filmpreisceremony had the Maschinenmensch (played by actress Elke Berges) distribute the awards.
- An official replica of the costume by Kropserkel Inc. and WSM Art Management (the family of Walter Schulze-Mittendorff) is being constructed at a dedicated web page.[12]
See also
References
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (March 2009) |
- ISBN 0-306-80271-6
- ^ Rudolf Klein-Rogge, Metropolis Filmprogramm, Die Erschaffung des Künstlichen Mensch
- ISBN 2-86754-024-0
- ^ Patrick McGilligan (1997). Fritz Lang: The Nature of the Beast. pp. 115–116.
- ^ Sky TV "Top ten robots" interview with Matthias Kuhnheim
- ^ http://farm1.static.flickr.com/140/327373086_ad8e2d8b1e_o.jpg [bare URL image file]
- ^ http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4051/4295554736_c2591257ac_o.jpg [bare URL image file]
- ^ Erich Kettelhut, Der Schatten der Architekten, Werner Sudendorf, München, 2009, p. 157
- ^ Brode, Douglas (2015). Fantastic Planets, Forbidden Zones, and Lost Continents: The 100 Greatest Science-Fiction Films. University of Texas Press. p. 6.
- ^ MacInnes, Paul (2007-06-28). "Robot Beyonce invades Hollywood". The Guardian. Retrieved 2018-01-29.
- ^ https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQZxRUoJoXUbg21R1mYrqvqHdz5gz-Ebr1Pcs9k7d1xiJsff0qYYw [bare URL image file]
- ^ ".: METROPOLIS :". kropserkel.com.
- Metropolis filmprogram, 1927
- Metropolis, Thea von Harbou, New York, Ace Books
- Piccadilly Theatre Program "Metropolis" 1989
External links
- Interview with Bill Malone
- Exhibition in Japan
- Sky TV "Top ten robots" interview with Matthias Kuhnheim
- "Metropolis", DVD-Studienfassung, Universität der Künste Berlin, 2005
- Close up on the robot in Metropolis by Fritz Lang About the Cinématheque replica.
- Science and Invention June 1927 issue
- Fritz Langs Metropolis, Belleville, 2010, ISBN 978-3-923646-21-0
- Metropolis, un film de Fritz Lang, Images d'un tournage, France, La Cinematheque Francaise, 1985, ISBN 2-86754-024-0
- Metropolis, Ein Filmisches Laboratorium der modernen Architektur, Wolfgang Jacobsen and Werner Sudendorf, Edition Axel Menges, 2000, ISBN 3-930698-85-4
- Deutscher Filmpreis award excerpt on YouTube