TCM “Must-See Sci-Fi” Update for January 2020

Sorry I’m a little slow in posting this, but I’ve been having a blast with my 2020 movie project of watching all 50 movies listed in the cool book from Turner Classic Movies (TCM) called Must-See Sci-Fi: 50 Movies that Are Out of This World by Sloan De Forest (Running Press, 2018; available at Amazon.com and Shop TCM). The complete list of 50 films is here.

Here’s the current rundown on the films I watched in January (courtesy of my Instagram feed).

A Trip to the Moon (1902)

Metropolis (1927)

Frankenstein (1931)

Island of Lost Souls (1932)

The Invisible Man (1933)

“Metropolis”

The first film in my 2019 TCM Essentials movie watching project is the 1927 silent science fiction epic Metropolis. And what a film it is.

Made in Germany and directed by Fritz Lang, this remarkable and influential film is set in a segregated, dystopian future–one where wealthy citizens live a life of luxury above ground in an ultra-modern city and where a large group of hidden enslaved workers live underground to keep everything running. When one of the city’s rich kids learns about the plight of the underground workers, he and a woman from the underground plot a rebellion. However, the rich kid’s father and his employed evil scientist have something else in mind…

Above ground Metropolis
Underground Metropolis

The film is revered for its themes, art direction, and special effects–all of which are stunning. There have been multiple cuts of the film. I watched the 2010 version that I rented on Apple iTunes which includes 25 extra minutes of footage that was found in 2008 and considered by film scholars to be one of “the most important film discoveries in history” according to The Essentials author Jeremy Arnold.

Here’s a trailer for the 2010 restored version.

And here’s a cool poster for the film, too.

Metropolis is definitely worthy of its reputation—a monumental and astounding film that stands the test of time.

My score: 5 out of 5 stars

Metropolis is available on Blu-ray and on Apple iTunes.

TCM The Essentials: 52 Must-See Movies and Why They Matter by Jeremy Arnold is available at Amazon and other fine booksellers.

#TCMEssentials

Images ©️ Kino International, Ufa