Two weeks ago we watched Fritz Lang's Metropolis as I mentioned previously...I now can't stop finding images that remind me of Metropolis! Im not just talking about C3P0 from Star Wars either. The first thing I saw was a 1916 postcard of 'the future New York', I saw this in a postcard book and was reminded so much of Metropolis.
The Hugh Ferriss drawings of 1922, known as "The Four Stages" or "Evolution of the Set-back Building" are perhaps the most iconic and influential architectural images of the 1920s. They inspired other architects to understand the rules of New York's 1916 zoning law, not as a restriction, but as a principle for a new, modern skyscraper. He perfected the dramatic chiaroscuro technique that exaggerated the monumental qualities of structures, suppressing ornament and detail.
This Vogue Cover was illustrated by Georges Lepape in 1927, Its very Art Deco and I think the buildings in the background look very stylistic of Metropolis. When this futuristic landscape became popular it changed our culture and effected everything from artists to fashion designers.
This poster on the left is a vintage 1978 poster for The Water Engine by Paul Davis. As you can see the influence in design form Metropolis is basically completely copied. At least he had the decency to copy it badly!Our next screening was Strike. A 1925 silent film made in the Soviet Union by Sergei Eisenstein. Last year Andy showed us Eisenstein's The Battleship Potemkin. I found strike a lot harder to watch in comparison. I had no idea what the story was, I was very confused and when you feel like your lost it's hard to empathise with the worker that I take it you are supposed to be following during the film. So I thought this was a shame because I can't empathise with people when I don't know what's happening!
All this aside the film did have many merits, although I didn't always know exactly what was going on in the story itself, the feelings came across well. I knew that there was no one protagonist, making it about the whole group, the masses, the unity came across well. For it's time I could appreciate the metaphorical editing. The notorious, built up cow slaughter scene wasn't pleasant but was in no way as bad as people had made out. Galina was more upset about the cruelty to cats (the hanging up by the tails really got her) and I was shocked by the throwing of the child off a balcony, too far.
Although I didn't find Strike too enjoyable it did make me think about the best propaganda to use to inspire feeling in people. I have a good book on propaganda posters and I was astounded by how the majority of the use the human hand as a metaphorical symbol. This was quite present during the course of the film also. A workers hand is as much a tool as their wrench and hammer. You can tell how much manual labour a person does just by examining the condition of their hands. In a more violent sense a hand is the bare tool used to kill someone, strangulation, or the fact that your hand has to hold the gun or whatever.
People have always raised their hands to ask questions or to be selected. In propaganda the raising of your hand can be uses to show unity (a main theme in Strike) or power. It is a very emotive image that is simple enough to be effective.This poster is 'A hand has five fingers, with five fingers you can repel the enemy, vote five' it's a 1928 poster by John Heartfield.This Gustav Klutsis propaganda poster I have shown you before but I think in terms of a good use of hands to show unity and force it does its job extremely effectively and is therefore worth me showing you again. The poster is called 'fulfilled plan, good work' as I have already mentioned, the direction and angles used in this particular poster are highly effective and influential. Influence would have been one of the highest priorities for poster artists during any time of political upset. When you need people to vote you have to influence them to think your way. People are extremely influential and knowing certain ways of manipulating through design would have been a big help especially during the wartime.
1941 poster 'It's our war' again the angle here is vital. When I see this image I feel as though I'm lying directly underneath this arm, I can fell the force that they are brandishing their hammer as I can see the muscles in the arm are tense and strong.
Here is Saul bass' poster design for the film Exodus. Its a good example of showing unity and the masses simply without having to literally show each and every person. Bass is a very unique graphic artist in that his style is simplistic, blocked out shapes and colour. He has a real talent for showing you a lots of things within maybe two or three very simple shapes.
1941 poster 'It's our war' again the angle here is vital. When I see this image I feel as though I'm lying directly underneath this arm, I can fell the force that they are brandishing their hammer as I can see the muscles in the arm are tense and strong.
Here is Saul bass' poster design for the film Exodus. Its a good example of showing unity and the masses simply without having to literally show each and every person. Bass is a very unique graphic artist in that his style is simplistic, blocked out shapes and colour. He has a real talent for showing you a lots of things within maybe two or three very simple shapes.
To be honest the very first thing I thought of when I saw Metropolis was the Futurama landscape!
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