P0 Intro – Discussing similarities and the essay to come.
Metropolis and Mortal Engines are cut from the same cloth. Both explore themes of power and corruption through their antagonists, while simultaneously exploring purity and morality through the protagonist duo. They do this in adventures that take them away from the central icon of power, then toward it for the finale – the ziggurat blows up in Metropolis, and MEDUSA is blown up in Mortal Engines. Symbolism like this is what I aim to explore in this essay, accompanied by themes, comparisons, key differences, settings, pacing, and more.
P1 – Discussing the filmic techniques and their explanatory gap opposed to books.
The opening of Metropolis is a short monologue film about the ziggurat, then an introduction to the city; A setting shot with fast paced jazz and an airship over a cheering crowd of festivity tells …show more content…
The main character separates from the city, finds a girl that slowly becomes a love interest, they both make it back to the symbolic tower, and are present for the finale in which the tower is destroyed. This ambiguous description is simultaneously of Mortal Engines and of Metropolis – the story is structured in such a way that everything is explained and created for the audience in a chronological way. It’s possible you could say that Philip Reeves was inspired by the original Metropolis from 1927. While that’s perfectly possible, I’d argue that his story could be inspired by any setting with a similar theme – the Fallout series, Mad Max, etc. Regardless, his story feels original all the way throughout, even with classic tropes like a dark past reveal, pirates and airships reminiscent of Jules Verne’s original steampunk works. Metropolis on the other hand doesn’t try to be revolutionary. It hardens its story from the classic movie and proudly shows itself off in a new Japanese style, still respecting the
Metropolis and Mortal Engines are cut from the same cloth. Both explore themes of power and corruption through their antagonists, while simultaneously exploring purity and morality through the protagonist duo. They do this in adventures that take them away from the central icon of power, then toward it for the finale – the ziggurat blows up in Metropolis, and MEDUSA is blown up in Mortal Engines. Symbolism like this is what I aim to explore in this essay, accompanied by themes, comparisons, key differences, settings, pacing, and more.
P1 – Discussing the filmic techniques and their explanatory gap opposed to books.
The opening of Metropolis is a short monologue film about the ziggurat, then an introduction to the city; A setting shot with fast paced jazz and an airship over a cheering crowd of festivity tells …show more content…
The main character separates from the city, finds a girl that slowly becomes a love interest, they both make it back to the symbolic tower, and are present for the finale in which the tower is destroyed. This ambiguous description is simultaneously of Mortal Engines and of Metropolis – the story is structured in such a way that everything is explained and created for the audience in a chronological way. It’s possible you could say that Philip Reeves was inspired by the original Metropolis from 1927. While that’s perfectly possible, I’d argue that his story could be inspired by any setting with a similar theme – the Fallout series, Mad Max, etc. Regardless, his story feels original all the way throughout, even with classic tropes like a dark past reveal, pirates and airships reminiscent of Jules Verne’s original steampunk works. Metropolis on the other hand doesn’t try to be revolutionary. It hardens its story from the classic movie and proudly shows itself off in a new Japanese style, still respecting the