Howdy! Senior writer Jason Heller here. Just wanted to let you know that Science Friction, The A.V. Club’s monthly science fiction film series, continues tonight at Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Denver with Metropolis.
Released in 1927, the Fritz Lang-directed masterpiece envisions a class-clashing dystopia riddled with social injustice, industrial intrigue, and apocalyptic doom. At the same time, it’s a marvel of Futurist design, and the silent, black-and-white film has long taken a place as one of the most important works in the canon of science fiction as well as cinema as a whole. The 124-minute restoration of Metropolis from 2002 will be shown—and it will be accompanied by live turntablism from Denver’s DJ Ultra Violet, who will mix everything from jazz to industrial to ambient music to sound effects into his atmospheric, original score.
As with Fantastique (Science Friction’s sister series that focuses on fantasy films), Science Friction is curated and hosted by yours truly. I’ll be there tonight in person to introduce Metropolis and to pick the winner of this month’s giveaway: a copy of the new hardcover book The Scientific Secrets Of Doctor Who, courtesy of HarperCollins Books. I’ll also be giving away a pass to MileHiCon, Denver’s oldest and largest science fiction/fantasy convention, which will take place October 23-25.
Like all Science Friction and Fantastique screenings, this event is sponsored by The A.V. Club. Tickets for Metropolis are on sale now.
Fantastique schedule
October 1: The Crow
November 5: The Lord Of The Rings (1978)
December 3: Pan’s Labyrinth
Science Friction schedule
October 21: Swamp Thing (tribute to Wes Craven and benefit for the American Cancer Society)
November 18: The Rocketeer
December 16: Attack The Block