Woman In the Moon
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Movie Reviews of Woman In the Moon
Movie Review: A stunning visual delight!
Summary: 5 Stars
Made at the artistic pinnacle and end of the silent era in 1929, this beautiful film is gripping, stunning and very surprising for the nearly three hours of its duration, and as thus, perhaps also the high point of Fritz Lang's career. After his success with the now classic Sci-Fi drama "Metropolis" a few years earlier, Lang once again collaborated with screenwriter (and wife at that time) Thea von Harbou, to produce another outstanding creation, this time including elements of his other successful films with themes of espionage and intrigue. The result is a very smooth-flowing, captivating and engrossing story which borders on reality and fantasy. Conceived some decades before rocket and space travel technology, the scenes depicting the trip to the moon are at times amusingly simplistic but other times remarkably close to reality and very impressive. Yet even in its simplicity there is elegance and style, and the viewer is reminded that this is a highly artistic silent film. Attention has been given not just to the sets but also the characters and their relationships to one another which build to a climax near the film's end. Fritz Lang was able to draw out the emotions and ideas which drive a person, and this is superbly done in the main characters: the ostracized professor whose ideas about finding precious metals on the moon are ridiculed, the two friends planning a moon trip and their love triangle with a fellow female astronaut, as well as the ever-intriguing agent of evil played by Fritz Rasp who excels in such roles. With Germany's best cast and crew on hand, "Woman in the Moon" should be better known than it is, but its excellence is subtle somehow, and seems to reveal itself more each time you view it. And viewing is certainly a pleasure, with absolutely perfect picture quality in pristine black and white, accompanied by a most suitable piano and orchestral score. This film is more than just an outstanding example of early Science Fiction; it is a work of art in Lang's own style and apart from the light-and-shadow Expressionist style used frequently by his German colleagues. There is much light and brightness in this film which suits the mood of boldly going where no man - or woman - has gone before, and it leaves the viewer with a positive and satisfied feeling.
Movie Review: Startling prescience
Summary: 5 Stars
Lang made this movie just a few years after Metropolis. There are a few common themes in the two: futuristic speculation, and the central position of love in rather unlikely affairs. I found it different in many ways, though.
First, it stayed closer to Lang's contemporary world. It also did a pretty good job with the science part of the science fiction, down to a realistic portrayal of NASA's Vertical Assembly Building. In fact, Lang's original description of acceleration in meters per second-squared was more accurate then the translated English caption, which used meters per second. Even though the movie stuck closer to Lang's own world, most of the movie has a much more modern look than his better-known Metropolis. The makeup and acting look more natural, at least early on, unlike the exaggerated and iconic posturings throughout Metropolis. And, although the scenes were new to audiences at the time, many Lang's elements have since become the common idiom of more recent films. That scene with the scheming powermongers (cigar-chomping woman included), in their film-equipped board room - it recurred in just about every James Bond movie to date.
A few things didn't work for me, though. I'll let the moon's breathable atmosphere slide, for dramatic convenience. The 1920s pacing got to me after a while: most of the action came in the last 45min of the 2hr 45min movie, and I found some early parts dragging. The one that I just had to grit my teeth and swallow, though, was the quest for gold (yes, that horrendously heavy stuff) as the big reason for going to the moon at all. Well, I guess Lang had to make it understandable in the idiom of the era, but I'm sure he could have done better.
Lang, the actors, and the production grew did quite well, though. Lang's Metropolis was an epic achievement. This movie approaches it, and maybe surpasses it in some ways. See Metropolis first, by all means, but see this one too.
//wiredweird
Movie Review: 1929: A Space Odyssey
Summary: 5 Stars
I had heard of Fritz Lang's WOMAN IN THE MOON for many years and had seen stills from it in sci-fi film anthologies but I was never sure if I would ever get to see it. Now that I have seen it I was totally unprepared for how taken I would be with it. It is absolutely astonishing how forward looking this film was (is). From a technical standpoint it was the 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY of its day. The latest technology of 1929 was used by Lang to depict a trip to the moon 40 years before it actually happened.
The attention to detail, always a Lang trademark, is on full display here. German scientists were consulted on the rocket and space sequences and chillingly give us a glimpse of the technology that would be employed by the Nazis during World War II. Even more chilling and prophetic is how the principal heavy is the spitting image of Hitler minus his mustache (and Hitler wanted Lang to be the Third Reich's filmmaker!). In addition to the technological aspects the human side of the story is also quite compelling. There's a love triangle, the crazy dreamer who isn't crazy, a global financial conspiracy and even an unwanted passenger aboard the rocket. Every technical science fiction film or series that follows (THINGS TO COME, 2001, even LOST IN SPACE to name but a few) owe a debt to WOMAN IN THE MOON. The performances are all first rate with Gerda Maurus in the title role and Fritz Rasp as the villain standing out but it's the story and the settings that really shine.
This new Kino version restores the film to it's almost 3 hour length and Jon C. Mirsalis' score is simple and extremely effective particularly in the rocket and lunar sequences. Once you see this movie you will be amazed at how many scenes you have seen elsewhere in other movies and TV shows. It's great to finally have the opportunity to see the source material at last... Historical Note: The idea of counting down to zero to launch a rocket comes from this film.
Movie Review: Frau im Mond (1929) sophisticated for its time
Summary: 5 Stars
Poor penniless Professor Georg Manfeldt has a theory that the moon has gold, lots of it, and why not? His rich friend Wolf Helius owns a rocket factory and it seems that he has sent everything up but people. Turns out his friend Wolf has a problem; the girl Friede that he secretly loves had no idea that he felt that way and married their mutual friend and head engineer Windegger in the factory. A sophisticated criminal element gets involved and wants to control the moon gold flow.
List off occupants:
Professor Georg Manfeldt (Klaus Pohl)
Wolf Helius (Willy Fritsch)
Hans Windegger, Ingenieur (Gustav von Wangenheim)
Friede Velten, Student astrologer (Gerda Maurus)
Gustav, Child stowaway (Gustl Gstettenbaur)
Der Mann, Criminal element (Fritz Rasp)
The Mouse (uncredited)
Everything is going along swimmingly until the obligatory lack of water, oxygen, and life.
This is not your run of the mill love on a rocket that "misfires" movie. Maybe because they took the time to flesh out the movie and not rush the story it turned out to be very sophisticated. There had time for intrigue and subterfuge as even the bad guys were well organized and believable.
Top writers and top director and UFA studios can only produce a masterpiece.
The models are very good and many of the real problems with space are anticipated and depicted, unlike some cheap remakes. I was disappointed to find that all they found on the moon is gold and not Louise Brooks; the title is misleading.
The Ufa Story: A History of Germany's Greatest Film Company 1918-1945
Movie Review: My take on the film
Summary: 5 Stars
Just saw it today! I best love the sequence when they show the rocket ship taking off from earth. Amazing realistic and well detailed and even hardhitting it was. It is by far the best sequence in the film (but the musical score honestly helps it be). Well acted throughout and expertly filmed. much like Metropolis is this film (but more realism and depth). Fans of Met. should see this film (Lang's Dr. Mabuse films are good but they might disappoint people who already just know his Metropolis). Spoiler! I am left with a few unanswered questions for those who have seen the film already:
1)How does the rather puny professor successfuly shove big lug Walter Turner down the stairs? Was Turner drunk at the time?
2)Who exactly is Gustave? A relative of Helius's maid? Or chauffeur?
3)That Louise Brooks-esq cutie selling flowers on the street. How exactly did she successfully assualt Helius in his limo? Gun? Knife? Karate chop? Poison drink? And of the other flower lady selling at the time. Was she in Turner's employ too? Jeers btw to the poster who commented on Helius's looks. That flower-selling babe was the real attractive one of the whole piece.
4)Did that puny professor live or die on the moon? Can't tell.
5) Why was Gerde Maurus's Friede character referred to as The Student in the opening credits. She had a name in the film?
And to the poster who commented after me (creepy huh?): Der Mann is Walter Turner of Chicago.