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University of California professor to speak Oct. 24 on cinematic classic ´Metropolis´

October 14, 2003

For immediate release - Oct. 14, 2003
Contact: Nina Lentini (860) 439-2505;
nmlen@conncoll.edu

NEW LONDON, Conn. - A University of California professor who is working on a cultural history of cinema in the Weimar Republic will give a free public lecture about the classic 1927 film "Metropolis" at Connecticut College on Friday, Oct. 24, at 12:30 p.m. in the Ernst Common Room of the Blaustein Humanities Center.

Anthony Kaes, professor of German and film studies at the Berkeley campus, is an expert on the films of Fritz Lang, the director of "Metropolis." In 2000, his book on the film appeared in the British Film Institute Classics series. He is also co-editor of the first history of German film, Geschichte des deutschen Films. Kaes's work combines literature, film, new historicism, critical theory and cultural studies.

Kaes's lecture is part of the College's Common Ground/Common Hour series of lectures. He will also be participating in a faculty seminar on "Interdisciplinarity in the Humanities" held at Connecticut College during the 2003-04 academic year.

Major awards given to Kaes include fellowships of the Rockefeller Foundation, the Humboldt Foundation and a Guggenheim Fellowship. He was also a scholar in residence at the Getty Center for Art History and the Humanities and at Bellagio. He has held visiting positions at the Australian National University in Canberra, Harvard University and Tel Aviv University.

Kaes has numerous publications, including a source book for the cultural study of the Weimar Republic, works on literature and many publications on film and film theory. His major publications include Expressionismus in Amerika: Rezeption und Innovation (1975), Kino-Debatte: Literatur und Film, ed. (1978); Weimarer Republic: Texte und Dokumente zur deutschen Literatur 1918-1933, ed. (an expanded version of The Weimar Republic Sourcebook, 1994); Deutschlandbilder: Die Wiederkehr der Geschichte als Film (1985); and From Hitler to Heimat: The Return of History as Film (1989). "Metropolis" is perhaps the most famous and influential of all silent films. The New York Times called it a "fever dream of the future. At last we have the movie every would-be cinematic visionary has been trying to make since 1927." It takes place in 2026, when the populace is divided between workers who must live in the dark underground and the rich who enjoy a futuristic city of splendor. The tense balance of these two societies is realized through images that are among the most famous of the 20th century, many of which presage such sci-fi landmarks as "2001: A Space Odyssey" and "Blade Runner." Ranked among the most selective private liberal arts colleges in the nation, Connecticut College has an enrollment of 1,800 men and women from 43 states, the District of Columbia, and 56 countries. The college is particularly known for interdisciplinary studies, innovative international programs, paid internships, and a wide range of student-faculty research opportunities. Founded in 1911, the college operates under an 81-year-old honor code and has no Greek system. The scenic 750-acre campus is managed as an arboretum and overlooks Long Island Sound. For more information, see http://www.conncoll.edu. Connecticut College is located at 270 Mohegan Ave., New London.

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Editors, please note: For complete information on public events taking place at Connecticut College, go to and click on "Online Calendar."

For media inquiries contact: Deborah MacDonnell (860) 439-2504, dmacdonn@conncoll.edu; or Caroline Gransee (860) 439-2508, cgransee@conncoll.edu