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Maschinenmensch
The ''Maschinenmensch'' (literally 'machine-human' in German language, German) is a fictional robot featured in Thea von Harbou's novel ''Metropolis (novel), Metropolis'' and Fritz Lang's Metropolis (1927 film), film adaption of the novel. In the movie, she is played by German actress Brigitte Helm both as a robot and in human guise. She was created by the scientist Rotwang in dedication to his deceased lover, Hel, though in the novel they have no correlation. Maschinenmensch was one of the first fictional robots ever depicted in cinema, and as a result popularized the concept worldwide. Variant names The robot is usually—and erroneously—referred to as "Maria", after the human original whom she impersonates. She was never named in the film, though in the novel her name is Futura. The opening credits refer to her as "the Robot". She has been given several names through the decades: Parody (the name Rotwang calls her in the novel), Ultima, Machina, Robotrix, False Maria, Robot M ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Metropolis (1927 Film)
''Metropolis'' is a 1927 German expressionist science-fiction drama film directed by Fritz Lang and written by Thea von Harbou in collaboration with Lang from von Harbou's 1925 novel of the same name. Intentionally written as a treatment, it stars Gustav Fröhlich, Alfred Abel, Rudolf Klein-Rogge, and Brigitte Helm. Erich Pommer produced it in the Babelsberg Studios for Universum Film A.G. (UFA). The silent film is regarded as a pioneering science-fiction movie, being among the first feature-length movies of that genre. Filming took place over 17 months in 1925–26 at a cost of more than five million Reichsmarks, or the equivalent of about € million. Made in Germany during the Weimar period, ''Metropolis'' is set in a futuristic urban dystopia and follows the attempts of Freder, the wealthy son of the city master, and Maria, a saintly figure to the workers, to overcome the vast gulf separating the classes in their city and bring the workers together with Joh Fredersen, th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ralph McQuarrie
Ralph Angus McQuarrie (; June 13, 1929 – March 3, 2012) was an American conceptual designer and illustrator. His career included work on the original ''Star Wars'' trilogy, the original ''Battlestar Galactica'' television series, the film '' E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial'', and the film '' Cocoon'', for which he won an Academy Award. Early life Ralph McQuarrie was born on June 13, 1929 in Gary, Indiana and was raised on a farm near Billings, Montana. He served in the United States Army during the Korean War, surviving a shot to the head. After returning from the war, McQuarrie moved to California in the 1960s, studying at the Art Center School, then in downtown Los Angeles. Career McQuarrie initially worked for a dentistry firm, illustrating teeth and equipment, before working as an Artist and Preliminary Design Illustrator for the Boeing Company, where he drew diagrams for a manual on constructing the 747 Jumbo Jet, as well as designing film posters and animating CBS News' co ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Robot
A robot is a machine—especially one programmable by a computer—capable of carrying out a complex series of actions automatically. A robot can be guided by an external control device, or the control may be embedded within. Robots may be constructed to evoke human form, but most robots are task-performing machines, designed with an emphasis on stark functionality, rather than expressive aesthetics. Robots can be autonomous or semi-autonomous and range from humanoids such as Honda's ''Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility'' ( ASIMO) and TOSY's ''TOSY Ping Pong Playing Robot'' (TOPIO) to industrial robots, medical operating robots, patient assist robots, dog therapy robots, collectively programmed ''swarm'' robots, UAV drones such as General Atomics MQ-1 Predator, and even microscopic nano robots. By mimicking a lifelike appearance or automating movements, a robot may convey a sense of intelligence or thought of its own. Autonomous things are expected to proliferate in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Metropolis (novel)
''Metropolis'' is a 1925 science fiction novel by the German writer Thea von Harbou. The novel was the basis for and written in tandem with Fritz Lang's 1927 film ''Metropolis''. Premise The story is set in a technologically-advanced city, which is sustained by the existence of an exploited class of labourers who live underground, far away from the gleaming surface world. Freder, the son of Joh Fredersen, one of the city's founders, falls in love with Maria, a girl from the underground. The two classes begin to clash for lack of a unifying force. Publication The novel was serialised in the magazine ''Illustriertes Blatt'' in 1925, accompanied by screenshots from the upcoming film adaptation. It was published in book form in 1926 by August Scherl. An English translation was published in 1927. Reception Michael Joseph of '' The Bookman'' wrote about the novel: "It is a remarkable piece of work, skilfully reproducing the atmosphere one has come to associate with the most ambitious G ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
C-3PO
C-3PO () or See-Threepio is a humanoid robot character in the '' Star Wars'' franchise who appears in the original trilogy, the prequel trilogy and the sequel trilogy. Built by Anakin Skywalker, was designed as a protocol droid intended to assist in etiquette, customs, and translation, boasting that he is "fluent in over six million forms of communication". Along with his astromech droid counterpart and friend , provides comic relief within the narrative structure of the films, and serves as a foil. Anthony Daniels has portrayed the character in eleven of the twelve theatrical ''Star Wars'' films released to date, with the exception of '' Solo: A Star Wars Story'', where the character does not appear. Despite his oblivious nature, has played a pivotal role in the galaxy's history, appearing under the service of Shmi Skywalker, the Lars homestead, Padmé Amidala, Bail Organa, Raymus Antilles, Luke Skywalker, Jabba the Hutt, and Leia Organa. In the majority of depictions, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brigitte Helm
Brigitte Helm (born Brigitte Gisela Eva Schittenhelm, 17 March 1906 – 11 June 1996) was a German actress, best remembered for her dual role as Maria and her double named Futura, in Fritz Lang's 1927 silent film, ''Metropolis''. Early life and film career Brigitte Gisela Eva Schittenhelm was born on 17 March 1906 in Berlin, the daughter of Gretchen Gertrud Martha Schittenhelm (née Tews) and Edwin Alexander Johannes Schittenhelm. Helm's first role was that of Maria in ''Metropolis'', which she began work on while only 18 years old. After ''Metropolis'', Helm made over 30 other films, including talking pictures, before retiring in 1935. Her other appearances include '' The Love of Jeanne Ney'' (1927), ''Alraune'' (1928), '' L'Argent'' (1928), ''Gloria'' (1931), ''The Blue Danube'' (1932), '' L'Atlantide'' (1932), and ''Gold'' (1934). Helm was considered for the title role in ''Bride of Frankenstein'' before Elsa Lanchester was given the role. She signed a ten-year contract with U ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rotwang
C. A. Rotwang is a fictional character in Fritz Lang's 1927 science fiction film ''Metropolis'', as well as screenwriter Thea von Harbou's original novel ''Metropolis''. In the film, Rotwang was played by Rudolf Klein-Rogge. Character overview Rotwang is a brilliant scientist and inventor, whose greatest achievement is the creation of a robot made in the form of a woman (the ''Maschinenmensch'', or Machine-Person). Originally, he intends to make a replacement for his lost love, Hel. Hel was a beautiful woman who eventually chose Joh Fredersen, master of the city and Rotwang's rival, instead of him. She later died while giving birth to Fredersen's son, Freder. Rotwang uses the robot to get revenge against Fredersen and Freder, while pretending that he is using the robot for Fredersen's benefit, and under Fredersen's instructions. Rotwang lives in a strange old house in the middle of Metropolis; its rough exterior design contrasts sharply with the futuristic elegance of the city. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gynoid
A gynoid, or fembot, is a feminine humanoid robot. Gynoids appear widely in science fiction film and art. As more realistic humanoid robot design becomes technologically possible, they are also emerging in real-life robot design. Name A gynoid is anything that resembles or pertains to the female human form. Though the term '' android'' has been used to refer to robotic humanoids regardless of apparent gender, the Greek prefix "andr-" refers to ''man'' in the masculine sense. The term ''gynoid'' was first used by Isaac Asimov in a 1979 editorial, as a theoretical female equivalent of the word ''android''. Other possible names for feminine robots exist. The portmanteau "fembot" (feminine robot) was popularized by the television series ''The Bionic Woman'' in the episode "Kill Oscar" (1976) and later used in the ''Austin Powers'' films, among others. "Robotess" is the oldest female-specific term, originating in 1921 from '' Rossum's Universal Robots'', the same source as the ter ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Count Dracula
Count Dracula () is the title character of Bram Stoker's 1897 gothic horror novel '' Dracula''. He is considered to be both the prototypical and the archetypal vampire in subsequent works of fiction. Aspects of the character are believed by some to have been inspired by the 15th-century Wallachian Prince Vlad the Impaler, who was also known as Dracula, and by Sir Henry Irving, an actor for whom Stoker was a personal assistant. One of Dracula's most iconic powers is his ability to turn others into vampires by biting them and infecting them with the vampiric disease. Other character aspects have been added or altered in subsequent popular fictional works. The character has appeared frequently in popular culture, from films to animated media to breakfast cereals. Stoker's creation Bram Stoker's novel takes the form of an epistolary tale, in which Count Dracula's characteristics, powers, abilities, and weaknesses are narrated by multiple narrators, from different perspectives. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
L'Inhumaine
''L'Inhumaine'' ("the inhuman woman") is a 1924 French science fiction drama film directed by Marcel L'Herbier. It has the subtitle ''histoire féerique'' ("fairy story", "story of enchantment"). ''L'Inhumaine'' is notable for its experimental techniques and for the collaboration of many leading practitioners in the decorative arts, architecture and music. The film caused controversy on its release. Background In 1923, while seeking to recover his health after a bout of typhoid, and his fortunes following the collapse of his film adaptation of ''Résurrection'', Marcel L'Herbier received a proposal from his old friend the opera singer Georgette Leblanc to make a film in which she would star and for which she would secure partial funding from American financiers. L'Herbier revived a scenario which he had written under the title ''La Femme de glace'' (''Woman of Ice''); when Leblanc declared this to be too abstract for her liking and for American taste, he enlisted Pierre Mac Orlan ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Be-Bop Deluxe
Be-Bop Deluxe were an English rock band who achieved critical acclaim and moderate commercial success during the mid to late 1970s. History Be-Bop Deluxe Be-Bop Deluxe was founded in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England, by singer, guitarist and principal songwriter Bill Nelson in 1972. The founding line-up consisted of Nelson, guitarist Ian Parkin, bassist and vocalist Robert Bryan, drummer Nicholas Chatterton-Dew, and keyboardist Richard Brown (who left in December of that year). They started off playing the West Yorkshire pub scene, with one regular venue being the Staging Post in Whinmoor, Leeds. They never played bebop music, but instead came out of the blues-based British rock scene of the late 1960s. At first they were compared to the more successful David Bowie, but Nelson never tried to copy Bowie, and appears to have disliked comparisons or being pigeon-holed. After signing to EMI's Harvest Records subsidiary, the initial line-up of the band only lasted for one al ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Down For The Count
''Down for the Count'' is the seventh studio album by the American heavy metal band Y&T, released in 1985 by A&M Records. The album marks the band's change to a lighter sound to find success in the hair metal scene. It contains the band's biggest hit "Summertime Girls", which charted at #55 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. This song had initially appeared as the only studio track on the band's live album, '' Open Fire'', released earlier in the year. The album itself peaked at #91 on the Billboard 200 on December 14, 1985. It was the last album with the original line-up of Meniketti, Alves, Kennemore and Haze, as Haze left the following year. Reception The ''AllMusic'' reviewer Eduardo Rivadavia gave the album two stars out of five, and criticized the band for " oiningthe perm-haired masses then issuing like dandruff out of the California dust to redefine the meaning of the word "dumb"". Track listing All songs written by Y&T except where indicated. ;Side one # "In the Name of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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