X Plus 1/12 Maschinenmensch

Excerpted from Wikipedia and other sources

Metropolis is a 1927 German expressionist science-fiction 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. It is also the earliest depiction of a robot. According to Wookieepedia and other sources, the Maschinenmensch was an inspiration for the look of Star Wars’ C-3PO.

The effects expert Eugen Schüfftan created pioneering visual effects for Metropolis. Among the effects used are miniatures of the city, a camera on a swing, and most notably, the Schüfftan process, in which mirrors are used to create the illusion that actors are occupying miniature sets. This new technique was seen again just two years later in Alfred Hitchcock's film Blackmail (1929).

The Maschinenmensch – the robot built by Rotwang to resurrect his lost love Hel – was created by sculptor Walter Schulze-Mittendorff. A whole-body plaster cast was taken of actress Brigitte Helm, and the costume was then constructed around it. A chance discovery of a sample of "plastic wood" (a pliable substance designed as wood-filler) allowed Schulze-Mittendorff to build a costume that would both appear metallic and allow a small amount of free movement. Helm sustained cuts and bruises while in character as the robot, as the costume was rigid and uncomfortable.

Inside the sturdy cardboard box are seven gold-colored sprues holding 52 parts for the figure, four medium-gray chair and platform parts, and 28 clear feet parts for the platform. Design of the platform could accommodate lighting effects similar to those used in the movie.

Sprue gates are molded to the mating edges of the parts and many parts have interlocking lips that requires careful clean-up to achieve a tight seam.

A tri-fold, half-tone printed sheet presents on one side a repeat of the box lid image, the usual precautions, and photos of the completed figure. The color call-outs of the figure suggest “Gold” for the figure and “Black Silver” for the platform and chair. The other side has three exploded view diagrams surrounded by step-by-step instructions totaling 30 steps. Most of the steps involve gluing two parts together or attaching a subassembly. The model has an inner form and an outer shell of detail pieces.

Pin and socket molding, such as that seen on Bandai kits, is used on the major body parts and ensures a positive fit. Cleaning the sprue gates was time consuming. The first five steps cover assembling the inner torso, arms, head, and outer torso. The pin-and-socket attachments were consistently very tight and it is best to ream out ALL of the sockets.

After the torso was completed, the legs followed. Here, the sequence was altered to attach the inner legs first, then complete each leg, instead of completing one leg and then the other. A little bit of seam clean-up was required. Installing the hands, knee pads, and feet finishes the main assembly. Detail parts for the torso and head follow and the figure is ready for paint.

Because the figure mounts securely to the upper platform, it was used as a paint stand. Alclad paints were used and a coat of gloss black primer was sprayed on. Stills from the movie and illustrations show bright highlights and deep, dark, lowlights, so the plan was to coat various shades of color and washes all over the figure. Nope, that’s not necessary. Once the Gold coat was misted onto the figure, the effect was achieved. Unfortunately, some more seam clean-up was also revealed, but it was easily dealt with and more gold misted over the offending areas.

The whites of the eyes were swiped with a chrome ink pen. The pupils are molded recesses, so they marked with a 01 (.25mm) drafting pen. A black wash was flooded around the eyelids. The whole process took less than 15 minutes.

The chair was assembled and the seam on the back was filled. The two-part spindles/legs were assembled and attached to the upper and lower platform, followed by the chair. That assembly was also given the Alclad treatment, this time painted with Jet Exhaust. Lettering for the movie title is raised, so masking tape was pressed over it and the letters exposed by tracing around them with a sharp blade. They were painted with Pale Burnt Metal.

Small dops of glue were daubed in the mounting holes in the platform and the figure was pressed in place, completing the project.

Compared to the effort Donald Zhou puts into his figures, this one is about as simple as it gets. Most of my effort was spent on cleaning the sprue gates, reaming the sockets, and cutting around the lettering. I spent more time searching the internet for information and images than in assembly.

The figure stands 8-and-a-half-inches tall, including the shoe soles. Total height is 9-and-a-half- inches. It towers over my aircraft models and the gold color catches the eye.

John Summerford

26 June 2023