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Monsters in Metropolis (audio story): Difference between revisions
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Monsters in Metropolis (audio story) (edit)
Revision as of 11:59, 28 November 2021
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== Plot == | == Plot == | ||
The Doctor arrives at [[Babelsberg Studio]], on the set of the film | [[Ninth Doctor|The Doctor]] arrives at [[Babelsberg Studio]], on the set of the film ''[[Metropolis (film)|Metropolis]]'', in [[August]] [[1925]], where he meets [[Anna Dreyfus]], [[assistant]] to director [[Fritz Lang]]. As Dreyfus escorts him to the set, he expresses his excitement seeing the film being produced, to the her annoyance. They reach the set, they see Fritz Lang directing the scene, and the Doctor further expresses excitement in those involved in the production. However, he is surprised when he finds out [[Gustav Fröhlich]] is not cast as the film's male lead, with another actor, [[Olaf Richter]], taking on the role instead instead. | ||
As he meets Lang, the Doctor waits in anticipation for the film's iconic character, "The Machine Man". However, the Doctor is horrified to see that "The Machine Man" is not the costumed character played by Brigitte Helm, but instead, a Cyberman. The Doctor tries to warn them of the danger of the Cyberman, but no one is listening to him. The Cyberman technician and "creator", Dieter Jovanovic, tries to activate the Cyberman but the Doctor uses his sonic to distrupt it before it could fully activate, causing it pain. Angry at the Doctor's interference, the Doctor is escorted off the set by Dreyfus. | As he meets Lang, the Doctor waits in anticipation for the film's iconic character, "The Machine Man". However, the Doctor is horrified to see that "The Machine Man" is not the costumed character played by [[Brigitte Helm]], but instead, a [[Cyberman (Monsters in Metropolis)|Cyberman]]. The Doctor tries to warn them of the danger of the Cyberman, but no one is listening to him. The Cyberman technician and "creator", [[Dieter Jovanovic]], tries to activate the Cyberman but the Doctor uses his sonic to distrupt it before it could fully activate, causing it [[pain]]. [[Anger|Angry]] at the Doctor's interference, the Doctor is escorted off the set by Dreyfus. | ||
The Doctor finds another way into the studio, where he's met by Jovanovic who asks for the Doctor's help | The Doctor finds another way into the studio, where he's met by Jovanovic who asks for the Doctor's help. He offers to show the Doctor the Cyberman and explains how he found the creature. When they reach the creature, the Doctor is surprised to see the Cyberman expressing pain, which should be impossible for the [[Cyberman|Cyberman race]]. Jovanovic continues to believe the Cyberman has [[Evolution|evolved]], and the Doctor tells the technician of what a Cyberman is. Jovanovic demonstrates that he is in complete control of the Cyberman's actions. They leave the creature alone to rest, though the Doctor still expresses his concern that the Cyberman might revert back to its base program to [[Cyber-conversion|convert]] and destroy. Jovanovic begs the Doctor to leave it be, as he spent so much to buy it. It is all he feels he has left after losing [[Dieter Jovanovic's father|his father]] and many [[Friendship|friends]] in the [[World War I|recent war]], and being propelled into poverty by the [[Treaty of Versailles|peace settlement]]. Empathising with Jovanovic, the Doctor relents and agrees to spare the Cyberman, on the condition he stay on set to make sure it does not cause much damage if it goes out of control. | ||
While in his dressing room, Olaf Richter is confronted by the Cyberman and | While in his dressing room, Olaf Richter is confronted by the Cyberman which attacks and kill the actor. Dreyfus enters to witness the [[murder]] and becomes the Cyberman's next target. The Doctor and Jovanovic follows her [[scream]]s and intervene. The Doctor tries to use the [[sonic screwdriver]] again but it fails to affect the creature. As the Cyberman approaches the three, also voicing commands to kill the Doctor, the Doctor remembers that Fredersen's [[pen]] prop has [[gold]] plating and uses it on the Cyberman. Clogging its respiratory system, the gold forced it to retreat. They find Richter's body, and the Doctor is convinced the Cyberman has reverted to it's true base drive, and needs to be destroyed. The Doctor, concerned with preserving history, asks Dreyfus to work with Lang and keep filming going, while he and Jovanovic hunt the Cyberman off the studio. | ||
The Doctor and Jovanovic follow the Cyberman into the | The Doctor and Jovanovic follow the Cyberman into the [[sewer]]s, where they find the creature in unusual [[emotion]]al distress. It begs for the Doctor's help in returning [[home]]. Noting scorch marks that match the form of the Cyberman, the Doctor concludes that it first appeared in the sewers, damaged. The Cyberman continues to express regret for its actions and how it does not wish to kill, and the Doctor believes the [[human]] within the Cyberman is becoming more independant of the machine. The Cyberman asks "Why does he order me to kill?" and the Doctor figures out that the Cyberman is indeed being controlled by Jovanovic. Unfortunately, as he discovered this, Jovanovic strikes the Doctor and orders the Cyberman to kill him. The Cyberman attacks the Doctor who collapses. Believing him dead, Jovanovic orders the Cyberman back to the studio, to kill again. | ||
Jovanovic arrives back with the Cyberman, claiming the Doctor fixed it. | Jovanovic arrives back with the Cyberman, claiming the Doctor fixed it. However, once filming proceeds, Jovanovic has the Cyberman attack Lang. The Doctor reappears brandishing a pen, pointing it behind Jovanovic with the implication it is a [[weapon]]. He orders Jovanovic that he command the Cyberman to release Lang. Forced to admit his intentions, Jovanovic decalres he must stop the film's production, fearing its message of [[peace]] will encourage further humiliation and hardship for Germany like that foisted on her after the war. With peace as the enemy, Jovanovic instead believed Germany must seek [[revenge]] on the [[Allies (World War I)|Allied]] [[nation]]s. Jovanovic then turns to see the Doctor is threatening him with a pen, not a [[Firearm|gun]]. He orders the Cyberman to kill the Doctor, Dreyfus and Lang. | ||
The Cyberman pursues the three through the studio | The Cyberman pursues the three through the studio until the trio are cornered. Jovanovic orders it to kill the Doctor first. It tries to [[Strangulation|strangle]] him, but in the srtuffle he reasons with the creature, appealing for it to resist the order, just as it eas able to resist killing the Doctor back in the sewers. The Cyberman finally breaks from Jovanovic's control and turns on Jovanovic, strangling him instead. However, it ultimately chooses to show [[mercy]], tired of killing, and Jovanovic only falls unconscious. He is [[arrest]]ed for murder, to which he later [[Confession|confesses]]. The Doctor leaves, taking the Cyberman with him. The production of ''Metropolis'' continues as history unfolds as intended, with Brigitte Helm being cast as the [[Machine Man]]. | ||
The Doctor and the Cyberman watch the finished | The Doctor and the Cyberman watch the finished version film of ''Metropolis'', which the Doctor retrieved from [[1927]], alone in a [[theater]]. The Cyberman was moved by the film but still insists that the Doctor end its life, fearing it will be used again to kill. The Doctor meets with Dreyfus again after dealing with the Cyberman. Dreyfus informs the Doctor that Lang had to replace Richter with another actor, Gustav Fröhlich, and she remembered the Doctor mentioning him when they spoke earlier. She questions how the Doctor knows so much about the future. Avoiding any answers, the Doctor instead explains to her ''Metropolis'' will fail upon release and attract no audience, rendering Jovanovic's actions pointless as nobody in the [[1920s]] adhered to its message of peace anyway. It nearly bankrupts the studio and will remain lost in an incomplete state for [[decade]]s before being re-evaluated by future audiences. For now, he speaks of Jovanovic as symtomatic of "[[Nazi|a bug]]" spreading throughout Germany fomenting [[World War II|disatser]]. He recalls Dreyfus comparing the Cyberman to a [[golem]], and simply advises her to leave Germany as soon as possible, before he departs in [[The Doctor's TARDIS|the TARDIS]]. | ||
== Cast == | == Cast == | ||
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[[File:Monsters in Metropolis alternate cover.jpg|thumb|Alternate cover.]] | [[File:Monsters in Metropolis alternate cover.jpg|thumb|Alternate cover.]] | ||
* This was the first story in a performed medium in which the Ninth Doctor encounters the Cybermen. Both ''[[Supremacy of the Cybermen (comic story)|Supremacy of the Cybermen]]'' and ''[[The Patchwork Pierrot (short story)|The Patchwork Pierrot]]'' had previously made the match in print. The Ninth Doctor also came across the [[Cyberman (Dalek)|inert Cyberman helmet]] in ''[[Dalek (TV story)|Dalek]]'', a scene which [[Matt Fitton]] felt made their eventual encounter "inevitable". ([[VOR 152]]) | * This was the first story in a performed medium in which the Ninth Doctor encounters the Cybermen. Both ''[[Supremacy of the Cybermen (comic story)|Supremacy of the Cybermen]]'' and ''[[The Patchwork Pierrot (short story)|The Patchwork Pierrot]]'' had previously made the match in print. The Ninth Doctor also came across the [[Cyberman (Dalek)|inert Cyberman helmet]] in ''[[Dalek (TV story)|Dalek]]'', a scene which [[Matt Fitton]] felt made their eventual encounter "inevitable". ([[VOR 152]]) | ||
* Although the synopsis claims that the story is set in [[1927]], dialogue within the story actually establishes the setting as [[1925]]. Likewise in the real world ''[[Metropolis (film)|Metropolis]]'' was filmed in 1925 but released in 1927. | |||
* [[John Dorney]]'s initial thoughts for the story were for it to be a celebrity historical in the style of the [[Russell T Davies|RTD-era]]. He knew very little about ''Metropolis'' or Fritz Lang upon being asked to submit some story ideas, although he had seen {{wi|M (1931 film)|M}}. He later watched ''Metropolis'' with friends for a podcast and formed further ideas around the film, leading him to conduct his own research into its director and production. Much of these details made it into the script. ([[VOR 152]]) | * [[John Dorney]]'s initial thoughts for the story were for it to be a celebrity historical in the style of the [[Russell T Davies|RTD-era]]. He knew very little about ''Metropolis'' or Fritz Lang upon being asked to submit some story ideas, although he had seen {{wi|M (1931 film)|M}}. He later watched ''Metropolis'' with friends for a podcast and formed further ideas around the film, leading him to conduct his own research into its director and production. Much of these details made it into the script. ([[VOR 152]]) | ||
* The Cybermen were not originally planned to have appeared in the ''[[Lost Warriors (audio anthology)|Lost Warriors]]'' box set. Their inclusion in this story came about at Dorney's suggestion as he continued to develop ideas about his ''Metropolis'' storyline. ([[VOR 152]]) | * The Cybermen were not originally planned to have appeared in the ''[[Lost Warriors (audio anthology)|Lost Warriors]]'' box set. Their inclusion in this story came about at Dorney's suggestion as he continued to develop ideas about his ''Metropolis'' storyline. ([[VOR 152]]) | ||
== Continuity == | == Continuity == | ||
