Harbou, Thea von 1888-1954

Metropolis ( Visual )
119 editions published between 1926 and 2010 in 8 languages and held by 1,855 libraries worldwide
The story of a 21st century city run by a "super trustee" and his collaborators who live in a paradise-like garden. Workers are totally enslaved by machines and condemned to live underground. In the midst of this misery, a young woman, Maria, arises and attempts to inspire the workers to throw off their oppressors.

M ( Visual )
6 editions published between 1998 and 2010 in German and held by 1,244 libraries worldwide
When a serial killer is stalking the children of the city, everyone, including the criminal underworld, wants to see him brought down. The story is based on the Düsseldorf child murders of 1929.

Fritz Lang's M ( Visual )
50 editions published between 1931 and 2010 in 5 languages and held by 608 libraries worldwide
Drama based on the actual case of the Dusseldorf murderer, recounting the hunt by the law and the underworld for a psychopathic murderer of young girls.

M; a film by Thea von Harbou ( Book )
8 editions published between 1964 and 1973 in English and French and held by 466 libraries worldwide

Die Nibelungen ( Visual )
20 editions published between 1924 and 2008 in 7 languages and held by 464 libraries worldwide
In part one, Siegfried wins the hand of Kriemhilde by slaying the dragon and defeating Brunhilde. When Brunhilde learns that magic has been used to conquer her, she has Siegfried murdered. In part two, Kriemhilde seeks revenge for Siegfried's death and marries Attila, king of the Huns, in order to further her purpose.

Metropolis ( Visual )
9 editions published between 1984 and 2010 in 3 languages and held by 459 libraries worldwide
"The future. Metropolis is a wonderful city, high above the ground its towers stand. The people prosper, the economy is flourishing, the suspended streets are busy. But Metropolis also has a great secret, so hidden that not even Freder Fredersen, son of founder Joh Fredersen knows about it. He is spending his free time in the Eternal Gardens, when suddenly a woman shows up, with what looks like a class of children. They're from the City of Workers, in the depth, Freder learns. "These are your brothers," she tells the children, before she is forced to leave. Freder is so intrigued he follows them into the depth and doesn't like what he sees. The workers are exploited, they must do labor like robots. Freder tries to convince his father to change, while the woman tries to keep workers' morale high by predicting a man will stand up that will mediate. Someone that will use both hands and head, someone that will be the heart." -- www.imdb.com This newly restored version of the film is the closest yet to the version Fritz Lang debuted to theatrical audiences in 1927 Berlin. In 2008, a duplicate negative created from an original 1927 Argentinian theatrical print was discovered in Buenos Aires' Museo del Cine. Extensive preservation work on that and other footage, in addition to a newly acquired copy of Gottfried Huppertz' original performance score, and intertitles translated into English from German censorship records, has led to a newly edited story line, with rearranged shots and scenes.

Dr. Mabuse, the gambler ( Visual )
11 editions published between 1990 and 2006 in 4 languages and held by 451 libraries worldwide
Sinister Dr. Mabuse maintains his wealth through counterfeiting, manipulating the stock exchange and bending weaker minds to his will. In part 1, Mabuse builds his empire and casually ruins Count Told while entrancing the thrill-seeking Countess. In part 2, Mabuse turns from criminal to villain, murdering the Count and kidnapping the Countess.

Das Testament des Dr. Mabuse ( Visual )
9 editions published between 1932 and 2009 in German and held by 447 libraries worldwide
Locked away in an asylum for a decade and teetering between life and death, the criminal mastermind Dr. Mabuse has scribbled his last will and testament: a manifesto establishing a future empire of crime. When the document's nefarious writings start leading to terrifying parallels in reality, it's up to Berlin's star detective, Inspector Lohmann, to connect the fragmented, maddening clues in a case unlike any other. The Testament of Dr. Mabuse appropriates slogans and ideas from the newly ascendant Nazi party and puts them into the mouth of a madman, warning the audience of the horrible menace that was rapidly becoming a reality.

Metropolis by Thea von Harbou ( Book )
50 editions published between 1926 and 2008 in 9 languages and held by 403 libraries worldwide
Metropolis paints a stunning picture of the city of the future. At the top of the social pyramid, those who own the city's buildings and businesses live idyllic lives devoted to the pursuit of pleasure; while at its bottom are the workers who live a hellish existence, laboring like robots in its factories, dwelling with their gaunt, stunted children in the everlasting gloom of underground barracks. Fighting to right these inequities are two lovers: Freder, son of the master and builder of Metropolis, who is shocked to social conscience when he glimpses the squalor and hopelessness amid which his father's workers live; and Maria, who encourages the workers to stand united for their rights while following a path of non-violent resistance. Filled with unforgettable images from Joh Fredersen's headquarters, the New Tower of Babel, rearing high above the gleaming spires of Metropolis to the pleasure city, Yoshiwara, whose name flares across the skies to the factories where workers slave before machines that resemble a pantheon of the world's gods to the evil robotrix, Parody, with the eyes of a Madonna and lips of deadly sin, whose carnal dance inspires the workers to revolt.

Metropolis ( Visual )
12 editions published between 1927 and 1997 in English and German and held by 354 libraries worldwide
The story of a 21st century city run by a "super trustee" and his collaborators who live in a paradise-like garden. Workers are totally enslaved by machines and condemned to live underground. In the midst of this misery, a young woman, Maria, arises and attempts to inspire the workers to throw off their oppressors.