In the Pines Studio presents a monthly film series in partnership with CREATE Portage County, screening classic and indie cinema.

Join filmmaker Matthew A. Brown and actress Winter Williams in their studio's dark, vintage setting, and experience an eclectic mix of iconic studio films made before 1930 and thought-provoking independent cinema.

This month’s screening, Sci-fi in the Pines, features the classic feature film Metropolis (1927) and short documentaryThe Shaver Mystery (2024) . The short doc is directed by local filmmaker, Dean Bertram, who is originally from Sydney Australia and wrote his PhD dissertation on the history of UFO culture there. Bertram will be at the screening to introduce his film and answer questions from the audience.

Metropolis

This influential German science-fiction film presents a highly stylized futuristic city where a beautiful and cultured utopia exists above a bleak underworld populated by mistreated workers. When the privileged youth Freder (Gustav Fröhlich) discovers the grim scene under the city, he becomes intent on helping the workers. He befriends the rebellious teacher Maria (Brigitte Helm), but this puts him at odds with his authoritative father, leading to greater conflict.

the shaver mystery

Was sci-fi writer Richard Shaver really abducted and tormented by a malevolent underground race of hideous humanoids, known as the “Dero”? Regardless, his “true” stories – known collectively as “The Shaver Mystery” and sometimes ghost written by editor Raymond A. Palmer - were the most successful and controversial sci-fi tales of the mid 20th century. They drove sales and circulation of the pulp magazine AMAZING STORIES to all time record highs, and paved the way for the emergence of UFO lore. A short, stand alone, segment, cribbed from Dean Bertram's upcoming feature documentary THE MAN WHO INVENTED FLYING SAUCERS: A film about Ray Palmer, the Shaver Mystery, and the creation of modern UFO belief.

Explore the Film Series Page and email the hosts with any questions.