In this section of the study, the observations from the preceding film analyses regarding symbolic envelopes, skin, and exposure in film are transferred to the apparatus and the metaphorics of the film’s skin, and thus to the interplay of machine, human, and membrane in the reception process. Taking the film Metropolis (Germany 1927, dir. Fritz Lang) as a starting point, the discussion traces the cinematic trajectory from constructed mechanisms to a permeable, affectively experienceable membrane, and the associated aesthetic shift in film from closed, industrially influenced patterns to open, multisensory experiential spaces. The focus is on the question of how, during film reception, the ‘skin’ of the film approaches one’s own sentient skin as a carrier and ‘screen’ of memory. How are personal memories and experiences activated in or through the film in such a way that what is seen not only has an affective and emotional impact, but also retroactively shapes one’s own history and identity.