AMC showed a new version of Fritz Lang's METROPOLIS tonight.

I have seen bits of other versions and descriptions of the story. I was never satisfied that it was a great film.

This version comes by a very circuitous path and is a 1927 version created by Fritz Lang in Germany just days after the premier in 1927. The Argentinian who knew Lang was a producer and just happened to be in Germany at the time of the premier. The film then wandered around Argentina and was lost until a few years ago.

Why is that so important?

Well, almost immediately after the premier of METROPOLIS, the film was cut from 200 minutes down to anything from 80 to 120 minutes. Then when WW2 came, the German negatives and prints were lost.

What we see in this film is Fritz Lang's version (or as close as we might ever get) and restored to a brilliantly clear and spectacular print, No ugly white faded flat look but a real dimensional film look. And the story is stunning. Every scifi that came after owes homage to this film. This is the world of 2000 as seen from 1927. There are thousands of extras and scenes that aren't CGI but real sets and real actors that amaze the eye to this day. The original score has been rerecorded and added. The inter-titles retranslated and made coherent.

SO if you get the chance to see it. Please do. It is well worth the time and effort.

I have the original Metropolis on videotape. My copy has a length of 92 minutes. I don't normally enjoy silent movies but this one was nice.

MacTheWolf (imported) wrote: Mon Nov 08, 2010 10:44 pm I have the original Metropolis on videotape. My copy has a length of 92 minutes. I don't normally enjoy silent movies but this one was nice.

Nope, 92 minutes is not the original because the premier ran 205 or so minutes. You have a restoration that is incomplete. For many years, that's the movie they knew was not the premier but was the only existing copy. It is a compelling and fascinating story even shortened down like that.

The problem back in those days was that they didn't dub foreign language versions. They actually used several cameras - up to five - to film the various languages so that they could add the inter-titles and text to the negatives. Also, they used different takes at various times if the needed the scene to create a second negative. That means that the actors performance changed from version to version of the film. Today, we use multiple camera angles and digitally assemble the result. Even when they did gone with the wind, they used multiple camera shots of the best take. In Fritz Lang's day they didn't. They just re-shot the scene and used that new negative.

Even in this version of METROPOLIS, it departs from the version that only a few days (not even weeks) premiered in Germany. That's because Lang created this for Argentina. That doesn't happen today.

The original is being released on BluRay next Tuesday, Nov 16 and is available for pre-order on Amazon for $21.50. http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Metropol ... 487&sr=8-1

My mistake, this is not the Argentine version. Mea Culpa.

Transward

I think I remember seeing that 92 minute one about 40 years ago or so, as a movie buff of old movies I may need to get a copy of this one.

Thanks,

River

Whenever you see a listing for this version --- look for the 50 minute special feature and the :

"A never-before-seen 50-minute documentary on the making and restoration of Metropolis – as well as an interview with Paula Felix-Didier, curator of the Museo del Cine, in Buenos Aires, and the Trailer to the 2010 restoration."

That's on the same blu-ray as the new version of the film from Argentina.

Also, the "This Murnau Foundation restoration" is the Argentine version. It is 147 or 148 minutes and that is the complete movie as Fritz Lang gave it to the producer from Argentina. Lang recut his premier copy of 205 minutes. That's been the problem, not all Lang versions are the same and individual importers and distributors created their version. That happened for years if you know anything about the early cinema. Even theaters could cut and choose scenes out of movies on 35mm and 16mm film... So be careful that you buy what you really want.

Blu-Ray:

transward (imported) wrote: Tue Nov 09, 2010 12:02 am http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Metropolis-

Blu-ray-Brigitte-Helm/dp/B0040QYROK/ref=sr_1_2?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1289226725&sr=1-2

DVD:

transward (imported) wrote: Tue Nov 09, 2010 12:02 am http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Metropol ... QYROA/ref=

ed_oe_dvd

TCM website: http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/8348

Here is the KINO website with the story: http://www.kino.com/metropolis/restoration.html#top

By original one, I meant the first one shown on TV

I think there all the original ones, it just some are more complete then others. You know the 10 minute one and the uncut one of 205 minutes.

River

Was MacWolf one of the extras in the movie?

the old man in the corner with the sign proclaiming automation is bad.