Full Cut of Fritz Lang’s Metropolis Found
My first experience with Fritz Lang’s classic film Metropolis was not a good one. It was a hot, sweaty film class I couldn’t wait to get out of and to boot, there was lots of chatter coming from all around. The second attempt wasn’t that much better. The cheap version of the DVD, unlike the Kino edition, featured some less than suitable orchestral music which kicked in at the halfway mark of the film - a little too airy and happy to fit the mood created by the images but still, I did manage to enjoy it a whole lot more. I’ve never done much reading into the history of the film but it looks like film historians and film fans concerned with the classics may be in for an amazing treat.
The gentlemen over at AICN have uncovered a news story at Zeit Online which is likely to breath new life into Lang’s film. According to the story, a full cut of Metropolis, all estimated 210 minutes of it, have been uncovered in the collection of the Museo del Cine (Cinema Museum) in Buenos Aires. The copy will be restored by The Murnau Foundation and the archive in Buenos Aires.
The historians that have seen this new print say that the added material “leads to a new understanding of the Fritz Lang masterpiece” and that it restores the rhythm of the film. From the short article, it’s also stated that this new edition will be cleaned up, though some of the damage is believed to be permanent, and shared with the public but in what sort of format is yet to be determined.
I would love the opportunity to see Lang’s film on the big screen in it’s entirety and I’m sure I’m not alone on that one. I look forward to the announcement, hopefully sooner rather than later, of when and how we’ll get to re-discover the sci-fi classic.
This is great news, indeed. I’ve also been subjected to some pretty lousy copies/versions of this film…the worst being one released on video in the 1980’s, where they put a modern rock soundtrack to the film. Although, I must admit it was an experience…there’s nothing quite like watching a classic silent film and listening to Loverboy and Journey at the same time.
Comment by Dave — July 2, 2008 @ 8:51 pm
There was a Radiohead scored version of Metropolis that probably would have worked like gangbusters. But to be honest, I think the film works best with-out score. On Mute. Total Silence and those big images just sing together.
Comment by Kurt Halfyard — July 2, 2008 @ 10:30 pm
Fantastic news. Looks like another purchase later on.
Comment by swarez — July 3, 2008 @ 5:14 am
[...] cut af Fritz Langs “Metropolis” som har været anset for tabt i en menneskealder er blevet fundet - i noget medtaget, men absolut “seværdig” stand. Den hidtil længste rekonstruktion [...]
Pingback by Samlersind » Metropolis Uncut — July 3, 2008 @ 7:46 am
More info, along with a few photos from the missing footage at AICN:
http://www.aintitcool.com/node/37332
Comment by Marina Antunes — July 3, 2008 @ 12:35 pm
I can’t wait to see the new cut. It will certainly make up for that Moroder bull**** I had to sit through last time I watched it.
Comment by Roy P. — July 4, 2008 @ 5:22 pm
I have watched Metropolis in the Kino edition with a live-performed score by 3 men playing on violions, keyboards, guitars and an extraordinary array of percussion. Definitely was amazing. This is one of my favorite movies.
Comment by Henrik — July 7, 2008 @ 7:40 pm
FYI, if nobody has heard yet, Kino is putting it out this new cut. Which is good news.
( http://twitchfilm.net/site/view/kino-announces-full-version-of-metropolis/ )
Comment by Kurt — July 8, 2008 @ 7:35 am