Hey, what's up with that complete print of Metropolis that they found in Argentina?

[Orrex]

Is there a restoration effort underway or something?

Sure, I could Google it, but then we'd be missing out on this lovely conversation.

[LeftyMom]

1. Kino International is doing cleanup to issue it on DVD and Blu-Ray next year.

No news on a potential theatrical release, but I'm sure it'll be in the art houses.

[Orrex]

4. Excellent news--thanks!

I simply must acquire it.

[Forkboy]

2. Is that the one where they found some extra scenes?

I too could look this up, but there ya go. :)

[Orrex]

3. "Extra scenes" indeed--like 90 minutes' worth, IIRC

It's much closer to the original cut than anything we've seen in 60 years or so.

I'm dying to see it. The familiar version is phenomenal; I can hardly imagine the complete film!

[Forkboy]

5. Holy chit!

Now I can't wait either. :)

[harmonicon]

6. cool!

That's one of my favourite films ever. I'd love to see the "original" version.

[JoDog]

7. It's practically the original movie

Fritz Lang's original 210-min. film was brutally cut to about 90 min. after it flopped upon its premere in Berlin. I believe it was the distribution company/studio that did it. The film that was eventually shown in the US and most of Europe in 1928 was as result disjointed and made absolutely no sense at times. Huge sections of the plot were changed or removed, as were entire characters.

Whatever copies remained of the original were lost and presumed destroyed by WWII. The missing footage was considered to be one of cinema's holy grails. Several years ago, a restoration took place using the orignal screenplay. The scenes were put back together in what would have been their original order, and new title cards were put in to describe the action in the missing scenes. Until the discovery in Argentina, this was believed to be the closest we would ever get to a complete version.

For more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropolis_(film)

I can't wait to see it. Hopefully, the Silent Film Society of Chicago will be able to get a license to show it on a big screen as it was meant to be seen. Now if only we could find the original version of "Greed"....

[crispini]

8. Wow! How neat

Thanks for letting us know about this. How interesting!