Metropolis - restored and released 2010

mike65

I say restored, re-constructed may be a better term as the picture quality hasn't been tweaked much by the looks of it but the missing footage which was found in an archive in Buenos Aires is back with the original score.

http://www.kino.com/metropolis/

Pyongyang

Just bought 2 tickets to see this at the National Concert Hall on September 4th. Metropolis, one of the all-time great movies, presented how it was meant to be seen. On the big screen with a live orchestra, just like in 1927. It's definitely one of those must see before you die things. Brilliant!

Anyone wanting tickets I'd advise to get in pretty quickly as it's very nearly sold out and it's one night only.

Renn

Was in Berlin during the showing of this. Got two tickets myself there but couldn't see the option for the IFI discount I couldn't really hang about as there are only a handful left.

Pyongyang

Renn wrote: »

Was in Berlin during the showing of this. Got two tickets myself there but couldn't see the option for the IFI discount I couldn't really hang about as there are only a handful left.

Did you see the show in Berlin? How was it? Can't make out if you got tickets for the Dublin showing there, if you did, I didn't see IFI discount either (not that I'm a member, just recalling).

Should be an amazing night, not many will have the opportunity to see this movie this way. Well, unless you have a projector at home with enough space to place a full orchestra in front of it... :rolleyes:

Renn

Didn't see it (out of my control) but they were putting up the massive screen in front of the gate in bloody freezing conditions, snow everywhere etc. Would have been cool I'd say but at least I'll get to see it this time round.

johnny_ultimate

bumpity bump!

Finally got to see this tonight in the IFI, what a great experience. Was gutted when I found out the NCH show was sold out, as I've always wanted to see the film but never got around to it: I'm guessing the NCH was the best way to see it as Lang intended! But the IFI show is a welcome compromise - hell, the soundtrack is live anyway, the coughs in the score suggesting it was recorded live somewhere!

Anyway, film totally stands the test of the time. It's amazing that eight decades on few films are so visually inventive and engaging: this is one of the best designed and shot films I've had the pleasure to experience. The new footage is very damaged - different aspect ratio, very scratched, and some significant scenes (one fight scene particularly) are still absent. But it adds lots to the story, and I'm sure without it later scenes particularly would be rather confusing. At first the restored shots were mostly extended reaction shots and the likes, but it really fleshes out later set pieces. Storywise, it can be a bit ridiculous (they really hammer in the 'hands, heads and hearts' message!), but the design and inventiveness pretty much always render any flaws unimportant. Imagery like a dancing grim reaper, the astonishingly large crowd scenes, a wild, almost orgy-like, party scene and clever editing have almost yet to be bettered today.

Only one day left in the IFI, so definitely head tomorrow evening if you've been on the fence about it! It's a great experience, and is up there with the likes of 2001 for films that just demand to be seen as the creator intended. And the new cut is probably as close as we're going to get to that!