Fritz Lang's Metropolis Whole at Last! (Prop discussion)

[Mike J.]

Thank you so much for the pictures, BeastMaster!

Banknote anti-counterfeiting text: My best guess:

"Wer banknoten nach
macht oder verfalschte
in den handel bringt wird
mit Zuchthaus nicht un-
ter 80 jahren bestraft."

Also, I think the words in the red ring (just outside the UFA logo) are " - Metropolis - Film - "

I'm going to post some of my screencaps of the robot in a minute.


-Mike

 

[Mike J.]

These are from the recent Kino International release, region 2 DVD.


-Mike-tropolis

 

[Rotwang]

I was asked to post this on behalf of Tim Mues and his observations pretty much match what I have researched.

-- When Mrs Mittendorf had written me one of the things she mentioned was how her father went to work creating the costume directly onto the form of Brigitte Helm (a full body plaster form made from Brigitte) without any sketches of the costume; it was sheer inspiration that directed Mr. Mittendorf's hand in the design. This creative process of her father's is one of the reasons she feels it has been so difficult if not impossible to create a very close recreation (not to mention the burning of the original!). Building the robot costume on the plaster cast form of Brigitte was part of the problem as well in the design of the final costume. The body cast made of Brigitte was done while she was standing, so the costume was quite binding and pinching when she had to move. It was made of 'plastic wood', a powder compound that was mixed with water and air-dried. Mittendorf rolled it out like dough with a rolling pin and layed it onto the form. Later it could be sanded and filed. Walter Mittendorf's original concept was to have the costume made similar to a suit of armour (made from sheets of copper hammered and tooled), but the time frame to create the costume in this manner was not possible and so when he stumbled onto the 'plastic wood' compound - voila!-

​

The facts on the making of the costume can be found in the book "Fritz Lang" by Lotte Eisner. From what I've seen studying stills captured from the DVD and studying the Mittendorf sculpture in the museum in France, I would have to disagree and say there was a back to the costume in the film. Forrest J. Ackerman I know had many conversations with Fritz Lang and would be considered a good friend of his, but Brigitte was a re-cluse after she left Germany.

 

[nick daring]

It almost brings a tear to my eye to see a 7 page thread on Metropolis.

Fritz Lang is one of my favorite creators ever and he doesn't get enough attention these as I feel he deserves. Many of his other films are even better than Metropolis but don't get the attention they deserve.

Great caps by the way.

Nick

 

[Kylash]

yeah im amazed theres this much enthusiasm after all these decades, its awesome.

 

[tim]

yeah im amazed theres this much enthusiasm after all these decades, its awesome.

Evidence of a great film with great production design!

 

[Rotwang]

These are from the recent Kino International release, region 2 DVD.


-Mike-tropolis

Since I got the DVD I've wondered about how the eyes look. I think it may be a reflection of the light coming from the illuminated glass walkway below, but if you look closely it seems they slipped the eyes back to allow Helm to walk without crashing into things. Maybe it'll be clearer on blu ray ...

 

[Java]

I thought Metropolis was in the public domain, so who would the licensor be?

EDIT- Never mind. I found out.

 

[tain669]

Well the lost footage appear in any new DVD release of this film?

 

[nickytea]

Well the lost footage appear in any new DVD release of this film?

Next year's BluRay and Standard DVD release.

 

[zorg]

I thought Metropolis was in the public domain, so who would the licensor be?

EDIT- Never mind. I found out.

thats what i thought. its the line used by a lot of ebay sellers.

so who has the rights to the movie and its ip?

z

 

[nickytea]

so who has the rights to the movie and its ip?

z

As I understood it, it is owned by the Murnau company(sp?)

 

[Treadwell]

I believe the film in general is PD but any particular assembly of footage, such as Kino's, would be the property of those who put it together.

So if you brought some ratty old print and dumped it to DVD, you'd probably be fine, but if you couldn't rip the Kino cut and author a new DVD and sell it.

 

[JediClone]

The actual work of restoring the damaged parts of the movie can be copyrighted.

 

[BeastMaster]

Does anyone know if you can get the original 1927 orchestral soundtrack to the movie?

So far you can only get some dodgey 1984 pop song soundtrack that has absolutely nothing to do with the original film :confused

 

[Mike J.]

I think the Kino release has the original soundtrack.


-Mike

 

[tim]

^ It does, but abridged because of the then-missing portions.

 

[BeastMaster]

ahh, I only just found out about the kino version today.

bought this version yesterday

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Metropolis-...ef=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1219072640&sr=8-1

the music is from the original score, but I think it was conducted recently. does anyone have any idea if it's exactly the same as the original?

 

[Treadwell]

If you're asking about an original 1927 recording, I don't think there was one. There was a score, as in sheet music, but it was for playing live to the projected film.

 

[jheilman]

I agree.