Fritz Lang's Metropolis Whole at Last! (Prop discussion)
- Thread starter Wistanley
- Start date
Thanks for the picture, Malum. Do you happen to know what the source is?
Unfortunately, I dont read German, so I cant begin to guess what the obscured letters are.
It's been a while since I watched it, but I think the cash is largely shown in the formerly-missing scenes: The worker Freder swaps places with finds money in Freder's clothes and blows a wad in the Yoshiwara district. And maybe some gets thrown at the Mariabot during her dance number.
Unfortunately, I dont read German, so I cant begin to guess what the obscured letters are.
It's been a while since I watched it, but I think the cash is largely shown in the formerly-missing scenes: The worker Freder swaps places with finds money in Freder's clothes and blows a wad in the Yoshiwara district. And maybe some gets thrown at the Mariabot during her dance number.
tim
Sr Member
Mike J.
Master Member
Yeah, as far as we know, the money ended up on the cutting room floor.
I think that reference pic is the only image that exists of it. I think the image must have come from the German Film Archive or the Murnau Institute. Again, guessing, they may have some prop bills.
Way back in 2003, I made a small run of the bills. Tried to recreate as much of the art as I could. Did it all in Photoshop, too - that was before I knew Illustrator.
An amusing piece of trivia: the signatures on the bottom of the bills are those of the principal cast & crew. Also, the red seal in the upper right corner is the film studio's logo.
There... Far from definative, I know. This is a still from rehersal or shooting.
-Mike
I think that reference pic is the only image that exists of it. I think the image must have come from the German Film Archive or the Murnau Institute. Again, guessing, they may have some prop bills.
Way back in 2003, I made a small run of the bills. Tried to recreate as much of the art as I could. Did it all in Photoshop, too - that was before I knew Illustrator.
An amusing piece of trivia: the signatures on the bottom of the bills are those of the principal cast & crew. Also, the red seal in the upper right corner is the film studio's logo.
There... Far from definative, I know. This is a still from rehersal or shooting.
-Mike
I believe it was a publicity still for an exhibit. The money is one of the items in an art museum in Berlin.
I can make out Lang's autograph as one of the signatures, and I read and speak fluent German, but I can't really make them out, either.
Think it's time for a trip to Berlin!
Okay, I can actually make out a little from my crappy image:
The larger text over the Metropolis symbol seems to say something like:
"WER BANKNOTEN NACH
MARKT.... ..FALL .....
.... HANDEL ..... ....
............. BESTRAFT"
This is the standard warning not to meddle with the money ("bestraft" is "fined" in German).
Underneath the word Metropolis it says "SCHATZMEISTER-AMT", which is the only word that can be clearly made out.
The larger text over the Metropolis symbol seems to say something like:
"WER BANKNOTEN NACH
MARKT.... ..FALL .....
.... HANDEL ..... ....
............. BESTRAFT"
This is the standard warning not to meddle with the money ("bestraft" is "fined" in German).
Underneath the word Metropolis it says "SCHATZMEISTER-AMT", which is the only word that can be clearly made out.
Goodwolf
Sr Member
Rammstein has a song called Bestraffe(sp) Mich, which means punish me.
Mike J.
Master Member
Right to the right of Fritz Lang's signature is Thea von Harbou's. I'm not too sure about the rest of them.
As best as I could figure the counterfeiting warning was copied verbatim from contemporary German banknotes.
"Wer Banknoten nach
macht oder verfälscht
oder verfälschte sich
verschafft und in Verkehr
bringt, wird mit Zuchthaus
nicht unter zwei Jahren bestraft."
That seems to match up pretty well. ... Assuming I didn't make any spelling mistakes.
On the left side of the bills it says, "Bank von Metropolis - Wert in Gold ___."
The two lines of text on the lower right I guessed were serial numbers.
-Mike
As best as I could figure the counterfeiting warning was copied verbatim from contemporary German banknotes.
"Wer Banknoten nach
macht oder verfälscht
oder verfälschte sich
verschafft und in Verkehr
bringt, wird mit Zuchthaus
nicht unter zwei Jahren bestraft."
That seems to match up pretty well. ... Assuming I didn't make any spelling mistakes.
On the left side of the bills it says, "Bank von Metropolis - Wert in Gold ___."
The two lines of text on the lower right I guessed were serial numbers.
-Mike
Found the site where I originally got the photo. It's defunct, but the Wayback Machine is your friend!
Metropolis 1927 - Film Archive - Bits n' Pieces
I quote: "Surviving versions of the movie Metropolis do not feature any reference to, or images of, money, yet for the original film money was specially printed and used on a number of occasions. Reference to money is found throughout Thea von Harbou's novel Metropolis, whilst within the film it features heavily in the Slim / Josaphat sub-plot, whereby Slim goes to the latter's apartment and successfully bribes him to leave Metropolis and desist from helping Freder. The money was also used by Georgy to gain access to the Yoshiwara nightclub and imbide in its carnel pleasures. He had found a large quantity of it in his pockets when he swapped clothes with Freder at the paternoster machine. Though Georgy had intented to take a message to Josaphat regarding a meeting with Freder, the temptation of the money was too great and he never made it to Josaphat's apartment.
"The Deutsche Kinemathek, Berlin, contains a number of examples of this Metropolis money, in 100, 500 and 1000 Mark (Metropolis) denominations. A sample is reproduced above. It is interesting that money should feature this way in Metropolis, for Germany suffered a number of notable financial crises during the 1920s. The country was in the grip of hyperinflation during 1923, just prior to Fritz Lang and Thea von Harbou setting down to write their script, and it faced similar problems (though to a lesser degree) during the latter part of 1926, as filming neared completion. This latter financial crisis placed pressure on Ufa executives to ensure that Metropolis - the most expensive German film to date - earned foreign income, particularly in the form of US dollars. The result? - the savage editing of Fritz Lang's three hour version down to a ninety minute American edition.
"At one point towards the end of 1923 inflation in Germany was at the rate of more than 12 million per cent, and hundred thousand mark notes were being printed. It is therefore interesting that there are a number of similarities between the design of the Metropolis money and the one hundred thousand million Mark note which featured in the famous Dada collage 'Bankruptcy Vultures' by Hungarian refugee and Bachaus lecturer Laszlo Moholy-Nagy."
Metropolis 1927 - Film Archive - Bits n' Pieces
I quote: "Surviving versions of the movie Metropolis do not feature any reference to, or images of, money, yet for the original film money was specially printed and used on a number of occasions. Reference to money is found throughout Thea von Harbou's novel Metropolis, whilst within the film it features heavily in the Slim / Josaphat sub-plot, whereby Slim goes to the latter's apartment and successfully bribes him to leave Metropolis and desist from helping Freder. The money was also used by Georgy to gain access to the Yoshiwara nightclub and imbide in its carnel pleasures. He had found a large quantity of it in his pockets when he swapped clothes with Freder at the paternoster machine. Though Georgy had intented to take a message to Josaphat regarding a meeting with Freder, the temptation of the money was too great and he never made it to Josaphat's apartment.
"The Deutsche Kinemathek, Berlin, contains a number of examples of this Metropolis money, in 100, 500 and 1000 Mark (Metropolis) denominations. A sample is reproduced above. It is interesting that money should feature this way in Metropolis, for Germany suffered a number of notable financial crises during the 1920s. The country was in the grip of hyperinflation during 1923, just prior to Fritz Lang and Thea von Harbou setting down to write their script, and it faced similar problems (though to a lesser degree) during the latter part of 1926, as filming neared completion. This latter financial crisis placed pressure on Ufa executives to ensure that Metropolis - the most expensive German film to date - earned foreign income, particularly in the form of US dollars. The result? - the savage editing of Fritz Lang's three hour version down to a ninety minute American edition.
"At one point towards the end of 1923 inflation in Germany was at the rate of more than 12 million per cent, and hundred thousand mark notes were being printed. It is therefore interesting that there are a number of similarities between the design of the Metropolis money and the one hundred thousand million Mark note which featured in the famous Dada collage 'Bankruptcy Vultures' by Hungarian refugee and Bachaus lecturer Laszlo Moholy-Nagy."
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