My Metropolis review

[Rotwang]

Question: what happened to the original, that there isn't a single "complete" print left?
Did they only make one print and it wore out?

Actually they had three original negatives. The various negatives were used for the different versions, Domestic, American and export. For example the version in the Brussels filmmuseum is slightly different from other copies and its stadium scene is longer.

Problem was that the original showing was a disaster, so Paramount, which had a majority stake in UFA had the film cut down and had the superflous negatives destroyed as was common in those days. As a result the original premiere cut was lost.

The current film uses one of the original negatives alongside bits from other sources (Australia etc) as well as a 16mm copy found in Argentina to fill in for the missing bits. Somebody had managed to purchase a copy of the premiere version and showed it in Buenos Aires. Years later the dirty, badly worn 35mm film was copied on 16mm which was rediscovered in 2008.

You have to understand that very little info was available on the original print. The American version was the version most people saw for decades and every subsequent restoration since WWII added only small bits of information to the puzzle. Stuff like the original intertitles were lost, and people were reduced to translating the English version. It wasn't until they had the original censor notebooks and the annoted music that they could actually gauge what the structure of the original film was.

 

[Taco-Bot]

The 2001 version was great. As soon as I heard more footage was found I nearly fainted. I do have to ask, how does one see the new complete cut? Further more, do you know if there are plans to theatrically release the new cut in the U.S.?

 

[Rotwang]

For those in LA, it will be shown on the TCM festival

http://classicfilm.about.com/b/2009...lans-metropolis-a-star-is-born-screenings.htm

For the DVD and BD you'll have to wait till December.

 

[JediG60racer]

Cool. Thanks for the info! Will wait to see this version. Have only seen snippets of the movie, never anything long enough to even get a storyline out of it.

 

[nickytea]

I wonder if they'll ever release a straight transfer from the found version. These framing changes are a trifle distracting. (Maybe it's something they can improve for the Blu release?)

Still, it's absolutely a wonder to behold.

 

[Rotwang]

What I'd love to see is some way of selecting from all the available footage and compare it to another version so that you can see all the differences side by side.

I think the Paramount version, the Moroder version, the Patalas version and the 2001 and 2010 versons should all be included so you understand the evolution of our understanding of the film.

 

[nickytea]

That would be an excellent feature as well. Even if the other versions included were simply standard definition, it would be a great additional feature. Like the MTK edition of The Gold Rush, they include both the silent version and the version Chaplin recorded the narration for.

Lots of new props from this version I'd like to do! (itching for a 11811 cap.)

Watching this really put me over the edge, I'm going to go find some fabric tonight to finally put together my Rotwang coat.

What color do you think I should go with? I'm considering a very dark green or blue.

 

[SITHcamaro]

Per AICN, there is a world wide theatrical release planned.
http://www.aintitcool.com/node/43987

 

[epoxinator]

@nickytea: What an interesting idea! I too would like to see the Argentinian version, Spanish titlecards and all. RE the earlier question of which film to see first, I recommend seeing the 2010 restoration first: it has the most storyline, and won't leave the viewer wondering what just happened when encountering a gap in continuity from all earlier versions. The maybe the Moroder version. I can't recommend seeing earlier versions: it's like watching Star Trek in syndication where they've cut portions of the show to add more space for commercials.

 

[epoxinator]

@Rotwang: Have you seen the documentary on the 2010 Bluray? There's this interesting part where they talk about the difficulties over the years with trying to synch up the bits and pieces from one version with other versions, and they find that different versions of the film might be using alternate takes from the original shoot, so there was no way to make everything fit right together.