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The Complete METROPOLIS discussion

post #1 of 16
6/1/10 at 6:19am
Thread Starter 
Watched it this weekend and I was in awe of what Fritz Lang brought to audiences. I remember hearing about this film ever since I was 14 but I never made the effort to watch it. I've been a lazy film fan for years, always listing things on my Netflix that I want to watch but being behind the times. When this complete version of METROPOLIS became available, I actually made a serious effort to see it and I finally came through this past weekend. Yes, there were some people in the theater that were laughing at it because some stuff didn't make sense (mainly the part where the Man-Machine turns the sons of the aristocrats into bloodthirsty men who kill in order to be with her), but I thought that it was wonderful storytelling. There were some shots in the film that left me in awe (especially Joh Fredersen's wide shot of Metropolis while in his office---Iain talked about how that show reminds you of "Blade Runner" & how Ridley Scott lifted it and no one could really blame him) and I loved what I saw.

I'm looking forward to the Blu-Ray release. It's a shame that there are still 2 scenes that are missing (the monk talking about the 7 deadly sins & Joh Fredersen fighting Rotwang to free Maria).

Okay, gonna stop being a dick.
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post #2 of 16
6/1/10 at 6:32am
Yeah, this is the number one anticipated Blu-Ray release for me. Discoveries like this give me hope for lost prints of anything being out there. The restored film is enough, but I hope the disc is packed with some top notch extras.

You know what would simultaneously suck and rule? The week the film is released, someone finds the last missing scenes in their grandfather's attic. Hell, I'd buy it again I guess.

EDIT: Oh, and since the new stuff is supposedly easily distinguished by the difference in image quality, any thoughts on how it adds to the film?
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post #3 of 16
6/28/10 at 8:12pm
Saw it this weekend.

The new material mostly adds needed subtlety to a few key characters. The man who Freder replaces in the machine city gets a moment to enjoy his freedom before the Thin Man finds him. Joh's assistant is much more sullen and lonely after being fired. And there's some amazing, Anton Chirgurh-ish material with the Thin Man threatening the assistant trying to find Freder.

The restoration in and of itself is spectacular. It was projected in digital as well, which just made that thing shine. And the film itself, despite some silliness (the accelerated Rotwang/Freder fight) is still a revelation, decades ahead of its time.
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post #4 of 16
6/29/10 at 3:58pm
I saw this a month or so ago and was honestly kind of amazed. It was nice to see 11811 scenes back, as well the excised Hel footage.

Its kind of wild watching the movie 83 years down the line and seeing how much it influenced the rest of film history. Not only does the visual style of Blade Runner have its origin here, but towards the end of the film you also find the bones of the climaxes of THX 1138 and Tim Burton's Batman.
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post #5 of 16
7/27/10 at 9:04pm
Just got back from seeing this. It was my first time seeing any cut of the movie at all. And honestly, I thought it was excellent. The new scenes are in a slightly cropped aspect ratio and are very grainy. That said, it doesn't take away whatsoever. It was actually quite exciting to see them. Even never having seen it before, it was exciting to see these scenes pop up. It felt like I was watching something truly special. Only bummer is, the distributor didn't make any 35mm prints, so it was projected digitally. It's only a minor gripe, as I'm happy to have seen it in a theater setting at all.

The film looks absolutely beautiful and is shot superbly. The scope and size and magnitude is downright impressive. Not only that, but I quite enjoyed the story as well. Very glad I caught this one in the theater. I might have to buy a copy once it gets re-released.
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post #6 of 16
7/27/10 at 9:43pm
Dammit, the BFI Southbank is showing this the day before I leave to go back home to the States. So tempted.
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post #7 of 16
8/2/10 at 10:31pm
I was the film for the first time last wednesday at the Fantasia Festival. It was presented with a 13 piece orchestra with a new score.

While I really liked the film, I hated the score. I can't stand how whenever music is added to silent films, the composer always feel the need to have the music stand in for the sound effects. It makes me feel as if I'm treated like a moron. There were a few good parts that sounded Philip Glass-y and it made me wish the whole score had been subtle electronic music.

As for the film itself, I don't have anything more to add than what's already been said.
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post #8 of 16
8/2/10 at 10:40pm
I saw a print from the 70s by the BBC that had an electronic score and crowd noises. It also ran at 18fps, which made the motion feel more realistic to me. I haven't seen the complete version, but that version was my most compelling viewing to date.
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post #9 of 16
8/2/10 at 10:47pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Phil View Post
I saw a print from the 70s by the BBC that had an electronic score and crowd noises.
I was wondering, would it be heresy to add sounds to the film? I don't need/want dialogue in Metropolis but having sounds for the machine would've enhanced my experience.
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post #10 of 16
9/16/10 at 7:45pm
Not sure which score the version I just saw had, but it seemed to hold the film up fairly well.
Anyway, this is absolutely breathaking on the big screen.
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post #11 of 16
9/16/10 at 7:57pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Alexor View Post
I was wondering, would it be heresy to add sounds to the film? I don't need/want dialogue in Metropolis but having sounds for the machine would've enhanced my experience.
There was a bit of industrial noise in the Moroder version. I'm sure it's been said elsewhere, but it's a very cool version of the film to see and worthwhile for fans.

I'm very sad about the complete version--for the last two weeks it's been in Texas and I haven't been able to see it. I'm especially sad about the Austin showing. I don't think it was even advertised.
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post #12 of 16
9/18/10 at 7:02pm
I'm excited it's finally coming to Milwaukee at the end of the month. I'm taking my cousin's teens to see it, so hopefully some taste will rub off on the next generation.
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post #13 of 16
9/29/10 at 8:57am
A really appreciative crowd at the Milwaukee Film Fest last night. And Alloy Orchestra really brought their A-game.

Not much to add to the above. Metropolis shows its age in spots and has some inherent silliness, but it overcomes all its faults through a fantastic concept and being years ahead of its time.
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post #14 of 16
5/22/11 at 6:34pm

Just watched the Blu-Ray of this tonight, the first time I had seen any cut of this film. To tell the truth, I was halfway expecting it to feel really long, but it ended up being the fastest two hours and change ever. I don't know what I can add in terms of praise, but the last film I was able to sit down and watch was Chaplin's "Modern Times", and this made an interesting companion piece to that film. They're definitely thematic cousins, that's for sure.

 

And I can't believe just how entertaining "Metropolis" is. For a movie that has a reputation for being long and important, it just freaking moves. I couldn't help but get caught up in the story.

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post #15 of 16
5/22/11 at 7:08pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by D.S. Randlett View Post

And I can't believe just how entertaining "Metropolis" is. For a movie that has a reputation for being long and important, it just freaking moves. I couldn't help but get caught up in the story.



I've never understood that. A movie should be entertaining first and long and important second. If it ISN'T entertaining it shouldn't be considered a timeless classic.

 

But then I sit through the near four hours of Gone With the Wind once a year. I think my concept of kickass old movies might be different. 

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post #16 of 16
5/23/11 at 5:07am

A movie feeling long isn't always a bad thing, in my mind. Tarkovsky's movies feel slow, but then they're usually supposed to, and the feeling of time adds to the overall effect. Some (most?) of my my favorite movies feel slow ("Stalker" and "Red Beard", I'm looking at you), and I was expecting that from "Metropolis". It turned out to be bravura entertainment when I was expecting something a little more... leisurely.

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