Lost Scenes From Fritz Lang’s Metropolis Discovered

The Look Reports that Paula Félix-Didier, head of film museum Museo del Cine in Buenos Aires, discovered an uncut version of the 1927 classic Science Fiction tale of class struggle in an oppressive society. Fritz Lang’s original uncut version ran 210 minutes and was only seen in that form in Germany. When the film was shown in other countries is was trimmed down by almost half. Currently the most complete version clocks in at 118 minutes with title cards replacing lost bits of narrative.

This amazing find will give us a new chance to see this film which can/will change the mood, tempo, character development and perhaps some of the meaning of the film itself.

In 1927, Fritz Lang presented the film in Berlin after producing it in the city’s Babelsburg Studios. It was at the time the most expensive film in Germany. it was not well received at the time which led to the extreme edits for other countries. The complete version has long been thought to be lost forever. The impact this film has on science fiction can still be seen today.

Even Superman has shown the love for Lang’s work with the Superman’s Metropolis Elseworld Tale.

It will take some time for the complete copy to get into our hands but that is just fine… what a great day to be a ScreenGeek!

Flynn

UPDATE

Merrick from Ain’t It Cool News has some pics posted from the missing segments of Metropolis.. also if you happen to be in Buenos Aires today you could actually see the film!