Ain't It Cool News: The best in movie, TV, DVD, and comic book news.

UPDATED!! Images From Newly Recovered METROPOLIS Footage!!

I will buy this on BluRay by ATARI	Jul 3rd, 2008 12:41:01 PM
and first.
Waaaaaait a minit! by rockgolf	Jul 3rd, 2008 12:45:07 PM
If this is Metropolis, where the hell is Superman? Just kidding. What, the current Metropolis isn't long and boring enough?
Atmospheric by StarWarsRedux	Jul 3rd, 2008 12:50:02 PM
Perhaps this'll be shown in the states sooner than I thought. I was afraid we'd have to wait a year or so while they restored and remastered it...
Pretty amazing by kwisatzhaderach	Jul 3rd, 2008 12:52:32 PM
What a find.
is that flava flav? by ironic_name	Jul 3rd, 2008 12:53:11 PM

Contemplate this on the Tree of Woe by Conans Sword	Jul 3rd, 2008 12:55:39 PM
i live in feckin ireland! theres no way in hell im ever gonna get to see this on the big screen!! (>.
Let me just hop into my Lear by Marillion	Jul 3rd, 2008 12:57:02 PM
And jet away to Buenos Aires... Or we could just wait for Peter Jackson to remake it and put out a Director's Cut DVD...
... I think it is. by GiveMeAnFinBreak	Jul 3rd, 2008 12:57:13 PM
At least, she looks a lot like him. Cool news. Can't wait until this comes out on dvd, fully restored.
Awesome. Where's the torrent file? by V'Shael	Jul 3rd, 2008 12:57:33 PM
Seriously though, if stuff was freely copied and disseminated, instead of being hoarded by the copyright and IP guys, cool stuff like this would never disappear.
Clarification ... by GiveMeAnFinBreak	Jul 3rd, 2008 12:57:50 PM
Looks a lot like Flava Flav, I mean.
Barring an original edit of Magnificent Amber by Samuel Fulmer	Jul 3rd, 2008 01:02:16 PM
sons being found, this is probably the best film discovery news we'll ever hear.
Magnificent Amber by Samuel Fulmer	Jul 3rd, 2008 01:03:02 PM
Starring Amber Waves and Dirk Diggler.
Truly amazing... by One Nation Under Zod	Jul 3rd, 2008 01:06:54 PM
...And unfortunately very boring. The importance of this film in cinematic history cannot be overstated, nor it's impact on sci-fi and visuals. I just can't bring myself to sit through it sober anymore...
Cool, I hope they remake it soon! by Stalin vs Predator	Jul 3rd, 2008 01:08:29 PM
Apologies, har-har. I just wanted to try imitating one of those cre-teens who swallow remakes and ask for more. I've actually heard one of them speak of "City of God" some time ago, saying "I heard it's good, but it's not in English, I'm waiting for the remake". He was serious, so I have no doubt that if one of those dolts ever heard of Metropolis and for some reason became interested in it, asking about a remake would be the first thing he'd do...
I've never seen the original, should I check it out? by heyscot	Jul 3rd, 2008 01:10:03 PM
I can't believe this movie was made in the 20s. I also checked out Charlie Chaplin's movies and they are incredible. It taught me that there is breathtaking art to be found everywhere, in every era.
This really is amazing... by tonagan	Jul 3rd, 2008 01:19:16 PM
Just when you think you can't be surprised anymore.
Thank you very much! by Doctor Phibes	Jul 3rd, 2008 01:22:26 PM
Oh man. I really appreciate this. I can't begin to imagine how rewarding it will be to finally see this. And imagine if they release it on blu-ray!
some stills also released by ZEIT online by Lorquaine	Jul 3rd, 2008 01:22:41 PM
Only a few images, e.g. that really nice one of the "Slender Man" ("Der Schmale", as he's called in German), reading the Metropolis Courier. Great shot. zeit.de/online/2008/27/bg-metr opolis?1
octagonproplex by Conans Sword	Jul 3rd, 2008 01:26:55 PM
its from cool runnings. whatevers wrong with you...is no little thing
WOULD YOU KINDLY? by ArcadianDS	Jul 3rd, 2008 01:32:41 PM
This movie is clearly a ripoff of Bioshock.
Conans Sword by FamousEccles	Jul 3rd, 2008 01:35:37 PM
Some place in Jackeen Town will show it on a cinema screen
Hell Yes!! by MGTHEDJ	Jul 3rd, 2008 01:41:24 PM
Glad they found it. No telling what else they will find in South America as the Nazi escapees and their child pass on.-----later-----m
FUCK YES by DamnMichaelBay	Jul 3rd, 2008 01:42:11 PM
FUCK YES
Hell Yes!! (with corrections) by MGTHEDJ	Jul 3rd, 2008 01:42:20 PM
Glad they found it. No telling what else they will find in South America as the Nazi escapees and their children pass on.-----later-----m
You wold think mainstream press would by Larry of Arabia	Jul 3rd, 2008 01:44:15 PM
Have a little info somewhere maybe? New York Times or the New Yorker should be all over this by now. Has it even been picked up by the AP? Hollywood Reporter? Ok, the Hollywood rags will never have anything on this. I'm sure guys like Lucas, Cameron, Scott, and Scorsese are excited as schoolboys.
Music Score For Next DVD Release... by scallenger	Jul 3rd, 2008 01:52:14 PM
I wonder how they will take on the musical score for the eventual DVD release of this "Director's Cut"? My favorite released version is the beautifully remastered KINO version (the longest cut currently available), and if I am not mistaken it is the same people doing the restoration on this newly found version. If anyone has the KINO DVD, then they have heard the original score which is a beautiful and haunting score. I can't picture any other music to go with this movie (although others would say otherwise). I am wondering if they will either: A) Use the exsisting music for the KINO DVD in conjunction with newly recorded original score to fill in the gaps that have been found. B) Record the original score all over again, this time using ALL the music since now presumably ALL of the film is available. C) Use an entirely different score than before. I just hope they don't go with "C".
Hope they get criterion or kino to clean it up nice by Coma Baby	Jul 3rd, 2008 01:53:43 PM
Can't wait to see this. The still images are beautiful - esp. the first of the guy before the curtain and also the woman running.
Hire an A list composer for the score by geodesigns	Jul 3rd, 2008 01:57:24 PM
And for the DVD, can we get interviews from sci-fi luminaries from all types: film directors, futurists, actors, comic book artists, etc.
KINO Score by The Brain Machine	Jul 3rd, 2008 02:03:08 PM
Wasn't that score based on the score from the film's original release? I thought I had read that somewhere. If Kino is working with this new found footage to make the eventual Hi-Def version of the film, I would bet they would expand on the score used in the previous release. That disc looked, and sounded brilliant, and I can only assume this new transfer will look even greater. Of course - that is going to be a couple years down the road. Sad. Can't wait.
Meaning... by The Brain Machine	Jul 3rd, 2008 02:04:32 PM
The scrore that was played by musicians along side the film for the original release...
I Can Wait for the Blu-Ray . . . by kevinwillis.net	Jul 3rd, 2008 02:16:15 PM
Because I probably won't have one for a year, since I bought an HD DVD player (thanks, Harry!) . . . but when I get one, I will be picking this up. Kewlness.
Still excited! by Atomik Steve	Jul 3rd, 2008 02:22:39 PM
Wow! i hope the footage pops up online soon. I would love to see it ASAP, whether it's restored or not.
EMBIGGEN My Dick! by Napolean Solo	Jul 3rd, 2008 02:26:42 PM
Just needed to say that.
This is great news by Mattyboy122	Jul 3rd, 2008 02:29:27 PM
And instills some measure of hope that the long lost original cut of The Magnificent Ambersons might be found. One can only hope.
Original score by Lorquaine	Jul 3rd, 2008 02:30:47 PM
The movie has an original composition from 1926/27, and unlike the film, the complete score has been preserved apparently. They actually used the cue points and timing notes from the score to assemble a correctly timed "academic version" of the film a few years ago, with grey screens inserted where film scenes and shots were missing. For a re-issue of the film, it should definitely be BluRay. And theatrical! And it should include a re-recording of the original score, with the exact same number of players and orchestration, and a vintage, but beautifully sounding recording location. Hell, they could even pass this on to Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonics. (^_^) His work as conductor of the Henry V score was great. To my mind no other music should be used in the official re-release of the film except the one originally composed for it. But maybe they could add alternate audio tracks on the BluRay with previous recordings of the original score and the music assemblies by Moroder and Jeff Mills et al. That would actually be quite cool.
Ditto on by Lorquaine	Jul 3rd, 2008 02:32:49 PM
The Magnificent Ambersons. (!!)
this looks crap! by Mr_X	Jul 3rd, 2008 02:39:08 PM
the cgi looks terrible and what the hell kind of trailer is that? the jor-el sfx in smallville blow this out of the water. what the hell was Fritz Lang thinking. Thought i'd add my comments into the mix before all the other wankers do!
What the fuck is The Magnificent Ambersons? by Conans Sword	Jul 3rd, 2008 02:40:26 PM
everyone is going on about the magnificent ambersons...thats it, im using wiki!
fuck yes by stickmangrit	Jul 3rd, 2008 02:43:06 PM
this is awesome beyond all reason. i honestly thought this would never happen. some days it's nice to be proven full of shit.
Ahh its an Orson Welles Movie... by Conans Sword	Jul 3rd, 2008 02:49:30 PM
right, suppose i better rent it at some stage then if its supposed to be so good
I'd go for Williams by Lorquaine	Jul 3rd, 2008 02:51:04 PM
If they need new music for the film, it should be done by John Williams. He's the only one left who still has the "Golden Age" touch. Or they ask a classical composer who hasn't done film music before. Because composing for silents is a bit different from modern film scoring.
this is amazing!!! by filmfanatic1	Jul 3rd, 2008 02:52:43 PM
I don't care what you snarky posters say, this is quite a discovery for film history! I always hated the many versions of METROPOLIS with various crappy soundtracks and dropped storylines. If a quarter of the film (half-hour?) has been found with the original soundtrack, every sci-fi geek out there should be thrilled to see one of the first sci-fi films restored!!!
M by sweeneydave	Jul 3rd, 2008 02:52:50 PM
I agree that Fritz Lang's M was way ahead of its time. Incredible movie. Would love to see a modern version of that. Gangs coming together to track down a child serial killer that has eluded the police. And the gangs step in just to get the cops off of THEIR backs. Great premise. And they creepy song that the murderer would whistle.... And then when they catch him he's all "Turn me in to the police. It's not my fault. I'm mentally unstable." And they're all, "Sorry dude. We are your judge and jury!" Genious of a movie.
I wonder what condition that print's in... by eggart	Jul 3rd, 2008 02:55:13 PM
...after all those years lying around in South America... I'm not sure it's going to lead to a full-blown restoration. Certainly interesting though.
Ambersons/Score by ByTor	Jul 3rd, 2008 02:57:57 PM
Conans Sword: the ending was changed by the studio without Orson's permission. It's still a good movie, but the original ending is purportedly much better. Lorquaine: The idea of a Williams score sounds interesting, but I'd much prefer the original myself. Though I do like the suggestion someone above made of having multiple audio tracks...someone could even do something similar to the Moroder audio, just to be different.
Could this be the thread to unite all TalkBackers? by Speed Fricassee	Jul 3rd, 2008 03:02:32 PM
This is fucking amazing news...one that real film geeks can rally around. Can't wait until more info comes to light!
ByTor by Lorquaine	Jul 3rd, 2008 03:07:54 PM
I'm with you all the way: only the original score! I was just thinking loud there. (^_~)
This is amazing news! by Uncapie	Jul 3rd, 2008 03:08:10 PM
That is trulu "cool" news indeed! Now, if they can find the missing footage of the Strongman and what happened to him(The Freaks got their revenge on him and made him a soprano and I'm not talking Tony here!) in Tod Browning's "Freaks," the world will be complete!
OMFG!!! It's true! by msspurlock	Jul 3rd, 2008 03:14:30 PM
There's more than enough there to restore, so the print must be stable! I can't freakin' believe it. It's like somebody picking up a cup and saying, "whose Holy Grail is this?"
eggart: print quality by Lorquaine	Jul 3rd, 2008 03:16:36 PM
Judging from the ZEITLeben article the print's quality is "unfortunate". It's 16mm instead of the original 35mm, and it's a copy of a copy of a copy, and there was no cleaning process done during any of the copying processes. There are scratches, material defects, a substantial lack of contrast. So an assembled, integral version of the film will logically oscillate between HiQ-restored 35mm scenes and the scenes from the Buenos Aires print, restored as best as they can manage. But it'll never match the HiQ prints. But in a way, that would have some kind of charm. I remember watching the assembly cut of Alien3 a few years ago, and it wasn't that bad actually. From a historical standpoint, it's actually a good thing, because researchers can clearly distinguish between the majority version and the lost footage.
Hey Lorquaine by ByTor	Jul 3rd, 2008 03:17:14 PM
Can you do me a favor and drop me an email? Translate phonetics to letters: see aych eee eee are (at) dee el ess (dot) enn eee tee.
I saw the last restoration in a theater by geekzapoppin	Jul 3rd, 2008 03:20:50 PM
They insisted on cropping the thing to fuckin' 1.85:1. When my friend brought it to the theater's attention, they told him it was meant to be framed that way. My friend, who works in the Library of Congress Motion Picture Conservation Center, just shook his head and came back into the auditorium. Idiots.
ByTor by Conans Sword	Jul 3rd, 2008 03:20:56 PM
yeah looks interesting. ill add it to my must see this year list.
Amazing News by Subtlety	Jul 3rd, 2008 03:41:40 PM
Even now I can hardly believe it. So many descriptions of this film which include the phrase "lost forever" will have to be altered! Silly and politically questionable as the plot can be (to the best of my knowledge, the most beloved movie ever written by a Nazi) I can't deny the feverish power of Metropolis' images and the way --even now-- they have the power to appeal to the imagination.
Official: it's 25 minutes of additional footage by Lorquaine	Jul 3rd, 2008 03:44:08 PM
The Murnau foundation spoke to the AFP, and they stated that the Buenos Aires print is 25 minutes longer than the previously known restored version. The also say: "Almost everything that had been missing, has been found." So I guess there are a few scenes or shots still lost. See here: afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5j vdX-dyfyMFmNKJeUMeMGPwNfvCQ
Ah, the 20's... by alienindisguise	Jul 3rd, 2008 03:44:57 PM
some of the most creative films came out of that decade. I think alot of flicks nowadays would benefit from being silent to stifle all the shit ass dialog and piss poor acting.
210 minutes? A newly assembled cut would clock… by Lorquaine	Jul 3rd, 2008 03:48:10 PM
…at 143 minutes (118 + 25). So BIG QUESTION HERE: what's with the 210-minutes version? Did such a long version really ever exist or is this just the usual exaggeration from legend?
That doesn't look half bad. by SergioGiorgini	Jul 3rd, 2008 03:50:36 PM
Didn't think it'd look that good. Man, I hope they don't let George Lucas do the 'clean-up'.
SergioGiorgini: George Lucas by Lorquaine	Jul 3rd, 2008 03:54:47 PM
"I hope they don't let George Lucas do the 'clean-up'." LOOOL He would probably also insert C3PO to replace the original robot. (^o^)
Lorquaine: running time by ByTor	Jul 3rd, 2008 04:05:05 PM
I suspect a lot of the discrepancies in running time have to do with frame rates. As with many movies in the period shot with hand-cranked cameras, frame rates can vary. Remember that the Moroder version was ~80 minutes, yet had more actual material than those butt-awful 139-minute VHS and DVD copies floating around before the Kino restoration came out. I suspect it will be some time before we really have a solid handle on exactly how much has been recovered and how complete the film now is.
Subtlety: Lang a Nazi? by Lorquaine	Jul 3rd, 2008 04:08:10 PM
Fritz Lang was never a Nazi. His co-writer and ex-wife Thea von Harbou later sympathized with the Nazis, years after they had written the film.
ByTor by Lorquaine	Jul 3rd, 2008 04:15:50 PM
Yes. I thought about that too. They used to shoot in 16 fps in those times. (I still have a 16mm camera with 16fps. Looks fantastic, even by today's standards.) A 24/25fps transfer will already result in shorter running times. Wikpedia writes that they actually cranked up the projection frame rate at the film's premiere, but that would have resulted in a lot less than 210 minutes. (???) But I guess there are experts who know better than me.
Lorquaine by ByTor	Jul 3rd, 2008 04:19:40 PM
Yeah, there seems to be some dispute as to what frame rate was actually used. I was also surprised to see the Kino release was 25 FPS. Eeugh. Like I said, I think there will be some confusion for a while on this.
Nazis... I hate these guys by One Nation Under Zod	Jul 3rd, 2008 04:21:11 PM
OK, so the guy hates the Jews... Is that such a big deal? It didnt stop people from seeing Apocalypto...
Runtimes from IMDb by Lorquaine	Jul 3rd, 2008 04:22:21 PM
These are all the runtimes from IMDb, so we'd get at least 178 minutes with the new footage: 153 min \| Germany:147 min (2001 restored version) \| Germany:210 min (premiere cut) \| Germany:80 min (Giorgio Moroder version) \| Germany:93 min (re-release version) \| USA:114 min (25 fps) (1927 cut version) \| USA:123 min (2002 Murnau Foundation 75th aniversary restored version) \| Spain:118 min (DVD edition) \| USA:117 min
hmmmm...not following your math, Lorquaine by ByTor	Jul 3rd, 2008 04:44:00 PM
Regardless of what IMDb says, the 2002 Murnau DVD version has the most material of any release up until now, so if there's only 25 new minutes of stuff, that works out to be 148 minutes...
Oh, too bad about it being 16mm... by eggart	Jul 3rd, 2008 04:50:34 PM
Still, it's definitely better than nothing.
When its this rare, I'll take in any format I can get! by Paul T. Ryan	Jul 3rd, 2008 05:22:35 PM
I have a DVD of Welles' The Trial where the prologue is taken from 16mm but the rest is from 35mm. Didn't affect my enjoyment one jot. Then again, I have a 48cm tv screen!
Damn you Micheal Bay by worldisnotenough	Jul 3rd, 2008 06:03:37 PM

Yeah, this qualifies as the best film news of the year by Latauro	Jul 3rd, 2008 07:19:00 PM
I think this is the only time I've been more than happy to double dip. I need to see this ASAP...
Visionary masterpiece by PhxMonsterGuy	Jul 3rd, 2008 07:38:28 PM
Best science fiction film EVER...decades ahead of it's time. I can't wait to see the restored version.
UPDATE: new footage WILL BE ON BLU-RAY! by ByTor	Jul 3rd, 2008 08:28:56 PM
From thedigitalbits.com: "We've just heard back from our friends over at Kino International. The good news is that they have officially confirmed that the newly-discovered footage from Fritz Lang's original version of Metropolis (which we mentioned yesterday) WILL be a part of the forthcoming special edition Blu-ray Disc release in 2009. What's more, the new special edition will be released on standard DVD format as well on the same day." YEAH, baby!
Kino BluRay by Lorquaine	Jul 3rd, 2008 09:22:21 PM
That's indeed great news. Questions are: Will they include it as bonus material only? Or will they offer two alternate film versions (cp. the Alien3 DVD with theatrical and optional assembly cut)? Or will they only offer one version, the long version? Regardless of what happens, will the new footage be digitally restored? How long does it take to beef up 25 minutes of wasted 16mm?
PhxMonsterGuy by Lorquaine	Jul 3rd, 2008 09:26:39 PM
Every good SciFi film is decades ahead of its time. That's a prerequisite. 2001 was, Blade Runner was… and well, probably even Capricorn One was, if you look at current conspiracy theories. (^_~)
FIRST TIME I HAVE SEEN FILM THUMBNAILS by EbertsFatThumb	Jul 3rd, 2008 09:49:34 PM
on the internet that wasn't from a porn movie.... :)
Lorquaine by ByTor	Jul 3rd, 2008 09:51:51 PM
All good questions. I expect Kino will make a detailed announcement in fairly short order. Hopefully it won't just be as bonus material. Regardless of whether the quality is sub-par, I want it integrated into the rest of the movie!
by BetaSword	Jul 3rd, 2008 10:39:29 PM
Well, i've DVB-T-Recorded that 'M' and burned it on DVD, and reading that METROPOLIS is gonna get Fully restored in it's original cut is kinda awesome. Damn, i've gotta get me that Mag to get to read the news. Well, and most probably sen d it to AICN, after that, if noone does it before me.
BetaSword by ByTor	Jul 3rd, 2008 10:47:38 PM
I do believe AICN has it and is working on a translation.
by MikeTheSpike	Jul 3rd, 2008 11:51:26 PM
Buenos Aires, German film... this didn't get sent over in mid-'45, did it?
I hear that in this version freder is a replicant by ironic_name	Jul 4th, 2008 02:51:30 AM

Can I return my Special Edition DVD now? by BenBraddock	Jul 4th, 2008 03:43:52 AM
This new edition sounds a lot more special. Specialer, in fact
lang was not a nazi,,,, by emeraldboy	Jul 4th, 2008 05:50:01 AM
his wife however was...
Maria the robot is... by JIMBOCOP	Jul 4th, 2008 07:09:24 AM
THE greatest 'lost' film prop/costume in history without doubt. What wouldn't I give to see that turn up in a Swiss vault or S American collection somewhere. Which reminds me, how DID this copy get to Buenos Aires anyway? By frikkin' U-Boat????? I don't care - I'm chomping at the bit to see this restored and released. Gimme! GIMME! G I M M E ! ! !
Fritz Lang, a "Nazi"...? by BurnHollywood	Jul 4th, 2008 07:41:59 AM
Same guy who fled Germany for the US after divorcing his Nazi wife? That guy? Man, that guy positively SUCKED at being a Nazi!
I pity the poor fool... by BurnHollywood	Jul 4th, 2008 07:43:28 AM
...Who's got to do clean-up on that bitch for DVD. DAAA-YAMMM!
I still can't get over how incredible this is. by Knuckleduster	Jul 4th, 2008 07:47:02 AM
Is this the greatest cinematic find ever?
by x_dereks_x	Jul 4th, 2008 07:55:59 AM
BTW, it should be public domain by now, isn't it?
@ Knuckleduster by Daytripper69	Jul 4th, 2008 08:00:35 AM
To answer your query... Yeah. I would have to say, it is!
Any other "lost" films? by Daytripper69	Jul 4th, 2008 08:12:37 AM
July 4, 2008.... celebrating the USA and UFA! What incredible news, I was thinking about this at work all day. This is likely to be the biggest artistic find of the year. The odds of finding a complete version of Metropolis was such a such a long shot, and we have this Adolfo Z. Wilson to thank for not destroying the print like he was contractually obligated to do after exhibiting the film. A whole dvd disc ought to be devoted to the story behind the survival of this complete version. And now that Metropolis has been found, what other "lost" films would make the top of the list? People mention the complete “Greed” and “Magnificent Ambersons,” but my top pick would have to be Kurosawa’s “The Idiot” adaptation...
x_dereks_x & Daytripper69: No Public Domain by Lorquaine	Jul 4th, 2008 08:15:30 AM
It's not Public Domain. All versions of "Metropolis" (incl. of course stills from the film) are copyrighted by the Murnau Foundation. But that doesn't mean, that AICN is not allowed to reproduce some images. In the US it could be regarded as fair-use, and even by German Urheberrecht-standards, this would probably be allowed: AICN is a news outlet for daily film news, even specialized on genre films, and §§49 & 50 German UrhG allows the use of copyrighted material, even the reproduction of complete articles, if the news is actually "daily news". Furthermore there is the right to citation (§51). But maybe AICN should add a copyright notice to the images.
Article update: moving images from ZDF by Lorquaine	Jul 4th, 2008 10:04:24 AM
The news report with the lost footage has not been added to the TV station's media archives, probably due to copyright reasons.
Flava Flav!!! by MetalMickey	Jul 4th, 2008 11:31:05 AM
Picture #5
Master Control Program! by kirttrik	Jul 4th, 2008 11:38:13 AM
Wow, I didn't know TRON was a sequel to Metropolis. FLYNN! STOP, FLYNN!
I think there's also a lost edit of... by kirttrik	Jul 4th, 2008 11:41:53 AM
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze. It has an extended Vanilla Ice dance sequence, what we saw in '91 is simply the tip of the iceberg.
Lost Cut of 2001? by grungies	Jul 4th, 2008 12:20:09 PM
Trouble is, this is Lang's original vision. Kubrick himself chose to cut out those sequences.
CG the fuck out this prehistoric print by AhnoldsBicep	Jul 4th, 2008 12:31:54 PM
Someone could easily CG enhance this, if they can make the Mutant Chronicles as shit as it looks they can easily replicate this kind of ancient 'fx'.
Wow by one9deuce	Jul 4th, 2008 12:45:49 PM
The original cut of METROPOLIS? That is truly amazing. Hopefully this isn't the last significant find. As others have pointed out there are more Holy Grails of lost film footage out there: THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS, GREED. Maybe the lost KING KONG footage will be found.......
kirttrik by eXcommunicated	Jul 4th, 2008 02:06:38 PM
"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze. It has an extended Vanilla Ice dance sequence, what we saw in '91 is simply the tip of the iceberg." My hat's off to you, sir! Good day!
So that Definitive Version I own is now the Obsolete Version by Phenom	Jul 4th, 2008 03:36:10 PM
Screwed again!
INTO THE VAULTS by thegreatwhatzit	Jul 4th, 2008 06:20:59 PM
After a profusion of trash like TRANSFORMERS, it's wonderful to read about the recovery of METROPOLIS footage. Geesh, could other excised footage be rescued? Claire Bloom's "sapphic" background in THE HAUNTING (hose-off, it was subtle stuff alluding to her lesbian girlfriend)...the Peggy Cummins footage that was scrapped from FOREVER AMBER...the original ending shot for DOUBLE INDEMNITY...the foreign language options actually articulated by Laurel and Hardy for the European release of their 2-reelers...the dining and courtship scenes trimmed from CITIZEN KANE...God, this should be the #1 priority of real fim aficionados.
Phenom by ByTor	Jul 4th, 2008 06:22:55 PM
Do you really feel screwed? Nobody knew this would be found...this is one of the very few double-dips that doesn't bother me at all.
Kino is rather cool. by ZeroCorpse	Jul 4th, 2008 06:24:02 PM
They do make some mistakes, though. For example, while their newly restored "Nosferatu: Ultimate Edition" is by far the best looking version of the film available, with proper title cards, tints, and framing, they screwed up on the soundtrack. Instead of using Gillian Anderson's (no relation) excellent reconstruction of the original music, they used a different arrangement that-- at times-- lends the wrong mood to scenes. They could have used Ms. Anderson's version, but failed to do so. That being said, I just wish Kino's DVDs weren't so pricey. When you consider all the public domain DVD versions out there are about $2.00 in bargain bins, it's sort of a large jump to go to $30 or $40 for a DVD version of a silent film, even if they did do an incredible job restoring it.
ZeroCorpse by ByTor	Jul 4th, 2008 06:29:59 PM
I'm no Kino apologist, but I don't begrudge them this...restorations are expensive. And if you've seen the bargain-bin DVDs...shudder. There used to be several versions of Metropolis floating around, and all except the Moroder version were just awful.
This must have Criterion.. by Half-Baked-Goggle-Box-Do-Gooder	Jul 4th, 2008 06:39:28 PM
......drooling like St. Bernards. [p]THE House of Restoration, it seems to me......Let them take a crack at it. They've never let me down yet...
Drat! by Half-Baked-Goggle-Box-Do-Gooder	Jul 4th, 2008 06:40:56 PM
Can somebody remind me how to do a GODDAMN PARAGRAPH around here?
Wouldn't an original edit be a public domain movie? by Royston Lodge	Jul 4th, 2008 06:54:57 PM
AFAIK, none of the currently available versions are legally public domain because the edits themselves are copyrighted. But an original edit of the film WOULD be in the public domain, so what incentive would there be for a company to release it? On the other hand, if a company took the time and money to digitally restore the footage, that restoration work would be copyrighted, so I guess somebody could make gobs of money off of it.
Will they clean up and remaster the found footage first? by Drath	Jul 4th, 2008 07:16:43 PM
Because those pics are significantly scratchier than the footage on the current DVD. Will it be possible to fix up that footage from a copy that's been sitting in an Argetine vault for 80 years? Also, won't it take time to record and match the score for the restored segments? I mean even if things move really fast, the earliest we can expect a really decent sharp DVD from this is what, another year? I'm not bitching, just wondering how long it'll take to do this right and if people can hold out seeing the compete film for that long? 80 years of waiting and the last stretch is always the longest. Interestingly I was just watching the movie for the first time this past week. I watched it over the course of several nights, and son of a gun I must be the last person in history to watch that and wonder if they'd ever find the missing footage because the next day it was announced to have been found. Thank you, God, that's cool!
Hope this comes to The Senator... by Jonah Echo	Jul 5th, 2008 03:33:35 AM
the old movie house in Baltimore(there was a petition here a while ago to help save it. I saw the Kino restoration there in 2002 with my dad, and it was amazing! Here's hoping.
Royston Lodge: not public domain by Lorquaine	Jul 5th, 2008 07:27:24 AM
The movie itself (i.e. also the original long edit) is copyrighted by the Murnau foundation. All rights are held by them. The different guises of the film to this date have all been derivates, version made from the original. Metropolis used to belong to German Terra film, and the Murnau foundation has acquired the complete Terra catalogue, incl. Metropolis, with the premiere cut "in absentia", so to speak. Wilson, the Argentine distributor, was working for Terra as well. So naturally, the newly found footage also belongs to the Murnau foundation.
Aint it Cool lives up to its name by the podosphere	Jul 5th, 2008 03:15:03 PM
with this bit of news.
Just thought I should share my Collection by RobotsInc.biz	Jul 5th, 2008 08:23:15 PM
http://robotsinc.biz/METROPOLI SINDEX.htm
Bioshock by Orionsangels	Jul 6th, 2008 01:46:20 AM

An incredibly important find for cinema by Teddy Artery	Jul 6th, 2008 11:31:36 PM
Fritz Lang has always been a favorite of mine, but what an astounding restoration this will eventually make. Wow.

Talkbacks

UPDATED!! Images From Newly Recovered METROPOLIS Footage!!

User login

Quick Talkback

Talkbacks