Fritz Lang's Metropolis "Restored"

[3113]

Or, rather, restored as much as it can be until and unless the rest is found. Evidently, after Lang originally showed Metropolis, it was edited and shortened--and given it's near original running time of 163 minutes you can see why. This one restores some of that missing film and uses (I believe) the original music--they even went back to the original script which had been censored by, I guess, some German film board.

So, how is it? Well, come on. We are talking a silent movie where everyone reacts as if they're in a Victorian melodrama. Where characters and extras literally beat their breasts when not clutching at them (Maria does a lot of that), where the evil scientist makes dramatic gestures that would put comic book villains to shame, and the hero of the story has wild hallucinations of men being eaten by demons and the seven deadly sins dancing about. We even get the Whore of Babylon on her 7-headed serpent.

What more could you ask for? You will laugh out loud during certain parts, as we and our audience did, there's really no helping it, especially when Maria (wearing a spangled skirt and a pair of pasties) does her erotic dance that makes the men go wild with desire! but....

BUT...it is still marvelous. The deco design of the city, interior and exterior is incredible--down to the wallpaper--and robot Maria is still one of the most amazing robots ever put on screen. Some of the direction and "special effects" are amazing for the time--and also seminal as it seem Hollywood stole from it a lot and still is stealing from it. Worth seeing especially with a friend.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/06/Metropolisposter.jpg/200px-Metropolisposter.jpg

 

[The_Fool]

I wanna clutch some breasts...

 

[voluptuary_manque]

I wanna clutch some breasts...

Me, too!

 

[3113]

I wanna clutch some breasts...

Me, too!

I'm sorry to inform you, boys, but in Metropolis, you only get to clutch your own. Evidently the Germans were into pinching their nipples.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

I'm sorry to inform you, boys, but in Metropolis, you only get to clutch your own. Evidently the Germans were into pinching their nipples.

No surprise. For as decadent a society as post WWI Berlin was, their sex lives left a bit to be desired. Too much opium, too little sex.

 

[TE999]

The imaginings of the future in 'Metropolis' are quite sophisticated for the time, as are the special effects. I've seen the version with the soundtrack by 'Queen', but I'd like to see this version with 'lost' footage added and the original music score.

Is it on DVD?

 

[jomar]

Watching it requires several bong hits or at least a sharing a fattie on the way to the theater. Or so I've heard.

 

[3113]

Is it on DVD?

Limited theater release for now. I don't know if there is any plans for it to come out on DVD--either way, I recommend going for the theater experience.

Watching it requires several bong hits or at least a sharing a fattie on the way to the theater. Or so I've heard.

Actually, not required, though if you'd like to do it that way, but all means. I had no bong hits at all and found it plenty trippy without.

 

[TheeGoatPig]

There was a point in time back in my teens where I really wanted to see this movie. That time has come and gone, and I'm not sure I care much at all anymore.

 

[The_Fool]

I'm sorry to inform you, boys, but in Metropolis, you only get to clutch your own. Evidently the Germans were into pinching their nipples.

Fuck...

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Fuck...

That would be a good idea, too. I'm so horny I can hardly stand up.

 

[jomar]

Actually, not required, though if you'd like to do it that way, but all means. I had no bong hits at all and found it plenty trippy without.

Why, I had no idea you did LSD. I'm impressed.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Hey, Stan Owlsley was a Californian . . .

 

[TE999]

Watching it requires several bong hits or at least a sharing a fattie on the way to the theater. Or so I've heard.

We'd get ripped and go see 'Fantasia' when it was re-released in theaters. That was cool. 'Fantasia 2' sucked big time.

Limited theater release for now. I don't know if there is any plans for it to come out on DVD--either way, I recommend going for the theater experience.

'Limited release' means I won't see it unless it makes it to Orlando or West Palm Beach. Phooey!

 

[rbijon]

Or, rather, restored as much as it can be until and unless the rest is found. Evidently, after Lang originally showed Metropolis, it was edited and shortened--and given it's near original running time of 163 minutes you can see why. This one restores some of that missing film and uses (I believe) the original music--they even went back to the original script which had been censored by, I guess, some German film board.

So, how is it? Well, come on. We are talking a silent movie where everyone reacts as if they're in a Victorian melodrama. Where characters and extras literally beat their breasts when not clutching at them (Maria does a lot of that), where the evil scientist makes dramatic gestures that would put comic book villains to shame, and the hero of the story has wild hallucinations of men being eaten by demons and the seven deadly sins dancing about. We even get the Whore of Babylon on her 7-headed serpent.

What more could you ask for? You will laugh out loud during certain parts, as we and our audience did, there's really no helping it, especially when Maria (wearing a spangled skirt and a pair of pasties) does her erotic dance that makes the men go wild with desire! but....

BUT...it is still marvelous. The deco design of the city, interior and exterior is incredible--down to the wallpaper--and robot Maria is still one of the most amazing robots ever put on screen. Some of the direction and "special effects" are amazing for the time--and also seminal as it seem Hollywood stole from it a lot and still is stealing from it. Worth seeing especially with a friend.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/06/Metropolisposter.jpg/200px-Metropolisposter.jpg

I love this film and the set designs, a true classic!

 

[voluptuary_manque]

We'd get ripped and go see 'Fantasia' when it was re-released in theaters. That was cool. 'Fantasia 2' sucked big time.



'Limited release' means I won't see it unless it makes it to Orlando or West Palm Beach. Phooey!

I remember that! Seeing Fantasia in San Francisco in 1971 . . . never were the colors so bright. And I disagree. I liked '2', especially the Mt. St. Helen's segment. And the 'Rhapsody in Blue' was classic.

 

[Verdad]

It's comforting to see plots sucked as badly in the good old days as they do now. Definitely a must see, though. I had great fun, and without a bong in sight.

I've seen the version with the soundtrack by 'Queen',

Wheee, that must have been the infamous Moroder version. With a soundtrack composed by Giorgio Moroder, and performed by Freddie Mercury, Bony Tyler, etc. Now I want to see that too!

A taste: Freddie Mercury - Love Kills (Metropolis Soundtrack)

More atrocious than Flash Gordon!

 

[TheeGoatPig]

It's comforting to see plots sucked as badly in the good old days as they do now. Definitely a must see, though. I had great fun, and without a bong in sight.



Wheee, that must have been the infamous Moroder version. With a soundtrack composed by Giorgio Moroder, and performed by Freddie Mercury, Bony Tyler, etc. Now I want to see that too!

A taste: Freddie Mercury - Love Kills (Metropolis Soundtrack)

More atrocious than Flash Gordon!

Shut your mouth, I love Flash Gordon!

 

[Verdad]

Shut your mouth, I love Flash Gordon!

I do too, for a certain sense of love!

 

[LaRocha]

Metropolis is so boring it made me fall asleep twice, and I love sci-fi and utopian/dystopian depictions. M is where it's at.

 

[slyc_willie]

Funny how you can see so many obvious inspirations in modern movies which originated in Metropolis. Watching just a few clips on YouTube, I saw where obvious parallels were drawn in films such as Equilibrium and Fifth Element, which were made three quarters of a century later. Fritz Lang's vision of the future seems to have been taken as the definitive "look." Star Wars, Star Trek, and hosts of other shows and movies appear to have been built upon Lang's basic platform, in much the same way that Tolkein established the norm for modern fantasy.

I hope this new release of Metropolis comes to San Antonio.