The masterpiece of German cinema by director Fritz Lang, 1927′s Metropolis has been influencing filmmakers since it was first shown to the public. An evocative and existential tale of humanity, Metropolis is renowned for its breathtaking special effects. From the Tower of Babel to the construction of the robot Maria, the film is a marvel of cinematic majesty. A silent film, the movie has been released with several different soundtracks, ranging from rock opera to traditional. Lost material has been long rumored to exist, yet many of the film’s devotees have thought that an extended cut of Metropolis was nothing more than a lovelorn wish.
The recently released remastered edition has extended the film to 147 minutes with 25 minutes of footage thought to be lost since its cinema debut along with the original musical score.
The latest restored remastered version of Metropolis has been playing across the country, but for those who missed out, it is also available on DVD.
Buy Metropolis on DVD
For those unfamiliar with this film, Metropolis is truly a masterpiece of movie-making and possibly the most important science fiction story ever told. Set in a futuristic city where the rich clamor in their vices while the proletariats toll away a 13 hour work day in the bowels of the city, it unflinchingly exposes the post-industrial age for the anti-human reality that it is. The beautiful and courageous Maria preaches to the workers that in order to make their world complete a mediator must connect the mind to the hands, acting as a heart. A machine is built in her image to spread mayhem and destruction, turning the society into a self-devouring monstrous mob.
A captivating and timeless work, I am overjoyed that additional care is being given to it and hope that as the movie-going public has more readily accepted science fiction and fantasy than ever before that this movie finds new life in a young audience.
