All modern sci-fi films, particularly Star Wars and Blade Runner, owe a debt of gratitude to Metropolis, Fritz Lang's silent classic from 1927. Rewatching the newly restored version with about 25 minutes of once thought to have been lost footage added, it is truly an expansive visionary masterpiece. The sets, which I believe are a combination of hand drawings and miniatures, are awesome in their scope and the scenes with the thousands of extras, such as the Tower of Babel and the worker's revolt scenes, are grand as well. It is strange watching the reconstructed version, which is still (and probably forever) incomplete because missing segments are filled in with intertite plot cards and new footage is so badly damaged that it is grainy at best. This only adds mystery to the film and enhances the viewing experience. All science fiction aficionados should make a stop here to see the origins of their beloved genre. This is also a must see for film lovers in general.
5/22/10 review Fritz Lang's 1927 Metropolis was both a prime example of German Expressionism and the father of the science fiction film, particularly the futuristic Sci-Fi films. It is Lang's vast and imagined skylines which are the true stars of his silent masterpiece. Seen now, they seem inconceivable at the time, along with a lot of the other sets in the movie. The story is strange indeed as it tells the story of the son of an industrial magnate who falls in love with some kind of supernatural woman of the workers, and then leads a worker's revolt. This had long been an incomplete film as the original had been destroyed and the film had to be reconstructed. Recently, a full but damaged print was found and 25 minutes were added to the movie, making clear a few of the subplots. I'm not sure this has helped the film as it makes it a tad overlong, but it can be sure that Metropolis remains an intricate, intriguing, and beautiful film.
****
