
Full Version of Metropolis Found - mbateman
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/05/movies/05metropolis.html
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jeremyswank
The newly restored version, which I saw recently thanks to a torrent, is a
much, much better movie (both finer as an art work and more entertaining) than
the truncated, barely coherent, version that I remember from being in film
school in the 1980s. The restored version displays a richness and fullness of
story line that the truncated version, which circulated for decades, only
hints at. (Personally, I consider the Moroder version to be a true esthetic
atrocity, not worth watching.)

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smallblacksun
I'm glad I'm not the only person who found the (shortened) version almost
incomprehensible.

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Prolorn
_The cumulative result is a version of “Metropolis” whose tone and focus have
been changed. “It’s no longer a science-fiction film,” said Martin Koerber, a
German film archivist and historian who supervised the latest restoration and
the earlier one in 2001. “The balance of the story has been given back. It’s
now a film that encompasses many genres, an epic about conflicts that are ages
old. The science-fiction disguise is now very, very thin.”_

So, it's been rescued from the ghetto? I respect your restoration work, Mr
Koerber, but I'm not sure I appreciate the implication.

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mechanical_fish
Well, let's be fair: The guy is making a literary-critical statement which is
being quoted out of context in a non-native language. We have little idea of
what he's really trying to say.

For example, even native speakers of English use the phrase "science fiction"
in different ways, to mean different things. Just ask anyone who has read a
protracted argument about the difference between _SF_ , _science fiction_ ,
and _sci-fi_ , or the difference between _hard SF_ , _space opera_ , and _B-
movie sci-fi_.

One of many possible charitable interpretations: Back when _Metropolis_ had
been cut into ribbons, the plot was hard to follow, half the characters were
missing, and the allusions to various genres were hard to grasp, so we just
watched the movie because it had an atmospheric future city and an awesome
shiny fembot. Now we not only get the scenery and the robot, but also some
idea of why the filmmakers put them there, and apparently it's not just
"because eye candy sells tickets".

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Prolorn
Hmm, perhaps. I hadn't considered the language barrier, but it's a good point.
I guess the thought that a great work has to drop its science fiction
"disguise" to gain respect raised my hackles. Hopefully the more charitable
view is correct.

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chaosmachine
A music forum I'm on did a complete re-scoring of the original film. Here's my
favorite 3 minutes from the project:

<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGw6PncahcM>

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RevRal
I am amazed and still laughing at the guy who comes out with the flashlight.

Is there any place I could DL the entire score as a single file so I can play
it over my Metropolis DVD? I don't feel like watching it with this scoring on
youtube.

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swannodette
Yup, look forward to seeing the masterwork @ Film Forum, NYC.

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SapphireSun
Saw it yesterday! The music was incredible and Marie was hilarious.

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wazoox
I know I was right not to buy the DVD yet... :) I'll watch "docktor Mabuse"
tonight to celebrate!

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ROFISH
I had the privilege of watching the Gergio Moroder 1980's cut, and I cannot
wait for the full version.

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erickhill
I did, too, and loved it as a kid. They'll never officially" release Moroder's
version on DVD, but there are other sources...
<http://www.morodermetropolisdvd.com/>

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cdibona
I have the soundtrack from it, which is admittedly the most embarrassing part
:-)

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hristov
That's great. Let's hope they find the original version of the The Magnificent
Ambersons next.

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dnsworks
I swear I've read this story 10 times over the past two years. At least two or
three times on the New York times.

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Legion
Hopefully whomever "found" it now will keep it safe somewhere so it doesn't
need "finding" again.

Kidding aside, I have the "Moroder version" on DVD and very much look forward
to the DVD release of the "really, truly full" one the article claims is
coming.

