LA Times: The restoration of 'Metropolis'

[Mitch Farish]

I agree with you about German expressionism in films. Clearly something like "Caligari" benefits greatly from the visuals. My comment, though, was referring to abstract expressionism in the visual arts (painters such as Jackson Pollock).

I understand; but German Expressionism entered film from the visual arts after WWI, and was a factor not only in the set design for Caligari, but in the subjectively exaggerated performances of the players. Although Lang has denied it played a role in the stylized acting in Metropolis, it's difficult to accept that, as a connoisseur and collector of modern art, he didn't make use of it.

[Arndt]

Although Lang has denied it played a role in the stylized acting in Metropolis, it's difficult to accept that, as a connoisseur and collector of modern art, he didn't make use of it.

In Lang's DR MABUSE DER SPIELER Count von Told asks Dr Mabuse what he thinks of his collection of expressionist art. He replies: "Expressionismus ist Spielerei... Aber warum auch nicht? - Alles ist heute Spielerei-!" (Expressionism is just a game...But why not? - Everything is just a game these days-!)
Make of that what you will.

[Battra92]

Has anyone heard that a print of the original Channing Pollock edit has been posted on YouTube?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcKc257aE9E" target="_blank" target="_blank

It's a print from Australia's National Film Archive. The soundtrack is comprised of music from MegaMan games. It's a weird choice of accompaniment, but it's better than no film at all...

Better than the Morodor score.

Personally, I love Metropolis; warts and all. I love Passion of Joan of Arc and all those other stuffy European films. Sometimes I wonder if some of you people like *anything.*

[Christopher Jacobs]

Has anyone heard that a print of the original Channing Pollock edit has been posted on YouTube?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcKc257aE9E" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank

It's a print from Australia's National Film Archive. The soundtrack is comprised of music from MegaMan games. It's a weird choice of accompaniment, but it's better than no film at all...

Better than the Morodor score.

Personally, I love Metropolis; warts and all. I love Passion of Joan of Arc and all those other stuffy European films. Sometimes I wonder if some of you people like *anything.*

Some hours ago, I just finished watching the heavily stylized and intentionally artificial 1958 Kinoshita version of THE BALLAD OF NARAYAMA, which I found far more emotionally involving and moving than the more realistic 1983 Imamura remake (although it's been close to 30 years since I've seen that version, so I might change my mind seeing it again). Had I seen the 1958 version 30-40 years ago, however, I probably would have found it merely a curiosity. With any film from any era in any style, it does take a certain understanding and acceptance of conventions to be able to see through them to the heart and humanity of the plot.

That said, I can appreciate METROPOLIS and admire its execution, but still find it to be too heavy-handed a bit too often much of the time. However, I still need to watch the latest restoration all the way through without interruption one of these nights.

[telical]

Has anyone heard that a print of the original Channing Pollock edit has been posted on YouTube?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcKc257aE9E" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank

It's a print from Australia's National Film Archive. The soundtrack is comprised of music from MegaMan games. It's a weird choice of accompaniment, but it's better than no film at all...

Better than the Morodor score.

Considering all the pretension that surrounds silent film music, I found this video game music
both funny and making me want to watch the film more.

Nothing ruins a vintage comedy more than extremely dull, "period" piano music.
I think most modern audiences also would find this to be the case. Better to have
music that is interesting to modern ears than very dull, monotonous, moldy music
that unfairly invalidates the images on the screen by association.

[entredeuxguerres]

... but still find it to be too heavy-handed a bit too often much of the time.

No doubt about it...yet what proportion of H'wood dramas could escape entirely the same criticism? What makes the heavy-handedness of Metropolis go down easier for me, relative to the same in a naturalistic production, is the stylized acting & expressionistic sets--in such a strange place as Metropolis, force-fed morality lessons, like those in a fairy tale, are matter of course.

[Harlett O'Dowd]

... but still find it to be too heavy-handed a bit too often much of the time.

No doubt about it...yet what proportion of H'wood dramas could escape entirely the same criticism? What makes the heavy-handedness of Metropolis go down easier for me, relative to the same in a naturalistic production, is the stylized acting & expressionistic sets--in such a strange place as Metropolis, force-fed morality lessons, like those in a fairy tale, are matter of course.

What I find so interesting about the restorations is that the restored footage turns Gustav Fröhlich's character from a twit into an almost conventional Hollywood action hero. Clearly Lang was interested in "popcorn movies" at this stage in his career as Willy Fritsch in Spione is doing much the same thing.

There really are two films here - Lang's sci fi popcorn extravaganza and Thea von Harbou's nonsensical morality play. Von Harbou emerged victorious in the Paramount edit, but it's the Lang we return to see. I'm thrilled for the new restoration as Metropolis is one of a handful of films I happily watch over ... and over ... and over.

[WaverBoy]

Agreed 100%. The (nearly) complete restoration works pretty much perfectly for me, morality play and all, which I find palatable enough within the uber-stylized framework. I too could never get tired of watching it; an ingeniously designed, enthralling gigantic hunk of entertainment; my type of popcorn movie.

I simply can't relate to METROPOLIS bashers.