He_who_lurks Tonight I saw the near-complete restored version of this film, roughly two hours and twenty five minutes. If you are seeing this movie for entertainment, I will warn you that while this is very very well done in acting and everything, there is more to it than the story it tells. There are biblical references, and a moral--a moral which must have time taken to think of it properly.As about ten minutes of "Metropolis" are presumed lost, portions of the story are missing--including one scene where the inventor Rotwang and Fredersen fight in Rotwang's attic. However, much of the story is here, and how is ten minutes of a movie of this length gonna affect the narrative? It doesn't. True, bits and pieces of the footage are a bit less restored--sometimes being grainy and blurry. I'm assuming these parts are more recently discovered and their restoration has not been as dedicated. As it is, however, it is powerful, complex, lavish and a true masterpiece.If you don't want it spoiled, skip the following paragraph. The story--a magnificent telling of an evil inventor, an angry mob, a prophetess, and a rebellion. Freder, the son of the creator of the whole metropolis, is destined to inherit the whole works after his father. Soon, however, he is mixed up with Maria--a prophetess who ministers the orphans of the city. Through a spy, the father, Joh Fredersen, learns of Maria and his son's fascination with her, and commands Rotwang, the inventor, to turn his robot into an exact image of Maria. Little does he know what he is doing to the city. For the robotic Maria proves to be a wicked leader who leads the workers who keep the city alive in a revolt. They destroy the machines and flood the city before realizing what they are doing. The real Maria however is helping the orphans of the city escape the flood. Freder, in the show-down of the film, then gets into a fight with Rotwang and succeeds in killing him.But there is more to it than that.Every good movie, silent era or otherwise, has a moral. While "Metropolis" has amazing imagery, such as beautiful sets and all that jazz, it has a moral too, which states "The head and hands cannot be connected without the heart". What does this mean? That to think and act you must put love into your actions? To enjoy the movie and discard the moral is a mistake. It is something that must be pondered.

funsterdad On so many levels, this film is truly brilliant! An early achievement in SF, an epic of epic length prior to the days before sound, "Metropolis" must have been found by its German viewers as provocative, to say the least. Now it can be viewed for that in historical terms, given a subplot with its communist overtones and its religious symbolism. The special effects used in this magnificent piece of cinema were way ahead of their time, as was the prophetic message. "Metropolis" is an absolute must-see for the student of film and for anyone else interested in film history and culture!

mlink-36-9815 There is no mention in the various versions of the BBC Metropolis which was issued on TV 1975-78 on PBS in USA. I was fortunate to own a vcr at that time to record it. 126 min. - it is superior to the kino versions in many ways - for one they used a German original 35mm print. BBC added synchronized sound effects and by use of videotape were able to slow the film down to a normal speed. Making it a much different and better movie. The Complete version is way too fast and makes it look ridiculous in some scenes. BTW the Murnau folks censored their version which is borne out by a comparison with the BBC version. The German version uses the best takes.Australian Metropolis - this tinted print was the basis of the Moroder version. It is special in that it uses the writing of Channing Pollock who was hired by Paraufamet to create a profitable English language version - All Pollock ended up doing was to make a complicated movie incomprehensible by dumb editing choices. Left alone Metropolis by Fritz Lang was a 3 hour movie and if projected properly the complete version would be 3 hours. For some unknown reason they need to cram this epic picture into 150 min. there is much more info than I could write here. [email protected]

CinemaClown An ambitious, audacious & astounding example of science-fiction and one of the most influential & essential works of the silent era, Metropolis is widely recognised as a masterpiece of imagination, creativity & filmmaking art today and its vision of the future & the depicted relation between man & machine was far ahead of its time, and although its groundbreaking technical craftsmanship is still capable of dazzling everyone, its narrative isn't as compelling.A silent feature film with a runtime exceeding 150 minutes was never going to be a comfortable sit but given the film's reputation, it was a must-watch. And Metropolis does manage to transfix in its earlier moments with its dystopian setting & unsettling illustration of what a human is reduced to. The countless innovations in cinematography & practical effects do make you wonder how any of it was accomplished back then but after a while, its runtime is severely felt.Set in a dystopian future, the story of Metropolis takes place in the titular city which is home to an utopian society where a sharp divide lies between the working class & city planners, as the former works incessantly to keep the machines running to power the city while the latter enjoys a carefree life. The plot follows the son of the city's mastermind who falls in love with a working class prophet who has predicted the coming of a mediator who will solve all their differences.Co-written & directed by Fritz Lang (best known for M), Metropolis is jam-packed with pioneering effects & inventive camera-work and begins with a captivating sequence that firmly establishes the difference between the two classes that reside there. Lang's vision of the future is undoubtedly praiseworthy and he leaves no stone unturned to provide a sense of grandeur to it. The characters, however, aren't as richly defined and fail to leave a lasting mark unlike its futuristic cityscape.From the technical standpoint, Metropolis is nothing short of a marvel. Its meticulously detailed set pieces & elaborate miniatures play a key role in bringing the titular city to life. Cinematography is a major highlight, for it keeps experimenting with different techniques & lighting elements to give the whole picture a surreal touch & mechanical feel, and works in tandem with its revolutionary effects. Lastly, music is ever-present throughout its runtime and is synchronised with the unfolding events.But Metropolis isn't without its shortcomings, even though it isn't responsible for most of them. Its chaotic moments, often depicted in fast-forward mode, appears unintentionally funny at times and undermines the seriousness of the given moment. Editing is an issue, for its pace isn't streamlined and the film as a whole feels quite overlong in the end. It is often the case when you already know the direction it will take but the wait for those turns are often frustrating as few of its moments are overly stretched.Coming to the acting department, the cast consists of Alfred Abel, Gustav Fröhlich, Brigitte Helm & Rudolph Klein-Rogge, with only Helm managing to make a strong impression. Fröhlich is no show- stealer and often oversteps the line, Abel is in firm control of his character and plays his part really well, Klein-Rogge's performance only gets more lunatic as plot progresses, while Helm delivers an act that finds her emotions & expressions on both sides of the extreme but it's in accordance with her character's requirements.On an overall scale, Metropolis is a cleverly envisioned, smartly directed & expertly rendered sci-fi that was unlike anything at its time of release and can still surprise some newcomers despite being 90 years old. I've got nothing but admiration for the level of inventiveness that's present in virtually every frame of this picture but sitting through its overlong & soulless narrative wasn't as rewarding or memorable as I expected. Immortal for its contribution to cinema, pop culture & architecture yet nothing more than just another tick mark on my checklist, Metropolis is timeless, but only in bits n pieces.