The Complete Metropolis

Miami Beach Cinematheque. Jun 4th, 5th and 6th, 2010. 8:00 p.m

altThe Miami Beach Cinematheque will present the premier digital presentation of Fritz Lang’s The Complete Metropolis, as part the The Kurosawa Centennial screening series, in collaboration with Miami Theatrical Digital Premiere.

From 1927 until the early 1980s, Metropolis was screened in a variety of versions and lengths, all of them derived from the general release prints cut by Paramount and UFA. In July 2008, it was announced that an essentially complete copy had been found – a 16mm dupe negative unearthed by the curator of the Buenos Aires Museo del Cine that was considerably longer than any existing print. It included not merely a few additional snippets, but 25 minutes of “lost” footage, about a fifth of the film, that had not been seen since its Berlin debut.

The discovery of such a significant amount of material called for yet another restoration, spearheaded again by the Murnau Foundation and coordinated by their Film Restorer Anke Wilkening. In Metropolis, a towering city of the future, society is divided into two classes: one of planners and management, who live high above the Earth in skyscrapers; and one of workers, who live and toil underground, slaves to the whistle of Metropolis’s ten-hour clock. Freder Fredersen, the only son of Metropolis’ ruler, lives a life of luxury. One day, he follows a beautiful girl down to the grim Lower City. Directed by Fritz Lang. 1927. Germany. Restored 2009. 147mins. Featuring Brigitte Helm, Carl Frohlich, Fritz Rasp and Rudolf Klein-Rogge.

Miami Beach Cinematheque
512 Española Way
Miami Beach, FL 33139
305.673.4567
www.mbcinema.com

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