METROPOLIS

**The Divide** · 10-07-2003, 12:01 AM

lol yeah, sorry that was clumsey. Well both, i wanna see it for sure. But if its download I would have to get some 1 else to download it. This 56k connection would be screaming for mercy after downloading a 3-4 hour film. I am going to have a look for it now

**death on a stick** · 10-07-2003, 09:26 AM

Originally Posted by davethedrummer

i'd really like to see what jeff mills did with metropolis
its a silent movie originally innit?
i wonder if there's some way of putting the 2 together and burning it???
hmmm
anybody??

Not sure that'd be possible. Mills used an edited version of the film that lasted about 50 minutes. Not sure if it's a unique edit or an appended version or what, but I think synching it would be a nightmare to say the least. Apparently the Fritz Lang estate, while they have no objection to the project or it being screened, won't allow a commercial release. A shame.

**Patrick** · 10-07-2003, 09:52 AM

Originally Posted by death on a stick

Originally Posted by davethedrummer

i'd really like to see what jeff mills did with metropolis
its a silent movie originally innit?
i wonder if there's some way of putting the 2 together and burning it???
hmmm
anybody??

Not sure that'd be possible. Mills used an edited version of the film that lasted about 50 minutes. Not sure if it's a unique edit or an appended version or what, but I think synching it would be a nightmare to say the least. Apparently the Fritz Lang estate, while they have no objection to the project or it being screened, won't allow a commercial release. A shame.

Ironically the movie Metropolis triggers nearly as many arguments as Mills himself does. There are quite a few versions flying around and people will argue til they are blue in the face as to which one is the right one, the way Lang meant us to see it. The current DVD release does include all of the original Lang version (which no longer exists so it's hard to verify these claims), plus some scenes he chose to leave out have been added back in. There was a version/edit that was released sometime in the '60s that's about 114 minutes long.
There was also a version released by Giorgio Moroder in '84 which has the shortest run time (80 minutes) of all the versions, but somehow is also reputed to be the most complete version (in terms of following the original plot most accurately) prior to the current dvd release. Maybe Mills used this version to add his soundtrack to ?

**ampassasinbirmingham** · 10-07-2003, 11:53 AM

we wtached the vhs version. it has all the available footage, plus some reinacted scenes that were shot like the original as some of the footage has been lost.

**BritishMurderBoy** · 10-07-2003, 01:34 PM

patrick, so that DVD you have had the full Lang version how he intended it to be viewed? i find that hard to believe....

**ampassasinbirmingham** · 10-07-2003, 02:03 PM

havnt u got the vesion on how lang wanted it to be viewed dan? cuz its got recreated scenes to imatate the lost scenes, therefore it being just like the original.

Im currently teching everyone about the virtues of badger bite in the office whilst playing your surgeon"karma cd:):)

p.s) if u ring me dan, it would be well appreciated as it would break my day up a little!!!

**ampassasinbirmingham** · 10-07-2003, 02:06 PM

ive been doing some research on u dan and it seems contracted 13 types of genital warts whilst traveling through cambodia!!!

**BritishMurderBoy** · 10-07-2003, 02:43 PM

billy i sent you a private message....

**Patrick** · 10-07-2003, 02:54 PM

Originally Posted by BritishMurderBoy

patrick, so that DVD you have had the full Lang version how he intended it to be viewed? i find that hard to believe....

No mate, that's not what I meant. That's why I put "(which no longer exists so it's hard to verify these claims)" after their claim, cos like yourself I doubt it's true. I just read on some website before I bought it that the Kino International release contains all the footage of the original Lang 1927 release, plus some previously deleted scenes. However as all copies of the original have been lost and we've only got other edits, copies and hearsay to go on I totally agree with you and find it hard to believe that this is in fact the Lang version. It's the kind of flannel they're bound to say when releasing another version, isn't it ? "This is the definitive, never before seen version as originally intended by Fritz Lang yada yada yada". I'd suspect it's total bollox. But it's still a great version.

Lang himself is known to have hated the ending and wanted to reshoot it. However a couple of blokes called Hitler and Goebbels saw that version in some small town cinema and loved it. They then asked Lang to make some nazi propaganda movies for them on the strength of that. At that point Lang up and left for Hollywood. That's got nothing to do with the version I've got on dvd, but it's interesting anyway :D

Anyway, the version on the DVD I've got is 1 hour and 58 minutes long, whatever that tells us.

**Patrick** · 10-07-2003, 02:57 PM

Originally Posted by davethedrummer

must admit i'd love to write music for a film

I've got a couple of silent Charlie Chaplin and Laurel and Hardy 8mm films. You're welcome to have a go........ :P

**crime** · 10-07-2003, 02:59 PM

Originally Posted by Patrick

Lang himself is known to have hated the ending and wanted to reshoot it. However a couple of blokes called Hitler and Goebbels saw that version in some small town cinema and loved it. They then asked Lang to make some nazi propaganda movies for them on the strength of that. At that point Lang up and left for Hollywood.

Mental!

**BritishMurderBoy** · 10-07-2003, 03:12 PM

Originally Posted by Patrick

Originally Posted by BritishMurderBoy

patrick, so that DVD you have had the full Lang version how he intended it to be viewed? i find that hard to believe....

No mate, that's not what I meant. That's why I put "(which no longer exists so it's hard to verify these claims)" after their claim, cos like yourself I doubt it's true. I just read on some website before I bought it that the Kino International release contains all the footage of the original Lang 1927 release, plus some previously deleted scenes. However as all copies of the original have been lost and we've only got other edits, copies and hearsay to go on I totally agree with you and find it hard to believe that this is in fact the Lang version. It's the kind of flannel they're bound to say when releasing another version, isn't it ? "This is the definitive, never before seen version as originally intended by Fritz Lang yada yada yada". I'd suspect it's total bollox. But it's still a great version.

**Patrick** · 10-07-2003, 03:19 PM

:lol: :lol: An interesting, well made point, Dan. :lol: :lol: :P

**BritishMurderBoy** · 10-07-2003, 03:19 PM

bloody computer!!!!

what i ment to ad was

i understand now.. my version is very up it's own arse about how acurate it is to the original.. to be honest i dont think anyone will ever know now how it was ment to be seen.. but it adds a great deal of intrigue to the film dont you think??

i think it would be interesting to see a modern silent adaptation of the film with a contemporary sound track.. i think the messages the film is trying to put across about civil disorder, worker rights and capitalism in general are very thought provoking...

just for those of you that care: the film had a cast of over 37,000 people the largest ever in the film industry and cost $2 million to make in 1926..

i you apply as base rate of inflation @ 2.5% and multiply this by 80 years the film would have cost $400000000 by todays prices making it the most expensive film ever made (even more than that crap film waterworld that kevin kostner was in)

**davethedrummer** · 11-07-2003, 01:53 AM

o.k.
i'm on the case.
let's try to get the best version we can agree on
and set it to j.mills' music!
i think we should organise a forum viewing once it's done.

actually....

maybe not

**MARKEG** · 11-07-2003, 03:24 AM

forum viewing - yeah wow.

can you imagine us all sat there viewing this shit..

i'd love that!

**eyes without a face** · 11-07-2003, 10:36 AM

haha

i personally couldnt think of anything worse than watchin a silent film thats been backed with some abstract nonsense from jeff mills.

**ampassasinbirmingham** · 11-07-2003, 11:03 AM

at the beggining of the film where all the workers are going in unison and everything is all mechanical. The workers make the city tock niceley over.

I think this film inspired hitler to start wars!!!!

also go onto the axis web site. look at the movies, and download the metropolis movie and mills has cut up snippets of the film and put music to it. Just a taster for u lot that havnt seen any of it.

**BritishMurderBoy** · 11-07-2003, 05:32 PM

Originally Posted by MARK EG

can you imagine us all sat there viewing this shit..

you honestly believe both the film and the lp are shit mark?

**Methodixxx** · 12-07-2003, 04:53 AM

Mills did a screening of it down here in Sydney a few (2 or 3 maybe?) years ago with his sound track... works well me thinx...

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