Published by the US Library of Congress in 2013 A study with absolutely dramatic conclusions : 75% of American films shot and produced during the silent era between 1912-1929 were irretrievably lost. Of the 11,000 films produced, only 1,575 still exist.
And this applied not only to small films forgotten by everyone, but also to famous works, such as Tod Browning’s fantastic London After Midnight with Lon Chaney, or the first adaptation of The Great Gatsby, which was released in 1926, a year later. Publishing a book by F. Scott Fitzgerald. This shows the extent of the disaster.
If the observation in France seems less alarming, because of the lesser influence of censorship and the firmer policy of studio conservation, as written Article from Slate Also published in 2013 in the wake of research by the Library of Congress, the fact remains that these works have created many conservation problems, especially due to the great weakness of the film reels made of ammonium nitrate, extremely flammable.
Add to that various legal problems, wheels sometimes being stored somewhere and not being inventoried at all through pure carelessness, just to name a few, and a large number of works have been declared lost forever.
But sometimes, thanks to miracles, after many decades, certain works are discovered, which gives great pleasure to movie lovers. This is especially true of the metropolis.
A version found by chance in Argentina
Directed by Fritz Lang, screenplay adapted from Thea von Harbu’s original novel, Metropolis is a silent black and white film that tells the story of the class struggle in the megapolis of a dystopian society in 2026.
A sci-fi film of incredible modernity that fueled the imagination of many filmmakers, but also influenced architecture and even the world of video games with its great influence, Metropolis was a technical and human tour de force, shot in 310 days and 60 nights. . The critical and commercial failure of Fritz Lang’s film was more painful.
Back in 2008, it was a small cinematic marvel that fans of The 7th Art wish they could see more often. An almost complete version of the film with its missing scenes was found in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
“Nearly every scene that was previously lost has been found, including two large, important scenes” said Anke Wilkening, conservator of the Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau Foundation, which owns the film rights and is responsible for preserving Germany’s film heritage.
These scenes, which amount to almost 25 minutes, appeared on 16 mm film, which was discovered in a private house by the staff of the Cinema Museum in the Argentine capital. On February 12, 2010, a new restored version, 145 minutes long, was shown simultaneously in Berlin as part of the 60th Berlinale at the Old Frankfurt Opera and Art, accompanied by the original musical score written in 1926 by Gottfried Huppertz. , performed live by the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra.
After more than 80 years of research, shortened versions and several restorations, we can finally see an almost complete version, in any case the closest to the version created by Fritz Lang in 1927.
Source: Allocine
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
