Kino International will soon re-release a digitally restored 35mm presentation of “Metropolis,” beginning with a premiere on July 12th, 2002 at the Film Forum in New York. The feature will then expand to other theatres nationally.
As many fans know, “Metropolis” was drastically cut within three weeks after its 1927 release in Germany. The film has been painstakingly researched and digitally restored from positive prints, dupe negatives and camera originals assembled from around the world. Due to the inclusion of many additional intertitles, recovered shots and one additional short scene, the new version is significantly longer than any previous theatrical or video release.
All 1257 scenes have been digitally restored, recalling the film’s original photographic detail and removing traces of time, scratches and splices. This version premiered as a work in progress at the 2001 Berlin Film Festival with the final reel of footage still unrestored. Next month’s re-release marks the U.S. theatrical premiere of the now-completed restoration.
For more on the “Metropolis” re-release and other Kino offerings, pay a visit to the excellent Kino International site.
