Movie history buffs rejoice! One of the most highly regarded and influential movies of all-time will play on the big screen in its complete form for the first time in more than 70 years, according to Variety.
Until last year, viewers had to accept that the German silent Metropolis, directed by Fritz Lang, was incomplete and would likely never see restoration. The movie debuted in May 1927, but performed poorly, prompting producers to axe several key sequences. The resulting shorter running time eliminated key plot advancements and character developments.
The trimmed material was eventually lost, leading to the current version of Metropolis, which features intertitles describing certain plot details. But in July 2008, a complete print of the movie was found unexpectedly in the archives of an Argentinean museum.
Since then, the print has undergone extensive restoration, leaving fans, critics, and historians to wait eagerly for an announcement regarding the first screening. Today, the wait is over: The Berlin Film Festival announced that it will host the debut screening of the complete movie on February 10. Festival manager Dieter Kosslick spoke to the press:
Just about no other German film has inspired and influenced film history as greatly as Fritz Lang's Metropolis. We're especially pleased and honored to be able to present the reconstructed original cut of this legendary and seminal film classic at the festival's 60th anniversary.
Of course, that prompts the question: When will the movie be available to the general public? No word, yet, on any international distributors or release dates.