Film Preservation Makes First Showing of the Masterpiece 'Metropolis' Possible

“Metropolis” is a legndary German silent film that has been restored and is at a new exhibition in Berlin. The film’s debut will be at the Berlin International Festival.

The showing will be held at the Deutsche Kinemathek museum for film and television . "It will be sort of a Making Of," said curator Kristina Jaspers. Filmgoers can get a glimpse of the 30 minutes of extra footage found in a film archive in 2008, some 200 set photos, as well as pieces of the city set itself, many of which were built in Berlin's Babelsberg film studio. Also on display will be the film's screenplay and original music score. The film preservation facility containing this film had to be environmentally controlled in a high security building to provide the ideal storage conditions. The climate controlled film storage facility provided the tools to assist with the enhanced restoration process.

“Metropolis” depicts a futuristic city full of skyscrapers and airplanes divided into an above ground world where the rich live in luxury, while subterranean workers toil to serve the upper class. It has been credited with inspiring George Lucas's C-3PO from the "Star Wars" films and the set from Ridley Scott's "Bladerunner."

The 1927 science fiction film directed by Fritz Lang was the most expensive film ever made, costing some 7 million Reichsmarks and including the work of thousands of people but was considered a flop and cut drastically before being released in the US.

The shorter version of the film was restored in 2001 but the original 16mm version was found last year at the film preservation facility. This version was restored by a film preservation institute achieving the highest standards of quality. It premieres at a gala Berlinale event that will also be beamed onto screens at the Brandenburg gate for the public on February 12.