Film Metropolis will have its premiere with lost scenes

Berlin - The iconic silent film Metropolis by director Fritz Lang from 1927 will have its world premiere again. Audiences will be able to see the film for the first time in more than eight decades since the creation of this treasure of world cinema, including scenes that have long been considered lost. The premiere will take place on February 12 in Berlin during the opening of the Berlinale and simultaneously in Frankfurt am Main. This was reported today by the DPA agency.
    The lost scenes surprisingly appeared in 2008 in Argentina. The Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau Foundation announced today that the restoration of the film has recently been completed. "The film has become a legend," said the head of the foundation's curatorial board, Eberhard Junkersdorf.
    Audiences were able to see the film for the first time on January 27, 1927. However, the original film copy along with many scenes were later lost.
    The restoration of the film cost around 600,000 euros (nearly 15.7 million crowns). The material found in Buenos Aires was reportedly in very poor condition. The work on restoring the film was therefore very demanding. An additional 25 minutes have now been added to the film reel. According to Helmut Possman from the foundation's management, the reconstructed version is closer to the original than any previous one. The last version was from 2001.
    The premieres in Berlin and at the Old Opera House in Frankfurt will be accompanied by an orchestra. Both performances are already sold out. The new Metropolis is also set to be released on DVD.