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Metropolis - the restored "directors cut"

Started by Santa's Boyfriend, February 08, 2010, 11:14:23 PM

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Santa's Boyfriend

#60
I'd really like to see that documentary too.  Hopefully that'll appear somewhere sometime with English subs. 

It'll probably end up on the DVD, come to think of it.

According to Aint It Cool News, the film is getting a global cinema release this summer.  No doubt that'll be a pretty limited release, but even so it'll be good to have the opportunity to see it in the cinema.  Then it'll get a DVD and Blu-ray release in time for Christmas.

EDIT:  Here's an interesting titbit from a reviewer at Aint it Cool:

QuoteThe Argentinian archives didn't want nitrate prints anymore in the 70s because of their Inglorious Basterdness, so they transferred their films on 16mm because they couldn't afford 35mm. Unfortunately, the print was already almost fifty years old and apparently, wasn't cleaned up before transfer. So all the flaws of that positive have been printed into the negative: they're part of the image. Which is problematic, to say the least.

At times, it looked as though the film was being projected on a piece of wood, with thin vertical veins all over. The choice not to over-digitalize was consciously made by the restorers but perhaps future algorithms may be able to address the issue in coming years. Point is: Metropolis is complete. This print was made when the Argentinian distributor visited Germany and it hadn't been trimmed by Paramount yet for the US market.

So it sounds like this is the best we're gonna get right now, but we can probably expect a much cleaner version in the future as the the technology improves.

JesusAndYourBush

Quote from: rudi on February 13, 2010, 05:42:53 PM
If I were to put that advice into action I'd probably want to thank you ever so much.

I'd also want to add thanks as well.

Looking at the length, this version is 152 min and the full version is supposed to be 210min.  The 1927 screening (after the cuts were already made) was 153 min so I wonder if this has been edited down to what the 1927 version would have been.  I suppose it makes sense for them to not show the full version if they'll be releasing it on DVD later in the year.

Regarding subtitles, I forgot that being on Arte it'd be in German.  I have experience with making subtitle files so I'll give it a go.

Oh, almost forgot, earlier on News 24 there was a feature on the Berlinale and they did a little bit on Metropolis showing some very short clips and a comparison of before and after restoration.  There was quite a difference, but as has been said, in the future restoration methods will improve and they'll be able to release an improved version.

rudi

So should I, in theory, stop dloading and wait for your subbed version to hit the, erm, me?

JesusAndYourBush

No, the subtitles will be a tiny text file with a .ssa file extension.  You install a prog called Vobsub and provided the subs file has the same filename as the video (apart from the file extension) the subtitles are displayed with the video.  Some video players like VLC possibly might not even need you to install Vobsub, but I use media player classic.

rudi

Ooh that sounds very exciting. Do get the urge, go on, you know you want to... :-)

Lfbarfe

Quote from: JesusAndYourBush on February 13, 2010, 07:04:48 PM
Looking at the length, this version is 152 min and the full version is supposed to be 210min.  The 1927 screening (after the cuts were already made) was 153 min so I wonder if this has been edited down to what the 1927 version would have been.  I suppose it makes sense for them to not show the full version if they'll be releasing it on DVD later in the year.

I think the running time differences can be explained by the frame rate. 16fps was the standard rate for silent film, because that was deemed to be the optimum for hand-cranking. What we saw last night was shown at 24 or 25 fps. The 153-minute version would be about 230 minutes at 16fps, but 210 at around 18fps. I know that some of the previous DVDs have gone for slower, apparently more authentic transfers. I believe the Murnau Foundation claims it was premiered at 24fps, but that most bog-standard cinemas were set up to project at 16fps. You'll be able to slow down the download in VLC or VirtualDub, and I have to say it looks more natural somewhere between 16 and 20 fps, but that then causes problems with the music.

JesusAndYourBush

#66
This clarifies the various lengths...

                  feet   length@24fps
Premiere 1927    13701    152.14 (we're told it was 153 min so that verifies)
German 1968-72    7750     86.06*
Moroder  1984     7469     83.00 (vhs is 80 min, allowing for it being a 24fps film shown on TV @ 25fps, 83 min is correct)
Munich   1987     9608    106.45*
Restored 2002    10928    121.25 (although it's 118min, 116min if you don't include the added opening titles)
Arte     2010    13068    145.12 (210.00 @ 16fps??)

*estimated


They possibly got that 210min figure from calculating it at a slower framerate, as you said (or maybe they're holding some back for the DVD?)

rudi

Quote from: JesusAndYourBush on February 13, 2010, 09:06:14 PM
They possibly got that 210min figure from calculating it at a slower framerate, as you said (or maybe they're holding some back for the DVD?)

So is there another version beyond the one shown on telly the other night? I'm confused...

JesusAndYourBush

#68
EDIT: Wait sorry, it was cut AFTER the 1927 premiere.  Forget what I said.  Pretty sure the report on News 24 said it was cut BEFORE the premiere, backing up what I already mistakenly thought.
Where the hell does the "210 min" come from then.

Lfbarfe

It probably ran for 210 minutes in ordinary German cinemas after the premiere, as they were geared up to project at slower speeds. It will have been the same film shown at the premiere, just slower.

Santa's Boyfriend

I think Fritz Lang himself cut it down after a disasterous premiere, resulting in the version we now have.  It was then cut further by other people without any input or consent from Lang, resulting in the 80 minute butchered version.  Which would mean that an even longer, 210 minute version did exist, but which is more like a workprint and will most likely never be found.

I could be wrong, though.

Lfbarfe

Reading around, it looks like the 16mm print they found was down as running for 210 minutes, because of the speed it was supposed to run at.

JesusAndYourBush

#72
Earlier I watched the 2002 version again, this time with the audio commentary, then the download finished so I skipped through it and watched the new bits.  Amazing!  My project for this week will be to make a subs file.  I did notice that there's still a few scenes missing.  You can tell because the captions that describe missing scenes are in a different typeface.

Rough timings shows that this version is about 29 mins longer than the 2001/02 restored version.

rudi

Quote from: JesusAndYourBush on February 14, 2010, 01:00:28 AMMy project for this week will be to make a subs file.

In which case mine next week will be to annoy you until you explain to an idiot how to install it then hunt you down and kiss you on the face.

It's nice to have a plan.

NoSleep

There's an English subs file floating about already. You just have to activate subtitles in VLC and point to the .srt file for it to work.

Santa's Boyfriend


Lfbarfe


rudi


NoSleep

Use VLC
select "Open File"
browse for the film
tick the box "load subtitles file" and click on "settings" to the right of this
browse for subtitles file and click OK
now click OK to start film

Santa's Boyfriend

Alternately install Vobsub, ensure the sub file got the same title as your video file and is in the same directory, and it should play in windows media player automatically.

rudi

Thanks guys. I'm a VLC bitch so that advice is invaluable. Kisses all round.

JesusAndYourBush

Quote from: Lfbarfe on February 14, 2010, 04:25:55 PM
Superb work. Was that Jesus or AN Other?

Nothing to do with me.  Wow, how the heck did anyone manage it so fast.  I spent at least 3 hours today watching the 2002 version, continually pausing it to type out the captions.  Then I planned to watch the Arte video through, typing out the German captions for the new bits into babelfish/google translate.  I guess I don't have to bother now.  Skimming through the text file it looks good, the only bit I'd have added is the partially obscured 2nd page of the letter at 1:29:35 which reads "...and if even one person detects she's a machine you can say I was an amateur who never succeeded!".  I was also going to have a bash at translating the Oscar Wilde & Omar Khayyam quotes on the Yoshiwara card @ 39:00 but they're not important.  I'm gonna watch it now.

Santa's Boyfriend

You could always do an alternative subtitled version.  You know, for humorous intent.

JesusAndYourBush

#83
I just finished watching it.  Amazing to be able to see it in full (apart from the 2 still missing parts).  Even some of the very short reinstated parts were significant.  That weird border explained by the original being cropped slightly.  I wasn't aware of that until I saw the opening subtitles.  I also noticed a shot (in good quality so not from the Buenos Aires print) cropped on all 4 sides (during the erotic dance portion I think) that I'd not noticed before.

The 2 parts still missing...  One very short shot of the monk in the pulpit which would have only lasted for a few seconds probably, and we know what it would have looked like as that shot is parodied later in the film with the Thin Man appearing as the monk during Freders delerium.
The other missing scene is Rotwang talking to Maria in the attic, overheard by Fredersen who breaks in and fights Rotwang, freeing Maria.
EDIT:Wiki also reckons some of the bit with Georgy visiting Yoshiwara is Still missing but there was no caption indicating this so I dunno..

I still don't know what "Black film stock indicates shorter sections of missing footage" means.  It also said that in the 2002 version.
EDIT:Ah, wiki says "the film goes black for the original duration of the missing footage".  I can't say I noticed anything like that except for the very briefest moments maybe.

Many thanks to all concerned in bringing this to us!

Quote from: Santa's Boyfriend on February 14, 2010, 11:05:24 PM
You could always do an alternative subtitled version.  You know, for humorous intent.

Talking of humour, when the Thin Man first appears he reminds me of Lurch and I can't help thinking "You rang", and near the end when Maria swings on the bell rope the punner in me thinks "Hel's bells".

Santa's Boyfriend

Here's some new info from Ain't It Cool:

Apparently the restoration cost 500,000 Euros, and they even wrote some new computer software specificly to try and get the most out of the footage.  30 minutes have been added to the film (still 6 minutes short of the full original running time - due to the excessively damaged bits already mentioned).

Although they were playing the original score the other night, some of the music was newly-written to cover the formerly missing bits.

Lfbarfe

The pre-show and documentary are now torrenting. Look for 'Metropolis Arte extras'.

NoSleep

Quote from: Lfbarfe on February 13, 2010, 08:23:01 PM
I think the running time differences can be explained by the frame rate. 16fps was the standard rate for silent film, because that was deemed to be the optimum for hand-cranking. What we saw last night was shown at 24 or 25 fps. The 153-minute version would be about 230 minutes at 16fps, but 210 at around 18fps. I know that some of the previous DVDs have gone for slower, apparently more authentic transfers. I believe the Murnau Foundation claims it was premiered at 24fps, but that most bog-standard cinemas were set up to project at 16fps. You'll be able to slow down the download in VLC or VirtualDub, and I have to say it looks more natural somewhere between 16 and 20 fps, but that then causes problems with the music.

Finally got around to setting up to watch this tonight. I can confirm that one click "slower" in VLC looks to be a more natural speed for the film, with the soundtrack only lowered in pitch by a tolerable amount. Unfortunately the subtitles file will not run in this mode so I'll have to suffer the usual hi-speed jerkiness we are all accustomed to, when viewing vintage film stock, for the first viewing.

I've noticed that the subtitles file needs to be offset by -129 seconds to sync with the film, adjustable in VLC.

JesusAndYourBush

Quote from: Santa's Boyfriend on February 15, 2010, 10:44:17 AM
Here's some new info from Ain't It Cool:
http://aintitcool.com/node/43992

I saw that.  They also say...
QuoteThe biggest problem though is that the frame rate is still not fixed. 27 fps I guess simply can not be done anymore and it is not possible to correct it without messing it up. The end scene on the roof is where it is most noticeable - so much so that the crowd laughed at it. Very disturbing. Most Germans have no normal appropriate sense of humor and this certainly wasn't funny.

Why would they laugh?  It makes no sense.  That scene already looks a little fast.  At 27fps it'd be even faster.  So they were laughing because the scene was too fast, but not fast enough???  Huh???

Having a search around, I keep finding comments saying that the 210 min comes from the premiered version being played at 20fps but if you do the maths you'd have to play it at somewhere between 17 & 18 fps to get it to run at that length.  I have to say I was quite happy with the speed of the Arte version.

Lfbarfe


Santa's Boyfriend

Wasn't impressed with that German sense of humour comment.  They have a very lively sense of humour in my experience, it just isn't based on the vagueries of language like ours is.

Read this excellent article by Stewart Lee on this very subject and all will be revealed: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2006/may/23/germany.features11