19 things to know when approaching ‘The Complete Metropolis’

How to watch the two-and-a-half-restored version of Fritz Lang’s silent masterpiece.

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  • BEAT THE CLOCK: Gustav Frohlich on the job in ‘Metropolis’

1. Fritz Lang’s Metropolis, reportedly the most expensive silent film ever made, and undoubtedly one of the most visually influential films of all time, opens at Landmark Midtown Art Cinema on Fri., Oct. 8. You should see it.

2. One of the masterpieces of German director Fritz Lang, Metropolis was significantly shortened following its 1927 release, and much of the excised footage was presumed lost for decades. In 2008, a print with much of the missing material was discovered in Buenos Aires. The current release, billed as The Complete Metropolis, restores the film to nearly two and a half hours. You can tell the restored sequences by their scratchy appearance, but it’s not a big deal.

3. Overall, the black-and-white cinematography looks terrific, with lighting and designs that reflect the influence of German Expressionism. The futuristic film includes plenty of dream-like scenes that involve chases through caves or across rooftops.

4. The supercity that gives Metropolis its name primarily reflects the Art Deco and Modernist movements, from the sleek skyscrapers to the massive, monstrous underground machines that keep the city running. (Among the many, many places pop culture pays homage to Metropolis is David Fincher’s video for Madonna’s “Express Yourself.”)