Guide Note

Fritz Lang's Metropolis is a silent science fiction film, originally released in Germany in 1927. It explores the social stratifications of a future dystopia and reveals the conflicts present between the working and ruling classes. Metropolis is widely considered one of the most elusive and influential films ever made. The film's use of special effects and detailed architectural landscapes inspired by German Expressionism, Modernism and Art Deco movements, have been heralded as groundbreaking and continue to be influential today. Metropolis, costing the equivalent of $200 million to produce, was the most expensive film of its time.

Fast Facts

1. Director: Fritz Lang
2. Distributor: Universum Film A.G.
3. Starring: Alfred Abel, Brigitte Helm, Gustav Fröhlich & Rudolf Klein-Rogge
4. Release Date: January 10, 1927
5. Original Running Time: 210 min
6. Cut Running Time: 114 min
7. Budget: Equivalent of $200 million

Since its 1927 release, nearly a quarter of the original 210 minute cut has been lost. Subsequently, the film has been recut and released numerous times. The two most well known re-releases are Giorgio Moroder's colorized "rock and roll" cut, released in 1984, and Kino International's 2002 release which restored the film closest to the original version.