Metropolis
I saw Metropolis in the theaters yesterday afternoon. I don't know if it was the big screen, added footage, or new musical score but I had a new appreciation for the film.
Actually I take it back I know the new musical score helped a lot. Music can make or break a silent film IMO. I originally saw the film through Instant Netflix and the score was random classical pieces. I love classical music but these particular pieces felt random and didn't fit the movie at all. The score used for this new Restored Metropolis was brilliant. I even started to hum it as I left the theater.
That being said the added footage and seeing the movie on the big screen also had an impact. I still feel the plot of Metropolis is extremely simplistic (and even a bit silly) but the added footage helped enhance the story. There were even new subplots and minor characters got more depth. It's amazing what 30 minutes of extra scenes can do. Unfortunately the lost footage was not in the best condition so it's very grainy (but that also makes it easy to see what footage was added).
And as for the big screen, Metropolis has some absolutely powerful scenes and imagery which look even more enthralling on the big screen. In some ways I would say Metropolis parts are better than its sum but wow those parts are something else. And I might be a hypocrite to praise special effects (when I put down films like Avatar) but the difference is these special effects were done all by hand in 1927. It's really a sight to behold.
I ended up seeing it yesterday afternoon expecting there not to be many people in the theater, after all it's a Monday Afternoon. The theater however was halfway full and I thought it was really cool to see so many people there. :)
Also I complain often that Philadelphia doesn't have any special film events but I have to take it back for now because the Art Museum is doing a film forum on Renoir's Films (probably to celebrate that his father's late art works are now on tour in the museum). Unfortunately I missed the showings of La Grand Illusion & Rules of the Game (although I have seen & love them both) but I am hoping to catch the showing of The Southerner (which I have not seen before). :)
Actually I take it back I know the new musical score helped a lot. Music can make or break a silent film IMO. I originally saw the film through Instant Netflix and the score was random classical pieces. I love classical music but these particular pieces felt random and didn't fit the movie at all. The score used for this new Restored Metropolis was brilliant. I even started to hum it as I left the theater.
That being said the added footage and seeing the movie on the big screen also had an impact. I still feel the plot of Metropolis is extremely simplistic (and even a bit silly) but the added footage helped enhance the story. There were even new subplots and minor characters got more depth. It's amazing what 30 minutes of extra scenes can do. Unfortunately the lost footage was not in the best condition so it's very grainy (but that also makes it easy to see what footage was added).
And as for the big screen, Metropolis has some absolutely powerful scenes and imagery which look even more enthralling on the big screen. In some ways I would say Metropolis parts are better than its sum but wow those parts are something else. And I might be a hypocrite to praise special effects (when I put down films like Avatar) but the difference is these special effects were done all by hand in 1927. It's really a sight to behold.
I ended up seeing it yesterday afternoon expecting there not to be many people in the theater, after all it's a Monday Afternoon. The theater however was halfway full and I thought it was really cool to see so many people there. :)
Also I complain often that Philadelphia doesn't have any special film events but I have to take it back for now because the Art Museum is doing a film forum on Renoir's Films (probably to celebrate that his father's late art works are now on tour in the museum). Unfortunately I missed the showings of La Grand Illusion & Rules of the Game (although I have seen & love them both) but I am hoping to catch the showing of The Southerner (which I have not seen before). :)