‘Metropolis’ footage is found

Missing footage from Fritz Lang’s classic 1927 film “Metropolis” has been discovered in a small museum in Argentina.

“We were overjoyed when we heard about the find,” said Helmut Possmann, head of the German foundation that owns the rights to the silent film. “We no longer believed we’d see this. Time and again we had had calls about supposed footage but were disappointed.”

With its cold, monumental vision of mechanized society, “Metropolis” forged a template for generations of science-fiction cinema, and its enduring influence has been cited on films from “Blade Runner” to “Fahrenheit 451” and “Star Wars.”

But his original version was shortened after the initial release and the cut scenes were presumed lost.

About 20 to 25 minutes of footage that fleshes out secondary characters and sheds light on the plot would be added to the film, Possmann said. The restoration may take several years but should result in a version close to what Lang intended, he said.