How do you rebuild a film when parts of it are missing?
The 2010 restoration of Metropolis combined surviving material with evidence about the intended sequence. Newly recovered footage added scenes, but damaged or cropped images and remaining gaps raised separate problems. Finding a shot, placing it, and repairing its appearance are three different tasks.
Questions you could explore
- What could a score, script, or censorship record contribute when the footage alone is incomplete?
- How should a restoration make clear which parts come from surviving film and which are reconstructions?
Start reading
- Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau-StiftungPROJEKT: METROPOLIS 27/10
The Murnau Foundation describes the Buenos Aires discovery and the 2010 restoration project.
- Observations on Film Art, David Bordwell and Kristin ThompsonMETROPOLIS unbound
David Bordwell’s account of a restoration seminar discusses reconstruction documents, cropping, and scenes still missing.
Ready to try your ideas aloud?
Your topic carries over. Record up to 2½ minutes, depending on your plan.