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Metropolis

£225.00

Film

Metropolis

Additional information

Year

1927 (RR 2010)

Size/Type

US One Sheet / single sided (27" x 40")

Country of Origin

USA

Condition

Near mint minus; originally rolled (as issued)

Director

Fritz Lang

Actor/Actress

Alfred Abel, Brigitte Helm, Gustav Fröhlich

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“There can be no understanding between the hands and the brain unless the heart acts as mediator.”

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“Robot Maria” is one the greatest and most iconic of all sci-fi images and beautifully showcased here on this stunning original US one sheet movie poster for the 2010 re-release of Fritz Lang’s hugely influential “Metropolis”. Released as “The Complete Metropolis” due to the addition of 25 minutes of found footage (found in an old Argentinean cinema). This reconstructed and restored sci fi classic is truly deserving the accolade of a cinematic masterpiece. Printed on heavy stock card paper and originally rolled this looks spectacular and displays near flawlessly….Due to a very limited release these examples are extremely scarce and sought after…Investment grade quality…One of cinemas most recognisable and iconic of images irrespective of the genre and a truly fantastic piece of original film movie memorabilia.

Trivia: ‘Maria’ the robot of this film inspired the look for C-3PO in Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope

 

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Film Description

Metropolis Movie Poster

“In the future, the society of Metropolis is divided in two social classes: the workers, who live in the underground below the machines level, and the dominant classes that lives in the surface. The workers are controlled by their leader Maria, who wants to find a mediator between the upper class lords and the workers, since she believes that a heart would be necessary between brains and muscles. Maria meets Freder Fredersen, the son of the Lord of Metropolis Johhan Fredersen, in a meeting of the workers, and they fall in love for each other. Meanwhile, Johhan decides that the workers are no longer necessary for Metropolis, and uses a robot pretending to be Maria to promote a revolution of the working class and eliminate them.”

For many years the initially flawed and consequently butchered Metropolis Fritz Lang made in the mid twenties of the past century could be appreciated at least for its qualities as the indispensable science-fiction trailblazer in motion picture history. What was severely lacking from the plot however finally emerged on screen again after the famous Buenos Aires reel find which brought a quarter of what was missing from the film back from the dead. With the new painstaking 2010 restoration effort also came a grandiose symphony orchestra studio recording of the original Gottfried Huppertz score – and the results make movie buffs prone to be blown away, and this time for real…The technical brilliance and visual lavishness of Fritz Lang’s oeuvre was always undisputed already at its time and only matched by fellow German Murnau’s ingenious approaches on film-making. There’s so much and dense imagery that generations of future filmmakers would draw from this newly emerging archetype. Among the unforgettable scenes are the giant heart machine which turns into a moloch in one of the hero’s visions, the Babel tower teeming with utopian life, the enormous sets, elevators and masses and masses of enslaved and rebellious people, the staggering creation of the first robot, all set against the dominant dichotomy between – literally – those living above and those dying below. There are echoes of communism here, of nazi ideology, of the dangers and abysses of industrialization, technology, and there are also glimpses of humanity. Not perfect in all its components, the film nevertheless has everything pioneering in it – and more. Fritz Lang, while having some reservations himself referred to the picture as a “signpost for new destinations”, and that’s exactly what it became now that we can look at the great sci-fi pictures of the past century. In them and through them “Metropolis” still lives, and once we revisit the original again we might yet be surprised that it, miraculously, still points ahead.

Vintage Movie Posters Grading Criteria

Mint
A poster that has never been used or displayed and may show the most minor signs of age and wear. The poster should have no holes or tears.

Near Mint
A generally unused poster with fresh, saturated colors. May have minimal tears at folds. Has no significant holes, no paper loss, may have minor tears along edges, may have fine pin holes.

Very Fine
A poster with bright colour and crisp overall appearance. It may have very general signs of use including slight fold separation and fold wear. It may have pin holes or very minor tears. This is the highest grade allowed for a poster that has been restored either on linen or on paper.

Fine
A poster with good colors and overall clean appearance. It may have minor tears small paper loss and minor stains. It may have some fold seperation.

Good
An average poster with overall fresh color. May have tears, minor paper loss, minor hazing. Paper may be brittle due to age, may have minor stains. May have a small amount of writing in an unobtrusive place. May have medium or major restoration.

Fair
A poster with faded colors and brittle paper, showing significant signs of use. May have tears and paper loss. May have tape, writing, stains in image area. In need of restoration or had major restoration.

Poor
A poster that is worn, torn, and/or damaged. May have staining, cracking, dry rot, and/or large tears. May be heavily soiled, may have pieces missing. In need of major restoration.

All photographs and images used on our site are photographs of the actual poster/item you are buying, we do not use stock photographs.

Most Popular Poster Types

US Posters

LOBBY CARD
11 x 14″ printed on heavy stock paper. Used as display in theatre lobbies. Originally made in sets of eight. Some sets have a title card, which contains credits and artwork, essentially a mini-poster. The remaining seven cards are coloured photographic credits and poster artwork showing different scenes from the movie.

WINDOW CARD
14 x 22″ printed on heavy stock paper with the top 4-6 inches usually left blank for the local cinema owner to fill in the cinema and the date it was due to play. Largely discontinued during the 1970’s.

HALF SHEET
22 x 28″ printed on heavy stock paper. The image displayed is normally a smaller version of the main poster, although some do have different artworks and sometimes come in two versions.

INSERT
14 x 36″ printed on heavy stock paper. Inserts usually have the same artwork as a one sheet. Popular with collectors since they are smaller and easier to frame. Normally come tri folded or rolled.

STYLE Y/FORTY BY SIXTY
40 x 60″ printed on heavy stock paper. Rare since they were primarily used for major motion pictures only. Designed to be used outside the theatre, on an easel, normally at a drive-in movie theatre.

ONE-SHEET
27 x 41″ printed on paper. This is the most common size of poster, intended to be displayed in a glass “marquee” case. It is the most sought after size by collectors. Since the 1980’s most posters are sent to the theatre rolled and maybe slightly smaller measuring 27″ by 40″ and with the advent of backlit light boxes a growing number of modern movie posters are available double-sided and the more traditional single-sided.

THREE-SHEET
41 x 81″ printed on paper. These were printed on two or three separate sheets designed to overlap, few survive. Used for larger advertising spaces, normally posted on walls, perfect for huge movie theatres the drive-in, where people could see them from a distance. From the 1970’s on, three-sheets were sometimes printed in one piece and issued as “international” versions to be used abroad.

BRITISH Posters

BRITISH QUAD
30 x 40″ Most common poster size used in the UK. British Quads are horizontal and may have different artwork to the US one sheet. Like a US one sheet they normally come in two versions. Like a US one sheet they are usually supplied single-sided or more commonly now as a double sided poster.

BRITISH ONE-SHEET
27 X 40″, printed on paper. Very rarely used size.

ITALIAN Posters

ITALIAN LOCANDINA
13 x 28″ six inches shorter than the US insert, very nice size to frame. Italian poster illustrators are some of the best in the industry.

ITALIAN PHOTOBUSTA
18 x 26″ Glossy, high quality, used as lobby cards in Italy. Size may vary, either vertical or horizontal format. There are also double Photobusta or mini Photobusta.

2-FOGLIO (DUE)
(DUE): 39 x 55″ This is the standard poster size used in Italy. Italian poster illustrators are some of the best in the industry.

4-FOGLIO
(QUATTRO) 55 x 79″ Very large Italian poster printed in two pieces, often contains very beautiful artwork.

FRENCH Posters

FRENCH
47 x 63″ (GRANDE) or 24 x 33″ (PETITE) French movie posters normally come with different artwork to either the US or the UK. Like the Italian’s some of the artwork is extrememly beautiful.