8mm Forum: Metropolis

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Topic: Metropolis

Terry Sills
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1423
From: Weymouth,Dorset,England
Registered: Oct 2012

posted July 15, 2018 01:49 AM

Has anyone seen this on eBay? Looks like it's going silly price wise. Would you pay this money for an untested film that has obviously got a lot of physical damage and may well have water damage.
Will be interesting to see what it finally goes for.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rare-9-5mm-Silent-PATHESCOPE-Film-METROPOLIS-1927-5-reels-Fritz-Lang-SB-745/392082319203?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

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Maurice Leakey
Film God

Posts: 5895
From: Bristol. United Kingdom
Registered: Oct 2007

posted July 15, 2018 05:57 AM

Damp damage to the boxes could mean damp damage to the film.
I think the seller could have pulled off a few feet of each reel to actually check the films as damp damage would then be quickly seen.
Existing bidders are taking a tremendous risk.

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Maurice

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Ken Finch
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 543
From: Herne Bay, Kent. U.K.
Registered: Oct 2011

posted July 15, 2018 06:27 AM

Hi Terry, "Metropolis" is traditionally a "must have" among 9.5mm collectors and is rare because it was withdrawn from the catalogue many years before Pathescope ceased trading. It is a well edited version and used to easily fetch £100 secondhand for years, even when it became available on V.H.S. The one on E bay appears to be in the original packaging. It is obviously still in demand judging by the price it has reached with 12 bids. Incidentally, some of the scenes are tinted, at least they are on my copy. I was extremely lucky as many of the films in my collection were bought cheaply from people and film libraries abandoning 9.5mm for Super 8 with the promise of more modern films being available and cheaper filming. Film collecting was very much a minority interest in those days. At least the guy selling it is offering potential bidders to examine the film at his address before deciding to purchase. Compared to the silly prices being asked for 30 and 60ft Disney cartoons on E.bay it is quite fair if you can afford to spend that amount to obtain it. I could never have afforded it. Ken Finch.

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Terry Sills
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1423
From: Weymouth,Dorset,England
Registered: Oct 2012

posted July 15, 2018 08:01 AM

Hello Ken
Yes I know the film is a fairly rare classic and I had two copies a while ago, but sold them. Wish I had kept one now, but at the time I wasn't all that enamoured with them. I thought it was terribly overacted.
I expect you've seen vladimpaler advertising a copy for £4000.00 on eBay. He must know something we don't
[Smile]

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Maurice Leakey
Film God

Posts: 5895
From: Bristol. United Kingdom
Registered: Oct 2007

posted July 15, 2018 08:46 AM

I've often made offers to Vlad for his "Metropolis" but he won't budge from his asking price although I doubt if he will ever sell at his price!
After all, it's only an edited copy of a much longer film.

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Maurice

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Terry Sills
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1423
From: Weymouth,Dorset,England
Registered: Oct 2012

posted July 15, 2018 10:26 AM

Yes Maurice
I think mine were the edited versions, but I wonder if this one is the full film, because it appears to be 5 x 300ft reels. Perhaps that's why it's attracting such interest.

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Maurice Leakey
Film God

Posts: 5895
From: Bristol. United Kingdom
Registered: Oct 2007

posted July 15, 2018 11:17 AM

"Metropolis" on 9.5mm is rare because it was issued in late 1931 and was withdrawn from sale as early as 1936.
The full length 35mm release was given as 153 minutes, whereas the 5-reeler 9.5mm ran approximately 60 minutes.

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Maurice

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Ken Finch
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 543
From: Herne Bay, Kent. U.K.
Registered: Oct 2011

posted July 16, 2018 11:25 AM

Maurice is quite correct. In fact almost all of the Pathescope Feature films both silent and sound were re edited in order to keep the prices down. They often reduced the length by substituting the original title ans credit footage with their own. In some cases the editing actually improved them!! Some of those silent epics were very ponderous. I have a VHS copy of "Metropolis" released by Eureka Video in 1996 which runs for 139 mins. I understand more footage was discovered and added to the more recent DVD version. I still think the story line flows better on the 9.5 cut down. The overacting appears to be typical of the films made by U.F.A. at that period of time. After all, silent film actors used the same exaggerated miming techniques used in ballet to express emotions. I never really connected the 2 media until the recent screenings of live ballet where one can actually see the faces of the dancers close up. Could never afford the seat prices to get anywhere near the stage. Even top gallery benches were expensive. Just goes to show what good value the old cinemas used to be. Four hours viewing at from 1 shilling to 2shillings and 3pence.in my child and teenage years. Ken Finch. [Smile]

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Paul Adsett
Film God

Posts: 5003
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted July 16, 2018 11:58 AM

I remember it well Ken! One shilling and sixpence would buy you a newsreel, a preview of coming attractions, a cartoon or short, a 'B' picture running about 80 minutes, and then a full feature. The only way to get that now is in your own home cinema. [Smile]

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Terry Sills
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1423
From: Weymouth,Dorset,England
Registered: Oct 2012

posted July 21, 2018 01:44 AM

Well here is the final score. Seems a lot of money to me for film that has obvious issues.
Unfortunately the link doesn't work, thanks to EBay, but it was £185 !
I don't know about others but recent changes to eBay make my blood boil. It gets worse every time they make them.

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Maurice Leakey
Film God

Posts: 5895
From: Bristol. United Kingdom
Registered: Oct 2007

posted July 21, 2018 03:02 AM

Good luck to the purchaser. A fellow member?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/-/392082319203?nordt=true&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l10137

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Maurice

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Steve Saywell
Junior
Posts: 9
From: Andover, Hampshire, UK
Registered: Sep 2015

posted August 23, 2018 07:21 AM

Hi Everyone, I can tell you that it was not as bad as I imagined it was going to be, the 1st 9-10 feet of reel one had been through the wars with claw scratches but settled down, Reel 2,3 and 4 ran without any real issue a couple of splice mends, there are a couple of splices on each reel. Reel 5 was really grubby.

All Reel start and ends are present, all of what I imagine to be the original reels were changed.

Initially ran them through a Pathe Europ slowly and then cleaned them with Cresclean as I re winded them on to Clydon reels which I had that were in better condition.

I have to say they were all very dirty.

Eventually with the lights off and I watch start to finish through my Buckingham with no major calamity’s…..Not sure as a film it was worth the £ 185.00 I paid but I guess collecting can make you compulsive… Spies (Spione) which I picked up from Pimlico Cine fair for a modest £ 40.00 to me was the better film…

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Maurice Leakey
Film God

Posts: 5895
From: Bristol. United Kingdom
Registered: Oct 2007

posted August 26, 2018 11:20 AM

Steve
I assume you are referring to "The Spy".

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Maurice

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Steve Saywell
Junior
Posts: 9
From: Andover, Hampshire, UK
Registered: Sep 2015

posted August 27, 2018 03:36 AM

Hi Maurice,

Yep...my bad I did mean The Spy.

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