Chronology
Erich Pommer and Fritz Lang en route to America, October 1924.
June 1924 Thea von Harbou finishes the manuscript Metropolis.
July 1924 Ufa announces the filming of Thea von Harbou’s novel Metropolis by Fritz Lang.
October 1924 Fritz Lang and Erich Pommer go to the US to look at new cameras and to study life in the metropolis for the new film Metropolis. Pommer buys two Mitchell cameras for Ufa that will be used for Metropolis and other films.
December 1924 Fritz Lang returns from America: "Where is the film... [that celebrates] one of those metropolitan Babels that call themselves American cities? And, speaking of cities, the mere sight of New York at night should suffice to make this beacon of beauty the central point of a movie. Those lightning flashes, those revolving reds, blues, and gleaming whites, those intervals of screaming green plunged into a black void, only to return at once, reborn, to the interplay of colors! Streets that are shafts full of light, full of spinning, whirling, revolving light that is like an affirmation of joyful life. And above all this, sky-high above the cars and the elevated railroads, towers emerge in blue and gold, in white and crimson, torn from noctural darkness by searchlights, while neon signs and sky signs rise even higher, up to the stars, outshining them in light and splendour, living in ever new variation.
l've been told that someone in high authority feels called upon to forbid overly lively cinema bill-boards in Berlin. Go to New York, gentlemen! Take a look at the giant advertisements created for giant movie theatres there! And see for yourself how much beauty, splendour, festiveness even — how much intensified joie de vivre is poured over one of the world’s soberest, most hard-working cities by this whirling, effervescent, wildly colourful overabundance of light. A metropolis is like a beautiful woman. She needs that radiant garment in the circle of her radiant sisters if she does not want to become a wallflower for the duration. Or are people afraid to endanger traffic in the six-million city [of Berlin] by something that promotes it and enlivens it in the twelve-million city? New York by day is the very essence of sobriety, though captivating by its movement. New York at night is full of such beauty that if the only thing you had ever experienced was sailing into New York by night you would have gained an impression you would not forget as long as you live." (Fritz Lang, »Was ich in Amerika sah. Neuyork — Los Angeles«, in: Film-Kurier, no. 292, 12.11.1924.)
March 1925 In Paris, on the occasion of the French premiere of the film Die Nibelungen, Lang announces his next film Metropolis.
April 1925 Ufa purchases the rights of Schufftan patents for Germany.
May 1925 Shooting begins with André Mattoni, Brigitte Helm, and the cameraman Gunther Rittau. After the first scenes André Mattoni is replaced by Gustav Frohlich. — Invited by Ufa, representatives of the press and politicians, among them German foreign minister Dr. Gustav Stresemann, visit the Neubabelsberg studios. The single frames they saw... in Fritz Lang's studio illustrate the new Schtfftan process in particular.« (Der Film, no. 22, 5. 31.1925.) – The cameraman Karl Freund begins shooting E. A. Dupont’s film Varieté.
June 1925 The boxer Jack Dempsey visits the set of Metropolis. – The catacombs with subterranean labyrinth passages, and the main traffic artery of a metropolis of the future are completed. – Because of its large production volume Ufa rents the Efa studios near the Berlin Zoological Gardens, and the studios in Staaken.
Filming in the catacombs, 1925.
July 1925 Filming in the catacombs with Rudolf Klein-Rogge, Alfred Abel, and Brigitte Helm. August 1925 American film industry representatives visit Babelsberg. »After paying a visit to the sleeping Nibelungen dragon, ... we take a brief look at the carpentry workshop where mock-ups are made, and the modelling rooms where the frames und sculptures for the giant buildings for Fritz Lang’s Metropolis are being produced. We watch the larger-than-life figures being created for the grandiose cathedral by the skilful hands of the model builders, while next door the carpenters are hard at work hammering and sawing the molds for the bartisans and columns. We saunter down the main street between the houses of the set, the electric power plant, which with its 20,000 amperes makes for a decent-sized power station, between the studios and dressing rooms, directly onto the location, where the huge hotel from the film Der letzte Mann, together with the adjacent shopping street, have not been struck yet. ... Past the pretty little picturesque miniature zoo, we make our way to the former corsair fortress, whose interior has been transformed into murky catacombs in which Fritz Lang is in the process of filming a scene with the black-clad miners. Behind the catacombs, whose interior, with its violet light and tall crosses, makes an eerie impression, Metropolis, the city of the future, is already being created. Right now mostly scaffolding is visible where the cathedral will soon rise toward the sky, but one can already get an idea of the massive structure. The main street of Metropolis is also pretty much finished. A little way off to one side we see a miniature decoration representing a valley with a railroad bridge over which, despite its miniscule proportions, dozens of grown-up people will run during the filming. « (W.L. [Waldemar Lydor]), »Im deutschen Hollywood«, in: Film-Kurier, no. 189, 8.13.1925.)
"The scene is the former hall of the corsairs from Pietro, der Korsar. At first you go up a crude wooden staircase, then you have to go down a dozen steps in a dark, low-ceilinged passageway. so that you think you are going down into a mine — and suddenly you are in front of a curtain. The view that is revealed behind this curtain is overpowering at first. Hunte, Kettelhut, and Vollbrecht have built a catacomb for Metropolis in the spacious hail. There are narrow galleries around the steep wails. All the way in the background you can see the misty outlines of a gigantic city. Everywhere, sinewy, strong men creep or hurry past dressed in black, dirty overalls, in down-at-heel shoes. Across from the entrance, like silent accusers, loom wooden crosses, of different sizes and differently placed. In front of them is a kind of altar with flickering candles, small and large, like the ones in the kingdom of death in Fritz Lang’s unforgettable Der müde Tod. ... Fritz Lang directs. He directs his actors. He guides each of their movements. Like a patient teacher he plays each scene for them, has them rehearse it once, corrects — one more rehearsal, then another. And when finally everything is going smoothly, when the cameras, operated by Gunther Rittau, are whirring, he still acts out every movement along with the actors. ... Fritz Lang’s directing gives off a suggestive energy. Being allowed to watch him is an experience. I'd like to show this man at work to all the faultfinders and complainers who claim that the cinema is something superficial and shallow. They would flee with their tails between their legs." (Georg Herzberg, »Bei Fritz Langs, in: Film-Kurier, no. 195, 8. 20. 1925.)
September 1925 Shooting begins for F.W. Murnau’s Faust in the Tempelhof Ufa studios.
Fritz Lang directing the Tower of Babel scene, 1925
October 1925 Filming of the building of the tower of Babel in the Rehberge; the press is shown scenes from the catacombs with the evil and the good Maria. — Filming of the workers’ uprising in the huge elevators built by Otto Hunte. »In gigantic elevators the rebelling workers rush up to the surface. A thunderous crash, the machines have exploded, the elevators plunge into the depths.« (Der Film, no. 43, 10. 25.1925.) — Scenes in Yoshiwara are filmed. In his extravaganza Metropolis this house, the bordello of Metropolis, plays a significant role. Next to this building, on a large square, there are a cinema and other large buildings whose style superbly produces a timeless effect. The upper part of the cathedral has also been completed.« (Der Film, no. 45, 11.8.1925.)
November 1925 »In Staaken, Fritz Lang is filming the machines that are located under Metropolis and constitute the heart of this city of the future. One of these machines begins to operate. Its operation is regulated at twelve switchboards. Suddenly steam comes hissing from all the valves. People are hurled through the air, those who have been scalded roll on the ground, they all run about in confusion, a wounded man is carried out, until gradually the steam dissipates, the lamps go out, and Karl Freund stops cranking the camera. As a parallel to these murderous machines we are shown the Assyrian Moloch, to whom slaves were sacrificed in antiquity. A stairway leads to his gaping jaws, slave drivers whip the slaves up the stairs and then push them into the smoking fiery maw, an incredibly impressive scene. It makes sense for Ufa to use the schufftan patents wherever possible in the giant structures required by the film. The only life-size structures that are being built are those needed for the scenes that include actors. Purely decorative shots are later supplemented with shots of models. Thus, for example, only the gaping jaws of the idol Moloch were built. The figure in its entirety was erected only as a model. However, these models still have respectable proportions. Above all, they must be constructed very meticulously. ... The entire huge Zeppelin hall of Staaken is full of the Metropolis structures. High above soars scaffolding with spotlights that the electricians can reach only by using rope ladders. Whole batteries of fill-in lights are being used.« (»ln Metropolis«, in: Film- Kurier, no. 268, 11.13.1925.) — Premiere of Varieté in the Berlin cinema Ufa-Palast am Zoo.
December 1925 Filming of important scenes with Heinrich George and Alfred Abel in the Neubabelsberg Ufa studios.
January 1926 Scenes in the cathedral and the bell tower with Brigitte Helm, Gustav Frohlich, Rudolf Klein-Rogge and Alfred Abel in Neubabelsberg. — Erich Pommer leaves Ufa because of the immense rise of production costs of Metropolis and other films made while he was the producer; Major Alexander Grau now takes charge of the production.
Sergei M. Eisenstein (far right) visits the set, 1926.
March 1926 Sergei M. Eisenstein is in Berlin and visits Fritz Lang during the filming of the scenes in the »Eternal Gardens«. The Russian press announces that Lang plans to make the film Die Pantherkaize in Russia together with a team of German camera people and architects. »l’m excited about the magnificent technological advances that have been made in all spheres in this country. We Russians will learn a lot from this. But I feel it is a shame that filming technique has become an end in itself here. You can’t see the forest for the trees. Each member of the crew has contributed his best effort to this work. But there’s something missing — what we consider the most essential thing of all: There is no sense that all these different outstanding achievements are combined into a spiritual whole. That is what I missed here — the general tone that would unite it all, that would elevate the work to a spiritual level. That is why Metropolis left me cold. ... After (Fritz Lang) was so kind as to show us part of his work in progress, he turned to Eisenstein as he said goodbye with the words: »Go thou and do the same. But not exactly the same! At the time, our Potemkin had not yet appeared in Germany. But even then we decided that we would under no circumstances do the same. And we still think we were right. Metropolis was based on the principle of the dictatorship of the director, while Potemkin was based on the principle that all those doing creative artistic work within a collective have equal rights. And we stuck to that principle.« (Eduard Tissé, »Der russische Kameramann«, in: Filmkunst — Filmtechnik, Halle, no. 6, 1927.)
April 1926 The American film director James Cruze sees shots from Metropolis and plans a film intended to show the future from a technological and social point of view. Cruze emphasises that German techniques, particularly in special effects shots, are far ahead of American ones. He plans to shoot his next film, based on the play R.U.R. by Karel Capek, in Neubabelsberg.
May 1926 Filming in front of the cathedral and an excerpt of the upper class from Yoshiwara. — Filming in front of the paternoster elevators of the Ufa building on the Potsdamer Platz.
Fritz Lang directing the chase over the cathedral roof scene, 1926.
June 1926 Night shots of the chase over the cathedral roof. »The setting of this scene is a square in Metropolis. Our footsteps reverberate on the firm concrete floor, we have something solid underfoot, so that there is almost a sense of reality. In the background, the lower part of a huge church. Larger than life-size statues of saints in front of the entrance. Around the square there are other buildings, interrupted by high scaffolding peppered with spotlights. In the light of the mercury-vapour lamps all the people have something theatrical about them. Their lips are greenish-blue, their skin pale, they look at each other with astonishment. ... (Brigitte Helm) is being dragged through the menacing, unleashed populace by a worker — to the stake. Rough fists grab her, pull her to her feet, tie her to a post, jerk on the ropes, tighter and tighter, almost choke her. ... Fritz Lang’s director’s whistle sounds, everyone breathes a sigh of weary relief, then, in a flash, they conjure up the raging of the crowd. Fritz Lang makes corrections. This is the eighth night they've been working. There is an overall sense of edginess, which makes Lang’s calm all the more surprising. The scene is repeated. Twice, five times, eight times. Again and again the extras grab their tables, chairs, or books, which they toss on the pyre. Again and again there are howls and threats — vacant stares — clenched fists — raised blacksmith’s hammers. And, again and again, George’s tall figure handing over the slender fair-haired girl to the executioners. Brigitte Helm is the heroine of the film — and of Neubabelsberg. Everybody admires her, from the stagehand down to the most indifferent extra. This role, acting apart, is extremely demanding from a purely physical point of view. Her arms are bleeding, someone bandages them. And, over and over again, rehearsal, action, long shot, close-up. Night after night. During the breaks in filming, a jazz band lights a fire under the extras again. That’s Thea von Harbou’s doing. Peacefully, the extras dance until a command again turns them into a raging mob.« (g. [Georg Herzberg], »Brigitte Helm wird verbrannt«, in: Film-Kurier, no. 129, 6.5.1926.)
July 1926 Fritz Lang films the last scenes of Metropolis featuring individual actors. In the coming days a big street scene still remains to be filmed, for which about 1000 extras have been scheduled. Details (scenes from the city of the future and the models of various machines) still need to be shot. — Beginning of editing by Fritz Lang. — Gottfried Huppertz completes the music for Metropolis. — As part of a revival of cinema classics, Dr. Mabuse is shown at the Tauentzienpalast theater, and the Noflendorf-Theater screens Die Nibelungen.
August 1926 The new Fritz-Lang-Gesellschaft (Fritz Lang Society) will work under Fritz Lang’s sole direction completely independently and produce exclusively large-scale films directed by him personally. Ufa has bought up the world distribution rights of all Fritz Lang films. The first project of the new society is a fantasy-science fiction film, to be followed by a film about the Flood. — In the English press. G. A. Atkinson writes a series of articles about Metropolis.— The preprint of the novel Metropolis begins in Das Illustrierte Blatt, a supplement of the Frankfurter Zeitung.—The opening credits are passed by the censorship office. (B.13474, 8.16.1926. 1 act, 186 m, Approved.)
November 1926 The film is passed by the censors at a length of 4189 meters (B.14171, 11.18.1926, 9 acts, 4189 m, Adults only.) — Fritz Lang invites the cast and crew to a private preview. — A delegation from the Reichsrat visits the Neubabelsberg studios. Screening of the last act of Metropolis.
World premiere Metropolis, Berlin cinema Ufa-Palast am Zoo, 1927.
December 1926 Frederick Wynne-Jones, the American representative of Ufa, has brought a copy of Metropolis to the US and shown it to Paramount.
January 10, 1927 World premiere of the film Metropolis in the Berlin cinema Ufa-Palast am Zoo.
August 1927 The Metropolis version shortened to 3241 meters is passed by the censors (B.16285, 8.5.1927, 12 acts, 3241 m, Adults only.)
August 25, 1927 German premiere of the shortened version simultaneously at the Stuttgart Ufa-Palast and at the Munich theatre Sendlinger-Tor-Lichtspiele. The Berlin premiere takes place one day later at the Ufa-Palast am Zoo, where the film is shown for a week.