Fritz Lang’s “Metropolis” can finally be restored to its full glory. The final piece of the jigsaw, an original print of some of the previsouly missing scenes, has arrived in Wiesbaden, Germany from Buenos Aires where it was discovered.

“When you follow the whole story from August 2008 until today, we’re overjoyed to have it in our hands. There were a couple of occasions when we thought we were going get it, but we didn’t. So it’s great it’s here, and we can finally start the restoration work, “ says Helmut Possmann, Head of Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau Foundation.

But restoration is a complicated proces.“The work consists of two parts. On the one hand, there’s the technical aspect: the digital restoration. And on the other, there’s the reconstruction. That’s what we’re doing here: reconstructing the original version,” explains Anke Wilkening.

The most expensive film of its time, “Metropolis” was originally released in 1927, but it was substantially cut after its premiere because the film was not as successful as producers wanted.

There have been several previous attempts to restore the film but all have had missing scenes.

The hope is to finish the restoration by January –
just in time for the next Berlin Film Festival in February 2010.