1. Soon after its premiere,
the film Metropolis
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2. was severely truncated
and alterations were made.
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3. From that time onward,
more than a quarter of the film
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4. was assumed to have been lost.
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5. Then, in 2008, a virtually complete
version of the film
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6. was discovered in Buenos Aires.
What had been preserved
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7. was, however, a heavily damaged
copy of the film
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8. that had been printed to 16mm
film stock,
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9. lacking the full frame
of the picture's original aspect ratio.
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10. A considerable amount of the film
reconstruction was able to be completed
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11. and the correct sequence
of its editing
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12. established by means
of this Argentinian material.
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13. Spanish intertitles have been translated
into German
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14. with the aid of the censor-cards.
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15. In order to display in their correct
position on the image
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16. the cropped elements taken
from the 16mm negative,
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17. the missing portion of the frame
has been marked by black.
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18. The intertitles appear
with their original graphic treatment.
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19. Those titles which appear in a different
typeface
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20. have been added to summarise
the content of still-missing scenes
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21. as far as is necessary
to facilitate
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22. an adequate understanding
of the storyline.
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23. Shorter gaps are indicated
by small segments of black leader.
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24. This film was produced by Ufa
and is distributed courtesy of Parufamet.
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25. Fritz Lang.
Thea von Harbou.
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26. Production Design: Otto Hunte,
Erich Kettelhut, Karl Vollbrecht.
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27. At the Camera:
Karl Freund, Günther Rittau.
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28. Gottfried Huppertz.
Walter Schultze-Mittendorf.
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29. Metropolis, a novel
by Thea von Harbou,
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30. appeared in the publication
Illustriertes Blatt, Frankfurt,
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31. and in book form
from August Scherl Verlag G.m.b.H.
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32. The personages in the film:
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33. Joh Fredersen - Alfred Abel
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34. Freder, Joh Fredersen's son -
Gustav Fröhlich
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35. Rotwang, the inventor
- Rudolf Klein-Rogge
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36. The Thin Man - Fritz Rasp
Josaphat - Theodor Loos
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37. 11811 - Erwin Biswanger
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38. Grot, the guardian of the Heart-Machine -
Heinrich George
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39. The Creative Man
The Machine-Man
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40. Death
The Seven Deadly Sins
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41. Maria - Brigitte Helm
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42. MUST BE THE HEART!
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43. Shift change.
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44. Deep beneath
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45. the earth lay the
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46. City of the Workers.
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47. As deep beneath the earth
as the City of the Workers lay,
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48. so high above it towered the complex
known as the "Sons' Club",
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49. with its lecture halls and libraries,
its theatres and stadiums.
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50. Fathers, for whom every revolution
of a mechanical wheel meant gold,
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51. had bestowed upon their sons
the wonder of the Eternal Gardens.
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52. Which of you ladies shall today
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53. have the honour of entertaining Master Freder,
Joh Fredersen's son?
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54. Look! These are your brothers!
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55. Look - !
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56. These are your brothers!
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57. Who - was that?
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58. But this was what happened to Freder -
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59. the son of Joh Fredersen,
the master of Metropolis -
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60. as he sought out the girl:
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61. To the new Tower of Babel -
to my father - !
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62. Why is it, Josaphat, that I learn of this explosion
from my son, and not from you - !
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63. Details - !
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64. What were you looking for
in the Machine-Halls, Freder?
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65. I wanted to look into the faces of the people
whose little children are my brothers, my sisters...
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66. Your magnificent city, Father -
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67. and you the brain of this city -
and all of us within the light of this city... -
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68. and where are the people, Father,
whose hands built your city - ?
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69. Off where they belong...
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70. off where they belong...?
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71. in the Depths...?
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72. And if those in the Depths
one day rise against you?
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73. The chief foreman of the Heart-Machine, Grot, -
with an important message...
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74. There were two more copies
of those damnable plans, Herr Fredersen...
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75. in the pockets of two men who met
with an accident today at the M-Machine...
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76. How is it, Josaphat, that these plans
were brought to me by Grot, rather than by you?
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77. Apply to the G-Bank
for your remaining wages...
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78. Father, do you know what it means
to be dismissed by you? -
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79. It means: To be sent below! -
Father - below! Into the Depths - !
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80. Do you know what it means to be dismissed
like that by Joh Fredersen?
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81. Would you like to come with me,
Josaphat?
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82. Go home, Josaphat, and wait for me...
I still have a long way to go tonight...
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83. Into the Depths, -
to my brothers...
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84. From today on I wish to be kept precisely informed
of my son's every move...
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85. Brother...
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86. the Machine! There needs
to be someone at the Machine!
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87. There will be someone at the machine...
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88. ME.
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89. Listen to me...
I want to trade my life with you...
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90. Josaphat.
99th Block. House 7, 7th Floor.
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91. Wait for me -
both of you...
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92. Josaphat.
99th Block. House 7, 7th Floor.
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93. In the middle of Metropolis,
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94. there stands a strange house
that the centuries had overlooked.
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95. The man who dwelled within
was Rotwang, the inventor.
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96. Hel
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97. Born to bring me happiness
and a benediction to all mankind.
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98. Lost to Joh Fredersen.
Died giving life to Freder, Joh Fredersen's son.
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99. A mind like yours, Rotwang,
should be able to forget...
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100. Only one time in life did I forget something:
that Hel was a woman - and you a man...
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101. Let the dead lie, Rotwang...
She's dead for you as she is for me...
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102. For me she isn't dead, Joh Fredersen -
for me she lives - !
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103. Do you think the loss of a hand
is too high a price for recreating Hel -?
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104. Do you wish to see her -?
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105. Now, Joh Fredersen -?
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106. Isn't it worth losing a hand
to have created the man of the future -
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107. the Machine-Man -?
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108. 24 more hours of work -
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109. and no man, Joh Fredersen, will be able
to differentiate the Machine-Man from a mortal - !
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110. The woman is mine, Joh Fredersen!
Hel's son was yours!
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111. And what brings you my way,
Joh Fredersen?
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112. I need your advice -
as usual, when all my experts fail me...
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113. Can you decipher for me these plans
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114. that for months have been getting discovered
in the pockets of my workers?
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115. at two... once my shift ends!
She has summoned us again...
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116. Father - ! Father - !
Will ten hours never come to an end -?
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117. - it's a blueprint
of the two-thousand-year-old catacombs
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118. deep below the lowest levels
of your Metropolis...
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119. I should like to glean what my workers
are doing exactly in those catacombs...
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120. Today I shall tell you
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121. the legend of THE CONSTRUCTION
OF THE TOWER OF BABEL...
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122. The Legend of THE CONSTRUCTION
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123. Come! Let us build a tower
whose zenith shall reach unto the stars!
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124. And at the tower's zenith we shall write:
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125. Great is the world and its Maker!
And great is Man!
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126. but those who had conceived
of the Tower of Babel
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127. could not build the Tower of Babel.
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128. The task was too great.
So they paid wages to outside hands...
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129. But the hands that built the Tower of Babel
knew nothing of the dream
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130. of which the head that had conceived it
had been fantasising.
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131. The hymns of praise of one man
became the curses of others.
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132. The same language was spoken,
but these men did not understand one another...
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133. Great is the world and its Maker
and great is Man
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134. HEAD and HANDS require a Mediator.
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135. MUST BE THE HEART!
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136. And where is our Mediator,
Maria - ?
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137. Wait for him!
He will surely come!
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138. We will wait, Maria...!
But not for much longer - !
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139. Oh Mediator,
have you finally come...
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140. You summoned me -
here I am!
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141. Rotwang, give the Machine-Man
the likeness of this woman...
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142. I shall sow discord
between them and her!
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143. I shall destroy their belief
in this woman -
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144. Leave me alone now, Joh Fredersen...
You'll find the way back without me...
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145. You fool! Now you shall also lose
the last remaining thing you still had from Hel...
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146. your son...
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147. Until tomorrow, in the cathedral!
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148. Freder witnesses a monk at the pulpit
who preaches:
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149. "Verily, I say unto you: the days
of which the Apocalypse speaks draw nigh!"
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150. The monk's hand points to the Bible,
in which it is written:
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151. "And I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured
beast, full of names of blasphemy,
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152. having seven heads and ten horns.
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153. And the woman was arrayed
in purple and scarlet colour,
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154. having a golden cup in her hand.
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155. And upon her forehead was a name
written, a mystery:
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156. BABYLON THE GREAT, the Mother
of Abominations of the Earth.
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157. And I saw the woman drunken
with the blood of the Saints."
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158. You will annihilate Joh Fredersen -
him and his city and his son - !
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159. Had you come earlier,
you wouldn't have frightened me...
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160. I now beg of you: stay away from me
and my beloved...!
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161. Where is the one whose clothes
you are wearing?
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162. Josaphat.
99th Block. House 7, 7th Floor.
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163. Would you please wake Georgy up?
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164. He must lead me
to the Workers' City at once...
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165. No. 11811, get back to the Machine
and forget that you ever left it - understood?
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166. I have to have someone
who's faithful to me, Josaphat, -
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167. otherwise, how shall I attain the end-goal
of my path -?
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168. I must go on, Josaphat, -
must now, on my own,
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169. seek out the person to whom Georgy
was supposed to lead me...
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170. Tonight, Josaphat -
tonight when I come back...
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171. Josaphat.
99th Block. House 7, 7th Floor.
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172. So, what price are you demanding
for leaving this residence tonight?
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173. You still don't seem to have grasped
who sent me here...
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174. This man doesn't want his son
to find you still here tonight!
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175. In three hours' time
I shall be calling for you!
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176. Come! It is time to give the Man-Machine
your face!
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177. Where is Maria -?
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178. She's with your father...
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179. I'm telling you,
she is with your father - !
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180. "She is the most perfect and most obedient tool
that a man has ever possessed!
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181. Tonight you shall see how she holds up
before the eyes of the upper hundred.
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182. You shall see her dance, and if only one single
person recognises the machine in her,
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183. I will call myself a bungler
who never succeeded at anything!
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184. C. Rotwang"
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185. "C. A. Rotwang requests Herr Joh Fredersen
to be his guest this evening."
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186. I want you to go to those in the Depths
in order to annihilate the work of your prototype!
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187. "C. A. Rotwang requests Herr Joh Fredersen
to be his guest this evening."
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188. Verily, I say unto you: the days
of which the Apocalypse speaks draw nigh...!
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189. All Seven Deadly Sins,
on her behalf - !
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190. Death overtakes the City - !
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191. The Revelation of St. John
Avalun Publishing, Hellerau
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192. I escaped from the Thin Man
wearing this attire...
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193. But for ten days your father's bloodhound
has been making the Workers' City unsafe...
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194. The only thing keeping the workers in check
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195. is their expectation for the Mediator
promised unto them...
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196. Even stranger things
have been happening, Freder...
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197. On that evening when you fell ill...
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198. once the best of friends...
because of that woman...
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199. the other man...
on that same evening...
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200. the Eternal Gardens lie abandoned...
but night after night in Yoshiwara...
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201. And this woman,
at whose feet all sins are heaped...
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202. is also called Maria...
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203. That same woman that those in the Depths
regard as a saint -?
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204. Many now go to the City of the Dead,
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205. to a woman they have judged
to be as true as gold.
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206. The Mediator is not likely
to miss that occasion...
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207. Whatever happens tonight:
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208. it is my express order to allow the workers
to do as they please...
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209. Joh Fredersen wants to let those in the Depths
use force and do wrong
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210. so that he can claim the right
to use force against them...
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211. When you spoke to your poor brothers,
you talked about peace, Maria...
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212. today a mouthpiece of Joh Fredersen
incites them to rebel against him...
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213. She will destroy their belief
in the Mediator!
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214. You know I've always talked about peace...
but your Mediator hasn't come...
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215. You've waited long enough!
Your time has come - !
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216. but I've tricked Joh Fredersen!
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217. Your clone does not obey his will -
only mine alone!
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218. Who is the living fodder
for the machines for Metropolis -?
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219. Who smears the machine-joints
with their own marrow -?
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220. Who feeds the machines
with their own flesh -?
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221. Let the machines starve, you fools - !
Finish them off -!
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222. Do them in -
these machines -!
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223. You aren't Maria -!
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224. YOU ARE NOT MARIA - !
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225. Maria talks of peace, not murder - !
This is not Maria -!
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226. Joh Fredersen's son -!
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227. Do him in, the dog,
in his white silken hide -!
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228. Get your women, your sons,
out of the Workers' City!
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229. Let no-one stay behind!
Death to the machines -!
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230. In the attic of his home,
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231. Rotwang displays
for Maria his ever-growing intoxication
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232. with his triumph over Fredersen:
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233. " - and twice over did I trick Joh Fredersen - !
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234. For I concealed from him that his son
wants to be the Mediator of your brothers -
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235. and is in love with you - !"
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236. Maria isn't the only one listening to Rotwang.
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237. On the other side of the attic's window,
Joh Fredersen was eavesdropping...
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238. Joh Fredersen breaks into Rotwang's attic.
He wrestles with his old rival and overtakes him.
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239. Maria is free.
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240. faithful after all...
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241. Come, Freder!
We still have to go through the Workers' City.
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242. Women and men,
let no-one miss out on today - !
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243. Death to the machines -!
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244. Not one man -
not one woman has stayed behind - !
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245. Leave the machines - !
Let them race to their death - !
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246. To the Heart-Machine - !
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247. Open the gates!
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248. You have to open the gates!
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249. If the Heart-Machine perishes,
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250. nothing in the Machine-District
will be left standing -!
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251. Have you lost your minds -?
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252. If the Heart-Machine perishes,
the entire Workers' City will be laid to waste -!
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253. Where are your fathers,
your mothers?
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254. Do you have any idea that your son
is amongst the workers?
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255. Yes - you! You're Maria - !
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256. To the air shafts - quickly! Quickly!
The reservoirs have burst! The city is drowning - !
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257. We'll take the children
to the Sons' Club!
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258. Why are all the lights out?
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259. I need to know - !
Where is my son?
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260. Tomorrow thousands
will ask in fury and desperation:
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261. Joh Fredersen,
where is my son -?
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262. Where are your children?
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263. The city is drowned,
the shafts are totally flooded -!
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264. Who bade you attack the machines,
without which you're finished, you idiots -?
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265. It's the witch's fault - !
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266. We'll be looking on
as the world goes to the devil - !
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267. Find the witch; this is all her fault - !
Strike her dead -!
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268. Now I'm going to take you home,
my Hel - !
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269. The witch - ! the witch - !
There she is - ! there she is - !
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270. Where are our children,
you witch, you -?
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271. Burn the witch. -
To the stake with her!
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272. To the stake with her -!
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273. Hel - ! My Hel -!
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274. Your children... saved -!
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275. Head and hands want to join together,
but they don't have the heart to do it...
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276. Oh Mediator,
show them the way to one another...
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277. MUST BE THE HEART!
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278. F. W. Murnau Stiftung, Wiesbaden
jointly with Deutsche Kinemathek -
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279. Museum für Film und Fernsehen, Berlin
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280. in co-operation with Museo del Cine Pablo
C. Ducros Hicken, Buenos Aires
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281. Supported by:
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282. Contributors of material and guidance:
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283. Special Thanks:
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284. Reconstruction and synchronisation
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285. of the original music
by Gottfried Huppertz:
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286. Frank Strobel
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287. Instrumentation of the missing parts
of the score:
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288. Marco Jovic
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289. Musical notation:
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290. Jörg Peltzer
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291. Edition on behalf of ZDF/ARTE:
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292. Europäische Filmphilharmonie -
Die Film Philharmonie GmbH
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293. Performed by the:
Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin
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294. an ensemble of the
Rundfunk Orchester und Chöre GmbH
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295. Musical direction:
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296. Frank Strobel
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297. Music production:
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298. Nina Goslar, ZDF/ARTE
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299. Stefan Lang,
Deutschlandradio Kultur
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