Fritz Lang's Metropolis (1927) is a defining film of the silent era and science fiction genre. But the work of the film'sstill photographer Horst von Harbou has remained obscure. Von Harbou, brother of Thea von Harbou, Lang's then wifeand co-screenwriter of Metropolis, photographed filmed scenes as well as off-camera action, and made an album ofthirty-five photographs which he gave to the film's young star Brigitte Helm. The book Metropolis is a careful reconstructionof this album, showing the photographs and some of their backsides which feature hand-written notes. VonHarbou's photographs not only offer a rare insight into Lang's film, but have been crucial in reconstructing missingscenes from it.
