Masterpieces, including Fritz Lang’s “Metropolis,” are kept at the German Federal Archives near Berlin. Here, film restoration specialist Egbert Koppe of the archive, is pictured at the facility. “Historical nitrate film is highly explosive,” he warns. Films are kept here under the stipulations of the German Explosives Act. 

Masterpieces, including Fritz Lang’s “Metropolis,” are kept at the German Federal Archives near Berlin. Here, film restoration specialist Egbert Koppe of the archive, is pictured at the facility. “Historical nitrate film is highly explosive,” he warns. Films are kept here under the stipulations of the German Explosives Act. 

@1 year ago with 4 notes
#film preservation #nitrate film #metropolis #german federal film archives 

"Is it acceptable to destroy cultural objects as if they were land mines? This is a question faced by archivists in Germany, where many of the country’s historical films were shot on explosive nitrocellulose. A bitter fight has broken out in Germany over whether the film should be preserved or destroyed."

“Debate on Saving Historic Films Explodes.” Der Spiegel, February 10, 2012.
@1 year ago with 4 notes
#film preservation #nitrate film #germany #silent film #der spiegel 
A still from Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglorious Basterds”: In the film, Adolf Hitler dies in a Paris movie theater, which partisans transform into a fiery hell with the help of nitrate film. The material, which has far greater explosive power than gun powder, has become a serious problem for German film archivists. 

A still from Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglorious Basterds”: In the film, Adolf Hitler dies in a Paris movie theater, which partisans transform into a fiery hell with the help of nitrate film. The material, which has far greater explosive power than gun powder, has become a serious problem for German film archivists. 

@1 year ago with 1 note
#film preservation #ingloriuous basterds #adolf hitler #nazis #film #nitrate film #quentin tarantino 
Masterpieces, including Fritz Lang’s “Metropolis,” are kept at the German Federal Archives near Berlin. Here, film restoration specialist Egbert Koppe of the archive, is pictured at the facility. “Historical nitrate film is highly explosive,” he warns. Films are kept here under the stipulations of the German Explosives Act. 
1 year ago
#film preservation #nitrate film #metropolis #german federal film archives 
A still from Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglorious Basterds”: In the film, Adolf Hitler dies in a Paris movie theater, which partisans transform into a fiery hell with the help of nitrate film. The material, which has far greater explosive power than gun powder, has become a serious problem for German film archivists. 
1 year ago
#film preservation #ingloriuous basterds #adolf hitler #nazis #film #nitrate film #quentin tarantino 
"Is it acceptable to destroy cultural objects as if they were land mines? This is a question faced by archivists in Germany, where many of the country’s historical films were shot on explosive nitrocellulose. A bitter fight has broken out in Germany over whether the film should be preserved or destroyed."
“Debate on Saving Historic Films Explodes.” Der Spiegel, February 10, 2012.
1 year ago
#film preservation #nitrate film #germany #silent film #der spiegel