Urban Renewal

On the occasion of its 75th birthday, Fritz Lang's grandiose -- and visionary -- science-fiction opus, Metropolis, has been diligently and digitally restored to a fine semblance of its youthful splendor. Accompanied by Stravinsky-esque refrains from Gottfried Huppertz's score, Kino International Presents Fritz Lang's Metropolis (kino.com/metropolis/index.html) relates the sometimes shocking history of the 1927 cinema classic Lang believed would be ''the costliest and most ambitious picture ever.'' (Call him the James Cameron of his day.) Visitors will find a virtual primer on the film, including a history of the production, extended bios of cast and crew, and a schedule of where the new print will be unspooling. Also browse the gallery of Metropolis memorabilia, and check out a Paramount poster (designed by R.V. Borst) that's fittingly festooned with the words Erotic, Exotic, Erratic, Fantastic, Futuristic, Fatalistic, Imaginary, Impressive, and Impossible. Hyberbolic and silly? We beg to differ. This Blade Runner forerunner remains a silent film that speaks volumes.