Fritz Langs Metropolis (1927) is a defining film of the silent era and science fiction genre. But the work of the films still photographer Horst von Harbou has remained obscure. Von Harbou, brother of Thea von Harbou, Langs then wife and coscreenwriter of Metropolis, photographed filmed scenes as well as offcamera action, and made an album of thirtyfive photographs which he gave to the films young star Brigitte Helm. The book Metropolis is a careful reconstruction of this album, showing the photographs and some of their backsides which feature hand-written notes. Von Harbous photographs not only offer a rare insight into Langs film, but have been crucial in reconstructing missing scenes from it.

Horst von Harbou was born in 1879 in Hutta, Posen, and died in 1953 in Potsdam-Babelsberg. Very little is known about von Harbou, except for the films on which he worked as a still photographer: these include Mensch ohne Namen (1932), Starke Herzen im Sturm (1937) and Augen der Liebe (1951).