Back in the mid-1980s, my introduction to
METROPOLIS was through the version that Giorgio Moroder edited together along with a few other changes like setting
a contemporary score, adding pop songs (more on that soon), color tinting some footage through rotoscoping, adding sound effects,
and even English subtitles (in place of English inter-titles even though they don't totally go away).
I discovered METROPOLIS in its more complete and original forms years later via the first attempt at a complete restoration
(still missing several minutes)and last year's COMPLETE METROPOLIS (link to that review is included at the end of
this review) which only has about less than five minutes missing. I won't go on about what METROPOLIS is about since
it is likely most people who read this review know what METROPOLIS is about.
Giorgio Moroder's version is a new film in itself. It starts out well with all the changes
Moroder does to the film. The only two things that really bug me after seeing over 20 years later is that some of the
pop music songs don't work (they take away from the film) and Moroder changes the motive behind the false Maria robot (and
none of Rotwang's revenge against Joh Frederson is in this version). If you want to experience METROPOLIS for the first
time, go watch the COMPLETE METROPOLIS instead. Giorgio Moroder's version is a curiosity and an alternative
version to the Fritz Lang classic. The one big thing it did was introduce people to the Fritz Lang film (and
hopefully every new viewer tracked down and watched Lang's original version).
SPECIAL FEATURES:
THE FADING IMAGE is a rarely seen 18 minute documentary on film restoration and a behind-the-scenes look at the restoration
and scoring or Moroder's version.
Also included on the disc are trailers for
THE COMPLETE METROPOLIS and GIORGIO MORODER PRESENTS METROPOLIS, a photo gallery, and liner notes by Giorgio Moroder.
FINAL ANALYSIS: Giorgio Moroder's reedited and re-scored METROPOLIS
is a do and don't on making an alternate version of a classic film. It helped people discover METROPOLIS. It remains
a curiosity. I'm glad it is available on DVD and blu-ray, but it is only for the METROPOLIS completest.
this DVD review is (c)11-23-2011 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without
permission. send all comments to feedback@enterline-media.com Spam isn't welcome- it will be shot down the nearest
black hole.
