Fritz Lang Metropolis on DVD or Blu-Ray

Discussion in 'Visual Arts' started by ShockControl, Jul 11, 2019.

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  1. ShockControl

    ShockControl Bon Vivant and Raconteur! Thread Starter

    Location:
    Lotus Land
    There are several threads devoted to this masterpiece, but many of them are old and locked.

    Can anyone recommend a comprehensive version? I'm looking for the most complete version, including the recently discovered footage. I'm also looking for the original score with the correct placement, based on notes that were recently discovered.

    Amazon seems to pool the reviews of every edition, so it's difficult to tell what is what.

    Thanks in advance.
     
  2. John B Good

    John B Good Forum Hall Of Fame

    Location:
    NS, Canada
    Good question. My copy from Kino says 2002 on the box and claims to be "Restored Authorized Edition".

    Amazon's carelessness with listings is very frustrating.
     
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  3. DreadPikathulhu

    DreadPikathulhu Senior Member

    Location:
    Seattle
  4. DetroitDoomsayer

    DetroitDoomsayer Forum Middle Child

    Location:
    Detroit, Michigan
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  5. ShockControl

    ShockControl Bon Vivant and Raconteur! Thread Starter

    Location:
    Lotus Land
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  6. stepeanut

    stepeanut The gloves are off

    The MoC 90th anniversary LE is actually the best and most comprehensive version. OOP now, though.

    Metropolis Blu-ray
     
  7. DreadPikathulhu

    DreadPikathulhu Senior Member

    Location:
    Seattle
    This one appears to include the Moroder version, which is available separately in the US. Are there any other major differences?
     
  8. johnnyyen

    johnnyyen Senior Member

    Location:
    Scotland
    Of course the title is slightly deceptive, as the complete Metropolis has still to surface. The two I own are the Masters Of Cinema restored version, and their steel book limited edition, which includes the Giorgio Moroder version. The Moroder edit has to be one of the most bizarre I have ever seen. Not only is it colourised, but has a soundtrack featuring Freddie Mercury, Cindy Lauper and Adam Ant! Clocks in at 90 minutes too! I have absolutely no idea what he was thinking, or what his intention was.
     
  9. stepeanut

    stepeanut The gloves are off

    Original German intertitles; more accurate English subtitles; more substantial extras, including a David Kalat audio commentary.

    Beaver review, comparing the Kino to an earlier MoC edition:

    Metropolis Blu-ray - Fritz Lang
     
  10. mBen989

    mBen989 Senior Member

    Location:
    Scranton, PA
    Introducing a German Silent Classic to a new generation.
     
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  11. DetroitDoomsayer

    DetroitDoomsayer Forum Middle Child

    Location:
    Detroit, Michigan
    Except the Moroder version has very little in common with the story Lang was telling.

    Original: 153 minutes

    2010 "Complete" restoration 148 minutes

    Moroder version: 83 minutes

    The Moroder version loses nearly half of the film. Pretty strange way to introduce a new generation to a silent classic.
     
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  12. DreadPikathulhu

    DreadPikathulhu Senior Member

    Location:
    Seattle
    The Moroder version was the first time I saw Metropolis in 1984, so I do have a special affinity for it even thought it’s really just an extended music video.

    It took 25 years of sketchy public domain VHS and slowed-down Japanese Laserdisc releases before we got the “Complete” version from Kino.
     
  13. stepeanut

    stepeanut The gloves are off

    To put all this into historical perspective, the Wiki entry has this to say about the 1984 Moroder version:

    It was the first serious attempt made at restoring Metropolis to Lang's original vision, and until the restorations in 2001 and 2010, it was the most complete version of the film commercially available; the shorter run time was due to the extensive use of subtitles and a faster frame rate than the original.
     
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  14. Todd Fredericks

    Todd Fredericks Senior Member

    Location:
    A New Yorker
    Yes, this is the definitive edition to own. I also own the Kino version and the older MOC ones. The 90th release is top shelf and highly recommended.
     
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  15. stepeanut

    stepeanut The gloves are off

    Indeed. Hard to find now, though. Only 2,000 copies made, and only available direct from Eureka. It’s a couple of years OOP at this point.

    I also own three older Eureka/MoC steelbook editions.
     
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  16. DreadPikathulhu

    DreadPikathulhu Senior Member

    Location:
    Seattle
    Hopefully we’ll get something spectacular for the 100th anniversary version in 2027. Though purists might complain, I wouldn’t be opposed to an effort to recreate the remaining missing footage in a style consistent with the rest of the film.
     
  17. Veggie Boy

    Veggie Boy still trudgin'

    Location:
    Central Canada
    I've never seen it except for the odd clip. It was on TCN last week and appears to be the full version (148 minute?). It's on my PVR and I'll be watching this weekend. Looking forward to it.
     
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  18. longdist01

    longdist01 Senior Member

    Location:
    Chicago, IL USA
    Glad to see the Kino released Blu-Ray, and the discovery of the extra footage found in Argentina film vault!
     
  19. ShockControl

    ShockControl Bon Vivant and Raconteur! Thread Starter

    Location:
    Lotus Land
    OK, now I'm confused. I have ZERO INTEREST in the Moroder version (and I love Moroder).

    I'm looking for the FULL-LENGTH (or close to it) version with the ORIGINAL SCORE.

    I take it that is the Kino version called "The Complete Metropolis?"
     
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  20. longdist01

    longdist01 Senior Member

    Location:
    Chicago, IL USA
    I like the Kino version (it's missing a few Supplements!) I really don't need the big "MOC" Steelbook case version, as cool as it is!

    Metropolis Blu-ray - Fritz Lang

    A definite Silent Classic from Fritz Lang
     
  21. DetroitDoomsayer

    DetroitDoomsayer Forum Middle Child

    Location:
    Detroit, Michigan
    Yes
     
  22. ShockControl

    ShockControl Bon Vivant and Raconteur! Thread Starter

    Location:
    Lotus Land
    Thanks for looking out for me!
     
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  23. beccabear67

    beccabear67 Musical omnivore.

    Location:
    Victoria, Canada
    TCM aired the 2010 restoration, which is also the Complete DVD on Kino. There's always the possibility of finding better quality film for some of it however remote, but there was a time I never expected to see what is now pretty much the entire film properly, and it really is a masterpiece! Now we can only imagine London After Midnight turning up. :sigh:
     
  24. DetroitDoomsayer

    DetroitDoomsayer Forum Middle Child

    Location:
    Detroit, Michigan
    There's no need to spend an arm and a leg on the out of print Eureka/MOC (region locked) blu ray.

    The Kino and the MOC share the same restoration source.
    The only difference are the inter-title cards.
    The Kino has them in English, the MOC has the original German titles, but since inter-titles would have been
    changed for release in different countries when the film was originally released, I see no real need for insisting there be
    German only titles.
     
  25. stepeanut

    stepeanut The gloves are off

    The regular MoC edition is still available at £12.99, with free shipping worldwide, and it is superior to the Kino in several ways, as already mentioned earlier in the thread.

    Metropolis | Eureka
     
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