Average Rating: 
Rating:  - A labor of love!
At last, the "Metropolis" film restoration project is complete, and the results are brilliant. One of the greatest and most influential science fiction films in history has been rescued from oblivion, and now it can survive in digital glory to amaze and capture the imaginations of future generations.The first time I purchased a DVD of this film, it was the "Hollywood Classics" version, and I was so terribly disappointed by the scratchy print that I could hardly get past the first 20 minutes, and ultimately I donated the disc to my local public library. Sure, I knew that surviving prints of "Metropolis" had deteriorated badly, but I had assumed in the age of the DVD that something watchable would be available. The "Hollywood Classics" version is NOT watchable. But now the definitive version is out, and it's FANTASTIC. I suspect most people who purchase this disc are already familiar with the film and venerate it like I do. But there's much more to recommend this DVD than just the fact that the film has been digitally restored as closely to the version that originally premiered in Berlin in 1927. The extras on this disc are amazing. You'll want to pore over the extensive photo galleries. You'll also enjoy the "Metropolis Case" documentary about Fritz Lang and the place of the film in German Expressionist film history. The short feature about how the film was digitally cleaned up is also interesting, though a bit academic. But when you finally decide to settle in and watch the film itself, I would highly suggest watching it with the excellent commentary by Enno Patalas ON. It's very well-scripted and provides the film with a great deal of extra meaning and resonance. You've already seen the film a number of times, right? You'll enjoy the commentary, trust me. It doesn't distract from the viewing experience, nor is it like commentary tracks today in which cast and crew watch the film and just throw in offhand observations and an occasional chuckle. Enno Patalas' commentary in contrast is well-paced and highly respectful of both the film and the viewer.
Rating: - Spectacular, must-have DVD for any film buff
Metropolis was quite a stunning film for its time. It had "Star Wars" quality special effects which were unheard-of back then--all amazingly done by hand and combined with tedious optical effects. Considering the massive effort and talent required, it was far more ambitious and deserving of praise than Star Wars, which had the luxury of more modern technologies to fall back on. If you view Metropolis in this context, and consider the time period, you can't help but be impressed. In fact, as you watch it, imagine the amazed reaction it must have received in theaters back in the 1920's. Audiences at that time had never seen anything like it. For at least the next 50 years, this film held its own--quite a feat.The Kino-produced DVD is in itself impressive. It is the absolute best version of the film ever to be made available in any form to the public. The video quality is astonishing considering the difficulty they must have had finding good prints to work with. The audio, too, is superb. You'll really enjoy the extra bonus material as well. So get this DVD, pop up some popcorn, turn out the lights, and transport yourself back to the 1920's. You're really going to love this one.
Rating: - As good as it gets
All previous releases of "Metropolis" are going to seem remarkably grungy compared to this one. Kino Video, Transit Film, the Murnau Foundation, and a small army of dedicated people have put a great deal of work and care into producing the most complete version of "Metropolis" that anyone has seen since its premiere. Although about a quarter of the footage is still missing, the new restoration restores not only the surviving footage but a great deal of the story line as well. We learn (among many other things) why the Robot is female, why 'she' tries to destroy the city, and why Rotwang appears to go mad toward the end of the film; secondary characters like Josephat, 11811, and 'Slim' are fleshed out, and Alfred Abel's character Joh Fredersen is given much more depth. The picture quality is now comparable to that of a well-preserved '40s or '50s sound film; some of the effects scenes were entirely reconstructed from the original optical elements, and unobtrusive intertitles have been added to fill us in on parts of the film for which the footage has been lost. The soundtrack is the original orchestral score-- something for which I am extremely grateful. There have been several releases of "Metropolis" with soundtracks that had nothing to do with the film (random selections of old foxtrots or classical music)-- the original score holds the film together in a way that I've never experienced before. This is now a movie! The DVD contains some nice extras; production and advertising art, two featurettes ("The Metropolis Case" and "The Restoration"), and various bits of background info. There is also an audio commentary by Enno Patalas, which is both informative and insightful and makes many relevant references to Thea von Harbou's original novel. In short: if you want a copy of "Metropolis", this is the one to get.
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