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Releases Reviewed:

Metropolis is perhaps a bit different than many of the old public domain movies in that there are a number of notable releases rather than a bunch that all look like the exact same product with different cover art.

For starters, Metropolis actually has 2 different Blu releases (there's also a steelbook limited edition that includes a book, but I couldn't find a region 1 listing for it). These are the Giorgio Moroder Presents (Special Edition) and “The Complete Metropolis” both released by Kino and both having DVD versions available.

Also on DVD is a “Restored Authorized Edition” by Paramount and Kino, a “Hollywood Classics” edition, a Synergy Archive Series, and a Triad Productions release. These are just to name the most distinctive ones I saw, and each one appears to offer something noteworthy. Incidentally, if you see a reviewer on the net going by the name “keviny01,” he seems to know more about the various releases than anyone else I saw reviewing them so pay attention to him.

I got an unimpressive copy in a pack of 50 “Horror Classics.”

Video:

1.33: This is the TV standard ratio. The video quality is so poor that it can be hard to make out some of the picture. It's washed out, jumpy, fuzzy, and generally just stinks.

Audio:

1.0 mono: This is my biggest bone of contention with the version I have and probably a large factor in why I think some of the scenes drag. Classical music scores the video with unimpressive audio quality. It’s nice music, some of it is stuff that I might consider listening to outside of watching the movie, but it does not work well in the context of the movie. It’s like playing a generic classical CD while watching the movie. The music has nothing whatsoever to do with the mood of any given scene (although occasionally they do tend to mesh, that seems coincidental). What’s worse is that the songs change with no regard for synchronization. We may be in the middle of a climactic scene and suddenly there’s no music as a song fades out to begin the next song. I imagine a better soundtrack would greatly enhance the movie experience.

Packaging:

This particular disc is housed in a cardboard sleeve contained in a Velcro-fastened box. You can read about the set as a whole in great detail in the Horror Classics (50 pack) guide.

This cut is a couple of minutes shy of 2 hours long. It's clearly unrestored and excludes the footage that would later be found and reintegrated.

Extras:

There are no extras of any kind.

Other Editions:

“The Complete Metropolis” appears to be the most definitive edition mainly because it is the only one that includes the previously lost half hour of film making this version a good bit longer than even the previously impressive restoration effort. The video quality is said to be the best it has ever looked but varies a lot from beautifully restored to horribly mangled (it sounds like the lost footage was not cared for very well). The audio is a 5.1 track of the original orchestral score which is great to have (being the original and all) but seems to be less sought-after than the newer Alloy Orchestra score which was blocked from being included (the sample clips I've heard of this score are very impressive though the original score is solid as well). It is noted that the dialogue cards are in English only and do not include the original German. According to the notes the extras on this set are different than the ones previously offered and include a documentary that is nearly an hour long, an interview, and a trailer for the restoration effort.

The Moroder Blu release utilizes a rock score that a lot of reviewers criticize. Actually, calling it a “score” is a misnomer, these are rock songs, and whether or not I like Pat Benatar, hearing her sing kills the feel of the movie (I've seen sample clips). The dialogue cards are replaced by subtitles. The image is unrestored though the 1080p picture is still an improvement over many of the DVD copies according to what I've read. Included are a documentary of silent films in Germany, the history of Metropolis, some info about this particular restoration, some publicity photos, and some trailers.

The DVD versions of both of those releases are the same except for the lack of the high-def video and audio.

The “Restored Authorized Edition” is only available on DVD but is the one that originally cleaned up the existing footage. It is said to look really good although it is missing the footage that would later be found and added to create the “complete” edition. It includes the orchestration in 5.1 surround sound although one listing I saw mentioned a newly recorded score while another listed the original score, so I'm not positive which one you'll actually get (maybe both). There is a good bit of information about the restoration in essay and documentary forms, a commentary (which is said to be unimpressive), a lengthy documentary, a feature dealing with the censors, interviews, photo galleries covering everything from designs to missing scenes, and some bios. One other item of note is that the film is presented according to the frame rate notes of the director; that means it is shown at 24 frames per second and may look odd to audiences used to the 30 FPS.

A “DVD Tee” release offers a shirt along with an unimpressive looking version of the movie.

The Hollywood Classics DVD lists the same extras as the “complete” edition but does not mention being the “complete” version nor does it list the run time for comparison. So it could actually be nothing more than an incorrect listing but I mention it anyway just in case.

The Synergy Archive Series DVD lists pretty much the same specs and extras as the “Restored Authorized Edition” and may be a repackaging of that release.

Final Thoughts:

I supposed the 50 Horror Classics version is an option if you want an opportunity to be exposed to this film through a budget pack. Just keep in mind that the quality stinks, and it is incomplete. The “complete” edition is the way to go for the most complete version of the movie currently available. It's unfortunate that it couldn't include the previous extra features and Alloy score to make this the fully definitive edition. To get the full range of extras you'll need to get the “Restored Authorized Edition” as well. Personally I would advise avoiding the Moroder release unless you would just really prefer the rock music to an orchestral score.