Metropolis DVD Review

Pros

• Visually imaginative, cinematically stunning
• Intellectual and thought-provoking
• Fascinating allegory with mythic resonance

Cons

• Story is allegorical, not logical
• Broadly acted, even for a silent film
• About 25% of original footage has been lost

Description

• DVD containing landmark silent movie “Metropolis” (1927)
• Film directed by Fritz Lang
• Version of movie restored under auspices of Murnau Foundation and first shown in February, 2001
• DVD contains scholarly commentary track and other bonus materials
• Excellent picture quality
• Excellent sound quality (re-recording of original orchestral accompaniment)

Guide Review - Metropolis DVD Review

Fritz Lang’s "Metropolis" is one of the greatest silent films ever made. There’s an extravagance to the movie, yet it manages to be both pulpy and intellectual. A highly operatic film, "Metropolis" creates a world of its own that is rich in allegory and metaphor. The style is not realistic, but theatrical and expressionistic. "Metropolis" is generally considered to be the first full-length science-fiction film ever made, but what I like best about it is the way it draws on ideas from Jung, Freud, Marx, the Bible, and Norse mythology and wraps them all in visually dazzling imagery. I give this spectacular film my highest possible recommendation, not because of its great historical importance, but because I find it spellbinding.

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