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Metropolis DVD Review

About.com Rating 5

By , About.com Guide

The Bottom Line

I give this spectacular film my highest possible recommendation, not because of its great historical importance, but because I find it spellbinding.

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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