Metropolis (1984 Re-release Of 1927 Film)

Simply Amazing 80's Synth Music

Metropolis (Moroder version)

Great soundtrack, bought it on vinyl back when it was first released (the album opened up to have a full view of the robot), and still have it to this date in my media archives (like the warehouse at the end of Indiana Jones).

Anyway this is one of those movies that slipped between the cracks when everything was being put to DVD from VHS along with such other cult movies ("The Spirit is Willing but the flesh is weak", "Electric Dreams", etc).

If the OST made it to CD, then the movie needs to make it to DVD period! The movie blew me away when I was young with the sites, sounds, and the whole plot.

I was lucky to find a VHS version a decade ago at a going out of business video store. Unfortunately the VHS shelf life is not the greatest and it is showing its wear.

Some of the music is inspiring on here, such as Billy Squire "On your Own". But alot of the film score itself did not make it to the OST, such as Yoshiwa's House of Sin when the Evil Maria (the robot) performs that is a great number ending with the Reaper playing the flute (which fades into "Love Kills" by Freddie Mercury).

If you haven't seen the Giorgio Moroder version of this movie, do yourself a favor and look for clips, of it.

The movie was released through Vestron Video (defunct company), and on top of the music copyright laws changing it seems every nmonth may be why the movie never made it to DVD. (this happend with 1984's animated fantasy "Heavy Metal", until all the music was properly 're-licensed' for the move).

I'm sure they are over 1,000 fans of this movie, and at $14.95 a pop for a DVD copy, that's quite a bit of pocket change.


November 7, 2008

waiting over 20years for a DVD

I have been waiting forever for this incredible movie to come out on DVD. way back in 1984 when I had the pleasure of watching Metropolis on TV, I think it was TCM, I recorded it and my copy is now worn out. I am wanting to transfer it to DVD but as I said, the copy is bad. I guess I can waite. Maybe some one out there would have a copy of this exceptional movie and would send me a copy. contact me if you do. September 27, 2008

Enjoyably Eighties, and Has Worn Well

I saw the 1984 'enhanced' version of Metropolis when it was released and thoroughly enjoyed it, feeling that Giorgio Moroder's ten songs greatly added to this old silent film classic. Not everyone agreed, and I recall a few people (probably film snobs wearing black turtlenecks) walking out, no doubt thinking Moroder's music had desecrated something sacred. in fact, all silent movies had some kind of musical accompaniment (sometimes just a lowly pianist doing his thing), and Fritz Lang's futuristic film begs for some music that fits the visuals, with Moroder's filling the bill nicely. Moroder's own synthesized instrumental numbers, Machines and The Legend of Babel, are great numbers in their own right (even better when accompanying the film's visuals), and the vocal numbers are mostly top-notch, featuring some of the better known pop crooners of the 1980s--Freddie Mercury (of Queen), Pat Benatar, Jon Anderson, Adam Ant, Loverboy, Billy Squier, plus someone or something called Cycle V. Pat Benatar's song Here's My Heart is a bit syrupy, but perhaps a dose of sentiment was needed in this otherwise unpleasant and cynical story. All the songs' lyrics reflect what's going on on screen, but you needn't see the film to enjoy them, particularly in the case of Anderson's Cage of Freedom, with some strikingly perceptive lyrics that apply rather well to our contemporary scene. Not all 1980s music has worn well, and music snobs like to grouse about the 80s being a dismal decade for pop music, but this album proves it wasn't all bad.

By the way, I still listen to this on my original cassette and the songs still sound great--who says the old technologies are dead? But I'm betting these songs with their heavy dose of synthesizer may sound even better on CD. May 9, 2008

If you've ever heard it, you know you've got to have it!

This is addictive music!

I hate to say it, I watched the 1986 "Metropolis" that has this soundtrack--and it doesn't quite fit as well as I imagined. Keep the soundtrack; lose the movie! February 10, 2008

This is NOT the Moroder soundtrack!!

The music Giorgio Moroder came up with for his soundtrack to the classic "Metropolis" was unbelievable and actually enhanced portions of Fritz Lang's masterpiece. But this "offical" soundtrack contains ALL butchered versions of the great music found in the movie. Why couldn't they have just inserted what we heard in the film onto the soundtrack instead of revising (for the MUCH MUCH worse) all the songs? The most disappointing track is when Pat Benatar's incredibly moving vocals in the film are destroyed and replaced with a lame effort here. Moroder's film versions of these songs introduced me to deep feelings of romantic love I'd never experienced, and this "official" soundtrack doesn't even match the emotional level of a cheesy chick flick. If you like Giorgio Moroder, do what I did and record the audio off the DVD or video of this film onto a tape or CD... do NOT listen to this soundtrack. November 6, 2007

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