Rating: 
Summary: A great vision gone awry.
Review: The saving grace of this version is that it attempts to restore the original vision of Fritz Lang. However, no version will ever be complete since so much of "Metropolis" ended up as scraps on the studio floor with numerous outtakes that will never see the light of day. A good read is Thomas Elsaesser's book on the movie, published by BFI Film Classics.What one marvels at is Lang's pyrotechnics, which were pretty amazing at the time. The story itself is a rather poor one with over-the-top acting, which was the norm in the age of silent movies. One had to try to connote as much as he could with facial expressions and body language. It is really hard to figure out what all is going on in this movie. But, it has been praised over the years for prophesizing the rise of Hitler. The movie is ostensibly about a totalitarian state run by an industrialist, John Fredersen, who lives high atop a world built upon layers of society. His son, chasing after a lovely vixen, is made privy to this "underworld" and vows to destroy the great engine of this society, Moloch. But, first he has to get past the evil scientist, Rothwang, who has made his love interest into a robot, which will supposedly placate the masses, which seem ready to revolt. But, Lang didn't seem in control of his vision, as it spins violently out of control leaving as many questions as it does answers. In its full-length version it is rather boring, and I found myself fast-forwarding through parts which seemed excrutiatingly long-winded. Kind of like reading an Ayn Rand novel. But, the cinematic vision of this futureworld is fantastic, drawing on some of the currents in Modern architecture at the time. Lang's ideas seem to stem more from the rise of Socialism in Europe, than it did the rise of Fascism in Germany. This seemed to be his greatest fear, although he knew to get out of town when Hitler came to power. He politely refusing the Furer's offer to be the chief filmmaker of the Third Reich, and took the next ship to America, where he wasted away his remaining years in Hollywood.
Rating: 
Summary: A whole new world!
Review: To put it bluntly, unless you have seen this restored version of Metropolis, you have never seen Metropolis. Every other version on the US video market pales in comparison, a mere shadow of this glorious film. The restoration of this film did about as much as could possibly be done to restore this film, and for the parts they had to work with, it looks pristine and new. It was very beautifully filmed, and the beauty of the original vision shines through this restored version with a clarity you might never have guessed at from seeing only the murky prints that have previously been available. I could tell, previously, that the film was made with great creativity and ambition, but never imagined the stunning success the creators had with implementing their vision with the technology of the day. If you are a fan of science fiction, of art deco, or of Mertopolis in particular, I strongly recommend this video. It is a truly superb restoration of a truly superb film.
Rating:
Summary: A classic of the genre, beautiful DVD restoration
Review: I just saw this DVD last night for my film studies class and I must say that both the movie and the transfer are top quality. Based on the print quality and production values, I would never have guessed that the movie is over 75 years old. There are a few missing scenes, but the titles fill in the gaps unobtrusively. The story of a priviledged young man who discovers his father's underground empire of mechanization and virtual slavery is complex and engrossing. You can watch this movie from a variety of different viewpoints (economic, political, sci-fi, entertainment) and continuously discover new ideas. And of course, the allusion to the Italian superspectacle, Cabiria (Moloch), portrays the machines as demanding human sacrifice to provide the life of luxury for those oblivious souls in the city above My only complaint with the script is the fact that the director overemphasises the moral of "brain and hands must be united by the heart." But this is a minor quibble compared to the gradeur of the movie. I did not have a chance to explore the special features. I saw quite a few parallels between Metropolis and The Matrix. Not sure if the Wachowski brothers intended this, but it's certainly possible. Common threads: man living in underground cities, man subjugated by machines yet needing them to live, a savior who falls in love with his accomplice in liberating the people...the list goes on. Truly the definition of a Classic film, right up there with Citizen Kane in its timelessness.
Rating:
Summary: The definitive edition of an influential movie
Review: Metropolis is a film which is famous for its images: the titanic city, the freaky robot, the columns of workers marching to their machines. It's no wonder, really--the picture cost a whopping 5.3 million marks, was produced by one of the most technically innovative film studios in the world (Germany's Ufa), and was filmed by one of the most influential directors in all of film history, namely Fritz Lang. So Metropolis is a great film, right? Well, almost. Despite its action and eye-popping visuals, Metropolis is still a political fable which is so naive, so patronizing and shallow, that anyone attempting to take the plot seriously is either going to become apathetic or irritated. Moreover, the cutting of the film from 4,189 meters to 3,421--only those who were present for the first run in Berlin saw the entire film--has hobbled Lang's ordinarily impeccable storytelling. Nevertheless, the film is a must-see for film students, and it can now even be recommended to the interested casual viewer. The reconstruction in Kino's edition resuscitates a story which was often downright confusing in its previous incarnations, and finally you can actually see what is going on. Anyone who has suffered through one of the many inferior versions of the movie will be ecstatic, and if you haven't seen Metropolis before, forget what you think you know about silent films! Overall the Kino on Video edition is very well done, with a clean picture (taking into consideration that these images were made 77 years ago) and a great documentary; this should become the definitive edition. The only criticism is that the commentary--or at least the portion that I had the patience to sit through--is utterly devoid of content. Apparently all the good material was used in the documentary, and so the commentary limits itself to being observations about of what is happening on the screen. The only other thing to mention here is that one reviewer complained that the film was not shown at the correct speed because it occasionally appeared as if it were still speeded up. He then went on to say that he happened to know that certain scenes were actually undercranked for emphasis, apparently thinking that this meant that they would go slower than normal in the finished film. Just the opposite: when film was undercranked (fewer film exposures per second) things appear to go FASTER than normal when screened. So the bits where a character seems to run at inhuman speed across the screen were done on purpose. No need to blame the restorers there. Fans of Metropolis who want to see Fritz Lang at his best should check out M and Dr. Mabuse the Gambler.
Rating: 
Summary: DEFECTIVE DVD! NO Bonus Features!!
Review: NONE of the Bonus Features on this Disc work even though it was shrink wrapped new when I purchased it. The disc looks pristine so there must be a problem in the manufacturing of it. Is there a mass recall on this disc? Someone tell me what's going on? I called the company but there was no one there to answer my call.
Rating:
Summary: Great movie marred by poor DVD production quality
Review: I was unable to completely view this DVD, apparently due to a bad pressing. Amazon cross-shipped a new DVD, but it had the same problem (any chapter after about 40 would not play or had multiple tracking and audio errors; none of the specials would play at all). I had to get a refund :-(. So terrific movie, but Keno seems to have continuing production problems...
Rating:
Summary: Impatience Justified
Review: I've been waiting for this release for what seems like ever, after first seeing it at the Angelika with some friends in Greenwich Village.
The effects are breathtaking, even today.
Rating:
Summary: Powerful film!
Review: I have seen this film in various degrees of decay several times over the years... at least I thought I did. The restored version is like a whole different film. I saw this version (Kino- restored version) in the theater prior to the release of this DVD. There are very few movies that share the intensity and scope of this, an amazing work of art in the world of silent film. Fritz Lang's use of perspective is an amazing example of how it can be used to evoke an emotional response in the viewer. I was amazed by the way this movie moved me, I was thinking about it two days later. One of the most powerful films produced ever. If you ever get a chance to see this in the theater, do it- you will not regret it! I strongly suggest you purchase this DVD.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Restoration of a Breathtaking Work
Review: An important note:
Some of the early copies of this disc were accidentally pressed incorrectly so that the entire film ran too fast. A number of people were angry about this, thinking the frame rate on the film was set too fast, but the soundtrack was equally fast.I noticed this problem in a rental copy, but when I purchased a brand new copy, the problem had been corrected. If you're considering purchasing a used copy, you'll probably want to check with the seller before paying. This is by far one of the most impressive films I've ever had the privelage to sit through.
Rating:
Summary: Silence is golden.
Review: I was skeptical at first, but something inspired me to purchase this disc and I'm glad that I did. I thought that a "silent film" wasn't modern enough for my tastes, but I was surprised to find that after about 10 minutes into the movie I had forgotten that it was a silent picture! The visual work is so captivating, that you get pulled into the story and you will want to watch it several times to note the details that you may have missed the first time around. The restoration was perfect, no hesitation in my 5-star rating! I can hope that others take notice of this release for future restorations, as this DVD could easily set the standard.
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