Average Rating: 
Rating: - A DAZZLING RESTORATION OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL MOVIE EVER!
This film has influenced everything from Citizen Kane (the opening shot of Kane's mansion is reference to an almost identical shot in Metropolis) to the Matrix. The effects in this movie are astonishing for our times and even more astonishing when its 1926 creation date is taken into account. I saw the KINO release on the big screen at a local theatre and was absolutely amazed. I've seen most all other releases and cuts. The KINO release has excellent picture and a soundtrack that actually fits the action on screen (unlike many previous releases.) Also, it contains the full story making up for loss footage with well written descriptive intertitles. Previous releases all were forced to alter the story a little to deal with the loss footage. This is by far the richest fullest plot of Metropolis I've seen. Good Job KINO International!
Rating: - An Exceptional Masterpiece
Arguably one of the most influential science-fiction movies of all time, the 2002 re-release of Fritz Lang's 1927 epic "Metropolis" was truly one of the miracles of modern times. Not only had a generous amount of footage been re-integrated to the cut, but the entire film had been gloriously restored and the exisiting title cards re-translated from the original German."Metropolis" tells the story of a massive city split in two: under the earth is the city of the workers, slaves to the 10-hour clock. Their endless toil provides for the rulers of the upper world, a class of rich and indolent nobles. In-between these worlds steps Maria, a beautiful worker that tells the workers that a mediator will come to join the city and that "Without the heart, there can be no understanding between the hand and the mind." But her goal is not so easily reached, and a mad scientist, his villainous robot decoy, and a resistant upper class work against her. Lang's vision is astounding, and the special effects are fantastically rendered for the time. The film's production costs were so great, it almost bankrupt the studio. The result is a fantastic blend of drama, allegory, romance, myth, and classic science-fiction. The score is evocative like few others, and the newly restored film has a new recording of the original soundtrack. While some of the footage is lost forever, title cards fill in the gaps, and this is the only thing the movie can be faulted for. This is the ONLY version of the movie to own. All others use an inferior print and some even tell an entirely different story. Also, avoid the 1984 Georgio Moroder-scored version at all costs. This DVD is a must for anyone who even has the slightest interest in cinema. It truly is one of the most wonderful films ever made.
Rating: - As Close to the Original as Possible
I saw a preview of this restored version at a screening in Santa Fe, when the titles were still in German and the last reel was still being worked on. This really is a labor of love. Placeholders describe the scenes that are probably forever lost (nearly a quarter of the original). Everything is finally in the correct sequence, and the film's never looked better. I'm looking forward to the DVD so I can re-experience this taste of what is almost a lost film.
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