8 / BD 16 Metropolis

Discuss releases by Eureka and Masters of Cinema and the films on them.
Post Reply
Message
Author
User avatar
matrixschmatrix
Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 11:26 pm

Re: 8 Metropolis

#376 Post by matrixschmatrix » Wed Nov 24, 2010 2:09 pm

It really is a gorgeous release. I'm happy I got the dual-format version just for the steelbook, which is up there with the Mabuse set for my favorite MoC packaging that I've got.

There's no spine number on it though, I guess because the DVD and Blu-ray have different ones.

User avatar
zedz
Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2004 7:24 pm

Re: 8 Metropolis

#377 Post by zedz » Wed Nov 24, 2010 4:25 pm

There is a spine number on it (16?), but it's on the printed green flap that wraps around the opening.

Agree on the absolutely gorgeous packaging. Still don't like the film much, but the additional footage definitely addresses some of the pacing issues. The time actually passed faster this time than with the last restoration, and I'm delighted that I'll never have to watch this film again!* (But I will listen to the commentary.)

* = what I said ten years ago

User avatar
Tommaso
Joined: Fri May 19, 2006 10:09 am

Re: 8 Metropolis

#378 Post by Tommaso » Wed Nov 24, 2010 4:48 pm

Received my set yesterday, and agree on the packaging. Very great indeed. I only briefly looked at the film itself, so I won't comment on the image quality of the dvd, though it would be interesting to know whether it's different for better or for worse compared to the older version which I don't have anymore (yes, the blu is obviously better than anything we've ever seen, but I'm still interested in whether the cramming of all this stuff onto one dvd makes a visible difference to the older disc, especially in sharpness; too bad the Beaver and other sites only compare the blu to the older releases, which is pretty pointless if you really want a comparison of the dvds).

What I can already say is that the booklet is gorgeous. All the essays are fascinating and insightful, best of all perhaps the extended account of the troubles Mrs. Felix-Didier had to undergo to be taken serious by the people at FWMS. And there's also fantastic photo material in it, including a photo of what looks like an improvised jazz session with Lang playing drums and Brigitte Helm playing the saxophone.

User avatar
TheGodfather
Joined: Sun Sep 17, 2006 4:39 pm
Location: The Netherlands

Re: 8 Metropolis

#379 Post by TheGodfather » Sun Nov 28, 2010 3:33 pm

Watched it a few days ago and this is the best version of the film I`ve seen so far. As said in the commentary, the story makes more sense now. It`s better balanced.
I watched the Journey to Metropolis documentary today: very educational. too bad it was only 55 minutes ;)

User avatar
Yojimbo
Joined: Fri Jul 04, 2008 10:06 am
Location: Ireland

Re: 8 Metropolis

#380 Post by Yojimbo » Wed Dec 01, 2010 10:19 pm

I had watched my new DVD last night, but I was dozing off a lot, for tiredness reasons, so I decided to watch it again tonight, but with commentary this time, and I loved it.
I hated the Moroder version, which was my first exposure to it, more than a quarter of a century ago; I liked it much more when I got to see a version issued with a UK newspaper a couple of years back, but this is a whole new ball game.

I might watch the newspaper version again, and follow it up with this version shortly afterwards, to see just how much it improves the narrative and structure, but, even if it doesn't make a huge difference, taken in isolation of the individual parts, overall the film was so much more fun to watch, even rivetting, for all its length.

Halfway through I started jotting down all the references, back and forward, cinematic and otherwise, and quickly gave up.
There's just so much there.
But what I found amusing was that even though its been acclaimed as this great sci-fi epic, probably the benchmark, there's so much of it is Freudian, whether cod-Freudian, and replete with political, and religious allegory.
It may not make a helluva lot of sense in the context of either, and the final scene might still be laughable, but its cinema as great visual spectacle.

And Entertainment!

User avatar
Der Spieler
Joined: Fri Oct 16, 2009 11:05 am

Re: 8 Metropolis

#381 Post by Der Spieler » Thu Dec 02, 2010 4:13 pm

If Metropolis is now considered a landmark movie, it may be more because of its huge impact on subsequent movies than because of its own narrative qualities. The plot never really reaches the heights of its visual grandeur. And the social moral, repeated FOUR times throughout the movie, borders on the ridiculous. But the beauty of its composition, the abundance of groundbreaking ideas steadies its place in the pantheon of great cinematic achievements.

User avatar
Yojimbo
Joined: Fri Jul 04, 2008 10:06 am
Location: Ireland

Re: 8 Metropolis

#382 Post by Yojimbo » Thu Dec 02, 2010 5:42 pm

Der Spieler wrote: But the beauty of its composition, the abundance of groundbreaking ideas steadies its place in the pantheon of great cinematic achievements.
Yes, its brilliant cinema, and at least the narrative structure, such as it is, makes it more coherent, albeit coherent gobbledygook

Big A2
Joined: Mon May 30, 2011 9:29 am

Re: 8 Metropolis

#383 Post by Big A2 » Wed Jun 01, 2011 10:45 am

does anyone know what frame rate the MoC Blu-Ray version of Metropolis runs at? I know the Kino is 24p, but would MoC release a 25p (the original frame-rate) version, since everyone in region B has a TV that runs in PAL?

Also, what's with the "Daul Format" versions? Is it the Blu-Ray and DVD version in one release? Do the discs share the same special features?

User avatar
swo17
Bloodthirsty Butcher
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 10:25 am
Location: SLC, UT

Re: 8 Metropolis

#384 Post by swo17 » Wed Jun 01, 2011 3:53 pm

I'm pretty sure it would have to be at 24p, since there was a big to-do about possibly releasing The World in its original frame rate of 25p and they went against it in the end due to concerns over compatibility. (Also, NTSC and PAL don't exist in HD.)

The dual format releases include one Blu-ray disc and one DVD. I believe the content is generally the same on each disc for MoC releases, though I know this isn't always the case for, say, BFI releases.

User avatar
matrixschmatrix
Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 11:26 pm

Re: 8 Metropolis

#385 Post by matrixschmatrix » Wed Jun 01, 2011 3:57 pm

I have the dual edition, and as far as I can tell from looking at them, the content is identical.

User avatar
Peacock
Joined: Mon Dec 22, 2008 7:47 pm
Location: Scotland

Re: 8 Metropolis

#386 Post by Peacock » Wed Jun 01, 2011 5:02 pm

Also, i'm not sure where you got the "25fps is the original frame-tate" info. According to some people on this forum, it was originally shown somewhere between 16-20fps.

Big A2
Joined: Mon May 30, 2011 9:29 am

Re: 8 Metropolis

#387 Post by Big A2 » Wed Jun 01, 2011 10:55 pm

swo17 wrote:(Also, NTSC and PAL don't exist in HD.)
Huh, so does that mean all HDTVs in NTSC regions can run at 50hz?
swo17 wrote:The dual format releases include one Blu-ray disc and one DVD. I believe the content is generally the same on each disc for MoC releases, though I know this isn't always the case for, say, BFI releases.
So the Blu-Ray in the Daul Format set is identical to the stand-alone Blu-Ray set, and the DVD is identical to the stand-alone DVD set? Right?
Peacock wrote:Also, i'm not sure where you got the "25fps is the original frame-tate" info. According to some people on this forum, it was originally shown somewhere between 16-20fps.
It's debatable, but one source I read made reference to the length of the original film, and then how its original running time would match it up to that length if it ran at 25fps.

Anyway, no big deal. Thanks for your help guys.

User avatar
manicsounds
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 10:58 pm
Location: Tokyo, Japan

Re: 8 Metropolis

#388 Post by manicsounds » Thu Jun 02, 2011 9:56 am

By the way, the DVD from Masters Of Cinema is NTSC encoded.

Paku
Joined: Wed Jun 09, 2010 9:30 am

Re: 8 Metropolis

#389 Post by Paku » Mon Jun 06, 2011 9:54 am

The MoC Blu-ray of Metropolis is 24fps, same as Kino.

User avatar
TMDaines
Joined: Wed Nov 11, 2009 1:01 pm
Location: Stretford, Manchester

Re: 8 Metropolis

#390 Post by TMDaines » Sun Sep 04, 2011 7:33 pm

What's going to happen to Metropolis? Is it going to be re-released in a standard dual-format release (not in a steelbook)?

peerpee
not perpee
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 3:41 pm

Re: 8 Metropolis

#391 Post by peerpee » Sun Sep 04, 2011 8:12 pm

METROPOLIS will be repressed exactly as it currently stands. Separate editions. No modifications.

User avatar
TMDaines
Joined: Wed Nov 11, 2009 1:01 pm
Location: Stretford, Manchester

Re: 8 Metropolis

#392 Post by TMDaines » Mon Sep 05, 2011 2:59 am

Pity, I'd have liked to have swapped to a simple dual. Good to see the other dual releases are popping up on Amazon anyway!

User avatar
mfunk9786
Under Chris' Protection
Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 4:43 pm
Location: Philadelphia, PA

Re: 8 Metropolis

#393 Post by mfunk9786 » Mon Sep 05, 2011 3:20 am

One was out for the last year or so, you know.

User avatar
TMDaines
Joined: Wed Nov 11, 2009 1:01 pm
Location: Stretford, Manchester

Re: 8 Metropolis

#394 Post by TMDaines » Mon Sep 05, 2011 4:19 am

Sure, but I went for the Blu-ray only option as at the time all the releases had been Blu-ray only and non-Steelbooks. One of the things I liked about MoC (in comparison to Criterion) was their consistency in the packagaing of their releases, so I went for the one that was the same as the others. Over the last 12 months that's been completely blown out of the water so I'm selling all my OOP releases now, in order to upgrade to the new dual ones when they come out.

User avatar
Jamesqdot
Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2009 9:13 am

Re: 8 Metropolis

#395 Post by Jamesqdot » Wed Oct 05, 2011 10:12 am

peerpee wrote:METROPOLIS will be repressed exactly as it currently stands. Separate editions. No modifications.
Forgive me if I seem a little dim, but I just wanted to check. Does that mean there will not be a repress of the Steelbook edition? I stupidly slept on this release (and many, many others) before, and would kill to have the steelbook edition, but it seems the "collectors" prices are already kicking in. :(

peerpee
not perpee
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 3:41 pm

Re: 8 Metropolis

#396 Post by peerpee » Wed Oct 05, 2011 10:14 am

Correct. The remaining METROPOLIS SteelBooks were destroyed in the Sony fire and it will not be repressed.

User avatar
Jamesqdot
Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2009 9:13 am

Re: 8 Metropolis

#397 Post by Jamesqdot » Wed Oct 05, 2011 10:17 am

Yikes, that was quick! Thanks peerpee. Yes, that Sony warehouse fire was just a nightmare for so many people.

Curses! The hunt begins then.

User avatar
Stephen
Joined: Sun Feb 08, 2009 4:11 pm
Location: Brisbane, QLD, Australia

Re: 8 Metropolis

#398 Post by Stephen » Sat Oct 22, 2011 7:54 am

Finally sat down this evening to watch Metropolis and have to agree that this MOC release is a triumph. I was overwhelmed by so many of the images in this film, no wonder it’s been plagiarised for over 80 years.

User avatar
stevewhamola
Joined: Sat Mar 26, 2011 7:20 pm
Location: NWT, Canada

Re: 8 Metropolis

#399 Post by stevewhamola » Fri Dec 02, 2011 4:46 pm

I have a question for Nick or anyone at Eureka/MoC. The newest MoC catalogue features a few photos of Metropolis in what looks like the clear Dual Format cases. Are these cases for sale individually? I'd like to ditch my Steelbook.

User avatar
swo17
Bloodthirsty Butcher
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 10:25 am
Location: SLC, UT

Re: 8 Metropolis

#400 Post by swo17 » Fri Dec 02, 2011 4:48 pm

What's shown in the catalogue is the dual steelbook. There is no other dual format release.

Post Reply