Giorgio Moroder's METROPOLIS
Restored For DVD
At Last!

Keep reading to discover how you could be sitting down and watching Giorgio Moroder's 1984 version of Metropolis on digitally remastered DVD.

Hi Metropolis Fan,

I'm Gilchrist and I've produced what I truly believe to be the best version of Giorgio Moroder's Metropolis you will find anywhere. Of course, I would say that as I'm behind this version!

My Metropolis adventure started I first saw Giorgio Moroder's version of Metropolis in the 1980s on TV and, despite the low image and audio quality, I loved it! It's arguably the first classic Science Fiction movie made and Giorgio made great efforts to re-introduce it to the public. You probably have fond memories of the movie yourself.

Or you might just want to forget the 80s altogether - your call!

The problem many people have with these VHS and laserdisc versions of Metropolis is that they really look like the film was made in 1927. It is grainy, has high contrast and jiggly images with little detail.

To be fair, Giorgio did the best restoration he could with the original footage and techniques available. But if we're honest here, the quality just doesn't cut it by today's standards. I mean, just look at the stills below...

Even the DVDs of Moroder's Metropolis you can buy on the internet (via the internet on eBay, etc) were still copies from VHS or laserdisc and added nothing to the quality. It was better than nothing I thought and like other people, bought what I could find.

You may now shed a single tear. Sadly, it was a film which had seen better days.

Until Now, That Is

I saw the German restoration of the 'original' version of Metropolis in 2002 and was blown away by the restoration quality available today. There were things I saw in their version that I've never seen before - the detail was just incredible. If you've seen this version at the movies, you'll know what I am talking about.

I have a sweet spot for the Moroder version and really wanted to see it with high quality restored footage. It was very hard to go back to the muddy, blurry versions I had. So I waited and wondered 'Would they ever release Moroder's version on DVD?'

Nope. Still waiting.

After 7 years, no 'official' version of Moroder's Metropolis is available on DVD (and never will be as far as I can tell). And even if there was, it would still be roughly the same quality as seen on VHS and laserdisc - that's all they have to work with. There's no way they would be crazy enough to re-edit the whole movie for a DVD release!

I Spent 2 Years Restoring Metropolis - I Must Be Crazy

Yes ... I decided, if they weren't going to do it , I'd just have to do it for myself. So I spent the next 2 years restoring and re-editing the Moroder version of Metropolis using the latest, best quality visuals & audio available. There's practically nothing left from Giorgio's version that hasn't been highly modified in this restored DVD. I'm a perfectionist, so I didn't stop until I could make Metropolis Redux as good as it could possibly be. I have no life.

This has been an all-digital restoration, straight to DVD and the difference in quality is astounding. Never-before seen details are now visible as plain as day. There's more in each frame too, with extra detail around the edges. All Giorgio's colour tinting has been vibrantly re-applied. The special effects have been digitally re-built, along with clean, new subtitles and inter-titles.

I also spent a lot of time digitally restoring the soundtrack. Background noise, hiss and a few other problems have been removed to make sure that the audio quality matches the visual quality.

Quite Simply, I now honestly believe...

This Is The Best Version Of Moroder's Metropolis You'll Ever Find On DVD

Of course it's one thing for me to think that - I did the work - but I've had great feedback on the quality of Metropolis Redux from the other fans I showed it to. Like these guys:

"AAHHHH ******* YESSS!!!! OH MY ******* GOD!!! YOU ARE A GODDAMNED GENIUS.... PERIOD!!!

Whew....ok. Seriously Gil, you brought me to tears of joy this evening. My wife watched the film as well and was impressed and really got into the visuals. The sound is nothing short of perfection. As an audiophile I could find nothing wrong throughout the film. The bass thumped where it was supposed to thump and the stereo separation is just magical. It really brings out the little things that sets the 80's apart from most other decades." - Stephen A

"Wow! what a job you have done on bringing the works of Fritz Lang (and Giorgio Moroder) back to life." - Paul and Heather A

"Well - thanks so much! I watched it last night.  Amazing! Stuff I'd never seen before, the quality of the picture and the soundtrack - all undeniably awesome. It is almost like a new and totally contemporary movie. And some of it is more powerful - the fight scene in front of the evil Maria is really creepy and in that wonderful dress she is wearing.  So - congratulations and thanks for your great effort.  I feel like the movie has resurrected for another generation." - Arthur S

"I really enjoyed the DVD. The audio is amazing - perfectly balanced and clean. The imagery is tight. You did an excellent job - I'm going to line up my friends and make them all watch this as soon as possible. I have to tell you, I've seen your dvd 3 times in the last 24 hours; it's really good - you should be proud of the work."- Jim T

"This is a note of thanks ... i am watching the most awsome DVD of all time!. It is taking me back to a better time. Thank You Very Much!!!!!" - Pamela A

"I am very impressed, a very proffessional job. The cover and disc are great too." - Eric M

I created professional artwork for the DVD & case inserts that would match the style and quality of the movie. There were also extras unavailable anywhere else that I created just for the DVD (but more on these later).

Here's What I Put My DVD Package

• A Professionally produced DVD with great custom artwork
• A Fully restored version of Giorgio Moroder's Metropolis
• Pristine visuals with details never before available in Giorgio’s film
• A Completely digital restoration from source materials
• A Completely redesigned set of cohesive colour tints for the movie
• Rebuilt spot SFX and tints recreating and extending Giorgio’s efforts

• Source footage speed digitally altered to produce smoother, more realistic motion
• Selected Correction of errors in the Giorgio and later versions of the film
• The highest DVD data rate possible on the disc for excellent video quality
• Fully restored audio cleaned up to reduce noise and errors
• Audio encoded at higher-than-standard rates for brilliant, clear sound
• Simple, clean DVD menus to get you watching quickly
• NTSC or PAL format discs - these discs are zone free
• Professionally printed DVD case liner which matches the movie perfectly

Exclusive Bonus Content

Along with the actually movie itself, I created some special bonus material that is unavailable anywhere else.

Freddie Mercury is one of the singers who wrote & performed a song on the Metropolis soundtrack. His track "Love Kills" had a music video which used clips from Giorgio's Metropolis. You can guess what the video quality of that was. Yup - not good.

As the hard restoration work had all ready been done, you can now see Freddie's Music video using the wonderfully clean and colourful new footage. His music video has never looked this good before!

Play the low quality comparison video on the right. It's been lined up with the original next to the restored version. The sync & alignment is a little bit out in some places but you can easily see the huge difference yourself in this low quality version.

The single release of "Love Kills" had a b-side by Giorgio Moroder himself, called "Rotwang's Party" (used in the film). This track has been cleaned up and included on the DVD too, with a complete slideshow music video. This music has absolutely never been available like this before.

Finally, there's an Editor's commentary where I give some background information and interesting facts behind Fritz Lang's, Giorgio's and the Metropolis Redux versions. As we all know, this is the sort of thing that you will watch roughly once, so there's no wasted space on the DVD with an extra audio narration track. The commentary is available as subtitles which pop up as the movie is played.

So there it is - we're out of space. That was all it was possibly to fit on the DVD!

"I just wanted to thank you for my new Metropolis DVD.  You've done a wonderful job restoring it and I'm so glad to finally own this much beloved version of this classic.  It looks and sounds better than I've ever seen it. =) Thank you!" - Matt I

I have watched several times and showing some other people. Very, very enjoyable. - Chris E

I recieved the DVD and it looks great. GOOD JOB!!! I'm concidering this the official release." - Charles M

My wife & I watched it Sunday night and absolutely loved it (she was not really into it before but that was with the old squigly VHS). I am just so pleased and again I thank you." - Jesse M

Absolutely great job - my ratty-old vhs tape (and player) can finally be retired..." - Jim

"I watch the film with my sister (other Moroder's Metropolis Fan) and we are impresive with the final result. Very good! Thanks for it!" - Aitor V

Enough Gil, How The Heck Do I See This DVD?

It's been all good news so far but now there's a fly in the ointment. Metropolis is still under copyright in the EU and will be until 2025 (or something like that).

Metropolis is in the public domain in virtually the rest of the world, like the US, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Czech Republic, Mexico and South Africa, etc.

If you're in a location where the film is currently under copyright, I can't send a copy to you. Sorry about that. However, you may have friends who live in country where Metropolis isn't still in copyright.

I've had 'cease and desist' type comminications from the German copyright holders and I'm not out to annoy anyone.

It's sad but it seems like the Germans and other associated parties aren't interested in releasing Giorgio's version of the film on DVD, but are very interested in stopping anyone else from doing so.

Maybe they just don't like Giorgio's version? I know 80s music isn't everyone's thing!

Here's What You Need To Do ...

Simply fill out the form below and tell me what you're after. (Just need to click the submit button once :-)

Hey, thanks for taking the time to read my Metropolis adventure.

I'll see you at Yoshiwara's!

Gilchrist Anderson 2010

P.S. Please do email me at if you have any questions.

P.P.S. More information, clips and updates can be found at Metropolis Redux.

I had previously recieved these and thought I'd share them with you:

"If you found this site, then you are passionate about Moroder's version of Fritz Lang's 'Metropolis'. So, getting Gilchrist's 'Metropolis Redux' is simply the right thing to do.

Fully, this is a scholarly work that only sets 'Metropolis' into previously unreached crispness and clarity. This is no hack-and-slash re-edit. Gil digitally washed away all the visual dust and shadows to reveal Lang's vision in never before seen high definition. ("Hey! Those guys at the end of foot-race in the stadium are holding a  finish line tape!" "Wow! Those machine lights are blinking!" "Look at the amazing bouncing lighting at Yoshiwara!")  Gil humbly did his work with slavish respect and honor to the film and its previous artists.

Put simply: you haven't 'seen' Moroder's version until you have seen Gil's upgrade." - Mike C

"First and foremost let me start to saying that I have reservations of ordering things on-line, and I'm usually disappointed in the end. However, with this DVD that wasn't the case at all! This is an absolutely beautiful version of one of the greatest films ever made. Excellent work Gil, and that's coming from someone that owns at least 6 different versions of Metropolis.

Although I consider myself a film purist, Moroder's colourized version really breathed new life into the film in the 80's, and you've made it worthy of viewing on 21'st century HDTV's. The picture is SUPER clean, and vastly superior to any other version I've seen, there's very little flicker (which is common in silent films), far less grain to the film, and crisper colour tinting. And that's just describing the video quality, the audio enhancement is just as incredible as the video! And I'm playing it on a Yamaha 7.1 DTS amp with digital THX speakers, believe me if there were any flaws I would hear it.

Also the packaging and disc are very very professional looking, far better than I expected, and that's really saying something. The Metropolis Redux gave me the same feeling I had when I first watched it on LaserDisc in the early 90's, it's just stunning! If you're a fan of Moroder's Metropolis, this is the version that you've been hoping for!!" - Staci H

 

Aww, shucks. This kind of feedback makes all those nights of doing the re-edit (and annoying my wife) all worthwhile.

Still here? OK, here are some more kind words about Metropolis Redux.

Or there are a collection of Metropolis Redux clips on YouTube.

Or email me at and let me know what you thought of Metropolis Redux.