Growing up in Staten Island in the 70’s meant that there wasn’t that much on TV because this was before cable. I remember flipping channels on a lazy Saturday afternoon as we were staying home one weekend and coming across an old black and white movie. This was Metropolis and it was a vision of the future based in 1927 and it was a silent feature. However, the imagery was completely stunning and I was wondering why hasn’t anyone tried remaking this film. Years later the grandfather of animation himself Osamu Tezuka who has given birth to such great titles as Astroboy and Kimba the White Lion released a manga based on Metropolis and it later became an animated film. Now the folks over Mill Creek Entertainment have released this classic in steelbook on blu-ray but is it worth picking up?
For those that have never heard of this film it takes place in a city of the future known only as Metropolis. In this city humans and robots co-exist with one another however, most of the humans are angry as they are unemployed due to the fact that robots have stolen their jobs. The city is ruled by Duke Red and he is in charge of building the Ziggurat which is a gargantuan skyscraper that will allow humans to assert their dominion over the entire planet. This is just the opening of the movie and sets the tone and while I don’t want to spoil what happens next all I can say that it is breathtaking. It is directed by Rintaro (who brought us such great hits as Galaxy Express 999 and the Dagger of Kamui) and produced by Katsuhiro Otomo (known for not only his legendary work on Akira but Steamboy as well). This film is amazing as the visuals capture the look and feel of a city that corresponds with the original 1927 film and should be watched at any given opportunity.
However, that’s not all as this film is presented in a glorious steelbook with a clear slipcover that hides the text when it’s removed and showcases the amazing art underneath. There are also special features as the film has gotten an amazing high-definition makeover and also comes with a full English translation as well as English subtitles for those who love to watch the original format the film was presented in. The sound is also amazing as it has an English DTS-HD master 5.1 surround sound track as well as uncompressed Japanese audio. There is also a featurette that shows how they brought this amazing anime to life from the original manga as well as interviews with the film’s creators as well as conception art showcasing some of the original designs intended for the film.
If you are a fan of classic anime and you love dystopian views of the future you need to check this movie out and if you wanted to order it you can do so here. For more information on this and other great features coming out head over to https://www.millcreekent.com and get ready to experience the future known as Metropolis.
