The silent film Metropolis was one of the landmarks of early science fiction, a film with setting and action so breathtaking that audiences were willing to overlook the rather didactic plot. After decades of critical fame but public unavailability, the film was re-released in a restored version in 1984. This new release had scenes that hadn't been seen since the film's original release in 1926 and made the most of the visuals, but it was marred by a synthesizer-heavy score by Giorgio Moroder that included vocals by Freddie ...
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The silent film Metropolis was one of the landmarks of early science fiction, a film with setting and action so breathtaking that audiences were willing to overlook the rather didactic plot. After decades of critical fame but public unavailability, the film was re-released in a restored version in 1984. This new release had scenes that hadn't been seen since the film's original release in 1926 and made the most of the visuals, but it was marred by a synthesizer-heavy score by Giorgio Moroder that included vocals by Freddie Mercury. Though this soundtrack does have its adherents, many people found it annoyingly intrusive. Since there are no complete recordings of the original score by Gottfried Huppertz (which, for various reasons, wouldn't fit the action on the re-released film), various artists stepped in to create new scores. The Club Foot Orchestra score was the first, and arguably the best. Aficionados of the film could pop in the tape or DVD, turn off the sound, and play this version for maximum enjoyment. Even those who have never seen the film can enjoy the music on its own merits. The Club Foot Orchestra does not adopt 1920s musical clichés, but uses their avant-garde jazz and swing style to create a sonic landscape that suits the overwrought style of early film music. At times, the sound is machinelike, at times wild and almost chaotic, at times grand and austere. It remains interesting as music almost all the way through the soundtrack, with only the last two brief sections, entitled "Climax" and "Aftermath," dragging a bit. The Club Foot Orchestra made the decision to fill out the CD with "Pool of Thanatos," the score that Beth Custer created for a short film. This long, introspective piece is actually less successful than the Metropolis score, as there are unexpected sounds and shifts in tone that probably made perfect sense in the context of the film, but are jarring to someone who is listening to the soundtrack independently. Even so, there are some fine moments here and throughout the Metropolis soundtrack. The Club Foot Orchestra sounds excellent here, creating their own music while reflecting moods in scenes written and filmed decades before any of the bandmembers were born. ~ Richard Foss, Rovi
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