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In 1984 (appropriately enough for a science fiction event), Giorgio Moroder produced and composed the music for a spiffed up re-release of "Metropolis." Though it caused many serious students of film to blanch, it remains a cult film, and the one most often to have introduced people to the land mark 1926 film.
Randy Bowser, director of "Metropolis" at The Pentacle unabashedly embraces this version of the film---even though he also was lucky enough to see a restored version of the original on a large screen at UCLA, and most highly recommends the newly restored version now available on DVD. (italics added 7/12/03)
Moroder restored and scored Fritz Lang's classic silent film with songs such as "Here She Comes" by Bonnie Tyler, "Love Kills" by Queen's Freddy Mercury, and "Cage of Freedom" by Jon Anderson. But it is his own atmospheric use of synthesizers and evocative sound effects which flesh out the effective underscoring.
Color tinting was used throughout, and while purists strongly object, Moroder at least used the tinting in the way which was actually quite common in the silent era, if not in this particular film.
It's difficult to argue with the visual effectiveness of his golden robot in the image above, or in the red face of "Moloch" seen below--a moment that starkly illustrates Freder's awestruck mind when he sees the machines underground as fearsome pagan gods devouring the human sacrifice of the slave-like workers.
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Moroder has created a lot of pop music, such as Blondie's "Call Me," Donna Summer's "On the Radio" and "I Feel Love," Kenny Loggins "Danger Zone," and David Bowie's "Putting Out the Fire."
Moroder's score for the film "Midnight Express" brought the composer his first Academy Award. Two more followed with the Irene Cara number one hit single "Flashdance...What A Feeling," from the film "Flashdance" and "Take My Breath Away" from the movie "Top Gun". His music has also garnered countless other awards including four Golden Globes, two Grammys and People's Choice Awards, and more than 100 Golden and Platinum discs.
Perhaps it could be said that Moroder's success with his cinematic recreation of "Metropolis" paved the way for fellow Academy Award winning composer Joseph Brooks who has created the brilliant musical stage version of "Metropolis."
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THE WORLD OF 'METROPOLIS' |
