Metropolis Comparison?

[Antonio_Torres]

I currently have the Fritz Lang Collection set released by Kino Lorber. However, I can't seem to find anywhere online comparing this and the Complete Metropolis they released before the collection. I was curious if anyone had any information as to if they were the same or different restorations?

[James-Masaki_Ryan]

Is there a difference in the disc you have and the disc in our database?

[Antonio_Torres]

Honestly, when comparing the two, it seems like it's the exact disc from the original release pushed into the set. The same with the other movies included. However, it seems like there are a few movies in the set that are not in your database.

[James-Masaki_Ryan]

My next question was, could you give us the specs for the missing titles from our database?

[Antonio_Torres]

I'd love to. Each one is all found on the Fritz Lang: The Silent Films set

Harakiri and The Wandering Shadow (Both on same disc)

Title: Harakiri
Release: November 21, 2017
Country: US
Region: A
Releasing Studio: Kino Lorber
Runtime: 1:27:21
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Subtitles: Intertitles
Codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Resolution: 1080i
Audio: LPCM 2.0ch (48kHz, 16-it)
Amazon ASIN: B075P5XHQM
No extras found on disc

Title: The Wandering Shadow
Release: November 21, 2017
Country: US
Region: A
Releasing Studio: Kino Lorber
Runtime: 1:07:22
Aspect Ratio 1.33:1
Subtitles: Intertitles
Codec MPEG-4 AVC
Resolution: 1080i
Audio: LPCM 2.0c (48kHz, 16-bit)
Amazon ASIN: B075P5XHQM
No extras found on disc

Title: Four Around the Woman
Release: November 21, 2017
Country: US
Region: A
Releasing Studio: Kino Lorber
Runtime: 1:23:53
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Subtitles: Intertitles (Has on menu option for English on or off due to the intertitles not being in German)
Codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Resolution: 1080p
Audio: LPCM 2.0 (48kHz, 16-bit)
Amazon ASIN: B075P5XHQM
No extras found on disc

[James-Masaki_Ryan]

Harakiri and Wandering Shadow, what language intertiyles?
Also are the 2.0 tracks stereo?

[Antonio_Torres]

Harakiri and Wandering Shadow both have English intertitles. Four Around the Woman is the only one with subtitles for them because of the German intertitles.
Yes, the 2.0 tracks are stereo

[James-Masaki_Ryan]

Added the missing discs and updating the existing ones. Thank you!

[Christian_Bütikofer]

I have the Metropolis Edition from Germany (https://www.amazon.de/Metropolis-Blu-ra ... B07GRLVRYS) and all the releases from Eureka. There is no difference in question of transfer so far I can see it. I guess these releases are all coming from the same source (correct me if Im totally wrong). I guess all the releases are coming from the Murnau Foundation: https://www.murnau-stiftung.de/ (in fact, Eureka credits the Murnau Stiftung for the transfer, if I'm right).

[Brent_Reid]

Antonio: Your confusion should be cleared up if you check the "General film notes" we added at the bottom of both comparisons. Also, could you please tell us who scored each of the silents, so the info can be added?

James: I see a Japanese bootleg DVD remains from our purge of all the unauthorised, unrestored editions. It also includes a note that is completely wrong; again, see those "General film notes".

[Antonio_Torres]

Of course Brent, the composer of the scores for both films is Aljoscha Zimmermann. Sorry for not putting that information originally.

[Brent_Reid]

That was a quick answer, Antonio, thanks! Though I assume you mean he scored all three films?

[Antonio_Torres]

Yes I meant all three of the films, sorry about that!

[James-Masaki_Ryan]

James: I see a Japanese bootleg DVD remains from our purge of all the unauthorised, unrestored editions. It also includes a note that is completely wrong; again, see those "General film notes".

What’s wrong with it? And no, it’s apparently not a bootleg. But it does seem to be missing some basic info. Will try to look it up later.

[Brent_Reid]

The note about its PD status is completely wrong. Any idea who added it? I'd like to see the source for their information.

The short answer is: Metropolis has been under copyright in Japan since its first release and doesn't become PD there until the end of 2046, 70 years after Fritz Lang's death. It's the same for the rest of the world except the US, where it's PD from the end of 2022, 95 years after initial publication.
Of course, neither applies to the separately copyrighted 1984 Moroder version, 2001 and 2010 restorations, or their respective scores.

The long answer is: I can supply you with various official links and citations, but you'll have to be prepared to do some reading!

[James-Masaki_Ryan]

The note about its PD status is completely wrong. Any idea who added it? I'd like to see the source for their information.

The short answer is: Metropolis has been under copyright in Japan since its first release and doesn't become PD there until the end of 2046, 70 years after Fritz Lang's death. It's the same for the rest of the world except the US, where it's PD from the end of 2022, 95 years after initial publication.
Of course, neither applies to the separately copyrighted 1984 Moroder version, 2001 and 2010 restorations, or their respective scores.

The long answer is: I can supply you with various official links and citations, but you'll have to be prepared to do some reading!

The Pre1953 issue is well known, so I don't see why you label it as "wrong". Anyway, I personally don't know who added that and where the info came from since it's missing a lot of basic info so I'm willing to just delete it rather than deal with who's right or wrong about international copyright laws, if I can't find any better info on that particular title myself.

[Brent_Reid]

Though it has nothing to do with Metropolis the film or this DVD, in the absolute sense, this part is correct:

"Note, many pre-1953 Japanese and non-Japanese films are considered to be in the public domain in Japan, including "Metropolis". Though this uses a non-authorized transfer, the release is perfectly legal in Japan."

But it's no more than a general observation; obviously, the same is also true of many films in the rest of the world. Which, by the way, has had the same copyright laws as Japan since 1899, when they became a signatory to the Berne Convention.

But that part of the note is completely irrelevant and the rest of it is completely wrong.

I used to find this copyright stuff off-putting too, because it all seemed so complicated. But it's actually very simple once you look into it.

The bottom line is, international copyright law was standardised a long time ago, before the advent of DVD, so for the purposes of this site it becomes even simpler still.

[James-Masaki_Ryan]

Just hiding it like the others for now since I can't find detailed info on the disc anyway.

[Brent_Reid]

Is any decision being made about listing the hidden boots in separate comparisons?

BTW, the missing ASIN for Eureka's "90th Anniversary Edition" BD is B0769W9ZMZ.

[James-Masaki_Ryan]

The conversation has not moved on. I think it’s better not to list them.