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Beta and VHS and VCD
In the late 1970’s, video-rental shops sprouted up everywhere.
The market boomed.
As we browse through the rubble-strewn aftermath on eBay,
we can see that Metropolis was offered by numerous fly-by-night public-domain companies,
as well as by legit companies that, for this particular title, just didn’t care a fig.
Most of the videos are unwatchable.
Many of the listed running times are wildly inaccurate.
This is just a sampling.
There were others as well.
Most of these should be avoided:
USA Foothill Video (1980? PD) music: ??? minutes: ??? (no product code) source: ??? |
USA Hollywood Home Theatre (1980 PD) music: Valentino library minutes: (no product code) source: Thunderbird |
Germany Atlas Video Auslese (1981) music: ??? minutes: 120 (unknown) source: ??? |
UK Thorn EMI (1982 LICENSED) music: Konrad Elfers minutes: 87 @ 25fps TVE 90 0823 2 source: NWDF 1965 |
US Video Yesteryear (1984 PD) Hammond organ: Rosa Río minutes: 128 @ 16fps 32 source: Griggs |
USA Crown Movie Classics (1985? PD) music: von Géczy needle drops minutes: (no product code) source: Thunderbird |
USA RSVP Royal Sound Video Prods. (nd PD) music: ??? minutes: 120 (no product code) source: Thunderbird? |
USA Hal Roach (1985 PD) no sound minutes: 120 4799 source: Griggs? |
USA Goodtimes Home Video (1985 PD) no sound minutes: 94 @ 24fps VGT-5079 source: Griggs |
USA Goodtimes Home Video (1985 PD) no sound minutes: VGT-5079 source: Griggs |
US California Video Distribs. (1985 PD) no sound minutes: HMV 8079 source: Griggs? |
US Video Entertainment (1985 PD) music: ??? minutes: 131 (product code unknown) source: (Video Yesteryear???) |
USA Goodtimes Home Video (1986 PD) no sound minutes: VGT-8610 source: Griggs |
USA Viking Video Classics (1986 PD) no sound minutes: 120 VCC 990 source: ??? |
UK Cannon Classics (1986 LICENSED) music: NWDF??? minutes: ??? 90 0823 2 source: NWDF??? |
AUSTRALIA Virgin Vision (1989) music: ??? minutes: 120 VIR 461 source: ??? |
JAPAN Continental Shobo Co., Ltd. (16 Jun 1989) music: ??? minutes: 95 MV-3029 source: ??? |
USA Kino on Video (Nov 1989, bootleg) music: Konrad Elfers minutes: 89 @ 24fps (no product code) source: NWDF 1965 |
USA [Kartes] Film Classics (1990? bootleg, LP) music: Konrad Elfers minutes: 89 @ 24fps (no product code) source: Kino VHS 1989 |
ITALY Legocart (nd) music: ??? minutes: 87 LEG-EV 004 source: NWDF? |
FRANCE Cine Video Film (nd) music: ??? minutes: 89 EDV 275 source: ??? |
ARGENTINA All Video (nd) music: ??? minutes: ??? (unknown) source: ??? |
ITALY Playtime (1990?) music: ??? minutes: 80 PJ-B150513 source: ??? |
USA United American Video Corp. (1990 PD) piano: Stuart Oderman minutes: 94 @ 24fps 5350 source: Griggs |
USA Goodtimes Home Video (1990 PD) music: no sound minutes: 8189 source: Griggs? |
ITALY Broadcast Milano / Gruppo Logica (1990) music: Heinrich Riethmüller minutes: 86 @ 25fps (no product code) source: NWDF 1963 |
JAPAN Cruise Company, Ltd. (1990?) music: ??? minutes: 85 TQ-103 source: ??? |
ITALY Mondadori (May 1991) music: ??? minutes: 87 (no data) source: NWDF? |
ITALY Broadcast / Legocart (1991?) music: ??? minutes: 87 (no product code) source: NWDF? |
GERMANY VVL Vision Video Ltd (1992 LICENSED) music: Konrad Elfers??? minutes: 88 (no product code) source: NWDF 1965??? |
ITALY Ricordi (1992) music: ??? minutes: 86 (no product code) source: NWDF? |
ITALY Gemme General Video (1992?) music: ??? minutes: 120 24 G2188 source: ??? |
ITALY Columbia Tristar, Empire (1992) music: ??? minutes: 120 EMPS 3 2367 source: ??? |
UK Eureka / Jef (1992) music: Peter Osborne? minutes: 139 @ 13½fps EKA 0002 source: Griggs fragments 8mm? |
UK JEF / Eureka (1992) original music: Peter Osborne minutes: 139 @ 13½fps VFB 16165 source: Griggs fragments 8mm? |
GERMANY Atlas Film/VVL Vision Video Ltd (1992/1993 LICENSED) music: Heinrich Riethmüller minutes: 89 @ 25fps 7503 source: NWDF 1963 |
ITALY Hobby & Work (1994) music: ??? minutes: 80 PJ-B150513 source: ??? |
USA Simitar Entertainment (1994 PD) no sound minutes: 120 3693 source: Thunderbird |
AUSTRALIA S.O.D.A. Auto Sports Distribs. (1994?) no sound minutes: 120 3693 source: Simitar |
France Les Éditions du 7th Art (1994?) music: ??? minutes: ??? (unknown) source: ??? |
ITALY Cecchi-Gori (1994) music: ??? minutes: 120 7221 source: ??? |
USA Allied Artists (1994 PD) no sound minutes: 126 4044 source: ??? |
USA Goodtimes Home Video (1994 PD) music: no sound minutes: 05-08600 source: Griggs? |
UK JEF/Aikman/Force Video (1994) original music: Peter Osborne minutes: 139 @ 13½fps JEF 41 source: Griggs fragments 8mm? |
UK Force Video (1994?) original music: Peter Osborne minutes: 139 @ 13½fps JEF41 source: Griggs fragments 8mm? |
GERMANY PolyGram (1994 LICENSED) music: no sound minutes: 88 088 599-3 source: NWDF 1965 |
SPAIN Divisa (1995) music: ??? minutes: ??? (no product number) source: ??? |
SWEDEN Odox BFAB (1996) music: ??? minutes: 120 (no product number) source: ??? |
CANADA Madacy Excelsior (1996) music: needle drops minutes: EXC-3-3707 source: Thunderbird |
USA Alpha Video Distributors (1996 PD) music: same as Madacy minutes: 33160 source: Madacy |
CANADA Madacy Hollywood Classics (1997) music: needle drops minutes: BCV-3-7344 source: Thunderbird |
CANADA Madacy Hollywood Classics (1997) music: needle drops minutes: HCV-3-6156 source: Thunderbird |
CANADA Madacy Hollywood Classics (1997) music: needle drops minutes: SFC-3-6343 source: Thunderbird |
CANADA Madacy Hollywood Classics (1997) music: needle drops minutes: FTW-3-4226 source: Thunderbird |
UK Eureka/Neon (1998) original music: ??? minutes: 139 @ 13½fps VFB 16165 source: Griggs fragments 8mm? |
UK Eureka (1998) original music: Peter Osborne minutes: 139 @ 13½fps VFB 16165 source: Griggs fragments 8mm? |
CANADA Madacy Hollywood Classics (1999) music: needle drops minutes: MWV3 1206 source: Thunderbird |
FRANCE Les Films du Siècle (27 July 1999) music: ??? minutes: ??? Da49 source: ??? |
US Timeless (01 Dec 1999) music: ??? minutes: 118 (unknown) source: ??? |
TURKEY Digital Kültür (2002? bootleg) music: Huppertz minutes: 34.İ.2759 source: Kino K275, 2002 |
Sixty. That’s sixty videos in the inventory above.
I think only one of the above is the 2001 Koerber restoration.
I did not include the endless video releases of the Moroder edition.
So, what we have above is probably the bulk of the Betamax and VHS editions worldwide during those years, circa 1978 through the 1990’s.
Junk. The unlicensed copies are junk. The whole lot of them. Junk. Irredeemable junk. Unforgiveable.
Not a single unlicensed Beta or VHS release was worth a plugged nickel,
and even the licensed ones were filled with problems.
I could not understand why such a famous and well-loved cult film was not given a good home-video release.
I cannot understand why unscrupulous eBay vendors continue to offer the worst of the worst for opening bids of $80 or $150 or even much more,
as though they were something desirable.
| 1978 | Reel Images (prior to its adoption of the Video Yesteryear label) Jon Sonneborn 448 Pepper St Monroe CT 06468 |
Beta and VHS | maybe needle drops, maybe Oderman |
131 min. | copied from Griggs-Moviedrome (The catalogue number was 32, but within a year the numbers for other films were in the hundreds, and so Metropolis must have been in the very first catalogue. In March 1979, it was available on Beta and VHS at the identical price, $59.95. By May 1979, the prices were $69.95 for Beta and $72.95 for VHS. By January 1980, the prices went up to $69.96 and $73.95. No significance in that. Just caught my attention, that’s all.) |
| 19?? |
Northeast Video & Sound 287 Kenyon St Stratford CT (203) 377-1444 Pres.: Mario C. Villecco Sales Mgr.: Paul N. Seaberg |
2 U-Matics | no sound | 84 min | probably copied from NWDF 1965 |
| 19?? | Festival Films 2841 Irving Ave S Minneapolis MN 55408 |
VHS & Beta | no sound | 93 min. | probably copied from Griggs Moviedrome |
| 1980? |
German Language Video Center 7625 Pendleton Pike Indianapolis IN 46226 |
VHS | 131 min. | probably copied from Reel Images |
|
| 1980 | Discount Video Tapes, Inc. 1117 N Hollywood Way PO Box 7122 Burbank CA 91510 |
VHS | 96 min. | affiliated with Thunderbird Film Enterprises |
|
| 1985 | International Historic Films PO Box 5796 Chicago IL 60680 (773) 927-2900 |
VHS & Beta | no sound | probably copied from Griggs-Moviedrome |
|
| 1985 | Tamarelle’s French Film House 110 Cohasset Stage Rd Chico CA 95925 |
VHS | 97 min. | probably copied from Thunderbird |
|
| 19?? | Henwood Cinema Video 106 N Kesnick Ave Glenside PA 19038 (215) 884-7533 |
VHS & Beta | 90 min. | probably copied from Kino |
|
| 1994 |
Gametek Cinema/Digital Movies 3300 NE 192nd St North Miami Beach FL 33180 |
2 game CD’s with .MOV files | 93 min. | copied from Griggs-Moviedrome, with Oderman piano score |
|
| 1995 | Blackhawk Films, sold through: Critics’ Choice Video PO Box 642 Itasca IL 60143 www.ccvideo.com |
VHS | 90 min. | probably copied from Kino |
|
| 1996 | Cinememória S.A. Cormorán 11 01730 México DF product # RTC AC 0404 ISBN 9687675071 |
VHS | no sound | 154 min. | probably copied from Davidson |
| 1996? | Digital Disc Entertainment PO Box 7304 # 118 North Hollywood CA 91603 (818) 506-4784 product # DDE 034 |
2 VCD’s | Oh that claim of 126 min. got my hopes up. Oh well. Griggs with the Oderman score |
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I captured the above logo from DDE’s VCD release of Steamboat Bill, Jr,
which was copied from Kino’s “The Art of Buster Keaton” set of 1995,
but with the Kino credits deleted
and with Gaylord Carter’s credit for the organ score omitted.
Instead, DDE exclaimed:
“WARNING: Unauthorized reproduction, public performance, lending, hiring, and broadcasting
prohibited under National Laws and International Agreements.
Licensed by Kurtze Entertainment Group, Toluca Lake, California. All Rights Reserved....”
Shameless. But hey, it’s showbiz.
What else can you expect?
If DDE played that game with Steamboat Bill, Jr,
then it probably played the same game with all its other offerings.
The Metropolis running time of 126 min. matches the BBC2/PBS edition,
and so I wondered if it was pulled from an
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Oh look what just popped up on eBay! When it arrives, will I be dancing a jig because it’s the PBS version for a mere $75+tax,
or will I be cursing the Fates because it’s not the PBS version and I just wasted a massive $75+tax?
MONDAY, 26 JUNE 2023: Not dancing a jig. Just the
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By the way, the Goodtimes videos were taken from the Griggs Moviedrome 16mm edition,
though there is a claim that some Goodtimes videos were taken from the Thunderbird Films edition.
Maybe.
The Thunderbird Films edition of Metropolis was duped about 30,000 times over before it was issued on video by Crown International,
and then the audio was swapped out, and I think other changes were made, too.
Here it is.
Once upon a time, I purchased this on VHS because I was curious about the running time listed on the back of the box: 120 minutes.
Running times as stated on VHS boxes are notoriously inaccurate,
but I was hoping hoping hoping that it would prove to be the edition I had seen on PBS.
No such luck.
Less than two minutes after pressing PLAY, I ejected it and threw it in the garbage.
The image was so smeared, so blurry, so washed out that it was impossible to decipher.
The needle-drop dance score compiled from tunes by
Barnabás von Géczy
was totally wrong for this movie.
By now you have correctly guessed that there is a person who has made a study of all these VHS videos, because of course there is.
Take a look:
“Fritz Lang’s Metropolis — Crown Movie Classics VHS Release,”
The Northeast Ohio Video Hunter, 24 February 2015.
You know, if only the BBC2 edition of 1975 and the Janus Films edition of May 1972 had been released on video,
I would have been elated, floating on the clouds, and I would never have bothered to do any of this research,
and so I would never have written this unwieldy web page.
DVD’s? You want to know about what’s available on the DVD’s?
I have no enthusiasm about researching that topic,
but, fortunately, some folks at
Silent Era
are enthusiastic about looking into all those artifacts.
Or, at least, they were.
Such a study gets to be really depressing after a while.
On DVD we have the 2001 restoration and on Blu-ray we have the 2010 restoration, and that’s wonderful.
We do not have the Paramount edition, we do not have the BBC edition, we do not have the Janus edition,
and those are the three editions I would pay good money for.
Instead, there are countless DVD editions consisting of utter junk.
One DVD that I did glance at was from Greece, from a company called
ὅλον βίντεο.
It is a dupe of the Madacy dupe, with Madacy’s needle drops.
These videos, like almost all others issued for this title until recently,
were shameless rip-offs ,
travesties of the film.