Based on one of the first manga series by the very famous manga creator Osamu Tezuka (creator of Astro Boy and Kimba the White Lion), Metropolis takes elements from the 1927 silent film, but adds that unique anime twist. The film is impressive in visual scope coming from Studio Madhouse. It includes some fun silent movie iris and wipe effects. The score by Toshiyuki Honda is a blast. It includes 20s style jazz, bombastic action music and even a torch song for the end credits. I don't see the film mentioned much any more, but the score is one of my favorites from the era. Here is the opening credits in all of it's jazzy glory. Enjoy!
Roman,
ReplyDeleteYou're right. For awhile Rintaro's Metropolis was really heralded as the next big thing. They really pushed for its success but I don't think it connected with people on an emotional level.
I think it was a visually striking work with homage in play to Tezuka and of course the original Fritz Lang picture but beyond the cinematic sweep of it, the film never seemed to connect with a larger audience even like some of the successful anime TV series that end up being minor hits here stateside.
Still, you can't take anything away from Rintaro for all its vision and I have a copy of this myself and plan on covering it some time this year.
I will pay closer attention to the music thanks to your post.
All the best
sff
It's been a while since I've seen the film. I do own it, but it isn't one I reach for too often. It has some amazing visuals, but I didn't connect with the characters too well. Time to revisit it I think.
DeleteAnd yeah the music is great, really helps the film in places and the jazzy stuff is as good as the material Yoko Kanno came up with for "Cowboy Bebop".
I wasn't expecting that type music though you never know with anime. I haven't seen this film, but I like Tezuka's Astor Boy, Kimba, Phoenix, and Black Jack. He has an old drawn style aesthetic that appeals to me. I'll have to keep an eye out for Metropolis.
ReplyDeleteYes he's one of those anime masters that they don't dare mess with his style. So when this film came out in North America I remember a lot of fans saying how "weird' the style was. They were all used to the AIC/Tenchi look. I found this to be a nice break from that character style and gave it an old fashioned feel, fitting with this 20s style jazz. :)
DeleteNot just jazz but a Dixieland flavor of it -- interesting choice.
ReplyDeleteYeah, there is quite a spread of the types of jazz used in the film. The dixieland opener is surprising, but it is very memorable.
DeleteStrange, I just reviewed Fritz Lang's Metropolis and now I see this post, I need to rewatch this anime version, I started it watching it once but was unable to finish it. I need to retake it.
ReplyDeleteGive it another shot. It is well worth seeing, especially for the visual scope and huge action and destruction scenes near the end. The plot has a lot of similarities to the classic film, and there are some neat silent movie style visuals too.
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