 The Criterion Collection [Blu-ray] Behind every great suspense thriller lurks the shadow of M. In this, Fritz Lang's first sound film, Peter Lorre delivers a haunting performance as the cinema's first serial killer, a whistling pedophile hunted by the police and brought to trial by the forces of the Berlin underworld. Grieg's Peer Gynt Suite will never sound the same. Criterion presents Lang's seminal film in a new transfer. The great Lang dissection of criminal deviance, following the tortured last days of a child murderer, and the efforts of both the police and the underground to bring him to justice. Poetic, compassionate, and chilling. Inspired by real-life serial killer Peter Kurten, known as "Vampire of Dusseldorf," Lang also borrowed story elements from Jack the Ripper's killing spree. Lorre's screen debut. Lang's personal favorite among his own films. In German with English subtitles. Remade in 1951. For a film as old as this, supplemtal material is difficult to find. This is not at all disappointing. The transfer is excellent for how old the print must be. The audio is also excellent. This film is a milestone in filmmaking and narrative visual style. Storyline: In Germany, Hans Beckert is an unknown killer of girls. He whistles Edvard Grieg's 'In The Hall of the Mountain King', from the 'Peer Gynt' Suite I Op. 46 while attracting the little girls for death. The police force pressed by the Minister give its best effort trying unsuccessfully to arrest the serial killer. The organized crime has great losses due to the intense search and siege of the police and decides to chase the murderer, with the support of the beggars association. They catch Hans and briefly judge him. Written by Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Reviewer's Note: Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov on April 27, 2010 -- Fritz Lang's "M" (1931) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion. The supplemental features on the disc include an audio commentary with University of California at Berkeley professor Anton Kaes and Harvard University professor of German Eric Rentschler; director William Friedkin's film "Conversation with Fritz Lang" (1975); the documentary "A Physical History of M"; director Claude Chabrol's short "M le maudit"; an interview with Harold Nebenzal, son of producer Seymor Nebenzal; "Paul Falkenberg's Classroom Tapes"; stills gallery; and the English-language version of "M". The disc also arrives with a 34-page illustrated booklet. In German, with optional English subtitles. Region-A "locked". A child murderer is on the loose in an unnamed German city. The police, under the leadership of Inspector Lohmann (Otto Wernicke, Gold in New Frisco), ask the public for assistance - any tips or leads that might help them identify the murderer are welcome. In the meantime, frustrated with the fact that business has been seriously affected by the numerous raids the police have initiated in the city, the local crime bosses decide to take matters into their own hands. Schranker (Gustaf Grundgens, A Woman of No Importance), an influential gangster, approaches the beggars' organization with an offer - if they help him and his men capture the murderer, they would be richly rewarded for their efforts. A deal is struck and immediately the entire city becomes a hunting ground. Soon, the murderer, Franz Beckert (Peter Lorre, Mysterious Mr. Moto), is identified by the beggars. He attempts to run away from them but is quickly captured and brought in front of those whose lives he has irreversibly damaged. He begs his captors for mercy and asks that they turn him over to the police. Inspired by a real-life manhunt of a serial killer, Peter Kurten, in Dusseldorf, Fritz Lang's M offers a fascinating look at pre-Nazi Germany. On one hand, the film deconstructs city life through the reactions of its residents who quickly become obsessed with the child murderer. On the other hand, Lang effectively compares the police authorities, their methods and the manner in which they justify their actions in front of the public with those of the criminals. M, however, falls short of producing any brave political statements. Aside from the finale where the murderer confesses his crimes and his captors, an angry mob, argue that justice can be served only by the people - perhaps revealing Lang's dissatisfaction with the then-current legal system in Germany - the rest in the film is indeed open to interpretation. M is perhaps most effective in the manner in which it manipulates the audience's expectations about good and evil, right and wrong, just and unjust. Lorre's killer, for example, is an ordinary man, soft-spoken and gentle. He looks like every other man on the street, yet he is a monster. Then there are Grundgens' gangster, a sharp-dressed, demanding respect man, who is determined to punish the killer for his crimes, and Wernicke's police inspector, a poorly-dressed man, who clearly lacks proper manners (watch how he dines) but is surprisingly intelligent. Each of these characters is unusual, possessing qualities that are very much atypical for the type of environment they are placed in. Lang completed M in 1931, two years before the Nazis came to power. Joseph Goebbels, Hitler's Minister of Propaganda, admitted liking it and offered Lang to head UFA, the legendary German film studio. Lang, however, immigrated to the U.S., and M was eventually banned by the Nazi government. M was Lang's first sound film. Unsurprisingly, he experimented with sound in a number of different ways - treating it as a visual medium (some of the most memorable characteristics of the city where the film takes place are created through a variety of different sounds), withholding dialog in favor of unique sounds meant to heighten the audience's sensitivity to the fear and later on paranoia that grips the city, etc. The acting is exceptional. Lorre, in particular, with his stunning range of facial expressions, single-handedly transforms M into a disturbing visual spectacle that even today looks mighty impressive. This is a very special release, folks. Not only is the presentation of Fritz Lang's M exceptionally strong, but Criterion's Blu-ray release also contains a variety of terrific supplemental features. If you reside in a Region-A country, I urge you to consider adding M to your libraries as soon as possible. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Cast Notes: Peter Lorre (Hans Beckert), Ellen Widmann (Frau Beckmann), Inge Landgut (Elsie Beckmann), Otto Wernicke (Inspector Karl Lohmann), Theodor Loos (Inspector Groeber), Gustaf Gründgens (Schränker), Friedrich Gnaß (Franz, the burglar), Fritz Odemar (The cheater), Paul Kemp (Pickpocket with six watches), Theo Lingen (Bauernfänger), Rudolf Blümner (Beckert's defender), Georg John (Blind panhandler), Franz Stein (Minister), Ernst Stahl-Nachbaur (Police chief), Gerhard Bienert (Criminal secretary). IMDb Rating (07/25/14): 8.5/10 from 76,527 users Top 250: #67 IMDb Rating (04/26/11): 8.6/10 from 44,526 users Top 250: #55
 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
{}_1.jpg)
