M

Again? ...but well, I've got to buy this one...
I'm sorry for those who already own the former 1999 Criterion DVD of M (including myself, of course....) but this one is a must-buy item.

After more than 7 decades since its making, Fritz Lang's M remains a poignantly modern film; a striking portrait of the contemporary human world as we live in.

Fritz Lang, who always regarded M as his best film and the one by which he would be remembered, used to call it "a documentary". It is one of the first films about serial killers, and already Lang goes beyond depicting the pathology of such criminal; what M examines is the pathology of our contemporary society of urbanization, mass politics, and mass media: it's also a film about a 20th century metropolis of mass society and mass media culture.

The former Criterion DVD edition of M was made of the best available material back then-- a print restored from many different sources, re-establishing as close as possible, Lang's original release cut. It was also a...

"This man is a mental case."
Having seen most of director Fritz Lang's wonderful films noir, I finally decided to get a copy of his famous "M" from 1931. After seeing it I readily agree with previous reviewers who call this one of the true masterpieces of German cinema. And, as many film noir historians have written, "M" paved the way for the entire genre in terms of style and cinematography. Peter Lorre, despite playing a dispicable character, gave the performance of his career. Oh and in case you haven't seen the film, the movie's title refers to the letter that's used to identify Peter Lorre as the murderer when he tries to escape.

Peter Lorre plays a psychotic child murderer in Berlin who kills "because he can't help it". The police have looked everywhere for the elusive killer but can't find him. The crime leaders of Berlin are fed up, not because there's a child killer on the loose, but because his murders are causing the police to interfere with the underworld's business activities as they bring...

A classic every film lover should see
"M" has everything you could hope in a great film. The acting by Peter Lorre, Gustaf Gründgens, Otto Wernicke, and the rest of the cast all perfectly convey the different personalities in this complex story. The use of black & white and shadows is very moody and haunting. The use of sound is very important since it will tell you things the camera isn't showing. The camera work itself is amazing. I especially love the long shot in the beginning of the scene of the beggars are signing up to watch the streets where the camera moves back and forth, up and into a room through a window without a cut.

"M" offers so much for the viewer -- thrills, suspense, humor, terror! I enjoy it more and more with every repeated viewing. Fritz Lang does more than just give ideas on insane criminals. He compares and contrasts the police and the underworld criminal systems. You learn about the "state-of-the-art " systems of that time. And the last words harken a most important message...

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