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Title: M - Criterion Collection (1998) |
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Review of M - Criterion Collection
- 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. Greig's "Peer Gynt Suite" will never sound the same. Criterion is proud to present Lang's seminal film in a new transfer.
Description
- Peter Lorre made film history with his startling performance as a psychotic murderer of children. Too elusive for the Berlin police, the killer is sought and marked by underworld criminals who are feeling the official fallout for his crimes. This riveting, 1931 German drama by Fritz Lang--an early talkie--unfolds against a breathtakingly expressionistic backdrop of shadows and clutter, an atmosphere of predestination that seems to be closing in on Lorre's terrified villain. M is an important piece of cinema's past along with a number of Lang's early German works, including Metropolis and Spies. (Lang eventually brought his influence directly to the American cinema in such films as Fury, They Clash by Night, and The Big Heat.) M shouldn't be missed. This original 111-minute version is a little different from what most people have seen in theaters. --Tom Keogh
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Comments for M - Criterion Collection
- Posted on 2008-07-02
hard to believe this film was made 77 years ago
Perhaps the very first serial killer film ever made--way back in l931!
Although, as far as directors go, I preffer the works of Claude Chabrol (especially Chabrol's The Butcher, over Lang's M), Lang's M holds up pretty damn well.
What you really get here is three films in one: first third feels like a serial killer film, middle third feels like a police procedural, and the last third feels like a crime caper flick.
For me, the first and last third worked exceptionally well. Peter Lorre convincing in the title role. Middle part (with the cops doing what cops do) lagged and felt drawn out, only because we have seen so many scenes like this over the years in other films of this nature.
Friedkin interviews Lang in the two-disk package.
Score: 4
- Posted on 2008-06-16
A visceral feast for any lover of film; truly one of the greatest ever filmed...
My feelings for this iconic piece of filmmaking mirror those I've previously expressed for David Lynch's masterpiece `Eraserhead'; namely that it exceeds the boundaries of perfection and thus defines the very word that is `film'. There are very few films today that can even come close to capturing the brilliance that is captured within the frames that make up `M', a harrowing story about a murderer of children who manages to elude the police but finds himself in the angry hands of the criminal underground. `M' (shortened from the original title `Eine Stadt Sucht Einen Morder' which translates to `The Murderers are Among Us') broke many boundaries and paved the way for the expressive filmmaking of today, but still it holds it's own as supremely better than most everything released today.
`M' tells us the story of Hans Beckert and the misery and panic he spread throughout a small German city. As children come up missing and or dead parents and concerned citizens alike find themselves in disarray as the police continue to search for this killer of children with no real success and or advancements. As the police too begin to panic in their faulted efforts they begin to weigh heavy on the German community which has some adverse effects on the criminals controlling the underground. These criminals come together to try and better their own situation which leads them to conclude that the only way they will get the police off of their backs is if they catch and put an end to this horror of a man once and for all.
There are so many facets to this film that make it one of the grandest of all time. It sets a perfect mood for the subject at hand, never once straying from that eerie and heart stopping vibe that permeates the screen. The film flows magically from one scene to the next, never chopping and or losing our interest. The rich black and white film and grainy atmosphere only add weight to the already weighty subtext; and then there is the sublime inclusion of the tune `In the Hall of the Mountain King', which is whistled by Beckert while he is on the prowl. It is a simple detail, but that one detail is probably the most haunting facet to the entire film.
And then, there is Peter Lorre.
Peter Lorre has received much acclaim and attention for this gutsy role, tackling the first ever on screen serial killer, and rightfully so. His fearless performance is one of the greatest of all time. There is a scene where he is staring in the window of a toy store, watching a young girl in a mirror and his face bleeds forth with this wretched pain and confusion; utter torment eating away at his very soul. He makes this man human, which was very gutsy especially at the time. His final breakdown towards the end of the film where he tries to explain his horrible condition, his sickness if you will, is actually quite moving in his dire conviction and commitment to his performance. It reminds me of the shivers one receives when witnessing Edward Norton's portrayal of Neo-Nazi Derek in `American History X'; a horrible man yet so convincing in his plight you wind up sympathizing with the Devil.
`M' is not a film to be taken lightly. There is so much power packed within this picture that one should be made aware of its affects on an individual. `M' captures almost all too well the true extensive deteriorating powers of panic and fear. As the general public begins to wear down with the police's inability to capture this murderer they begin to turn on one another, ready and willing to condemn any man who comes within speaking distance of a child. The police likewise resort to rash and overzealous methods in order to uncover this murderer, feeling pressured by the innocent public merely trying to safeguard their offspring. The criminals too feel compelled to take matters into their own hands in an effort to rid their town of its eternal distress and all of this culminates into a melding pot of dread and misery.
`M' may be hard to stomach at times. No, this is not a graphic film but it is haunting in that it manages to strike at the heart of the audience, seeping into their soul. The aftereffects are as distressing as those brought on by the recent `4 Luni, 3 Saptamani si 2 Zile' (`4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days'); a film that brings out in us the human desire to correct all evils and save our loved ones from the exhausting touch of pain and suffering. `M' is a film that finds itself in your heart and soul and wrecks havoc on your inner being; ultimately becoming a part of you and thus never leaving your side. As many have noted, `M' is one of the greatest films ever filmed, and I too stand by that statement.
In fact, it's quite possibly the best; possibly.
Score: 5
- Posted on 2008-06-05
Perfect Filmmaking
This is what every filmmaker should try to produce.
This film is difficult to rival. It was and still is an influential movie that discussed reality with realism and never shied away from continual controversy. One of the first films about a serial killer, with details ripped from the headlines and extras ripped from the streets.
Peter Lorre is a genius in this film. Even though you know everything, he still manages to illicit some sympathy from viewers. Lang is excellent at creating a story that draws in his audience and captivates.
This movie also solidified Edvard Grieg's "In the Hall of the Mountain King" as a terrifying piece of music.
Although made in 1931, this film looks and feels well beyond its time. This new edition of this film will ensure its legacy to continue well beyond as a masterpiece!
Highly recommend for anyone, especially those who consider themselves cinema connoisseurs.
Score: 5 - Posted on 2008-04-13
M: There are Murderers Among Us.
"I can't help myself! I haven't any control over this evil thing that's inside of me! The fire, the voices, the torment!. . . Who knows what it's like to be me?"
Based on real-life serial killer Peter Kürten (aka the "Vampire of Düsseldorf"), in Fritz Lang's 1931 German film M ("Morder Unter Uns"), Peter Lorre (László Löwenstein) plays a villainous serial killer who preys on little girls. Set in 1930s Berlin, the film's riveting opening scene has haunted me for years. While a small group of children are playing a game involving a rhyme about a child murderer, creepy Hans Beckert (Lorre) buys a balloon from a blind man as he whistles "In the Hall of the Mountain King." He then gives the balloon to a little girl in the group named Elsie Beckmann. In the next scene, the balloon flies up into the electrical lines as Elsie's mother frantically searches for her daughter down a spiral staircase. The private madness of this scene sparks public hysteria as both the Berlin police and the criminal underworld join forces to to catch the child killer. Confronting the moral issues posed by the film, Elsie's mother delivers the final message of M: putting psychotic pedophiles like Beckert to death is no solution; parents must watch their children with vigilance. Lang's depiction of Berlin society is equally intriguing here: hideous faces, men in shadows, smoke-filled bars, an innocent old man is attacked by a hysterical mob. This is a highly-recommended, dark and expressionistic, relevant classic for our times. M is MesMerizing.
Criterion's two[disc DVD transfer includes a newly restored digital transfer, presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.19:1; audio commentary by German film scholars Anton Kaes and Eric Rentschler; a conversation with Fritz Lang, a 50-minute film by William Friedkin; Claude Chabrol's M le Maudit, a short film inspired by M, plus an interview with Chabrol by Pierre-Henri Gibert about Lang's filmmaking techniques; a stills gallery, with behind-the-scenes photos, and production sketches by art director Emil Hasler; new and improved English subtitles; a 32-page booklet featuring an essay by film critic Stanley Kauffmann, a 1963 interview with Lang, the script for a missing scene, and contemporaneous newspaper articles; and one notable flaw: a white line that periodically appears across the top of the screen, which was caused by the optical printer during the creation of the original film elements. (Because cropping out the line would have removed 25 percent of the picture, Criterion opted to leave it in.)
G. Merritt
Score: 5 - Posted on 2008-02-18
Great Extras
The extras and commentary are very inciteful. This film is essential to anyone interested in German film and recommended for anyone who is interested in classic film in general. This 2-disc DVD is very well put together. The insert pamphlet includes reviews of the film and some other very interesting information. It's a great resource for learning about this film. I have really enjoyed it.
Score: 5