Description

On moratorium since the end of March, Fritz Lang's serial killer thriller starring Peter Lorre returns to DVD in a fully restored, special edition double-disc set. A simple, haunting musical phrase whistled off-screen tells us that a young girl will be killed. "Who is the murderer?" pleads a nearby placard as serial killer Hans Beckert (Lorre) closes in on little Elsie Beckmann... In his harrowing masterwork, Lang merged trenchant social commentary with chilling suspense, creating a panorama of private madness and public hysteria that to this day remains the blueprint for the psychological thriller. The Criterion Collection is proud to present a new restoration of this landmark film in an all-new two-disc set, also including audio commentary by two German film scholars; an interview film Conversation with Fritz Lang, directed by William Friedkin (The Exorcist, The French Connection); a short film inspired by M by director Claude Chabrol (La Ceremonie, Les Biches); classroom tapes of M's editor discussing the film and its history; and much more. ... Read more

Reviews (67)

Did Alfred Hitchcock have a mentor?
If he did it could have been Fritz Lang & his seminal talkie, M, made in 1931 & released in 1933. A deranged child murderer is loose in the city (played broadly & wonderfully by "newcomer," Peter Lorre).
The movie has scenes pitting citizen v. citizen, in accusations & counter accusations, near lynchings & mob hysteria. The police seem helpless & bereft of clues. Organized crimes seeks to find the murderer also. He's bad for business.
Crowd mentality is examined. It is a theme Lang returns to in later movies. His first American movie, Fury , (1936) deals with vigilantism & mob rule. This version, a poor print by the way, has English subtitles so your forced to pay attention. It was Lang's favorite film. It is a prototype, if you will, of the murder mystery genre. Kind of a precursor to Hitchcock's thrillers of the 40's & 50's.

dark; influencial; a classic
This early serial killer movie from Fritz Lang has influenced practically every other serial killer film ever made. Peter Lorre is the bug-eyed, pathetic and vaguely sympathetic child-murderer (the 'vampire of Dusseldorf') being captured and put on trial by the rough inhabitants of the town. Although this very early talkie is far slower paced then the equivalent films of today, it is intelligent and, in its day, seminal.

The transfer to DVD is excellent considering the film's age, definitely superior to the crackly version I used to own on VHS.

This serial killer film is artistic and influencial, although I preferred Fritz Lang's earlier classic sci-fi Metropolis.

Murderous Molester Meets Mob Mentality...
While watching this story unfold, I found myself on quite a rollercoaster ride of emotion. First, I hated Beckert (Peter Lorre's character) for luring innocent little girls to their hideous deaths. Beckert is scary due to his ordinariness, his gentle face and small stature. He's the opposite of what we tend to expect (even today) a child molester / killer to look like. I really wanted this guy caught! I cheered for the cops to nail this maniac at all cost. Then, I wanted the underworld types to nab him and dole out their version of justice (regardless of their selfish, criminal motives). The scenes of the crooks surrounding / hunting Beckert in a deserted office building are paranoic and intensely claustrophobic. I could feel the terror in Beckert's head. No longer the predator, he was now the prey. Once caught, he is taken to a deserted brewery and put on "trial" by the crime bosses. Beckert must plead for his life before a mob that's not all that interested in his side of the story. He delivers one of the most desperate pleas for mercy in movie history to an audience concerned only with his destruction. Just as the mob leaps at him to tear him apart, the cops arrive, becoming Beckert's (temporary) salvation. In the end, we are left with the words of one of the victims' mother. She sadly states that while Beckert may die for his crimes, this will not bring her baby back to her. Such is the great paradox of justice. Fritz Lang gives us quite a lot to think about in this legendary tale. Buy it and see what I mean...

Film as Allegory
"M", Fritz Lang's ingenious story of the hunt for a child molester, is a remarkable snapshot of civilized German society at the moment predating its collapse. The child murderer Beckert (who would later be used in Nazi propaganda films as a prototype of Jewish/sexual deviance) is presented as an enemy of motherhood and the people, and therefore all of Germany. The authorities are hapless in their investigation, causing a gathering of vigilante forces - crooks, killers, pimps, and prostitutes - who capture Beckert, and try to bring him to justic before being stopped by police. Lang's working of cinematography provokes a sense of outrage at police attempts to enforce law: there are prosecutors, defense attorneys and judges in the underground kangaroo court of the criminals, but no jury -the audience is intended to be. With lawlessness everywhere, 1931 Berlin crowds cheered approvingly of the near assasination of Beckert by the underground. The austere judges of the actual law who sentence Beckert (likely to an asylum from which he will eventually be released) are shown as overlords on high, unresponsive to the three mothers of murdered children who weep and warn, "We must all take better care of our children." Whether Lang intended it or not, taking better care of the children seemed a system entirely unlike the Weimar Republic - what would eventually become Nazism. Lang was no Facist, but this is one of the classic films heralding is birth.

an excellent film, poor print. wait until late 2004 to buy
This review is for the Criterion Collection (1st edition) of the film.

This movie is Fritz Lang's first "talkie" and an excellent film about a serial child murderer. The police are so obsessed with catching him and are everywhere. This prevents the other criminals like pickpocketers and burgalrs from doing their criminal activity so they team up and enlist the help of beggars and the "underworld" to find and apprehend the murderer.

This Criterion DVD, now temoraraily out of print, has bad picture quality but still is a good film.

Later this year the DVD will be rereleased with far better picture quality and special features which this version does not have. This edition has no special features of any kind. I will put up a new review when the new version is released. ... Read more

Amazon.com

F.W. Murnau's last German production before leaving for Hollywood is avisually dazzling take on the Faust myth. Pushing the resources of the grand oldGerman studio UFA to the limits, Murnau creates an epic vision of good versusevil as devil Emil Jannings tempts an idealistic aging scholar with youth,power, and romance. The handsome but wan Swedish actor Gosta Ekman plays themade-over Faust as a perfectly shallow scoundrel drunk with youth, and thelovely Camilla Horn (in a part written for Lillian Gish) is the young virgincourted, then cast aside, by Faust. The drama falters in the middle with atedious courtship and bizarre comic interludes, but the delirious images of theopening (Jannings enveloping a mountain town in his dark cloak of evil) and thehigh melodrama of the climax (Horn desperately clutching her baby whilecrawling, abandoned and lost, through a snowstorm) triumphs over suchshortcomings. The sheer scale of Murnau's epic and the magnificent play oflight, shadow, and mist on his exquisitely designed sets makes this one of themost cinematically ambitious, visually breathtaking, and beautiful classics ofthe silent era. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Epitome of an Epic
For all intents and purposes, this is THE silent film to own, if one can own just one. It has everything. Drama, special effects, comedy, allegory, myth, good vs evil. Murnau is a director par excellence and displays his visionary propensities to splendid effect in this classic Goethe tale. The inimitable Emil Jannings plays a hearty, red-blooded Mephisto. Jannings as a silent screen actor invokes in one look, or a singular movement, what some contemporary actors could not hope to capture within a fete of endless dialogue. Camilla Horn plays a heartbreaking Gretchen, and the scene in which she wanders the snow with her dying baby is as evocative as it gets. Grab a hankie and do not feel shamed to find yourself swept along for the ride, of which there is a most splendid one included in this film, where Faust and Mephisto glide above a world in miniature. Amazing, exhilarating, absorbing. You shan't be disappointed.

Murnau's Best!
Murnau's interpretation of Goethe's brilliant epic is by far his best film. Ever overshadowed by the more popular "Nosferatu," "Faust" shows a creativity and ingenuity rarely seen in film making since. Murnau's genius shines through every shot of the film.

Emil Jannings, a staple of German expressionist film, steals the show as Mephistopheles capturing perfectly the malicious glee which Goethe depicted. Camilla Horn is the perfect tragic figure in the role of Gretchen, amazingly pulling off the character's fall into insanity. Gösta Eckman, though the least memorable of the three, plays Faust well, clearly illustrating his arrogance and intelligence.

It is, however, Murnau himself who truly makes the film shine. From Mephistopheles' unleashing of the plague to Gretchen's wanderings in the snow, every shot is magic. His use of effects far beyond their time is not overbearing but truly effective in illustrating the story. It is honestly his best film, far outclassing the rest.

Kino has done a nice job in its distribution and restoration of the film. The orchestral soundtrack fits the film for the most part and the transfer was done well, leaving a very enjoyable silent film.

I could not recommend this film more.

faust
on one level this is a supreme accomplishment in visual imagination and a special effects extravaganza. it brims over with overwhelming, powerful, sublime images. the world really seems veiled under an evil spell. sinister sense of doom pervades through every valley, seeps thru every crack.
human intellect, will, imagination, and even hope all seem helpless against or easily tricked by the temptations of worldly glory. murnau's use of images is allegorical, illustrating how the inner sanctum of the human soul is easily reached by the sharp yet seductive claws of darkness. it is bleak and tragic, showing us how we are either damned by being denied what we most desire and for what we would sacrifice to attain that which is denied us. the saddest yet the most beautiful thing in the movie is its view of death, that perhaps only death can liberate us from this life, as a moment of realization, acceptance, and resignation. indeed, is there anything more meaningful in this life than to die with final illumination of the self, the meaning that resolves all contradictions?

This is why we have movies today!
Do you know that many older people dream all or in part in black and white? Our dreams (and perhaps that is what movies are) were framed by our visions of movies and TV. Murnau's, "Faust" is one of those visual images that sets in your mind and comes forward when you reflect on movies. It is that good, it is that powerful. Like his later movie, "Sunrise," Faust is a visual feast that is more colorful in black and white than it could possibly be in color. (I ALWAYS maintain that Kurosawa is more colorful in b-&-w than in color)
The story is simple. It is the story of Faust, a man who sells his soul to the Devil. The movie does slow down in the middle. But the imagry of the beginning and the end are worthy of the finest film crafting of all time.
I taught histoy for many years and an important facet of history is getting and understanding of where the world of today came from. We have cars because 100 years ago people grew fond ofr cars. We have airplanes because 100 years ago people grew to want planes. And we have movies because 100 years ago people made them part of their lives. Faust is one of those beautiful works of art that people love then and can still admire today.
Praise goes to Kino for producing a clear well scored DVD of a work of art for us to study and admire.

Stunning reproduction and photography, good art film
I'm not a silent film buff. But the story of Faust was enough of a temptation. The black and white photography, alone, makes this worth watching. The textures, gray tones, and authentic and artistic style kept me a captive audience. The orchestral soundtrack is something you would expect from Wagner. All in all, an excellent viewing experience. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

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 ... Read more

Reviews (67)

Did Alfred Hitchcock have a mentor?
If he did it could have been Fritz Lang & his seminal talkie, M, made in 1931 & released in 1933. A deranged child murderer is loose in the city (played broadly & wonderfully by "newcomer," Peter Lorre).
The movie has scenes pitting citizen v. citizen, in accusations & counter accusations, near lynchings & mob hysteria. The police seem helpless & bereft of clues. Organized crimes seeks to find the murderer also. He's bad for business.
Crowd mentality is examined. It is a theme Lang returns to in later movies. His first American movie, Fury , (1936) deals with vigilantism & mob rule. This version, a poor print by the way, has English subtitles so your forced to pay attention. It was Lang's favorite film. It is a prototype, if you will, of the murder mystery genre. Kind of a precursor to Hitchcock's thrillers of the 40's & 50's.

dark; influencial; a classic
This early serial killer movie from Fritz Lang has influenced practically every other serial killer film ever made. Peter Lorre is the bug-eyed, pathetic and vaguely sympathetic child-murderer (the 'vampire of Dusseldorf') being captured and put on trial by the rough inhabitants of the town. Although this very early talkie is far slower paced then the equivalent films of today, it is intelligent and, in its day, seminal.

The transfer to DVD is excellent considering the film's age, definitely superior to the crackly version I used to own on VHS.

This serial killer film is artistic and influencial, although I preferred Fritz Lang's earlier classic sci-fi Metropolis.

Murderous Molester Meets Mob Mentality...
While watching this story unfold, I found myself on quite a rollercoaster ride of emotion. First, I hated Beckert (Peter Lorre's character) for luring innocent little girls to their hideous deaths. Beckert is scary due to his ordinariness, his gentle face and small stature. He's the opposite of what we tend to expect (even today) a child molester / killer to look like. I really wanted this guy caught! I cheered for the cops to nail this maniac at all cost. Then, I wanted the underworld types to nab him and dole out their version of justice (regardless of their selfish, criminal motives). The scenes of the crooks surrounding / hunting Beckert in a deserted office building are paranoic and intensely claustrophobic. I could feel the terror in Beckert's head. No longer the predator, he was now the prey. Once caught, he is taken to a deserted brewery and put on "trial" by the crime bosses. Beckert must plead for his life before a mob that's not all that interested in his side of the story. He delivers one of the most desperate pleas for mercy in movie history to an audience concerned only with his destruction. Just as the mob leaps at him to tear him apart, the cops arrive, becoming Beckert's (temporary) salvation. In the end, we are left with the words of one of the victims' mother. She sadly states that while Beckert may die for his crimes, this will not bring her baby back to her. Such is the great paradox of justice. Fritz Lang gives us quite a lot to think about in this legendary tale. Buy it and see what I mean...

Film as Allegory
"M", Fritz Lang's ingenious story of the hunt for a child molester, is a remarkable snapshot of civilized German society at the moment predating its collapse. The child murderer Beckert (who would later be used in Nazi propaganda films as a prototype of Jewish/sexual deviance) is presented as an enemy of motherhood and the people, and therefore all of Germany. The authorities are hapless in their investigation, causing a gathering of vigilante forces - crooks, killers, pimps, and prostitutes - who capture Beckert, and try to bring him to justic before being stopped by police. Lang's working of cinematography provokes a sense of outrage at police attempts to enforce law: there are prosecutors, defense attorneys and judges in the underground kangaroo court of the criminals, but no jury -the audience is intended to be. With lawlessness everywhere, 1931 Berlin crowds cheered approvingly of the near assasination of Beckert by the underground. The austere judges of the actual law who sentence Beckert (likely to an asylum from which he will eventually be released) are shown as overlords on high, unresponsive to the three mothers of murdered children who weep and warn, "We must all take better care of our children." Whether Lang intended it or not, taking better care of the children seemed a system entirely unlike the Weimar Republic - what would eventually become Nazism. Lang was no Facist, but this is one of the classic films heralding is birth.

an excellent film, poor print. wait until late 2004 to buy
This review is for the Criterion Collection (1st edition) of the film.

This movie is Fritz Lang's first "talkie" and an excellent film about a serial child murderer. The police are so obsessed with catching him and are everywhere. This prevents the other criminals like pickpocketers and burgalrs from doing their criminal activity so they team up and enlist the help of beggars and the "underworld" to find and apprehend the murderer.

This Criterion DVD, now temoraraily out of print, has bad picture quality but still is a good film.

Later this year the DVD will be rereleased with far better picture quality and special features which this version does not have. This edition has no special features of any kind. I will put up a new review when the new version is released. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Beautiful young women
I saw this movie in the cinema many years ago. The movie shows Natassja Kinski at age 19 topless as well as other 2 or 3 young women (one a blue-eyed brunette even more beautiful than Natassja), also in several stages of nudity; in a tale of repressed girls in a private school in Europe, who try to have romance and possibly also sex, in secret, with the young men from a nearby boys private school. Only the beauty of the young women justifies the movie, which otherwise is rather cliche. Last year I bought a dvd from a different maker (Front Row Features) which did NOT play in my dvd player but DID PLAY in my computer's dvd drive. I am going to take a chance and buy this dvd from Pro-active Entertainment and hope it works better.

Worthless
I bought this disc from another source, but it appears to be the exact same one sold at Amazon.

I have 3 DVD players and none of them recognize this disc, so I cannot watch the movie.

Don't buy this! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Fast-pacing, sinister Great-One by Fritz Lang
Great about this video is that it actually uses the original music score which adds a lot to the pictures. See harakiri-, motorbiking- and traincrash-action! Also a nice love-story and a lot of seducing. Enjoy! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Sophisticated and glorious love story
"The Love of Jeanne Ney" is a glorious complex love and suspense story that has murder, politics, one loved one responsible for the death of another, and a hateful scoundrel. Jeanne Ney is the daughter of a man stationed in Russia immediately prior to the Bolshevik revolution. Before he can effect their return to Paris, her young lover and a comrade confront him over a list of Bolshevik leaders and her Father is killed in a gunfight. There are many great characters, from the conman who sold the worthless set of names to her Father, to the kindly official who tries to ease her pain after her Father's death, and on to her mercenary uncle and blind cousin in Paris. The cinematography is gorgeous and inventive, the street scenes are magnificently detailed, and the screenplay by Ilya Ehrenberg is outstanding.

Pabst's Masterpiece
The laserdisc version released by Image as part of the "Golden Age of German Cinema" box set was excellent, given the age of the film. I assume that this will be the same release. The new score by Timothy Brock performed by the Olympia Chamber Orchestra is also excellent. His scores for Faust, Sunrise, Nanook of the North and The Last Laugh are also worth checking out. Most of them are available on CD here at Amazon.

Now if they would only release Pabst's other masterpieces

on DVD (Pandora's Box, Diary of a Lost Girl)!! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A 'must' for everybody who loves Fritz Lang
While perhaps not quite in the same league as M and Metropolis, Spies (Spione) is really great in its own right, and a testament to the diverse film making skills of its director, Fritz Lang.
Spies is like the 'Bond' of silent films. Indeed, watching the film its hard to believe Albert Broccoli did not use Spies as his prototype for all the James Bond films he produced.
The story opens with the assassination of a diplomat for some documents. Chaos reigns... but then we are introduced to the hero, No. 326. 326 is the master spy who must retrieve the documents, and save the world from the evil banker Haghi (wheelchair bound). In between there's a woman sent to spy on 326, who in fact falls in love with him.... sure, you've seen this before but this film is the original, the real thing, filmed almost 35 years before Bond et al ever made it to the screen.
Spies is simply great fun!
This disk also includes a very scratchy Fritz the Cat cartoon, which I quite enjoyed despite its age and condition, and Lang's classic 'M.' The transfer of M is not bad, but cannot compare with Criterion's version. If you buy this disk, well, you get M but the real treat is Spies.
Regarding the print of Spies, quality is not bad but hardly a great restoration either. Still, the film is quite watchable: impressive for a 75+-year-old print. Like Metropolis, there's a little controversy as to the run time of Spies. This version is 90 minutes, but I've seen listings showing a German version of 178 minutes at a very slow frame rate of 16fps. I don't know if this version has been cut, or if the 178 figure is even correct but its worth mentioning.
Also, for true Lang fans, Kino is supposed to release a fully restored version of Spies (to match Metropolis???) sometime in Fall, so perhaps the mystery will be solved then.
In any case, for now this is the best you will see of this film, and its worth buying and watching even in its present condition. A gem of filmmaking is still a gem despite some scratches on the print!

Buy this one for the great transfer of "Spies"
As I am sure you know there are a lot of budget, poor quality, DVDs out there of Fritz Lang's Films. This great release from Whirlwind is not one of them! The transfer on "Spies" is excellent. The image is very detailed and crisp, there are nicks and scratches throughout the film, but this is to be expected. Only a major restoration could make this film look better. This disc is dual-layered and it seems to show as the video compression looks very good. The audio track on "Spies" contains a very nice organ score that suits the film well. This disc also includes a fair/poor quality of "M". It actually looks far worse than "Spies", but to be fair, I think the source print for "M" must not have given them much to work with. The audio track on "M" is fairly dirty, which takes away from its overall presentation as well. If you are looking for the best version of "M" you will have to get the Criterion version, but if you are looking for a solid edition of "Spies" look no further.

M is full 98 min. version, despite packaging
Despite the incorrect running time listed for "M" on the packaging ("71 minutes"), this cut of "M" is over 98 minutes long, and contains much footage I've never seen before. It remains a riveting thriller, and I highly recommend it. Although I'm a fan of Lang's work, I had not seen "Spies" before. It was also impressive, and quite entertaining.

I thought the DVD transfers were good, and at this price it's a great bargain.

Worth the bucks
Hi. Mike Cruz. You may have seen such reviews from me as Metropolis: A classic, but not on dvd.

This double feature including Spies and M is well worth the bones. Spies is a great transfer copy! Good sound (for a silent); great picture. M is the cut version, meaning it's the 71 min. version. However for the price, I think it is well worth it. It even has a Felix the Cat cartoon!

If you want to see M in all its glory, you should get the regular dvd of M. But the subtitles and picture and sound for M is very good, it's just the edited version. I have searched all over for Spies, the film released after Metropolis. In my opinion it is on the same level or even better than the Mabuse films. It is fantastic!

If you like Lang, you must get this. Unlike the dvd for Metropolis, you won't be sorry!

Great version of "Spies" okay version of "M"
I was pleased to finally find Fritz Lang's "Spies"especially since it was out of print on video. The picture quality isexcellant. You will not be dissappointed. The dvd also has on it a short Felix the cat clip (I' dont know why) and it also has Lang's movie "M" with Peter Lorre. The picture quality on this is okay. I remember thinking that my vhs version was better. It's not that the picture isn't crisp, it is, its just like the film looks scratchy. you can tell it's an old movie. If you are looking for Spies, look no further. If you are more a fan of "M" you may want to check out other DVD version: The Criterion collection's version of M (which has a cooler cover). But either way this DVD is a bargain... ... Read more