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Fritz Lang's Metropolis belongs to legend as much as to cinema. It's a milestone of sci-fi and German expressionism. Yet the story makes minimal sense, and the "theme" belongs in a fortune cookie; to experience the film's pagan power, you have to see the movie. But for decades we couldn't, not really--not with so many versions, all incomplete, often in public-domain prints like smudged photocopies. This Murnau Foundation restoration changes all that. Some shots, scenes, and subplots may be lost forever, but intertitles indicate how they fit into the original continuity and the characters' individual trajectories. Most crucially, the images are crisp, vibrant, and three-dimensional instead of murky and flattened. The composite sequences (the Tower of Babel, a sea of lusting eyes) have been restored to their hallucinatory ferocity. And there's one moment when you can see a bead of sweat roll down a man's cheek--in medium long-shot. --Richard T. Jameson ... Read more

Reviews (94)

At Last
Fritz Lang's METROPOLIS was very successful with both critics and audiences when it debuted in 1927 Berlin--but it was thereafter edited for distribution by Channing Pollock, who disliked it and removed great chunks of the film and substantially altered the storyline. The resulting film was admired for its visual style, but it proved a critical and box office disappointment. Neglected in the wake of sound, surviving prints of the film were left to corrode and decay--and when it began to reach the home market via VHS and DVD the results were very hit or miss; Blackhawk released a fairly credible version of the truncated film to home video, but for the most part the quality of these releases varied from barely mediocre to downright unwatchable.

Until now.

A great chunk of METROPOLIS--perhaps as much a quarter of more--has been forever lost, but this Kino Video DVD release offers the single best version of the film available. The previously cut footage that still exists has been restored; gaps in the film have been bridged by the occasional use of stills and explanatory title cards; the film itself has been painstakingly and digitally restored; and the soundtrack is the Gottfried Huppertz original created for the film's 1927 Berlin debut. In seeing this version of METROPOLIS, I was struck by how very differently it reads from the previously available truncated version. The visual style and the story itself are much more exciting and cohesive, and in the wake of this restoration it becomes impossible to deny the film status as landmark of international cinema.

Freder Fredersen (Gustav Frohlich) is the son of Joh Fredersen (Alfred Able), who reigns over the great city of Metropolis. Freder is surprised to discover his lifestyle has been built on the unseen but backbreaking labor of an entire class of unseen workers who tend the machines that make the city run--and he descends to the subterranean levels of Metropolis in an effort to understand their lives... and, not incidentally, to find the mysterious but beautiful woman Maria (Brigitta Helm) who has inspired his interest in the workers' plight. But his father is concerned by both Freder's interest and Maria's activities among the workers, and he turns to scientist C.A. Rotwang (Rudolf Klein-Rogge) for aid. Rotwang has created a robot, and he agrees to give it the likeness of Maria in order to undermine both Freder's love for the girl and her own activities. But Rotwang has a hidden agenda of his own: once the robot has been unleashed, he will use her to destroy Metropolis and thereby exact revenge on Joh Fredersen for past transgressions against him.

In many respects the story is simplistic, but the film's visual style and connotations are anything but. Deeply influenced by such art movements as Expressionism, Objectivism, Art Deco, and Bauhaus, the film is visually fascinating--not only in its scenic designs, but in director Lang's famous skill at creating the powerful crowd scenes that dominate the film and building the pace and tension of the film as it moves toward an intense climax. But while one can--and many do--admire the film purely at this level, there is quite a lot going on in terms of philosophical content as well: while it offers few viable solutions, the film raises such issues as the relationship between capital and labor, the place of religion in modern society, human reaction to overwhelming technology, and (perhaps most interestingly) the drift of government into a class-conscious corporate entity. And religious motifs abound in the film: a largely deserted cathedral; Moloch; the Tower of Babel; and crosses--intriguingly juxtaposed with a repeating motif of the pentagram-like designs associated with the robot. It is fascinating stuff.

There has been complaint that this restoration runs at incorrect speed and the performances are therefore unnecessarily jerky. I did not find this to be the case. In certain instances the movement is deliberately jerky and mechanical--the workers are a case in point--but beyond this there is nothing for which the difference between silent acting and modern acting techniques cannot account. There has also been some complaint that the title cards should have been left in their original German and translated via subtitle. There is a certain validity to this, but it seems a minor quibble; title cards were typically translated in the silent era itself. The DVD includes a number of extras, including still photographs, biographies of the major figures involved in the film, and two interesting documentaries-one on the restoration process and one on the creation of the film itself. Both are interesting; the audio commentary track by film historian Enno Patalas, however, is mildly disappointing. But when all is said and done, it is the film that counts. And this restoration is a remarkable achievement, to say the least, a project which brings a great landmark of world cinema back from the edge of the abyss. Indispensible; a must-own.

--GFT (Amazon Reviewer)--

Spectacular, must-have DVD for any film buff
Metropolis was quite a stunning film for its time. It had "Star Wars" quality special effects which were unheard-of back then--all amazingly done by hand and combined with tedious optical effects. Considering the massive effort and talent required, it was far more ambitious and deserving of praise than Star Wars, which had the luxury of more modern technologies to fall back on. If you view Metropolis in this context, and consider the time period, you can't help but be impressed. In fact, as you watch it, imagine the amazed reaction it must have received in theaters back in the 1920's. Audiences at that time had never seen anything like it. For at least the next 50 years, this film held its own--quite a feat.

The Kino-produced DVD is in itself impressive. It is the absolute best version of the film ever to be made available in any form to the public. The video quality is astonishing considering the difficulty they must have had finding good prints to work with. The audio, too, is superb. You'll really enjoy the extra bonus material as well.

So get this DVD, pop up some popcorn, turn out the lights, and transport yourself back to the 1920's. You're really going to love this one.

Magnificent job
Of all silent films, maybe the only one still watched by a wide public today is Metropolis. Everyone who knows about science fiction knows about Metropolis.
Unfortunately the film was birth-strangled - like Once Upon a Time in America and The Magnificent Ambersons - and it falls into the strange pantheon of movies that are as fragmentary as any ancient scroll.
This only added to the appeal, of course. Like the wine buff who sighs to drink one of THE French vintages from before 1860, cineastes have spculated and respeculated about this fragmentary masterpiece. Why doesn't the story make sense? What was the movie originally like - and can it be fixed?

It is a pity that this film will almost certainly NEVER be completely restored. Like The Magnificent Ambersons, this is a masterpiece that seems permanently damaged. But in 2002, the next best thing was done; and the most complete possible restoration was carried out.

The results are truly remarkable. You can see that silent films were NOT originally shown in a spotty, scratchy condition with hyperactive actors. When they first came out, silent movies looked just as good as any modern movie (well, maybe less screen-resolution). The original soundtrack was discovered and recorded - and it, too, is a revelation. Silent movies were NOT actually silent - they had live soundtracks (though only rich premieres had full orchestras). The soundtrack is as well-composed as any modern soundtrack. I initially thought I would not be able to get used to another soundtrack after hearing the Moroder version - but now I think I can't see the film any other way.

Most importantly, the film now actually makes sense! Every scrap of film possible was extracted from archives all over the world, to make the film as complete as is humanly possible. The scenes still missing (alas, comprising a quarter of the film even now) are signified by intertitles telling the audience what they ought to be seeing. This is not a perfect compromise, but it's probably the best solution.

Silent movies often look strangely modern, since they concentrate almost entirely on visuals at the expense of the actors (a feature that, incidentally, made movies easier to show overseas than any modern movie). Compare that to our movies, which are very heavy on visuals and contain the simplest and least amount of dialogue possible in order to cater to foreign markets. Also, the complete manipulation of the image, so favoured in Metropolis, is very much like modern computer graphics.

Silent Masterpiece
In today's cinematic world, silent movies are often a difficult category to approach. Silent movies are usually referred to almost like a separate genre, as if black and white movies were a single genre. Even silent flick enthusiasts sometimes don't have the right attitude, because the modern appreciation of pre-talkie movies is sometims nothing more shallow than appreciation of a movie because it is a silent movie. This attitude streams from the modern audience that views the silent era as embryonic of the talkies, as technologically handicapped, when in fact, the contemporary audiences of the 20's did not view their motion pictures the same way.

Metropolis is a great move that overcomes most of the barriers between moderns audiences and silent movies. The genre is unmistakably sci-fi--the forerunner to nearly all modern sci-fi movies. It was a fantastic movie that just happens to be a silent movie, and anybody who sees it will understand that silence is not a handicap.

The biggest barrier for silent movies is that there are usually variant DVD editions in circulation, and unlike pictures made in the last few decades, it really does matter which edition you see. Kino's restored edition is (and shall be for a while if not forever) the definitive edition of Metropolis. I had been viewing an incomplete, incoherent version of the film for years before i treated myself to Kino's delightfully exhaustive work, and it was then that i realized what i had been missing. Watching this version was like watching a different movie. In fact, the restoration is so immaculate, it was like watching a movie that was just filmed yesterday, or rather, like i was watching it in 1926.

Kino should be praised for the edition (which they have been), that vindicates fans of Metropolis, sci-fi, and silent movies. Even the flaws are reasonable: some scenes are missing, but they are filled in with explanations and still photos, when available; there could have been enough extras to fill 2 more discs, although the extras included are sufficient and repeatable, as compared to the loads of extras fans normally demand but rarely ever watch.

All in all, this is an excellent restoration of an epic movie that deserves this treatment and attention. Include the Kino version in your collection over all of the inferior versions circulating.

Best movie by a Jewish director ever!
Fritz Lang was indeed Jewish by his mother. I had seen many previous videotape and DVD versions of Metropolis but this longer version beats them all hands down. It's like I'd never seen this film before as so much new (to me) was in this version. Including more fleshing out scenes of the privelaged, rich class of which Freder is a member of. To the poster named Jeff, M was made by Lang while he was still in Germany. I sure look forward to seeing other silent Lang films anbd even longer versions of Metropolis in the future. Buy it today! ... Read more

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

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Tough stuff from director Fritz Lang(M), making his first American film with this 1936 story of an innocent man (Spencer Tracy) who escapes a lynch mob and then orchestrates his apparent murder at their hands. Tracy is superb, and the film is uncompromising, until studio interference takes some of the wind out of Lang's sails right at the end. But as the portrait of a character who comes to reflect the destiny he is trying to avoid, this is still essential Lang and a pre-noir classic.--Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Lang's First American Film
An insightful study of mob rule, director Fritz Lang's "Fury" (1936) still packs a disturbing punch -- abetted by excellent performances from Spencer Tracy, Sylvia Sidney and Bruce Cabot. The closing shot was studio-imposed and unnecessary, but does not lessen the film's overall impact. "Fury" remains a powerful, thought-provoking drama. The DVD release includes an excellent commentary track from director Peter Bogdanovich.

We've Seen the Enemy And He is Us
What is amazing about Fritz Lang's "Fury" is it's depiction of middle America gone psychotic is it was distributed by MGM, the studio that advanced the Norman Rockwell idyll more than any other.This mirror of the darkest recesses of the American heart remains an obscurity, probably because we cannot admit to ourselves that when law and order break down we are capable of some of the most abhorent behavior.Obvious parallels can be made to what was occuring in Germany at the time of this film's release but our history suggests that, yes, it can happen here.There are many images that are seared in my consciousness from this film none more than that of one of the unruly lynchers munching on a hot dog as the jailhouse burns.Spencer Tracy is simply brilliant as the average Joe who, as a victim of circumstance, becomes the lightning rod for the mob's wrath.Sylvia Sidney contributes solid work as Joe's fiancee and the film's voice of reason.An underrated actress, Sidney also did a good turn in another classic film released in 1936, "Dead End".This film has to be commended for it's brute honesty, though, it took a foreigner to reveal some harsh truths about ourselves.

Smart 1930s Morality Tale from Fritz Lang with Spencer Tracy
"Fury" was legendary German director Fritz Lang's first American film. He spoke English, but not well enough at the time to write fluid dialogue, so Lang worked on the script with writer Bartlett Cormack, who did the actual writing. Lang and Cormack based this morality tale of mob psychology and revenge on a story outline by Norman Krasna entitled "Mob Rule", but they incorporated some elements of a real lynching case that had recently occurred in San Jose, California. Lang's intention was to give the film a realistic, documentary feel. "Fury" gives the impression of looking at the laws and customs of the United States through foreign eyes, which, of course, it is, but I don't know if Lang meant that to be so evident.

Joe Wilson (Spencer Tracy) is a man very much in love with his fiancée Katherine (Sylvia Sydney). The couple are eager to get married but don't yet have enough savings. Katherine takes a job in another city to earn more money, while Joe works hard in Chicago. After over a year of this arrangement, Joe has saved enough money to marry Katherine, and he sets out in his new car to join her. But he is intercepted by police en route and arrested on suspicion of being part of a kidnapping gang. He is held in a small town jail pending further investigation, but gossip spreads of the arrest, and an angry mob descends on the jail. When the mob is unable to break into the cells, they burn and dynamite the jail. Joe is thought to have died in the fire. But he escaped and is determined to avenge his attempted murder by seeing that the lynch mob is prosecuted for murder.

"Fury" isn't the least bit subtle in its message. It states its morals outright, but that doesn't undermine its power. The film is neatly divided into 2 parts: Part one concerns the Fury of the Mob, and part two is about Joe's Fury. The fury of the mob is transferred to its victim, and, although Joe's anger is more justified, "Fury" asserts that it is just as corrosive. At one point, the town barber delivers a monologue on violent impulse. The entertainment value that the public finds in both the lynching and subsequent trial is emphasized. And the state's Governor is reluctant to answer the Sheriff's request for National Guardsmen to protect the jail on account of election politics. The film is generally complimentary of the justice system, but scathingly critical of "mob justice" and vigilantism. "Fury" wasn't a failure when it was released, but neither was it a big success. Looking at it now, I wonder if that may have been because the film is critical of its audience. That's always a recipe for dismal box office. In any case, "Fury" is a smart "social conscience" film of the 1930s that doesn't align itself with any political party or group.

The DVD (Warner Brothers 2005 release): The picture and sound quality are good, but I don't think this is a restored print due to occasional small white specks. The flaws would hardly be noticeable unless you were looking for them, though. There is a theatrical trailer and an audio commentary by Peter Bogdanovich and director Fritz Lang. Yes, Fritz Lang! The commentary alternates between Peter Bogdanovich discussing Lang and the film in the present day and an interview with Fritz Lang that Bogdanovich did in mid-1965. Lang talks about his career, writing and filming "Fury", and differences between American and German filmmaking. Lang's commentary is quite a treat and very interesting. Bogdanovich is also interesting, as he fills in some of the gaps in Lang's comments. The audio commentary is definitely worth a listen. Subtitles for the film are available in English, Spanish, and French.

The scary thing...
is that this film is, with just a little tweaking, just as applicable today as it was then. Mob mentality is mob mentality, even if it's not literal. This is easily one of the best films to illustrate just how imbecilic and lemminglike mobs can be, and how self-righteousness can supposedly cover up for a multitude of sins. Tracy is superb, as are many of the characters, and Lang's direction is near flawless. The only things that keep this from being a 5-star film: The ending, which was forced on lang by the studio, and the fact that some of the acting, including Sydney in parts, is too over the top. Still, one worth watching and owning.

Brutal film !
The inner demons hidden in a crowd will explode with all the expected fury around and innocent man acussed unfairly .

The sociological study of the human being is exposed in all its ugly nakeness .

So after you watch this sinister nightmare brilliantly played by Spencer Tracy, please remind that famous reflection of Ibsen taken from An enemy of the people : ^The majority never has the reason^ .

This movie was the first one made for Lang when he came to North America after leaving Germany .

A major cult movie ! ... Read more

Description

Fritz Lang's scathing critique of fifties America's hunger for bloodshed and scandal. Classic Hollywood film noir with a feminine twist, "The Blue Gardenia" stars Anne Baxter (All About Eve) as Norah Larkin, a working girl who wakes up a murderess after passing out in the apartment of brutish playboy Harry Prebble (Raymond Burr). Branded "The Blue Gardenia" by a sensational columnist (Richard Conte), Norah dodges dragnets, informants and the cruel hand of fate as she struggles to conceal her involvement with Prebble and to remember the details of her ill fated night. As her hopes for justice fade, she decides to gamble her future on the journalist who transformed her into such a notorious public figure. Enhancing the melancholy mood of the film is the haunting theme song arranged by Nelson Riddle and performed to perfection by Nat "King" Cole. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

THE THREE BLONDE SISTERS
In my opinion, a film noir DVD library never would be complete without the movies directed by german director Fritz Lang in Hollywood in the 1940-1950 period. They simply have to be in it. THE BLUE GARDENIA is the first of these Fritz Lang movies to hit the DVD market thanks to Image. Starring Richard Conte, Anne Baxter, Raymond Burr and Ann Sothern, THE BLUE GARDENIA is about murder, trust and guilt.

Anne Baxter thinks she has killed Raymond Burr, the police knows she has killed him because a lot of evidences have been found on the scene of the murder and we know that she's guilty because we have seen the scene with our very eyes. So what ? Where's the suspense ? Nowhere, because there isn't suspense in THE BLUE GARDENIA. Fritz Lang is more interested in describing the behaviour of Anne Baxter who really doesn't act as if she doesn't want to be rediscovered. The director has read the complete works of Freud and is playing with his heroine tortured by guilt.

No extra features with this Image presentation except for a scene access. Too bad.

A DVD for your library.

Fritz Lang Lite -- more murder mystery than noir
No doubt hoping that a title reminiscent of the Alan Ladd/Veronica Lake hit The Blue Dahlia (itself a knockoff of the notorious 1946 Black Dahlia murder in L.A.), the minds behind this movie set Fritz Lang to directing Anne Baxter, Raymond Burr and Ann Sothern in this tame but stylish and watchable thriller. Baxter, on the rebound, agrees to date the boorish Burr. Having drunk lagoons of Zombies at the Polynesian palace that gives the film its name, Baxter tries to fend off Burr. When he's found dead, she remembers nothing.... Fans who know how shocking Lang's The Big Heat still is will find this entry rather tepid, but it's an effective murder story, with half a dozen moments of stunning noir photography and, better yet, with Ann Sothern as Baxter's roommate, smoking a cigarette with rubber gloves while she scrubs the dishes.

"Sudden death sells papers."
In "The Blue Gardenia" Norah Larkin (Anne Baxter) is a naive telephone operator who sits at home most evenings. Her fiance is stationed in Korea, so while Norah's two roommates enjoy their social lives, Norah turns down offers and stays home to read letters from Korea. Artist/playboy Harry Prebble (Raymond Burr) telephones one evening--he thinks he's calling one of Norah's roommates, but he gets a distraught Norah instead. Norah accepts Prebble's invitation to meet for dinner at the Blue Gardenia. After downing half a dozen Polynesian Pearl Divers, a very inebriated Norah accompanies Prebble to his home. The next day, Norah can't remember a thing, but newspaper headlines announce Prebble's murder--and a hunt begins for the mysterious blonde murderess now known as "the Blue Gardenia."

"The Blue Gardenia"--directed by Fritz Lang--is film noir, but it is also considered an entry in the sub-genre of newspaper noir. A great deal of the plot focuses on newspaperman Casey Mayo's unethical attempts to contact the murderess and get an exclusive story. Mayo (Richard Conte) will stop at nothing to sell the paper, and he capitalizes on sensationalism and the sleazy aspects of the murder. "The Blue Gardenia" is an interesting film as it has a few twists on some familiar themes--for example, the killer is a woman, and a male offers comfort (although it's a false offer). Plus Norah's reputation is at risk by even admitting she's stepped into a man's apartment--anyone who downs 6 Polynesian Pearl Divers is a real floozy in everyone's eyes. There's also an appearance of Nat King Cole singing Blue Gardenia. The initial set-up with Norah and her roommates was refreshingly original, and Anne Baxter gave a credible performance as the naive Norah. Unfortunately the plot denouement was contrived, hasty and far too simplistic. Film noir fans will enjoy the film for its novelties, but it's not one of the greats--displacedhuman

Classic Film Noir With A Feminine Twist
The acting by both Anne Baxter and Raymond Burr is exceptional and elevates this to one of my favorite film noirs. Baxter is the young innocent Norah Larkin who is crushed when she receives a 'Dear Jane' letter from her boyfriend in Korea. Devastated and alone, she is easy prey for the slimey Harry Prebble portrayed by Raymond Burr in his pre-Perry Mason period. After a drunken night, Norah can't remember anything except that she was fighting off advances from Prebble. The newspapers are filled with the story of his murder and the mysterious blonde who left a blue gardenia behind. Viewers watch Norah slip deeper and deeper into paraonia as she frantically tries to conceal her involvement yet remember the details of her ill-fated night. Adding to the outstanding cast are Ann Sothern and Jeff Donnell as her roommates and Richard Conte as the newspaper reporter who makes an open appeal for the Blue Gardenia killer to come forward and trust him. As the police web (led by TV's Superman George Reeves) tightens around her, Norah turns to the reporter to help her, but....suffice it to say the happy-ever-after ending is a little too quick and easy. However, this is definitely worth watching and as an added plus you will be treated to the melodic voice of Nat "King" Cole singing the title song throughout the movie.

Be Forewarned.
Having seen and enjoyed most of Fritz Lang's movies from his Berlin period, I bought this highly recommended DVD sight unseen. It was a great disappointment. Where to begin? The story is weak and predictable; the dialogue is very cliched; the acting--excepting Raymond Burr's wonderful performance as a sleazy artist--is unconvincing. Don't expect what the DVD label tells you--this is no "noir thriller" and it doesn't do anything to expose McCarthyism, despite Lang's pretentious comments. One nice touch: there is a brief 5 minute scene with Nat King Cole singing "Blue Gardenia" in what was becoming a new trend in early 1950's America: a Chinese restaurant. As a period piece, this film has some merit, but don't expect a well crafted noir film like the "Maltese Falcon", "Sunset Boulevard", or even "M" or "Dr Mabuse". ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Before LORD OF THE RINGS there was...
DIE NIEBELUNGEN (The Nibelung Saga). This 1924 epic from Fritz Lang is the Grandaddy of all fantasy epics and now it can be seen as it was first presented with over 100 minutes of footage restored and with the original music that was composed for it by Gottfried Huppertz. With all the attention being given to Peter Jackson's LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy, this is the perfect time to release this film giving us the opportunity to see a silent equivalent of Jackson's great feat. For those of you familiar with the Wagner RING cycle there are some similarities but in fact it's an entirely different story. The entire running time is close to five hours and is divided into two separate films SIEGFRIED and KRIEMHILD'S REVENGE. The entire story deals with deeds of valor and codes of honor and what happens when they are carried too far. Along the way there are dwarves, magic, blood oaths, ferocious battles and the devastating consequences of raw emotions. The parallels to what would happen in Nazi Germany a few years later are truly startling. Lang showed the world what would happen 20 years before it did. The outstanding restoration work done by Transfit Films coupled with the powerful new soundtrack of the original score from the Munich Radio Orchestra makes viewing and hearing this masterpiece a thrilling experience. From the stylized barbaric sets and astonishing camera effects through the stylized acting and actions, we see more than German silent cinema at its zenith, we are witness to the rebirth of a truly great work of art. The DVD comes loaded with a number of special features that give background on the film and the people responsible for it.

Long Awaited Greatest German National Classic
Dir. Fritz Lang. Germany. 1924. Total time: 291 mins. B&W. Full-frame (1.33:1) Original 1924 score by Gottfried Huppertz, performed by the Munich Radio Orchestra.

This 2-part film is one of the greatest artistic and technical achievements of the German silent cinema. Fritz Lang's adaptation of "Das Nibelungenlied", a medieaval novel from ca. 1190, is a passionate story of love, hate, revenge and fate.

Lang's wife, Thea von Harbou (Metropolis) co-scripted this epic production. Part I, "Siegfried" centres on Siegfried who sets out in order to win the hand of Princess Kriemhild (Margarete Schoen). On the way, he battles a ferocious dragon, bathes in its blood and becomes (almost) invincible. Siegfried (Paul Richter) must also win a bride King Gunther (Theodor Loos), Kiremhild's brother. The result is ominous!!!

Part II "Kriemhild's Revenge" begins after the death of Siegfried, and weaves the treacherous tale of his widow's ungodly vengeance upon his murderer, Hagen.

This edition of Die Nibelungen is more than 100 minutes longer than any version previously available in the U.S. and restores Lang's materwork to its full glory. The original version had been re-edited and most material lost during WWII. In 1986, the film was restored by the Munich Film Museum to the most accurate approximation of the original version. Now after 16 years, this restoration is finally available for perusal and should initiate a massive spate of reappraisals.

Supplemental features:

Footage of Fritz Lang on the set

Production design and special effects sketches by Erich Kettelhut (intercut with scenes from the films)

Comparison of the dragon-slaying scenes from Siegfried and The Thief of Bagdad (1924)

Original 1924 score by Gottfried Huppertz, performed by the Munich Radio Orchestra

Essay by film scholar Jan-Christopher Horak

Optimal image quality: RSDL dual-layer editions

New-and-improved English title translation by Ingrid Scheib-Rothbart

Photo gallery, including rare, behind-the-scenes images

A mythical icon
With this movie Fritz Lang show once more why the movies can be a genuine proof of art in its purest expression.
Think just fifty years before when Wagner built Bayreuth for showing us all his works.
And the most powerful of them , the quintessential of the set was precisely The Ring .
Lang made a sublime adaptation of this work . 1924 was the year of this landmark picture.
Inspired in the powerful mythologic essence , Lang keeps the expressiveness, the force and the soul of this legend.
Believe or not , but I've always thought that you never will be capable to appreciate in his wholeness Metropolis , if you are not involved by the mythical spirit of this film.
A must for all the viewers really interested not only in the cinema evolution , but in the soul of the art.

well designed dragon
Die Nibelungen (1924) filmed at UFA (The UFA Story ISBN: 0809094835). Director Fritz Lang, the original story "Siegfried's Tod" I have seen it with German subtitles and other versions with English subtitles. Paul Richter (Siegfried) was in 45 other films, from 1921 to 1972.

Siegfried (Paul Richter) is the son of the King of Xnnetn (Sigmund). He forges his own sward so sharp that it cuts chicken feathers. He is told that near the Rhine at Worms the King of Burgundy (Gunter) and his sister, Kriemhild is at a castle. Siegfried, "On the hour I leave for Worms to win Kriemhild"..."Show me the way if you want to live!" He falls for the "I know a short-cut" routine. Die Nibelungen snickers when he is out of earshot; "Your way leads not to Worms, but to Death" Guess who lives in the heart of the forest? Yep it is Fafnir the Dragon. Poor Fafnir was minding his own business getting a drink when Siegfried gets that "What can I hack" look on his face. The dragon even wags his tail with the approach of Siegfried. I won't give you the blow by blow. I'll just say that smoking can kill you. Fafnir gets stuck for the drinks and dragon blood drinks allows you to understand the birds. A little birdie tells him that bathing in dragon blood will make him invulnerable. You guest it cover your eyes. Oops look real quick. "Dragon tail flicks linden leaf on Siggie's back." Can you say Achilles heel? Meanwhile back at the castle Volker von Alzey is already singing to Kriemhild of Siegfried' triumph over Fafnir. From here it goes on to deal with treasure, invisibility, and all the stuff that Teutonic mythology holds.

Great Films, Great DVD
These are fascinating films, and it is great to have them widely available in this format. The prints are in very good shape, the scores for both films are excellent. The DVD transfers are admirable, and the extras are worth a look.

But ultimately what makes these DVDs worth owning are the films. Fascinating, entertaining, disturbing, and sure to repay multiple viewings.

Much has been made of the still dazzling special effects and huge sets, and that rather clunky but impressive dragon. Don't let that fool you. Die Nibelungen is a film about people, and it is to director Fritz Lang's considerable credit that the acting is across the board excellent, with Rudolph Klein-Rogge turning in an astonishing performance as Attila the Hun. Klein-Rogge's work is one of the highlights of silent film acting. He never goes too far, never over-emotes in that stereotypical "silent film acting" kind of way. His Attila is a fascinating lovesick warrior wanting to please his wife but still bound by traditions that he just can't break.

If you care at all about silent films, or films in general, you should buy this set. It is worth every penny. ... Read more

Description

This beautiful gothic fantasy was inspired by a childhood dream of its writer/director, Fritz Lang, who first gained world recognition with this film's triumph. "Destiny" is the story of a young man taken by Death just as he is to be married. His lover makes a deal with the Death figure--if she can save one of three possible lives, her fiance will be returned to her. Otherworldly atmosphere is created by extraordinary, bizarre sets, gothic lighting, and eccentric characters combined with spectacle and camera trickery astonishing for its time. With its many magical and haunting images, "Destiny" still possesses real power to impress the imagination! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A Groundbreaking Work of Early Expressionist Cinema
Image has earned itself a reputation for high quality, digitally remastered DVD editions of films from the silent era (though, admittedly, they do have a few dismal releases to their name), and their growing catalogue of early Expressionist cinema is particularly exciting. The present DVD edition of this early Fritz Lang film features yet another outstanding transfer, digitally remastered from a 35mm fine grain master print of the French reissue version. Moreover the transfer preserves the film's original "square" aspect ratio with vertical black bars and a horizontal bar at the bottom of the frame (in other words, there is either NO or very minimal cropping). In addition, as already highlighted in other reviews, this Image release provides newly translated English intertitles, some of which were missing in previous versions, and which reproduce the font of the original titles. My only complaint with this Image release is that it is a barebones edition, which shows not just in the absence of audio commentary (which I can live without, as long as the transfer is good), but in the clumsy menu options and scene access, as well as in the austere packaging. These concerns, however, are quite peripheral.

With respect to the film itself, a previous reviewer has provided a marvelous narrative and thematic exposition of the film which I will not bother to repeat. Though one of Lang's lesser known works, Destiny is a truly groundbreaking and highly poetic piece of cinema. As with Ingmar Bergman's THE SEVENTH SEAL, Fritz Lang's DESTINY (Der Mude Tod) succeeds in remythologizing familiar allegories and symbols of death and infusing them anew with eloquence and expressive force. Bunuel's confession that this film opened his eyes to "the poetic expressiveness of cinema" is not in the least bit hyperbolic

In sum, I highly recommend this DVD edition.

A Weary Death
Destiny is not a particularly good title for Fritz Lang's Der Müde Tod. Translated literally the title means 'The Tired Death' and this is much better, for the film is about Death being tired of the work he has to perform. The figure of Death thus becomes a fairly sympathetic character trying desperately to help. When he is appealed to by a young woman who has just lost her fiancé, he gives her three chances to bring her beloved back from the dead. Lang shows a room full of candles each representing a human life and then shows three of these candles flickering and about to go out. The task that Death sets the young woman is to save any one of the three lives represented by the candles. Lang then shows the woman and her fiancé in three stories representing each of the candles. These stories are wonderfully imaginative and present vivid images of Persia, Renaissance Venice and China.

Lang's film is full of amazing special effects including a flying horse and flying carpet sequence which influenced Douglas Fairbanks when he made The Thief of Bagdad. However, it is the emotional atmosphere of the film which makes it truly memorable. Lang shows the desperation of the young woman and makes us care about her plight. But it is with his image of the compassionate Death that Lang really shows his originality. This is a Death wishing and willing to resurrect the dead and going as far as he can, because he cares about the woman and her fiancé also. Finally Death becomes a caring friend wrapping his arms around the couple. It is an ambiguous image, but one of great power.

The quality of the print used for this Image DVD is superb. It is colour tinted in a variety of shades and shows very little damage. This is a beautiful film and all the details of the amazing production-design can be seen and appreciated. There is some slight cropping of the film on the left hand side, but this is hardly noticeable. The credits and the title cards have been reconstructed and newly translated. The original fonts have been reproduced, which is fine, but it must be said that the Gothic typeface can be a little hard to read. Finally the film is accompanied by a fine score which fits in very well with the eerie mood of the film.

Best print I've seen of this one.
I've only ever found really poor quality, often chopped up versions of this early Lang film (Der Mude Tod is original title), but this DVD looks fantastic. The film itself is pretty unique, worth watching, but not a masterpiece, especially in light of Lang's other achievements. The music by the Mont Alto Orchestra is well done - I saw these guys perform live to Harold Lloyd's "Kid Brother" and they did a great job. Check 'em out live if you can! ... Read more

Description

Locked away in an asylum for a decade and teetering between life and death, the criminal mastermind Dr. Mabuse has scribbled his last will and testament: a manifesto establishing a future empire of crime. When the document's nefarious writings start leading to terrifying parallels in reality, it's up to Berlin's star detective to connect the most fragmented, maddening clues in a case unlike any other. Fritz Lang's film reunites the director with the character that had effectively launched his career, and Lang puts slogans and ideas expounded by the Nazis into the mouth of a madman, warning the audience of an imminent menace, which was soon to become a reality. A landmark of mystery and suspense for countless espionage and noir thrillers to come, this is the complete, uncut original director's version in a stunning new transfer. The two-disc special edition also includes the alternate French-language version of the film and a wealth of other supplemental materials. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Lang's Final Masterpiece on DVD!
I think I was 11 years old when I first saw this film and now, 30 years later, it remains one of the most haunting cinematic experiences I've ever had. Some movies - like great art in any form - just don't seem to age. Everything one could wish for in a first-class thriller is here: complex plot and characters, fast-paced action, nail-biting suspense, brilliant photography, editing and direction together with some of the most suggestive scenes ever shown on the silver screen. The actors are good too (with a few minor exceptions), especially Otto Wernicke (reprising his role in "M") as Inspector Lohmann - the antithesis of the brutal and sadistic german officer/policeman so frequent in mainstream cinema. You have to go to Alfred Hitchcock's best works to find anything that surpasses this film.

Made during the final chaotic months of the Weimar Republic by master director Fritz Lang ("Metropolis", "M") the movie was banned when the Nazis came to power in early 1933; it was to be Lang's last work before leaving Germany. He directed a string of films in Hollywood and though some of them were quite good he never managed to reach the heights of filmmaking he had done during his German period, mainly because the American studio system didn't give him the artistic freedom he had previously enjoyed.

The plot revolves around the mysterious Dr. Mabuse, a criminal mastermind invented by the German author Norbert Jacques and made famous by Lang's 1922 silent film "Dr. Mabuse, the Gambler". A decade later we find the notorious doctor locked away in an asylum. He hasn't spoken a word for ten years, instead he is writing his "testament", a detailed manual describing how to commit the most hideous crimes, crimes that serve no other purpose than to throw a law-abiding society into total chaos and anarchy. When the document starts to take concrete form in reality, Lohmann has to put the clues together in a most unusual and horrifying case...

Now Criterion Collection has released this classic in an excellent two-disc edition. The film is presented - for the first time - in it's original length and aspect ratio with restored image and sound. Picture quality is very good; I've only seen two DVD-releases of movies from this period with a better image ("42nd Street" and "The Ghoul"). The picture is sharp and clear, almost without any specks or grain. Sound quality is worse, unfortunately. While spoken lines are clear enough the sound-track suffers from background noice, which in a few scenes (not any of the important ones, thank God) is very disturbing. I don't consider this a major problem though; the film is too captivating for that. The language is German with optional English subtitles (easy to read).
On the first disc - together with the film - is an insightful audio commentary by film historian David Kalat. Some might find it a bit academic, but he provides interesting information about - among other things - Lang's storytelling techniques (parallels can be found today in movies like "Pulp Fiction" and "The Usual Suspects") and points out that the film's theme - once a metaphor for the Nazi movement rising in power - can just as easily be applied to the current international political situation, regarding terrorism. The second disc contains the complete French-language version made simultaneosly by Lang with French actors, a couple of interviews with Lang, actor Rudolf Schündler and German Mabuse expert Michael Farin, production design drawings and a collection of memorabilia, press books, stills and posters.

Anyone even remotely interested in thrillers and/or movie history simply must see this film. Forget that it's German, forget that it's over 70 years old; "The testament of Dr. Mabuse" is a timeless proof of that you don't need a big budget and computorised special effects to create movie magic. With this edition Lang's final masterpiece will hopefully get the credit it deserves. If you're tired of overblown Hollywood productions with overpaid stars that (almost) never deliver what they promise, this one is for you. It's the grandmother ("M" being the grandfather) of all modern thrillers and still a hell of a lot better than most of them. Buy it!!!

A Suspenseful Cinematic Landmark
Fritz Lang's Testament of Dr. Mabuse is a sequel to his Dr. Mabuse: The Gambler (1922), however, in this film he uses Nazi motto's in the mouth of a mad scientist. Lang pushed the envelop as he directed this cinematic landmark that Joseph Goebels, Nazi Minister of Information, deemed dangerous for public order in Nazi Germany. Despite the Nazi's banning the film they recognized Lang's cinematic genius as they offered him a position as the head of German film. However, Lang recognized the danger and escaped from Germany shortly after the Nazi's banned Testament of Dr. Mabuse.

Testament of Dr. Mabuse begins with Berlin's police inspector Lohmann (Otto Wernicke), receiving a phone call from a certain Hofmeister that is suspiciously cut off with strange noise in the background. Lohmann's investigation leads to a mysterious disappearance of Hofmeister and more strange crimes begin to appear. Lohmann is flabbergasted over the new crime wave as new leads brings him to a mental institution where Dr. Mabuse has been committed for his insane crimes. However, Dr. Mabuse has been diagnosed as incapable of daily functioning since he has been attached to a writing pad for ten years where he has been writing incomprehensible gibberish. There seems to be something sinister that is working behind the curtain, but that is for Lohmann to discover.

The sound, cinematography, and special effects are jaw dropping considering when the film was shot as these aspects of film making, still to this day, enhance the alarm and horror that the audience experiences. For example, in the opening shot the camera pans across a dusty attic turned into an engineering workshop while the deafening mechanical sound induces frightening mental images illustrates Lang's ingenious directing skills. The visual special effects are also advanced as Lang displays an exploding barrel with convincing sound. This demonstrates Lang's understanding for the importance of sound in film as it is not only used for dialogue, but to elevate the cinematic experience. In the end Testament of Dr. Mabuse offers a remarkable cinematic experience that has earned it a spot in film history by being a political statement as well as an aesthetic example of cinema at its finest.

Expressionistic Classic
This is one of the last of the great expressionist claasics from UFA, made right before the Nazis took over Germany and made freedom of expression a thing of the past. Dr. Mabuse, played by the astounding Rudolf-Klein Rogge, embarks on a campaign of crime that is designed to do nothing more than to cause the breakdown of society and to spread chaos -- Mabuse's underlings spout actual Nazi propaganda, so what exactly is being attacked here is quite obvious. The cinematography is stunning and the acting is superb, but the use of voice I find rather decreases the visual impact of the expressionistic genre. After this film was made, Lang, the director, was forced to flee for his life as the Nazis imposed total control over Germany and UFA became a propaganda tool. The subplot of a decent man forced into a life of crime by poverty may also be of interest of thos who might wonder how a man like Hitler could have gained so much power in the first place.

A horror/suspense classic
An avant garde film with a thick plot. Truely one of the first suspense films. Good quality for being so old. If you like old movies, mysteries, suspense films, or anything out of the norm then this is for you. ... Read more

Description

Dr. Mabuse--criminal genius, psychologist, hypnotist, counterfeiter, card shark, master of disguise, thief of state secrets and ruler of a sinister empire founded on selfishness, chicanery and murder--gained his first screen incarnation in this monumental film by Fritz Lang, one of cinema's greatest directors. Made in 1922 and subtitled "A Picture of Our Time," "Dr. Mabuse, The Gambler" is indeed a snapshot of a historical moment when Germany was likened to Sodom and Gomorrah. Now, both parts of Fritz Lang's memorable silent film--"Dr. Mabuse: The Gambler" and "Dr. Mabuse, King of Crime"--are now available on one package. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

For And Against
As of June 2004 you need to wait and think before you buy this DVD. In it's favour it has a fantastic commentary by David Kalat. Against it, it's not a complete version. It WAS the most complete available, but now a region 2 release by Eureka contains the whole film, complete and restored.

A timeless classic
I am became interested in this film largely because of its director Fritz Lang. I had always enjoyed Metropolis (I now own the Kino release which is nothing short of breath taking in the quality). I began to read about the evil doctor and I was hooked by the concept of the narrative. So dark and given its timing so right in the context of a Weimar Germany.
I must admit that slient films require the viewer to see the film from a different context as compared to modern cinema. However, if one makes that adjustment the rewards are worth it.

Many of the other reviews do an excellent job of discussing the plot and the like so in the context I will not go into any detail other than to say it may well in total be a 4 hour experience but it DOES NOT feel like it. This is one of my favourite pieces of cinema. I think much of garbage coming out of Hollywood could learn much from a thriller such as this.

David Kalat's narration is fantastic, and so are the other Mabuse films he has reviewed. Like all great teachers you never feel as if you are being educated but being entertained.

Bravo on the DVD and Bravo to David.

One of the great works of silent cinema
Dr. Mabuse the Gambler is a must-have for any film scholar. It is one of Lang's best works, and it's hard to understand why this film is so little-known while the flashy but leaden Metropolis is considered a classic.

Sergei Eisenstein was an admirer of Dr. Mabuse the Gambler, and supposedly he obtained a copy and studied its construction. I can only assume that the picture had a influence on other filmmakers around the world; it has a much more modern feel than any film I've seen from the early 20s. The pace is quick (at least in the first part), the cross-cutting between scenes is sophisticated, there is great attention to detail in the sets, and it rarely has the "stagy" feel that many silent films suffer from. If one had to point to one element that puts it ahead of its time, it would be its overall construction--the way the various shots and scenes are put together to create the story. Dr. Mabuse the Gambler creates a sense of both time and space; many things happen simultaneously in the movie-world, and the locales we see are not two-dimensional stage sets but rather three-dimensional spaces where we peer around corners and follow the characters from one room to the next. The only silent filmmaker I can think of who lavished so much attention on creating a credible world is Erich von Stroheim, though one could argue that that filmmaker should have taken a lesson from the economy of Lang's storytelling.

In addition to its status as a landmark film, Dr. Mabuse the Gambler is also truly entertaining, particularly the first part. There are car and train chases, riotous gambling dens, memorable bit characters, and some great special effects. The basic story of good versus evil is compelling. Dr. Mabuse is one of the screen's greatest villains, a shrewd megalomaniac who seems to be tormented and driven by his overpowering desires. Rudolf Klein-Rogge is truly fantastic in the part. Mabuse revels insanely at his conquests and explodes with fury when he is thwarted. However, though he is extreme, he is no cartoon supervillain or two-dimensional monster; he is a fallible character, not evil itself but rather human evil, and this is what makes him exciting.

The quality of the DVD is good to fair. I was thrilled with the clarity and felt that Image had done a superb job, but those who expect every title on DVD to be as crystal-clear as a movie that was released last year will be disappointed. This is not a perfectly restored copy; there are little imperfections in the film, from scratches to missing frames. There are even some very minor shots missing--for example, the very first shot of the seance scene shows the circle of hands from above, and this is missing from the DVD version. However, this is the most extreme case that I noted. In all cases the missing scraps do not affect the film as a whole; it is just that there are moments where you might think that Lang had a poor sense of continuity (and this is not the case!). Another oddity about the copy is that at least one of the shots differs slightly from that on a copy I have on videotape. There is a scene on the DVD where von Wenk is speaking to Carozza in the prison, and the shot shows all of the two characters. On the videotape I have, the shot is a close-up from a slightly different angle. I have had the same experience with another film, The Last Laugh. On two different videotapes the same shot differs slightly.

All this being said, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this DVD. One must take into account that the film is from 1922 and is not very well-known. It is not a beloved classic that someone is going to lavish a small fortune into restoring to perfection. Note too that this is a movie that was not previously available on any format, period. There was one mail-order company that offered a home-made version on video, but the quality was poor at best and unwatchable at worst. It was like trying to watch the movie through a bowl of soup.

Of particular note is that on the new DVD the film image has been shrunk so that it does not fill all of the available space of the television. This is because the aspect ratio of silent films was more square than the familiar 1:33 to 1 of the television set; sometimes leading to the tops of heads being cropped out when silents are transferred to video. This problem is solved on the DVD of Mabuse. And, of course, the DVD shows the movie at the correct speed. I totally disagree with the reviewer who said that it seemed speeded-up. Some of the chase scenes seem a little faster than normal speed, but I think that this was a device of Lang's rather than an imperfection of the DVD. There is also a commentary by a Mabuse scholar which, judging from the little I heard, is very well-informed.

As a side note, Fritz Lang's sequel to Mabuse, 1933's The Testament of Dr. Mabuse (the original German version is available only on video), is also very entertaining, and it features Lohmann, the detective from M! However, The Thousand Eyes of Dr. Mabuse from the sixties (Lang's last film, I believe) is unfortunately quite forgettable and I cannot recommend it.

Superb film, some reservations about the DVD
There is no need to repeat that this is a superb film. It is, for me, the best silent film currently available on DVD. And the quality of the picture is very good. It is not, however, perfect, and I will admit to being a bit disappointed. No doubt there are no longer any 'perfect' prints of Dr Mabuse in existence, but I was disappointed that the print quality was not a little better. It is nowhere near as good as 1000 Eyes of Dr Mabuse as far as print quality goes (of course, its an older film, but it is also more important and did receive a theatrical release in the 60s). Moreover, although the package promises that it is shown at the 'correct speed' I think it was too fast. It definitely has that speeded up 'silent movie' look that you get when you project a silent film at sound film speeds. I would have slowed it down by a couple more frames per second. Nonetheless, do not hesitate to buy this DVD -- perhaps one day there will be a better one but this is WELL worth the cost.

The commentary is terrific.

Incredible, amazing, always so new and imediate
One of the most famous master criminal in history (fictional, of course), the shadow of Dr.Mabuse still lurks around this world; today, maybe more than ever. It's because of the way Fritz Lang shows... not really that he creates, but he depicts the contemporary world for him, which has a striking similarity to the contemporary world that we live in: the modern civilization of multi-media communications, of information and currency as the only real commodities. A world of false information, disguised identities, with everything having dual or triple meanings, a world seemingly civilized but full of lies and conspiracies underneath.
Lang called this two-part crime epic "A Picture of the Times" and "A Play about People of Our Time". At the center of it; Berlin 1922, this chaotic corrupted metropolis is Dr.Mabuse, psychologist, hypnotist, psychoanalyst, card shark, counterfeiter, and master criminal. His aim: not money, but to subvert everything that makes this hypocritical society works and take over. He is the logical consequence of the universe he exists inÉ or maybe, so was Hitler. Fritz Lang would make a sequel, THE TESTAMENT OF DR.MABUSE in 1932, just before the Hitler would take power. The Nazis clearly saw the insinuation, banned the film, and Lang would eventually fly to Paris and then to Hollywood.
The modernity of Dr.Mabuse is that he knows exactly what our society today is all about, and how to destroy its seeming order. At the beginning, Mabuse masterminds a series of crimes that would lead to the collapse of the stock exchange market. We are reminded of what's a stock exchange exactly? Yes, gambling. Our economy is about manipulating information and cheating, get ahead of everybody else to win more currency. Even money is not what that really matter, it's just a question of comparison (Mabuse produces counterfeit money and the economic inflation was insane in Germany back then), and not money itself but the manipulation of it creates wealth in modern economy. Mabuse (and Lang, too) is completely aware of this.
With this new restoration that revives the stunning realistic imagery that Lang created with cinematographer Carl Hoffman, the curse of Dr.Mabuse lurks back to our collective psyche. The picture of LangÕs time has now became the mirror image of our world today. Mirror image, for this film, and I donÕt know if Lang had predicted that or whatever, is structured to be two mirrors facing each other, a symmetrical composition of time line, with the two parts reflecting each other. As the film is now almost back to it original length (still a few shots missing, but probably lost for ever), we clearly see that mirroring structure, filled with Lang's masterful editing narrative. One fine example: at the beginning, Mabuse looks at his watch, at that moment Lang cuts to some of his men robbing a train and stealing an important contract. Boom, cut to the stock market; the loss of that contract starts to incite a panic. All these causes and results, the way information are transmited with their meanings amplified, all that are so effectively expressed in a very restricted time frame. For contemporary viewers, Mabuse and Lang expert David Kulat (author of THE STRANGE CASE OF DR.MABUSE) provides an inspiring audio commentary; about Lang, about the novelist Jacques Nobert who wrote the original story, and what kind of time this film was made in. Its cultural, social, and especially political background, all that are reflected in this masterpiece. I n fact, when you see all the implications, the film becomes a bit too scary perhaps... ... 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

Amazon.com

Fritz Lang's first major success as a director was with this exotic, globetrotting adventure. It's actually made up of two short silent features that were the first of a proposed quartet of movies about the adventures of high-society adventurer Kay Hoog (Carl de Vogt, whose gaunt, expressionless face resembles a younger William S. Hart) and his arch nemesis, a secret criminal organization known as the Spiders. Part 1 ("The Golden Lake") is a treasure hunt that takes both Kay and Spiders mastermind Lio Sha (Ressel Orla) to Peru, where they battle primitive Incas (who capture Lio for a human sacrifice) and each other for a fortune in hidden gold. Part 2 ("The Diamond Ship") is a longer and far more intricate conspiracy involving a hidden criminal underground beneath the streets of Chinatown, a legendary lost jewel known as the Buddha Head Diamond, and an ambitious plot to rule all of Asia. Full of secret passages, coded messages, treasure maps, double-crosses, and death-defying escapes, Lang's pulpy action-fantasy borrows from the wacky serials of Louis Feuillaude (notably the deliriously entertaining Les Vampires). But behind the wild plots, gorgeous sets, and driving, breakneck-paced direction lies a dark undercurrent of death and doom that transforms his gallant hero into a brooding, vengeful spirit. The prints are seriously scratched and worn in places but always watchable. They have been appropriately tinted, and Gaylord Carter's organ score is upbeat and exciting. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A silent adventure
Kay Hoog finds a message in a bottle floating near San Francisco. The message tells about a hidden Incan city filled with gold and gives the location for finding it. Intrigued, Kay tells his yacht club that he's going to find it. Later, Lia Sha, also a member of the club and the mysterious Spiders, steals the map and sets off for Peru, with Kay not far behind.

Thus, begins the Indiana Jones-like adventure which leads from Peru to a hidden city beneath San Francisco to a deadly cave in the Falkland Islands. "Spiders" from German director Fritz Lang, contains the first two parts of what was to be a 4-part serial. It's not the greatest of all adventure stories and has quite a few plot holes, but it's easy to see the influence it has on many of the adventure films of today. And, the acting is not bad, either.

The DVD transfers are scratchy but still very viewable. Not many extras, though.

Part 1 of Fritz Lang's restored penny-dreadful adventure
"The Spiders" is considered by some as marking the beginning of the Golden Age of German silent film. Director Fritz Lang tells the story of an organized band of criminals who want to dominate the world. However, the plans of the Spiders are always foiled by the famous adventurer Kay Hoog (Carl de Vogt), clearly the Indiana Jones of his day. You can tell "The Golden Lake" was inspired by "The Perils of Pauline," as we see Kay Hoog take on the Spiders in a couple of gun battles, jump from a hot air balloon, and ends up not only rescuing the High Priestess of the Incas from being bitten by an asp, he discovers a giant underground gold mine and even has the decency to rescue his arch enemy from being served up as a human sacrifice. Actually, I wonder if Lucas and Spielberg knew about this film. This long lost film was restored by film historians David and Kimberely Shepard in 1979, using title cards drawn from the original German censorship records and Lang's only instructions for color tinting the film. Planned as a four chapter series, only the first two parts, "The Golden Lake" and "The Diamond Ship," were actually filmed. Gaylord Carter provides the original organ score for this film, which is basically a historical curiosity. Clearly this is "early" Lang and no where near the lost masterpiece film historians whispered about for years.

An ancient treasure?
The film: This Indiana Jones-type of movie put Fritz Lang on the map. It features the same mix of exotic locations and rollercoaster-action scenes like the Paramount-franchise from the 80ies. Alas, the film also shows that Fritz Lang had not yet reached the level of maturity and precision that is so prominetly featured in his later silent masterworks. Ok, the sets look great but the story is even more hokey than your usual adventure yarn. Even worse, the film features far too many of those scenes which are often done but work the least in a silent movie: shoot-outs. So I'm afraid I can recommend this film mostly to film-history-buffs (like me) or people that need all of Lang's films on their DVD-shelf. If you want to see why Lang is regarded as such a genius, you better check out "Die Nibelungen" or "Dr. Mabuse, The Gambler". The DVD: The film is very rare, and it shows: The people who restored it couldn't work with the best film-material but had to use what they got and so the print is quite scratchy and generally worn-out. But this is your only chance to see it, so let that not hinder you. Otherwise, besides some notes on the film-makers, there's not very much regarding extras on this DVD. One final, international note: It's a shame that this German film is not available at all in Germany, so congratulations to David and Kimberly Shepard who uncovered this long-believed lost film! ... Read more