M
July 6th 2008 22:41
More than anything, "M" is a film that stands out even more today, despite being relegated to dusty film archives for over seventy years. It's sharp and vivid, raising questions on the nature of justice and who should deal out punishment.
Today, we seem to be eager to believe that our enemies are all around us; the war on terror has us believing that the villains are all around us. It's easy to give up personal freedom in exchange for security, we're lead to believe, but all that's happened is that it's easier to control us.
Things were not so different in '31, apparently, with Lang portraying a fearful German town under the cold grasp of a child killer, a perverted human being that preys on innocent kids with promises of ice cream and candy. His abbherent behaviour is noticeable to the vewer when he starts whistling the haunting theme of "In the Hall of the Mountain King". See how effective this theme is in the trailer for the film:
This trailer was created recently by a fan of the movie, but the editor uses the music to highlight the strong aspects of the film. Naturally, as a modern audience, we understand what happened in Germany in the 30s and 40s with the rise of the Nazi party and fascism, and the trailer echoes those horrible images: lines of policemen marching down the street, citizens being rounded up, hiding in shadows and darkness.
Truly, Lang's film was eerily prophetic, which gives the beautifully stark cinematography a halo of chill terror. This is a movie that should frighten us, and we're not sure why. The obvious villain is the murderer, naturally, but as the film moves on, it's the angry mob and its brand of snarling justice that makes the audience cower in fear.
Powerful, indeed. Joeseph Goebbels used the film's footage in his propaganda vehicle, "The Eternal Jew", to support the claim that Jewish people try to avoid shouldering the blame for heinous acts. The main actor, Peter Lorre, struggled for years after "M" was released, to avoid being typecast as a sinister villain.
"M" is easily found in bargain bins and internet archives, but there's no reason not to buy this magnificent work of art. While it crawls in comparison to modern movies, such as a more recent examination of psychopathic glee, "Ichi the Killer", "M" slowly climbs the ladder, building tension step-by-step, until the final, soul-wrenching scene, where the ugliness of the human spirit is on full display.
I say: Excellent - still vibrant in black-and-white today, with superb composition.
See it for: Even the beggars were classy back in those days, self-organized into a union!
* this image is from an article on Strobist illumination
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Comment by David O'Connell
Screen Fanatic
Comment by Damo
For the Sake of Argument
My Apologetics
Fritz Lang has a terrific control of movement and rhythm.
Comment by Cibbuano
20/20 Filmsight
Science News
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
Damo, if you haven't seen it yet, please do so! I bet you can download it for free, since it's probably in the public domain...
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
M is an astonishing film that leaves me in awe everytime I watch it. The themes, acting, cinematography and score all meld into pure cinematic tension and philsiophoical suspense. Great review!
Comment by Cibbuano
20/20 Filmsight
Science News
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak