Movie Details
| Title: | The Testament of Dr. Mabuse | |
| Director: | Fritz Lang | |
| Year: | 1933 | |
| Genre: | Crime | |
| Times Seen: | 1 | |
| Last Seen: | 11.11.22 |
Other Movies Seen By This Director (4)
- Clash By Night
- Metropolis
- Ministry of Fear
- While the City Sleeps
| Date Viewed | Venue | Note |
| 11.11.22 | DVD | This Screening is part of event: DVRfest 2022 roll: 4 spine: 231 The rolls are getting lower and lower, the movies are as well. I thought this was a 2-hour silent film from Fritz Lang so I thought it was a real landmine that I've been putting off for probably 20 years, but now that I'm forced to watch it I realize that it has sound! it's the follow-up to M! Even with fancy sound to listen to, the movie takes a while to get going. And while there is some cool stuff with old-school visual effects like double exposure and even scratching the film for an explosion effect, it's also susceptible to a shitload of scenes where people are just standing around talking to one another in that early 30s way. It also took quite a while for me to figure out what the movie was about. It's something to do with crime, but it takes quite a while to really come in to focus. I know that the Dr. Mabuse character is one that Lang revisited several times throughout his career but it takes a long time for him to come on screen. Still, trying to put this film in context, it seems like it precedes a ton of psychological thrillers and crime procedurals, and I'm sure if you put it up against a typical Hollywood film from the same year this would really stand out. I mean there are car chases and it dips into expressionism and moves the camera a bunch, but it also has to explain stuff like ballistics analysis to prove that the same gun shot two bullets which is something the entire movie-going world has known for like 50 years. So I can't say I had a great time watching it, nor can I say I didn't get distracted a bit through the middle, but at the end of it I find myself wishing for more time to go through the special features and learn the backstory of this film, why Lang stayed close to the character throughout his career, and if Mabuse is supposed to be Hitler or something, because his criminal plans are pretty extreme. Also of note, the second disc on this ancient dvd release has a French version of the film that I guess Lang filmed at the same time. I know a few other movies have done this (notably Dracula) but it's wild to think, like, ok cut! let's go again with the French actors! Cutting together both films simultaneously. Pretty intense. where is the time going!? time for a pizza and hopefully 2 more. Next! |
