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M - Criterion Collection
 
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M - Criterion Collection (1931)

Starring: Peter Lorre, Ellen Widmann Director: Fritz Lang Rating: NR (Not Rated) Format: DVD
4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (131 customer reviews)

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Editorial Reviews

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

Product Description
Behind every great suspense thriller lurks the shadow of M. In this, Fritz Lang's first sound film, Peter Lorre delivers a haunting performance as the cinema's first serial killer, a whistling pedophile hunted by the police and brought to trial by the forces of the Berlin underworld. Greig's "Peer Gynt Suite" will never sound the same. Criterion is proud to present Lang's seminal film in a new transfer.

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Customer Reviews

131 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
4.6 out of 5 stars (131 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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138 of 139 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Again? ...but well, I've got to buy this one..., January 4, 2005
This review is from: M - 2 Disc Special Edition - Criterion Collection (DVD)
I'm sorry for those who already own the former 1999 Criterion DVD of M (including myself, of course....) but this one is a must-buy item.

After more than 7 decades since its making, Fritz Lang's M remains a poignantly modern film; a striking portrait of the contemporary human world as we live in.

Fritz Lang, who always regarded M as his best film and the one by which he would be remembered, used to call it "a documentary". It is one of the first films about serial killers, and already Lang goes beyond depicting the pathology of such criminal; what M examines is the pathology of our contemporary society of urbanization, mass politics, and mass media: it's also a film about a 20th century metropolis of mass society and mass media culture.

The former Criterion DVD edition of M was made of the best available material back then-- a print restored from many different sources, re-establishing as close as possible, Lang's original release cut. It was also a good transfer for a standard, NTSC digital medium.

But what sometime happen in the world of film restoration is, some materials that have been considered to be lost are suddenly be re-discovered. This new edition of M is created (for the most parts, expect for one reel which was missing) from the original camera negative, and transferred to HD video master. The result is-more details, less scratches, finer grains, and more subtleties.

The earlier DVD was a bare one. This new edition presents Lang's portrayal of social pathology of the 30's also with an audio commentary by Anton Kaes and Eric Renteschler. Kaes's book about M published as part of BFI classics series had already revealed Lang's freighting vision, pointing out how much of M was based on real events and real details of Berlin, including some underground figures played by actual underground celebrities of Berlin. With audio commentary, his points can be more articulately appreciated.

The supplements on the second disc can be seen as a testimonies of how many filmmakers and critics regarded M as a their contemporary film, how much inspiration M has been provoking in film history. But they have seen the film in far less complete versions than we can do now; for M has constantly victim of censorships, banning, alternations and mutilations over the years. The DVD also includes that history, including the Nazis who banned the film using segments of it in a propaganda film accusing "decadent art".

Watching M again on this new DVD was again a real inspiration. Though it is an early sound film, with very limited resources compared to the modern sophisticated technologies...well, it testifies how much one can do with the medium of cinema.
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38 of 38 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A classic every film lover should see, December 1, 2000
By "bjorn-toby-wilde" (Royal Oak, MI USA) - See all my reviews
"M" has everything you could hope in a great film. The acting by Peter Lorre, Gustaf Gründgens, Otto Wernicke, and the rest of the cast all perfectly convey the different personalities in this complex story. The use of black & white and shadows is very moody and haunting. The use of sound is very important since it will tell you things the camera isn't showing. The camera work itself is amazing. I especially love the long shot in the beginning of the scene of the beggars are signing up to watch the streets where the camera moves back and forth, up and into a room through a window without a cut.

"M" offers so much for the viewer -- thrills, suspense, humor, terror! I enjoy it more and more with every repeated viewing. Fritz Lang does more than just give ideas on insane criminals. He compares and contrasts the police and the underworld criminal systems. You learn about the "state-of-the-art " systems of that time. And the last words harken a most important message that unfortunately is still true today. Also, if you look deeper, you can even sense Lang's anti-Nazi sentiments.

It's a Criterion Collection DVD, so I had high expectations. I was disappointed with a lack of extras, but I happily noticed scenes that weren't on my VHS version. The picture was mostly clear with white lines rarely popping up. There were long passages of no sound at times, but it's possible it's supposed to be like that. (I no longer have my VHS version to compare.) The subtitles were clear and easy to read. There's interesting details on the film in the liner notes. And not like this would influence anyone's buying decisions, but I also loved the design on the case and the disc.

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42 of 44 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars "This man is a mental case.", May 4, 2005
By Dave (Tennessee United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   
This review is from: M - 2 Disc Special Edition - Criterion Collection (DVD)
Having seen most of director Fritz Lang's wonderful films noir, I finally decided to get a copy of his famous "M" from 1931. After seeing it I readily agree with previous reviewers who call this one of the true masterpieces of German cinema. And, as many film noir historians have written, "M" paved the way for the entire genre in terms of style and cinematography. Peter Lorre, despite playing a dispicable character, gave the performance of his career. Oh and in case you haven't seen the film, the movie's title refers to the letter that's used to identify Peter Lorre as the murderer when he tries to escape.

Peter Lorre plays a psychotic child murderer in Berlin who kills "because he can't help it". The police have looked everywhere for the elusive killer but can't find him. The crime leaders of Berlin are fed up, not because there's a child killer on the loose, but because his murders are causing the police to interfere with the underworld's business activities as they bring in and question virtually every criminal in sight. The crime leaders organize their own searching party and they finally catch up with the now terrified murderer after a relentless chase (which takes up a large portion of the film). Next the underworld leaders set up their own trial and the child killer trembles in fear as his life is in the hands of these mob leaders. I won't spoil the ending, but let's just say it's classic Fritz Lang.

I've seen some truly awful prints of "M" released on vhs but was very relieved to discover that Criterion had carefully restored the classic masterpiece. In short, you won't find a better print of "M" anywhere else! The image is sharp and clear and the sound quality is superb. I only wish many other classic films could get the same high-quality restoration. The bonus features are also wonderful and are furthur proof that the Criterion special edition of "M" is THE one to buy. Highly recommended!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars M
The product was exactly what I wanted and I received it in a timely manner. I was very satisfied with the service received from this company and would order from them again as... Read more
Published 21 days ago by Karen L. Schmidt

5.0 out of 5 stars A classic film
M, by any definition, qualifies as a classic film. This latest DVD version is a high quality reproduction. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Terrence W. Faulkner

4.0 out of 5 stars M für Mörder
M is the story of a child murderer (Peter Lorre), a man who walks the streets and lures children to him through candy and balloons. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Samantha Kelley

2.0 out of 5 stars "Metropolis" was Lang's masterpiece, not "M".
"M" is an example of a good idea that is poorly executed. Peter Lorre plays a child murderer who is terrorizing a city in Germany to the point where both the police and members of... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Genevieve Hayes

5.0 out of 5 stars M for Magnificent ! Great movie by Fritz Lang
GREAT FILM about a child murderer (Peter Lorre) who likes kids,but kills them, he has issues that he cant control is impulse to kill. Read more
Published 5 months ago by D. Steigman

5.0 out of 5 stars A Masterpiece
M is a great flick because it is allegedly based on the real-life case of serial killer Peter Kürten, the "Vampire of Düsseldorf", whose crimes of the 1920s were still recent... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Blaze Chamberlain

5.0 out of 5 stars A Brilliant Classic
What an incredible movie. I'm sure I can add nothing to what other reviewers have said, but everything fascinates me about this film. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Harriet Vane

5.0 out of 5 stars A "must have" for any serious film collector
Fritz Lang's great 1931 film M is an important film, and for anyone who collects classic films, a necessary addition. Read more
Published 9 months ago by JfromJersey

5.0 out of 5 stars M is Fritz Lang's Masterpiece
This movie is the perfect example of what Fritz Lang is capable of. His technique is extrodinary.

Purchase Scarlett Street also. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Eddie

5.0 out of 5 stars Hall of the Mountain King; Lorre Covers Grieg
Of course, Edvard Grieg was the composer of the "Peer Gynt Suite" which included "Hall of the Mountain King". Read more
Published 11 months ago by E K Maxmias

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