M [DVD videorecording] / Nero-Film zeigt ein Fritz Lang film ; producer, Seymour Nebenzal ; directed by Fritz Lang ; screenplay, Thea von Harbou and Fritz Lang.

Cover image for M [DVD videorecording] / Nero-Film zeigt ein Fritz Lang film ; producer, Seymour Nebenzal ; directed by Fritz Lang ; screenplay, Thea von Harbou and Fritz Lang.

Title :

Format:

DVD

Summary:

When a serial killer is stalking the children of the city, everyone, including the criminal underworld, wants to see him brought down.

Language:

German

Language Note:

In German with optional English subtitles.

Audience:

Not rated.

ISBN - ISSN:

0780029097

UPC/EAN:

037429197820

Physical Description:

2 videodiscs (110 min.) : sound, black and white ; 4 3/4 in. + 1 booklet ([29] pages : illustrations ; 18 cm.).

General Note:

Originally produced as a motion picture in 1931.

Dolby digital mono.

Special features: New, restored high-definition digital transfer; audio commentary by Eric Rentschler and Anton Kaes; "Conversation with Fritz Lang", an interview film by William Friedkin; Claude Chabrol's "M le Maudit", a short film inspired by M; classroom tapes of M editor Paul Falkenberg discussing the film and its history; interview with Harold Nebenzal; A physical history of M; stills gallery, with behind-the-scenes photos, and production sketches by Emil Hasler.

Subject:

Children -- Death -- Drama.

Serial murders -- Drama.

Thrillers (Motion pictures, television, etc.).

Feature films.

Foreign films.

Series:

Criterion collection (DVD videodiscs) ;

First Title value, for Searching:

M [DVD videorecording] / Nero-Film zeigt ein Fritz Lang film ; producer, Seymour Nebenzal ; directed by Fritz Lang ; screenplay, Thea von Harbou and Fritz Lang.

Holds: Copies:

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Summary

Fritz Lang's classic early talkie crime melodrama is set in 1931 Berlin. The police are anxious to capture an elusive child murderer (Peter Lorre), and they begin rounding up every criminal in town. The underworld leaders decide to take the heat off their activities by catching the child killer themselves. Once the killer is fingered, he is marked with the letter "M" chalked on his back. He is tracked down and captured by the combined forces of the Berlin criminal community, who put him on trial for his life in a kangaroo court. The killer pleads for mercy, whining that he can't control his homicidal instincts. The police close in and rescue the killer from the underworld so that he can stand trial again in "respectable" circumstances. Some prints of the film end with a caution to the audience to watch after their children more carefully. Filmed in Germany, M was the film that solidified Fritz Lang's reputation with American audiences, and it also made a star out of Peter Lorre (previously a specialist in comedy roles!). M was remade by Hollywood in 1951, with David Wayne giving a serviceable performance as the killer. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Reviews (1)

Library Journal Review

Four years after his silent masterwork Metropolis, Fritz Lang made particularly creative use of sound in this harrowing story of a serial killer (and likely pedophile) of young girls. Peter Lorre is superb as the bug-eyed "monster," a character who almost manages to become sympathetic in the face of his underworld pursuers. Magnificently restored and filled with bells and whistles-audio commentary, a 1963 director interview, a short film, and more-this landmark film is essential for serious collections. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.