Review of M (1931) by Phil R — 08 Oct 2011

You know when you are watching a movie thinking, "this is one of those phenomenal, life changing movies which I wished I'd seen years ago". Well after finally getting around to watching this masterclass in psychological thrillers, I can strike this down as one of those types of movie. Man, this was immense. Gripping from beginning to end, whether it be the story of a hunt for a child killer, the striking photography, the brutally powerful performances or the social commentary Lang provides in his indictment of the justice system, every moment of this movie is spellbinding.

It's not like I haven't been aware of what Lang could do, I love both Metropolis and Beyond A Reasonable Doubt, but this was something else. The gloomy atmosphere of a pre-Nazi Germany is a perfect aesthetic for evoking the fear and panic of a city engulfed in a serial killer's menace, and as the hunt gains momentum, with the criminal underworld desperate to find the killer in an attempt to restore order to their own undermined operations due to numerous police raids in their own quests to find him, the intensity of the film grows larger and larger, like a black cloud forming over an entire city. It's a fascinating observation, with brilliantly realised set pieces balanced out with some extraordinary dialogue and innovative tracking shots which I didn't even think possible back in 1931.

You can see the inspiration the movie has had on decades of thrillers, from Melville's heist films to the likes of Silence Of The Lambs or Se7en, and that it manages to maintain it's impact after all these years is nothing short of astounding. The climax is a sobering judgement of society, and one which is perfectly performed by the charismatic Peter Lorre magnificently, and it had me pondering it's impact all night. I can't recommend this movie enough, it literally is one of THE best movie's I've ever seen.