Review of M (1931) by Tony H — 26 May 2010

This has been on both my mine and my friend's List of Shame (yes, it gets capitals) for far too long so when we saw it was on at an awesome local cinema called Cornerhouse, we leapt at the opportunity.

It was Fritz Lang's first talkie and - like a lot of early sound film - you can tell every bit of sound is deliberate. Sure, that's partly due to the technical thrill of the then new technology and partly due to the expense, but Lang uses it sparingly to pull you towards certain objects, actions or moments. It's effective in a way that modern films usually can't be.

But the most impressive thing about M is how new it feels. Lang had such a satirical wit, was so mindful of larger social concerns and effects and had such a way of engaging you through visuals that - even almost 70 years on - the film feels modern; thrilling, tense and relevant.

The way he took straight forward (at least in cinema) situations and built elaborate sequences filmed with extraordinary, expressionistic visual storytelling was masterful and still impresses. The final scene is so interesting, so unexpected and so biting that I sat in my chair thinking most filmmakers are still playing catch up.