Review of The Testament of Dr. Mabuse (1933) by Anne F — 04 Apr 2010

I think it would be difficult to review this without having seen Dr. Mabuse der Spieler *and* M, as it references both quite heavily (although not without subtlety). Safe to say, it is a film that was very much ahead of its time. It anticipates formal cinematic techniques used later by Hitchcock, Tarantino, David Lynch and others by over half a century. It is *imperative* to see the restored 121 minute version (I recommend the Masters of Cinema Mabuse boxed set*), not the cut-down 95 minute version, in which all of Kent's characterisation and backstory is lost.

Ideally, this film should be watched several times -- and for a really close experience, subsequently watched in conjunction with a read of the seminal 1982 essay 'The Voice in Cinema' by Michel Chion -- Lang's genius was to retain Mabuse's silence within one of his first talkies, and have the voice issue only from technology within the film.

Even watched for the story alone, with no appreciation for cinema in itself, this is a wonderful and mysterious tale of crime, paranoia, the uncanniness of 20th century telephony and recordings, love (in the 121 min version), and psychology. Lang wished retrospectively to downplay the supernatural elements, and perhaps they are best seen as remnants of expressionism -- but even so the story is haunting and enigmatic.

*The commentary and studies included on the Masters of Cinema DVD explore in depth the legend of Joseph Goebbels' offer of the post of official 'cinema minister' to Lang (in which it was said, Lang marvelling 'but I am half-Jewish' was told by Goebbels, 'WE decide who is Jewish!') and sets the record straight; there never was such an offer and Goebbels banned the film not out of rejection from Lang but simply because he felt it would inspire general societal suspicion and anti-authoritarianism towards figures of power.