Rating: 
Summary: Definately WAY ahead for it's time!!
Review: The first little bit is slow, but then the killer makes his first appearance and then the movie becomes an intriguing and suspencful film. It was made in 1931 by Fritz Lang and is in German. This is apparently his first sound movie because he plays so much with what was then a new technology. Yeah, they speak in German, but the actors still manage to convey their thoughts and emotions to us English Canadians (and Americans). The first half is interesting as police use tactics (still used to day) to catch the child serial killer. Then the last half has the Berlin underworld track down the murederer (because he's giving them a bad name). They capture him and put him on trial. The actual chase sequence is one of the more suspencful sequences I've seen. And you have to love the trial at the end with all it's hypocracy. And it's thoughts on insanity and serial killing are far ahead, as Peter Lorre's (brilliant performance) killer is presented as a victim himself, unable to control his violent urges. Still, he's not a likeable person. Some people now may be annoyed with this movie just because of the sound (and subtitles). Seeing as how this was new to Lang he had to play with it. There is no score except for Lorre's whistling. Criterion did an excellent job with the transfer of sound and the picture is good for what they could do with it. And Lang's visuals are brilliant. I especially love the end trial sequence. If you're an avid movie collector, get this one!!!
Rating:
Summary: GREAT MOVIE
Review: In this movie, a alleged murder, tries to escape from the berlin underworld, which is trying to catch the murder before the police. Americans will not like the ending of the movie. And, it helps if you speak German.
Rating: 
Summary: Peter Lorre is frightening.
Review: In this, his first famous role, Peter Lorre is frightening at the same time pitiable, as a suspected child murderer. Given his dimunitive size it is odd to watch him entice his next victim, hardly smaller than himself. He is disgusted with his own desire, frightened of the pursut that builds during the film, twisting and slimey, like some newt or toad, trying to escape. The story has several clever plot twists, such as having the underworld capture him, but it is Lorre's face,posture, acting that carry this movie. Well worth seeing!
Rating:
Summary: phenominal, beautifully paced and acted, a masterpiece
Review: phenominal, beautifully paced and acted, a masterpiec
Rating:
Summary: This movie is awesome!
Review: This is one of my favorite movies of all time, and its more than 3 times older than me!
Rating:
Summary: Disturbing, unforgettable... a must-see!!!
Review: In his first sound film, Fritz Lang takes full advantage of the medium to produce a haunting masterpiece. Peter Lorre has never been better as Hans Beckert, the serial killer. Fritz Wagner's camera work is extraordinary, far ahead of its time. If you're a serious film buff, a film student, or even a casual moviegoer, you owe it to yourself to see this classic!!
Rating:
Summary: Terrifying
Review: Terrifying, disturbing film of a child murderer sought out by both the police and the criminals. As Maltin says, "frighteningly contemporary". Lorre's performance is outstanding. Don't be lulled into thinking this is soft because its old, after watching this film you'll be chilled to the bone.
Rating:
Summary: A classic film; Lorre is superb
Review: A child murderer (Peter Lorre) is preying on the youth of Berlin, and the police seem unable to stop him. As a result, the Berlin underground begins stalking the killer. "M" is one of the classics of film, notable for its minimum of dialogue and Lorre's wonderful performance. With no gore, director Fritz Lang brought a true masterpiece to the screen. Highly recommended. END
Rating:
Summary: Did Alfred Hitchcock have a mentor?
Review: If he did it could have been Fritz Lang & his seminal talkie, M, made in 1931 & released in 1933. A deranged child murderer is loose in the city (played broadly & wonderfully by "newcomer," Peter Lorre).
The movie has scenes pitting citizen v. citizen, in accusations & counter accusations, near lynchings & mob hysteria. The police seem helpless & bereft of clues. Organized crimes seeks to find the murderer also. He's bad for business.
Crowd mentality is examined. It is a theme Lang returns to in later movies. His first American movie, Fury , (1936) deals with vigilantism & mob rule. This version, a poor print by the way, has English subtitles so your forced to pay attention. It was Lang's favorite film. It is a prototype, if you will, of the murder mystery genre. Kind of a precursor to Hitchcock's thrillers of the 40's & 50's.
Rating:
Summary: A classic every film lover should see
Review: "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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