Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption
|
Erikht
|
M
Not exactly Downsizer related (actually as far away as one can possibly get), I still want to present you all to one of the truly great films: Fritz Lang's first talkie, M. Produced in 1931, it was released just before the Nazis rose to power, and the Germany Lang depicts in the film is clearly marked by it. Where Lang has been soaring and optimistic before, he is now depressed and angry.
Hard lines and sharp contrasts between shadow and light, Lang's pre-noir noir makes an impression.
The film is about a child murderer, and we are aware of the murderer's identity through most of the film. The film is clearly not a crime mystery, but revolves around the hunt for the murderer, Hans Beckert, played by Peter Lorre. The murderer has murdered several times when the film starts, so fear has already fastened it's grip on the population. Unfortunately for little Elsie, not everybody is afraid enough.
Whistling In the hall of the mountain king from Peer Gynt, the stranger ask Little Elsie "Wo bist du, da?"
With the help of a balloon, little Elsie follows the stranger. We do not see her again after this, though we do see her balloon. Once.
Caught in the power lines, the picture of the balloon, along with Elsie's unused lunch platter, give us a powerful picture of her fate.
It is after this murder that the film becomes interesting. As the public demand action, the police starts harassing the seedier elements of town, pick pockets, thieves, whores and pimps. As business slows down to a halt, the criminals decides that something must be done with the murderers. They do this for practical reasons, their living, as well as for more philanthropic reasons. Especially the whores has no illusions of who's children are in the greatest danger, and demands action from the leader of the criminals. The criminals meet to discuss their strategy at the same time as the police discuss theirs. The inter cutting gives us the impression that the two groups are hard to distinguish from each other. The criminals has become the police, and the police has become the criminals. a comment on Germany in the thirties indeed.
Herr Schränker, the criminal in chief.
Komissar Lohmann of the police.
Beckert is found out by the blind balloon salesman, who hears him whistle the same song he whistled while buying a balloon for little Elsie. He marks his hand with an "M" (for Mörder), and sends a boy to tell the criminals. A manhunt ensues, and Beckert is caught and tried before a tribunal of murderers, pimps and thieves. He accuses them back. They can choose their criminal ways, while he, Beckert, do what he must, has to follow the evil voices inside him who tells him to molest and kill. "Who knows how it is to be me?" he shrieks to his judges.
"Who knows how it is to be me?"
It is quite fitting that this scene should later be used in a far more sinister film than "M", "Der Ewige Jude" by Fritz Hippler. The voice that superimposes itself over the cutting from "M", declares that "in this film, the Jew Peter Lorre tries to humanize a child murderer." Both Peter Lorre and Fritz Lang was already making anti-nazi films in Hollywood at this time.
|
mochyn
|
An excellent film. Saw it years ago on a double with the Cabinet of Dr Caligari. If anyone gets a chance, see them both!
|
otatop
|
Yes, a memorable film. I saw it years ago when the Hampstead Everyman had a season of classic German films. Amongst others in the season I also saw The Blue Angel, Metropolis, and The Last Laugh.
I feel a DVD buying urge creeping over me.
|
Erikht
|
I would wait buying Metropolis. It will come in either 2010 or 2011 (or 2200) in a new edition. Otherwise, go for Eureka/Masters of Cinema. Very good editions on these old films.
|
|