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Das Testament des Dr. Mabuse (The Testament Of Dr. Mabuse)

Director: Fritz Lang
Year: 1933
Run-time: 2 hr 4 min
Source: The Criterion Channel

Notable For: The wonderful period of Weimar cinema is coming to an end.  Hitler came to power at the start of 1933, and Lang's latest crime thriller was censored upon release, ostensibly for its focus on lawlessness and anarchy.  Lang would later claim that the "age of crime" promoted by the titular villain (a ghost that possesses a psychiatrist) was a secret reference to the Nazi party.

Verdict: Whether you believe in this symbolism or not, it's Lang's finest, most suspenseful film carrying the legacy of the old crime serials of Feuillade.  For the first time, the heroes and villains seem somewhat evenly matched, with the mysterious crime syndicate being opposed by a lead homicide investigator as well as a defector from the bad guys (together with his unbelievably understanding wife).  The special effects are top-notch, and the film is tightly plotted, with a dollop of absurdism that makes these early thrillers so fun to watch.


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