M (The Criterion Collection) [DVD]

Behind every great suspense thriller lurks the shadow of M. In this, Fritz Lang's first sound film, Peter Lorre delivers a haunting performance as the cinema's first serial killer, a whistling pedophile hunted by the police and brought to trial by the forces of the Berlin underworld. Greig's "Peer Gynt Suite" will never sound the same. Criterion is proud to present Lang's seminal film in a new transfer.\nAmazon.com\nPeter Lorre made film history with his startling performance as a psychotic murderer of children. Too elusive for the Berlin police, the killer is sought and marked by underworld criminals who are feeling the official fallout for his crimes. This riveting, 1931 German drama by Fritz Lang--an early talkie--unfolds against a breathtakingly expressionistic backdrop of shadows and clutter, an atmosphere of predestination that seems to be closing in on Lorre's terrified villain. M is an important piece of cinema's past along with a number of Lang's early German works, including Metropolis and Spies. (Lang eventually brought his influence directly to the American cinema in such films as Fury, They Clash by Night, and The Big Heat.) M shouldn't be missed. This original 111-minute version is a little different from what most people have seen in theaters. --Tom Keogh\nAdditional Features\nFritz Lang's 1933 groundbreaking classic M, with its haunting visuals and tense pacing, is a deserving entry in the Criterion Collection. Criterion's new DVD transfer includes one notable flaw, however: a white line that periodically appears on the top of the screen, which was caused by the optical printer during the creation of the original film elements. Lang himself was well aware of this flaw. Because cropping out the line would have removed 25 percent of the picture, Criterion and the German restoration team decided to leave it in. Though the line is a little distracting at times, M can now be viewed as Lang intended. Criterion's digital transfer nicely presents this visually dark and expressionistic piece of film history in its original 111-minute length and full-screen format. And what a visual treat to behold! --Rob Bracco