The Testament of Dr. Mabuse (1933)

I really don't know what I expected from Dr. Mabuse. Maybe, a standard crime drama? Maybe some kind of early psychological thriller? Perhaps a combination of the two? One thing I didn't expect it to be, for one reason or another, was amazing. Yet, here I am, proclaiming Dr. Mabuse to be just that.

I really don't know how to describe it. It's mostly a psychological crime drama, with heavy supernatural elements. But, it's just such a creative, inventive film. Many times I was surprised at what happened next, just because these films all seem to follow a preset path. But, it's great to have a breath of fresh air. The supernatural element adds a very unexpected element to the plot. For instance, where Tom and Lilli get trapped in the room, or Dr. Mabuse's possession, or just plain Dr. Mabuse himself.

In many ways, it's a frightening movie. Its 'horror' is derived from the overall unsettling mood that is always present. This is pretty much THE expressionist movie, a heavy influence on lighting and mood in gangster/noir films. The lighting, camerawork and set designs are all at work, visually expressing the characters' states of mind.

This one's going to stay with me for a while. Awesome movie, it's going on my DVDAF wishlist right now. Great A/V, German flicks from 1933 just SHOULDN'T look this good, but Criterion's pact with the devil has produced stunning results again. Two discs of extras, too. Droooooool...

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Also, something to file under "General DVD Nerd grumbling"

I use Blockbuster Online, or at least I will for another few weeks. A while back, a friend recommended Andrzej Wajda's Ashes and Diamonds, which is the final film in the Andrzej Wajda - Three War Films set from Criterion. Blockbuster carries them, but only as the Three War Films box set, not individually. But, you can get the discs separately, so it's cool. I put disc 3 in my queue and they send it, and I love the film. So, I recently added discs 1 and 2 to my queue, because I want to get my Wajda on. Recieved disc 1 in the mail today and guess what, it's Ashes and goddamned Diamonds again! So, I put disc 3 on top of my queue, reported that it was the wrong disc, and had them send me the movie from the top of my queue, being disc 3 of the Wajda set. Disc 2 is on its way to me, probably arriving tomorrow, and disc 3 should ship out soon. I only wonder, what the hell will I get this time?