Rent The Testament of Dr. Mabuse (1933)

Goodbye Berlin. - The Testament of Dr. Mabuse review by Steve

Mythic horror/crime hybrid which is a sequel twice over. There's the return of Fritz Lang's criminal Übermensch, 11 years after Dr. Mabuse: The Gambler. And he is pursued by the Inspector from Lang's 1931 film, M... Mabuse has been in a mental hospital since '22, constantly scrawling meaningless hieroglyphics on endless reams of paper. But it's '33 and time to return.

Mabuse controls the people through telepathy. Which brings a satisfying circularity to the end of golden age Weimar cinema which began in 1920 with The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, with another hypnotist in an asylum. Lang says Goebbels banned his picture and asked him to lead the Nazi film industry. So Lang fled the country. It wasn't shown in Germany until '51.

Critics like to undermine Lang's assertion that this was intended to be a warning about the rise of fascism. But it's unmissible. The interesting, exciting plot isn't much different from a Dick Tracy adventure. But Lang's villains actually repeat hate-speech and propaganda taken from Nazi rallies. The mood of panic, anarchy and paranoia is incredibly powerful.

This is a suspenseful thriller unbalanced by its weighty allegorical insinuations. Which then turns nightmarish as the mastermind runs crime from beyond the grave! It's pessimistic with an incredibly heavy, desolate score. Lang directs with panache, and even takes us back to the expressionism of the original. For me, this is his best German film.

Ghost of the Manipulator - The Testament of Dr. Mabuse review by NW

Technically impressive, lively ... effective ... but rationally and logically preposterous: impact and effect have been given precedence over coherence and sense of plot ... supernatural events allow the cutting of rational corners! There are also ambiguities and discontinuities ... poorly matched disparate plot lines? ... which are carried through on the vigour of the action but also reflect Fritz Lang’s own ambiguities of intent (political? anti-nazi or not?) and his dubious accounts of dealings with Doctor Goebbels and the regime. The accompanying “documentary essay” is as interesting as the film itself!

The commentary highlights the artistry of this film - The Testament of Dr. Mabuse review by LE

The film itself on first viewing is a very odd experience. It seems slightly silly or meandering but the excellent commentary underlines the innovative use of sound and visuals. It could even be seen as a sequel to 'M' - one of the undisputed greatest films of the era. Any film fan needs to see this. But watch the commentary afterwards.