Dr. Mabuse

Jim Beaver wrote:

> Just settling down to watch The Testament of Dr. Mabuse (1933) when my
brain
> clicked into gear and I realized that this was Lang's second, not
first
> Mabuse film. Do I need to find and watch Dr. Mabuse, Der Spieler
(1922) in
> order to understand or enjoy the later film?

No, there is no direct link between the two films (or three as the
silent version, which I prefer, is two films).


ML-78
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Jim Beaver wrote:
> Just settling down to watch The Testament of Dr. Mabuse (1933) when my brain
> clicked into gear and I realized that this was Lang's second, not first
> Mabuse film. Do I need to find and watch Dr. Mabuse, Der Spieler (1922) in
> order to understand or enjoy the later film? I'm very much inclined to
> watch things in order if they come that way, but it's not like you can't
> follow a Charlie Chan movie if you haven't seen the one before it. Is there
> anything of that sort involved here?

As others have already written, there are no serial threads between the
silents and the 1932-Mabuse (that aren't accounted for by Professor
Baum, anyway...). There are, however, some very funny allusions to
earlier Lang-movies. For instance, when Hoffmeister's inscription in
the window glass is finally decoded as "Mabuse", the name rings a bell
with inspector Lohmann. As he goes goes through the police archives he
finds a file with the title "1920-21: Dr. Mabuse, der Spieler", and
snaps his fingers. A strange moment when the fictional character of
Lohmann - himself a cross-over character from M - remembers another
fictional character from a very real Lang-two-parter that is also the
title-character of the sort-of-sequel in which Lohmann is allowed to
remember...
In my opinion, Das Testament is far superior to Dr. Mabuse der Spieler,
and it is Lang's finest work.

What did you think?
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"Brian P" <kanal RemoveThis @klog.dk> wrote in message
news:1133567462.313850.127870@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> Jim Beaver wrote:
>>

> In my opinion, Das Testament is far superior to Dr. Mabuse der Spieler,
> and it is Lang's finest work.
>
> What did you think?
>

I think that the crime / action sequences are just as good as the silent, if
not a bit better, but when those two lovers come on screen the pace slows
WAAAAY down- and that sequence in the flooded room is too long. There are
some long stretches in the silent too, but at least the creepy atmosphere is
kept up.

And to put my two cents in, the 1962 remake of Testament is quite a stylish
thriller, with a few bits that improve on Lang.

Stott
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"Brian P" <kanal.DeleteThis@klog.dk> wrote in message
news:1133567462.313850.127870@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...

> In my opinion, Das Testament is far superior to Dr. Mabuse der Spieler,
> and it is Lang's finest work.
>
> What did you think?

I can't testify to its being Lang's finest work, as I still have a lot of
early Lang to catch up on, but I loved it -- primarily the intensity of it
and the theatricality of it. Story-wise it was no great shakes, but the
execution of the tale was wonderful. I still prefer M, though.

Jim Beaver
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Eric Stott wrote:

> I think that the crime / action sequences are just as good as the silent, if
> not a bit better, but when those two lovers come on screen the pace slows
> WAAAAY down- and that sequence in the flooded room is too long. There are
> some long stretches in the silent too, but at least the creepy atmosphere is
> kept up.

I agree, the love-scenes in Das Testement are as horrible as those in
Metropolis (and again they are Thea von Harbous contribution). Still
there are so many other brilliant scenes and the whole thing is nicely
orchestrated with f.i. the montage of associations (Lohmann:
"feuerzauber, mein lieber..."... cut to: an explosion, etc., etc.)
and a creepy non-closure (Professor Baums body being taken over by
Mabuse, Lohmann resigning). The silent in my opinion is much more
boring, nice atmosphere, but no inner development in the characters.
Stylized, expressionistic in the bad sense of the word.

> And to put my two cents in, the 1962 remake of Testament is quite a stylish
> thriller, with a few bits that improve on Lang.

I find the remake rather silly but very enjoyable in a kitchy sort of
way. In the same way that I am able to enjoy Lang's silent films today,
actually.
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I wrote:

> orchestrated with f.i. the montage of associations (Lohmann:
> "feuerzauber, mein lieber..."... cut to: an explosion, etc., etc.)

The other way around, of course. After the explosion, Lohmann says
"feuerzauber...".
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