M
June 14th 2009 11:24
I want to preface this with something that really annoys me, and to a degree scares me. Most people I know could not care less about the important films of the past, most dubbing anything black and white as boring and pointless. Why would movie studios and film production companies spend millions of dollars and hundreds of hours painstakingly restoring these films and putting them on DVD if they weren’t ‘classics’ in every sense of the word? This annoys me because people refuse to open their minds and see what is out there, what the films of the past can teach us. The thing that scares me is the people my age in twenty years or so will be the heads of these film studios and film production companies. What then? In place of the musical singin’ in the rain, will it be step up 2: the streets? And will some like it hot be replaced by sorority girls?
I really want people to think about what I’m saying; these classic films deserve our attention. Just because they may not be in colour, or even have sound, this does not mean you won’t be moved or entertained any less. I have taken to changing a few people’s minds on the subject, opening them up to classics (my boyfriend watched the Humphrey Bogart film ‘the big sleep’ with me and quite enjoyed it).
On to the film ‘M’, a film which should be shown to anyone who supports the death penalty.
Peter Lorre is perfect as Hans Beckett, a man who lures away young girls with candy and balloons and then murders them. This film has been described as ‘one of the best serial killer films ever’, and I think this is particularly true, but not for the reasons I initially thought of. Due to the dark nature of the film, I was expecting it to be really creepy and for the first part it really is, I stopped it half way and wouldn’t watch it again until someone else was at home. But the second half is not creepy, or gruesome or any of that. It is however, thought provoking. Through a series of events underworld figures and mobsters become involved in hunting the child murderer, and Hans is marked with a white chalk ‘M’ on his back after a man sees him trying to seduce another victim. After this the word is out that the murderer has the mark on him- the whole underworld is now on the hunt for him. After he is captured, they attempt to give him a fair trial even supplying him with a defence attorney.
It is at this point that the real point of the film comes to light. This isn’t a simple serial killer movie it is a morality play on capital punishment and those who aren’t mentally stable enough to understand what they are doing. Hans confesses to the killing the girls, but claims he has no recollection of the actual murders. People are baying for his blood and at one point you expect that he will be murdered. Instead he is turned over to the police. The end of the film shows judges leaving court, and we see three weeping women dressed in black. One of them addresses the camera and says something which, for me, is what makes this film an absolute classic. I will not tell you what she says; you should watch it for yourself. 
I give this film ****- An absolute classic, perhaps a little long but overall I wouldn’t change a thing.
I really want people to think about what I’m saying; these classic films deserve our attention. Just because they may not be in colour, or even have sound, this does not mean you won’t be moved or entertained any less. I have taken to changing a few people’s minds on the subject, opening them up to classics (my boyfriend watched the Humphrey Bogart film ‘the big sleep’ with me and quite enjoyed it).
On to the film ‘M’, a film which should be shown to anyone who supports the death penalty.
Peter Lorre is perfect as Hans Beckett, a man who lures away young girls with candy and balloons and then murders them. This film has been described as ‘one of the best serial killer films ever’, and I think this is particularly true, but not for the reasons I initially thought of. Due to the dark nature of the film, I was expecting it to be really creepy and for the first part it really is, I stopped it half way and wouldn’t watch it again until someone else was at home. But the second half is not creepy, or gruesome or any of that. It is however, thought provoking. Through a series of events underworld figures and mobsters become involved in hunting the child murderer, and Hans is marked with a white chalk ‘M’ on his back after a man sees him trying to seduce another victim. After this the word is out that the murderer has the mark on him- the whole underworld is now on the hunt for him. After he is captured, they attempt to give him a fair trial even supplying him with a defence attorney.
It is at this point that the real point of the film comes to light. This isn’t a simple serial killer movie it is a morality play on capital punishment and those who aren’t mentally stable enough to understand what they are doing. Hans confesses to the killing the girls, but claims he has no recollection of the actual murders. People are baying for his blood and at one point you expect that he will be murdered. Instead he is turned over to the police. The end of the film shows judges leaving court, and we see three weeping women dressed in black. One of them addresses the camera and says something which, for me, is what makes this film an absolute classic. I will not tell you what she says; you should watch it for yourself. 
I give this film ****- An absolute classic, perhaps a little long but overall I wouldn’t change a thing.
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Comment by Norm
Consumption Malfunction
Equal and Opposite
Arses and Elbows
Footy Power
I can't remmeber exactly why. Something to do with the whistling and balloons. Also the characters had real character...nobody's perfect.
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
M is so unnerving because it refuses to judge its subject instead letting the vigilante mob become that which they despise.
Comment by kylie humphries
Think Past
The MEDIAtor
I really agree with what you all said, and thats a great way to surmise it johndoe. Im glad everyone agress with me about the brilliance of this film