"The Testament of Dr. Mabuse" Criterion Region 1

(aka "The Crimes of Dr. Mabuse" or "Dr. Mabuses Testament" pr "The Last Will of Dr. Mabuse" or "Das Tagebuch des Dr. Mabuse" or "The Testament of Dr. Mabuse")

directed by Fritz Lang
Germany 1933

Locked away in an asylum for a decade and teetering between life and death, the criminal mastermind Doctor Mabuse (Rudolf Klein-Rogge) has scribbled his last will and testament: a manifesto establishing a future empire of crime. When the document’s nefarious writings start leading to terrifying parallels in reality, it’s up to Berlin’s star detective, Inspector Lohmann (Otto Wernicke, reprising his role from M) to connect the most fragmented, maddening clues in a case unlike any other. A sequel to his enormously successful silent film Dr. Mabuse: The Gambler, Fritz Lang's The Testament of Dr. Mabuse reunites the director with the character that had effectively launched his career. Lang put slogans and ideas expounded by the Nazis into the mouth of a madman, warning his audience of an imminent menace, which was soon to become a reality. Nazi Minister of Information Joseph Goebels saw the film as an instruction manual for terrorist action against the government and banned it for “endangering public order and security.” A landmark of mystery and suspense for countless espionage and noir thrillers to come.

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Theatrical Release: April 21st, 1933 - France

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DVD Review: Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC

DVD Box Cover		CLICK to order from:
Distribution	Criterion Collection Spine # 231 - Region 0 - NTSC
Runtime	2:01:04
Video	1.19:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 8.11 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes
Bitrate: .
Audio	German (Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono)
Subtitles	English, None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Criterion Collection / Home Vision Entertainment Aspect Ratio: Full Screen (Standard) - 1.19:1 Edition Details: • Audio commentary by David Kalat, author of The Strange Case of Dr. Mabuse • Complete French-language version of the film, Le Testament du Dr. Mabuse, filmed simultaneously by Lang with French actors • Excerpts from For Example Fritz Lang, 1964 interview with Lang • Mabuse in Mind, 1984 film by Thomas Honickel featuring an interview with actor Rudolf Schundler • Comparison between the 1932 German version, the French version, and The Crimes of Dr. Mabuse the edited and dubbed American version of the film • Interview with German Mabuse expert Michael Farin about the literary inventor of the series, Norbert Jacques • Rare production design drawings by art director Emil Hasler • Collection of memorabilia, press books, stills, and posters • New essay by Tom Gunning, author of The Films of Fritz Lang DVD Release Date: May 18, 2004 Keep Case Chapters: 21
Comments:	Exceptional image quality from Criterion. It looks more like a film from the 50's than the early 30's. I looked closely for edge-enhancement, but if it's there, it is not visible to my eye. I love the 1.19 Pillar Boxing and that (unlike Warner with the Chaplins) they have respected it. Everything is top-shelf - excellent subtitles... shadow detail and film grain are prevalent, Extras out the wazooo.... What else can one say? - another "must-own" from the greatest DVD Production company in the world!out of Gary W. Tooze