There was no chance of me passing on 'Dr Mabuse the Gambler'. Really admire Fritz Lang as a director and really like to love most of his films, even lesser films of his are better than the lesser films of most other directors. Sorry for sounding cliched there, just my thoughts. Also highly appreciate silent film and there are many great ones, and not just those of Lang. FW Murnau, the best of DW Griffith and the best of early King Vidor as well. The best also being visual achievements and massively influential.
Did say in my review for 'The Testament of Dr Mabuse' that that film was just as good as this film 'Dr Mabuse the Gambler'. Reflecting on that opinion since, actually personally think that 'The Testament of Dr Mabuse' is the slightly better film while finding both extremely good. While 'Dr Mabuse the Gambler' is more influential, a little more important and Mabuse is a little more interesting here, 'The Testament of Dr Mabuse' is perhaps the more accessible film. It has a brisker pace, has a little more going on and anybody that found the very long length of 'Gambler' (along with perhaps 'Greed' it's the longest silent film and one of the longest films in history) a problem will appreciate that film's shorter length. Is all of that meaning me being disparaging this film. Absolutely not, there is so much brilliant here and there is a huge amount of respect for it.
Will start with what could have been better. Do agree with those that think that the first half is better than the second. Brisker, more content narratively and more "entertaining". The second half is still incredibly well crafted, but the film does drag badly three quarters of the way through (so the first portion of this half) and becomes reliant on a few too many coincidental plot twists and overlong intertitles.
A few have said too about the other characters outside of the titular character not being anywhere near as interesting. Do mostly agree with this and it is when the film starts to focus more on them when it begins to lose momentum. Though Von Wenk and his conflict with Mabuse is very compelling and suspensefully handled.
However, visually like with any Lang film, 'Dr Mabuse the Gambler' looks superb. Especially at the beginning and all the extravagant interiors. It is hugely atmospheric, imaginatively designed and very striking photography that enhances the unease and is wonderfully dream-like and nightmarish. So many images that will be hard to forget. The score looms ominously and there are clever and never cheap or discordant use of sound effects. Lang's direction is on point too.
Although issues were found with the second half, the first half is wonderful. Very entertaining (the more satirical parts being very sharp and quite bold for back then), often with a real sense of unease and never less than intriguing. Mabuse is to me easily one of the most interesting and most evil early screen villains, Rudolf Klein-Rogge embodying that with a magnetic and often frightening presence.
In summation, very, very good and nearly great despite the sadly inferior second half. 8/10
Did say in my review for 'The Testament of Dr Mabuse' that that film was just as good as this film 'Dr Mabuse the Gambler'. Reflecting on that opinion since, actually personally think that 'The Testament of Dr Mabuse' is the slightly better film while finding both extremely good. While 'Dr Mabuse the Gambler' is more influential, a little more important and Mabuse is a little more interesting here, 'The Testament of Dr Mabuse' is perhaps the more accessible film. It has a brisker pace, has a little more going on and anybody that found the very long length of 'Gambler' (along with perhaps 'Greed' it's the longest silent film and one of the longest films in history) a problem will appreciate that film's shorter length. Is all of that meaning me being disparaging this film. Absolutely not, there is so much brilliant here and there is a huge amount of respect for it.
Will start with what could have been better. Do agree with those that think that the first half is better than the second. Brisker, more content narratively and more "entertaining". The second half is still incredibly well crafted, but the film does drag badly three quarters of the way through (so the first portion of this half) and becomes reliant on a few too many coincidental plot twists and overlong intertitles.
A few have said too about the other characters outside of the titular character not being anywhere near as interesting. Do mostly agree with this and it is when the film starts to focus more on them when it begins to lose momentum. Though Von Wenk and his conflict with Mabuse is very compelling and suspensefully handled.
However, visually like with any Lang film, 'Dr Mabuse the Gambler' looks superb. Especially at the beginning and all the extravagant interiors. It is hugely atmospheric, imaginatively designed and very striking photography that enhances the unease and is wonderfully dream-like and nightmarish. So many images that will be hard to forget. The score looms ominously and there are clever and never cheap or discordant use of sound effects. Lang's direction is on point too.
Although issues were found with the second half, the first half is wonderful. Very entertaining (the more satirical parts being very sharp and quite bold for back then), often with a real sense of unease and never less than intriguing. Mabuse is to me easily one of the most interesting and most evil early screen villains, Rudolf Klein-Rogge embodying that with a magnetic and often frightening presence.
In summation, very, very good and nearly great despite the sadly inferior second half. 8/10