The Testament of Dr. Mabuse [2 Discs] [Criterion Collection]

"For decades, legendary German director Fritz Lang's masterful crime saga The Testament of Dr. Mabuse was only viewable in truncated, foreign-language versions that blunted the impact of Lang's original vision. Now, thanks to The Criterion Collection release of The Testament of Dr. Mabuse, audiences around the world will finally have the opportunity to experience this masterwork as originally intended in addition to having the luxury to compare it to the various alternate versions. Presented in 1.19:1 full-frame, the image is as close to flawless as one could humanly expect for a film of this age. Sporting only a slight amount of grain and just a modicum of flicker effect, the picture is both sharp and free of any notable dust or debris. Though the audio does contain a fair amount of hiss, it rings through bold and clear, making for a hearty presentation. Of course, any disc released by The Criterion Collection is likely to be judged just as much for the bonus materials it provides as for the quality of the feature itself, and this release easily maintains Criterion's high set of standards by offering some fantastic extras. It's hard to think of a candidate more deserving to provide audio commentary on this release than The Strange Case of Dr. Mabuse author David Kalat -- and the self proclaimed ""Mabuse expert"" certainly earns his keep here. Kalat's track is both endlessly entertaining and overwhelmingly informative, with the breathless commentator never missing a beat in injecting an informative morsel of information. The inclusion of the French-language version of the film, entitled Testament du Dr. Mabuse (simultaneously shot by Lang using French actors) is certainly a welcome addition despite the sometimes shaky quality of the source print, and excepts from the 1964 documentary For Example Fritz Lang offer the dapper, monocled director reflecting on everything from his early career to an ominous offer from Josef Goebbels to head up the German film industry. ""Mabuse in Mind"" offers an extended interview with legendary actor Rudolph Schündler in which the affable screen veteran recalls the joy of being directed by Lang among other career highlights, and viewers can truly begin to appreciate the small but substantial differences between the German, French, and American versions of the film with a fantastic comparison between the three. The ""Memorabilia and Stills"" section of the disc offers such visual treats as posters, conceptual art, and the original German press book, and the University of Chicago's Tom Gunning offers a closer look at both the director and the film in some truly informative liner notes."