Part of Weekend Classics: Somebody’s Watching Me.

Sat, Mar 5: Series introduction from Sarah Igo, Andrew Jackson Chair in American History at Vanderbilt University and author of The Known Citizen: A History of Privacy in Modern America.

A simple, haunting musical phrase whistled offscreen tells us that a young girl will be killed. “Who Is the Murderer?” pleads a nearby placard as serial killer Hans Beckert (Peter Lorre) closes in on little Elsie Beckmann… In his harrowing masterwork M, Fritz Lang merges trenchant social commentary with chilling suspense, creating a panorama of private madness and public hysteria that to this day remains the blueprint for the psychological thriller. (Synopsis courtesy of Criterion Collection)

“...It’s the portrait of the killer and the society that produced him that is so extraordinary — and extraordinarily modern, even timeless.” —Geoff Andrew, BFI

“Though it predates the noir era by some years, it’s horrific perspective and bizarre style keep it one of the great works of the genre.” —Cameron Olsen, Collider