M (1931 film)
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M is a 1931 German crime film directed by Fritz Lang and written by Lang and his wife Thea von Harbou. M was Lang's first foray into sound film although he had directed over a dozen films previously including Metropolis. Over the years the film has become a defining classic that rivals Lang's other works for the title of "magnum opus".
Lorre was type cast for years after the film's release as a villain for his portrayal of a child murderer (and, it is implied, a paedophile). M also pioneered the use of leitmotif to give the film score a more intense feel.
M is based on the real-life case of serial killer Peter Kürten, the "Vampire of Düsseldorf," whose crimes of the 1920s were still recent enough to resonate in the viewer’s mind when the film debuted; although Lang fervently denied that he drew from this case.
