The Testament of Dr. Mabuse (1972)
Directed by Fritz Lang
Starring Rudolf Klein-Rogge, Otto Wernicke and Gustav Diessl

A new crime wave grips the city and all clues lead to the nefarious Dr. Mabuse, even though he has been imprisoned in a mental asylum for nearly a decade.

Incredible sequel.  I mean, INCREDIBLE sequel.  The amazing thing about this movie is that it’s amazing.  That opening scene?  Ahead of it’s time.  One of the best I’ve seen.  I think this has been the only movie in existence where I’ve gone, man…I wish I would have came up with this first!!

Testament is actually a sequel of sorts to two of my favorite movies, that have nothing to do with each other besides both being directed by Fritz Lang.  Mabuse the Gambler/Mabuse the King of Crime is a topsy-turvy, inspiring for its time, 4-hour thriller about a criminal mastermind.  And then Peter Lorre’s child-killer is on the lam from chief investigator Lohmann in M.  Mabuse may be up to his old hypnotic tricks and in Testament, Lohmann’s now chasing after him…or is he?

You have three stories going on at once: gangsters, spies, ghosts, daring escapes, crazy shootouts, comedy, expert dialogue, and visual haunts (thanks to Fritz Agno Warner’s camera-eye).  This shit gives George Lucas’ space parade a run for it’s dough.  That and Jaws revolutionized (or destroyed… depending who you ask) the Hollywood system?  Lang was mastering the formula in 1933 Germany!!  He was even using real guns at the time.

Look at this shot…