“The Prophet said, ‘Keep my temple doors open, and I will drive them in.’ I intend to hold my end of that bargain, and he will keep his.” —Reuben Johnson-Bey, November 15
Something is really off when filmmakers identify more with a psychopath’s crazy skills than with what makes such a person tick. Substitute the Coen brothers’ editing machine with Javier Bardem’s retractable stun gun and you’ll see what I mean.
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In a genuine masterpiece like M (1931), director Fritz Lang not only constructs a classic, edge-of-your-seat thriller but also, at the end, engages the audience both emotionally and psychologically. We may not completely identify with Peter Lorre’s child murderer, but we certainly have to grapple with his torments and demons. He doesn’t just represent an evil life force; he is a human being gone awry.
That’s Two Million Good Reasons Right There
Jim Angrabright
Martha Briggs, Alison Hinderliter, Lisa Janssen, Kelly Kress, and Shannon Yule
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