Aloof "Balloon Brother" - Analysis of the Stills of "Killer M"

Shaina 2022-03-25 09:01:06

This still is about 15 minutes after the film, but after 15 minutes of watching it, I think this is not a movie at all but more like watching a play, because "M"'s performance is really too tense, and the camera is too far away. He's so close, it feels like he's one of those onlookers, and he's completely brought him into the situation, and when you get there, you'll find that the killer has become innocent, and the theme becomes whether lynching should be used and whether Big concepts like law and fairness. Going back to this still, you can first see that this is a triangular composition. The blind man holding the balloon is at the apex of the triangle, which is the most important position in the middle, indicating that the blind man is the leader at this time. In addition, there is a slight upward shot to show the balloon in the hands of the blind. It is in the most important middle position with the blind. It feels that the balloon is no longer a balloon at this moment, but a ruthless superior looking down on everything that happened. ; The other two points of the triangle are the "M" in the foreground looking up. He is the closest to the camera and has narrowed the physical distance from the audience. At the same time, his hand is indelible due to the accusation of the blind and the indelible balloon. The hand that was so nervous and afraid of the death certificate that it bent unconsciously closed the psychological distance with the audience, making me in front of the computer all nervous but relieved because he was finally caught; finally, the background part is The two plainclothes policemen. Because standing on the steps looks a bit like looking down at it all, it still feels a little bit chilly at the top. They are the farthest from the camera and alienate the audience, and they also represent the cold onlookers below. the masses. Secondly, the use of light is also very unique. The light hit the balloon, making the white balloon appear brighter and taller, creating an invisible pressure on "M". Moreover, from the picture, it seems that the people looking at the balloon are brighter, and the balloon has become the real master and the decider of the whole thing. Through the angle of the lens, the distance and the use of lighting, a bland snowman balloon becomes hard, three-dimensional, and even shaped into a real "person" and a "person" overlooking everything, making it This still is more dramatic, the composition is smoother and more compact, and the content of the expression is richer.

View more about M reviews

Extended Reading
  • Dannie 2022-03-24 09:01:35

    The murderer in this film has a special appearance, and always wears a trench coat, wandering in the shadows, so FritzLang has put expressionism in place. The suspense is not the point, the key is the indifference of the crowd and the creation of a social atmosphere. The scene where the murderer is finally revealed, and a series of chase shots strengthen the tension and excitement. PS soundtrack like it.

  • Karl 2022-04-24 07:01:05

    From the movies of the 1930s, there is still a lot of inspiration in the lens and montage narrative. The part where Black and White Dao held a meeting to discuss the case at the same time was very interesting. The actor of "M" himself is very expressive, and he is a professional horror film actor. The setting of the final judgment is also very interesting. Is this a metaphor for the incompetence of the state apparatus and the law? When the law and morality conflict, should we obey human reason or completely selfless law? And the last

M quotes

  • Hans Beckert: That is a nice ball you have.

  • Franz, the burglar: [Franz is being tricked into thinking he killed the night watchman, and is going to jail for it] Please, Herr Kommissar! I'll tell you everything; even who we were looking for in that damned building.

    Inspector Groeber: Really. Who?

    Franz, the burglar: The child murderer, Herr Kommissar!