Dr. M (film)

Dr. M. is a 1990 crime film co-written and directed by Claude Chabrol. The film is loosely based on the plot of Fritz Lang's Dr. Mabuse the Gambler, which was in turn based on Mabuse der Spieler by Norbert Jacques.[1]

Dr. M
French theatrical release poster
Directed byClaude Chabrol
Produced byHans Brockmann
François Duplat
Christoph Holch
Screenplay byClaude Chabrol
Sollace Mitchell
Story byThomas Bauermeister
Based onDoctor Mabuse der Spieler
by Norbert Jacques
StarringAlan Bates
Jennifer Beals
Jan Niklas
Music byMekong Delta
Paul Hindemith
CinematographyJean Rabier
Edited byMonique Fardoulis
Production
company
N.E.F. Filmproduktion und Vertriebs
Ellepi Films
Italian International Film
Cléa Productions
Solyfic
ZDF
Telefilm Saar GmbH
La Sept
Release date
  • 24 May 1990 (1990-05-24)
Running time
111 minutes
CountryWest Germany
France
Italy
LanguageEnglish

Plot

In the near future, there is an outbreak of dramatic suicides in Berlin. A police detective suspects that the suicides are really caused by a lone madman, Dr. Marsfeldt, who is using a form of mass hypnosis. His investigations lead him to a beautiful, enigmatic woman whose image is being used to manipulate the populace.

Cast
ActorRole
Alan BatesDr. Marsfeldt / Guru
Jennifer BealsSonja Vogler
Jan NiklasLt. Claus Hartman
Andrew McCarthyThe Assassin
Hanns ZischlerMoser
Benoît RégentStieglitz
Alexander RadszunEngler
Daniela PoggiKathi
William BergerPenck
Michael DegenReimar von Geldern
Wolfgang PreissKessler
Jean BenguiguiRolf
Isolde BarthMrs. Sehr
Béatrice MacolaAnna

Critical reception

Steve Simels of Entertainment Weekly gave the film a C-:

[T]his is a standard-grade, low-budget European B movie. The plotting is absurd (with anachronistic elements; though the film is set in the future, the Berlin Wall has not yet come down); the stars — including the still fetching Jennifer Beals and the usually cool Alan Bates (doing what seems like an eccentric imitation of Albert Finney doing Hercule Poirot) — either overact or sleepwalk; and the pacing is lethargic verging on comatose.[2]

Jackson Adler of TV Guide gave the film 3 out of 4 stars:

Club Extinction is something of a mishmash. But it's a mostly engaging mishmash with Chabrol operating in a satirically sinister mode that should come as no surprise to his devotees... In contrast to many American genre pictures, the problems with Club Extinction stem from aiming too high rather than too low... [M]ostly to Chabrol's credit, the going never gets boring, no matter how many times one views it. Club Extinction is an absorbing and even amusing thriller with brains--even if it does take more brains than should be necessary to follow its helter-skelter plot.[3]

Release

Home media

The film was released in the United States as Club Extinction on VHS.[4]

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See also

References
  1. Claude Chabrol (2011-08-04). "Docteur M. - Cast, Reviews, Summary, and Awards". AllRovi. Archived from the original on 2011-11-30. Retrieved 2011-08-22.
  2. Steve Simels (1991-04-05). "Club Extinction Review". EW. Retrieved 2011-08-22.
  3. "Club Extinction Review". TV Guide. Retrieved 2011-08-22.
  4. "Club Extinction VHS". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2011-08-22.
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