Fritz Lang epic classic Dr. Mabuse Der Spieler bursts onto Blu-ray this October

A world first, and the UK gets it! Happy, happy, joy, joy to Eureka Entertainment for announcing the first part of legendary Fritz Lang's infamous and career-spanning Mabuse trilogy

Out on Blu-ray this coming 28th October is the first 1080p release of the classic silent epic Dr. Mabuse, Der Spieler, aka Dr. Mabuse, the Gambler.

An officially licensed transfer from restored HD materials, this comes with new and improved optional English subtitles with original intertitles, an exclusive feature-length audio commentary by film-scholar and Lang expert David Kalat, an interview with the composer of the restoration score, a discussion of Norbert Jacques, creator of Dr. Mabuse featurette, and an examination of the film’s motifs in the context of German silent cinema featurette.

Oh yes and of course the obligatory Masters of Cinema 32 page booklet with vintage reprints of writing by Lang is included. With a runtime of 281 minutes, this comes in its original 1.37:1 aspect ratio and carries a recommended retail price of £19.99.

Synopsis and clip follow...

One of the legendary epics of the silent cinema, this is a masterpiece of conspiracy that, even as it precedes the mind-blowing Spione from the close of Lang's silent cycle, constructs its own dark labyrinth from the base materials of human fear and paranoia.

Rudolf Klein-Rogge plays Dr. Mabuse, the criminal mastermind whose nefarious machinations provide the cover for, or describe the result of, the economic upheaval and social bacchanalia at the heart of Weimar-era Berlin.

Initiated with the arch-villain's diabolical manipulation of the stock-market, and passing through a series of dramatic events based around hypnotism, charlatanism, hallucinations, Chinese incantations, cold-blooded murder, opiate narcosis and cocaine anxiety, Lang's film maintains an unrelenting power all the way to the final act... which culminates in the terrifying question: "WHERE IS MABUSE?!"

A bridge between Feuillade's somnambulistic serial-films and modern media-narratives of elusive robber-barons, Lang's two-part classic set the template for the director's greatest works, social commentary as superpsychology, poised at the brink of combustion.