M

Anxious to capture elusive child killer Hans Beckert, police begin rounding up every criminal in town. The underworld leaders decide to take the heat off their activities by catching the murderer themselves. Once the locals identify Beckert, they mark him by chalking the letter “M” on his back.

One of the greatest films of all time, Fritz Lang’s M revolutionized the medium with its inventive soundscape, acute social commentary, and stunning visuals. This defining title of German Expressionism laid the blueprint for film noir with its chilling story of a serial murderer on the loose.