MesmeroWatch list, 0 saved

Movie
Poster for The Testament of Dr. Mabuse

The Testament of Dr. Mabuse

1933 · 122 min

A shadowy, hypnotic thriller that draws you into a web of madness and crime, unsettling and intellectually gripping.

Tagline
Madman? Monster? Murderer? Scientist?
Overview
After a detective is assaulted by thugs and placed in an asylum run by Professor Baum, he observes the professor's preoccupation with another patient, the criminal genius Dr. Mabuse the hypnotist. When Mabuse's notes are found to be connected with a rash of recent crimes, Commissioner Lohmann must determine how Mabuse is communicating with the criminals, despite conflicting reports on the doctor's whereabouts, and capture him for good.

Search YouTube for the trailer

In the UKNo streaming, rental or purchase options known.
In your watch list

How it feels

Written by AI. It can be wrong.

Tone
  • darkstrength 3 of 3
  • tensestrength 2 of 3
  • eeriestrength 2 of 3
  • melancholicstrength 1 of 3
Pacing
measured, 2 of 4, from slow-burn to relentless
Attention
engaged, 3 of 4, from background-friendly to demanding
Themes
  • madness
  • crime
  • obsession
  • power
  • corruption
Places
  • big city
  • hospital
Era
period
Audience
adult
Form
  • serialised
Content intensity
  • Gore mild
  • Language mild
  • Violence strong
  • Sex none
All scales, 0 to 10
Scales, 0 to 10
ScaleValue0 to 10
Action5
Horror4
Humour2
Realism6
Romance3
Tension8
Darkness8
Complexity7
Emotional weight6

More like this

Titles like The Testament of Dr. Mabuse

Movie

Dr. Mabuse, the Gambler

1922

A hypnotic, sprawling silent crime epic that draws you into a shadowy world of manipulation and paranoia, demanding patience but rewarding with expressionist dread.

Same writer: Fritz Lang · Dark, tense · about madness and crime

Also
Same writer: Fritz Lang
Via
  • dark
  • tense
  • madness
  • crime
Pacing
slow-burn
Attention
demanding
Runtime
271 min
Details In your watch list
Dr. Mabuse, the GamblerHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

M

1931

A chilling, methodical descent into a city's panic, where whistled dread and mob justice feel unnervingly close to home.

Same writer: Fritz Lang · Dark, tense · about madness and crime

Also
Same writer: Fritz Lang
Via
  • dark
  • tense
  • madness
  • crime
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Runtime
110 min
Details In your watch list
MHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Verity

2026

A sleek, chilly thriller that keeps you uneasy, constantly second-guessing what's real and who's lying.

Dark, tense · about obsession

Via
  • dark
  • tense
  • obsession
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Runtime
117 min
Details In your watch list
VerityHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

1920

A feverish, twisted dream of painted shadows and crooked streets that unsettles and confuses you long after it ends.

Dark, tense · about madness and obsession

Via
  • dark
  • tense
  • madness
  • obsession
Pacing
slow-burn
Attention
engaged
Runtime
76 min
Details In your watch list
The Cabinet of Dr. CaligariHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Cure

1997

A quiet, creeping dread settles in as mundane spaces turn sinister, leaving you unsettled long after the screen goes dark.

Dark, tense · about madness and obsession

Via
  • dark
  • tense
  • madness
  • obsession
Pacing
slow-burn
Attention
demanding
Runtime
111 min
Details In your watch list
CureHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

The Big Heat

1953

A taut, grim noir that tightens like a vise, with sudden brutality and a bitter, wounded hero.

Same director: Fritz Lang · Dark, tense · about crime and corruption

Also
Same director: Fritz Lang
Via
  • dark
  • tense
  • crime
  • corruption
Pacing
brisk
Attention
engaged
Runtime
89 min
Details In your watch list
The Big HeatHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Zodiac

2007

A meticulous, slow-burning descent into obsession that feels like piecing together a puzzle that may never be solved.

Dark, tense · about crime and obsession

Via
  • dark
  • tense
  • crime
  • obsession
Pacing
slow-burn
Attention
demanding
Runtime
157 min
Details In your watch list
ZodiacHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Psycho

1960

A slow-building, unsettling experience that tightens its grip with eerie atmosphere and a shocking twist.

Dark, tense · about madness

Via
  • dark
  • tense
  • madness
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Runtime
109 min
Details In your watch list
PsychoHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Ministry of Fear

1944

A tense, shadowy noir that keeps you off-balance with paranoia and sudden danger.

Same director: Fritz Lang · Dark, tense

Also
Same director: Fritz Lang
Via
  • dark
  • tense
Pacing
brisk
Attention
engaged
Runtime
86 min
Details In your watch list
Ministry of FearHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Metropolis

1927

A monumental silent spectacle that feels like a feverish, beautiful dream, blending awe and dread into a grand, earnest myth.

Same writer: Thea von Harbou · Dark · about power

Also
Same writer: Thea von Harbou
Via
  • dark
  • power
Pacing
measured
Attention
demanding
Runtime
148 min
Details In your watch list
MetropolisHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

The Woman in Green

1945

A brisk, shadowy old-fashioned mystery that keeps you leaning in, with a sinister edge and a satisfying duel of wits.

Dark, tense · about crime and obsession

Via
  • dark
  • tense
  • crime
  • obsession
Pacing
brisk
Attention
engaged
Runtime
68 min
Details In your watch list
The Woman in GreenHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

The Usual Suspects

1995

A twisty, talky crime thriller that keeps you guessing, with a dark, brooding atmosphere and a killer final reveal.

Dark, tense · about crime and power

Via
  • dark
  • tense
  • crime
  • power
Pacing
measured
Attention
demanding
Runtime
106 min
Details In your watch list
The Usual SuspectsHidden from your suggestions.

Where to watch in the UK

No UK streaming, rental or purchase options are known.

Streaming data from JustWatch.TMDB

Details

Genres
crime, mystery, thriller
Directed by
Fritz Lang
Written by
Fritz Lang, Thea von Harbou
Starring
Rudolf Klein-Rogge, Oscar Beregi Sr., Camilla Spira, Otto Wernicke, Paul Henckels, Theo Lingen, Rudolf Schündler, Theodor Loos
Music
Hans Erdmann, Walter Sieber
Cinematography
Károly Vass, Fritz Arno Wagner
Runtime
122 min
Country
Germany, France
Languages
German

TMDBIMDbLetterboxdWikipediaWikidata

Something wrong on this page? Tell us.