Doctor Mabuse

An absolutely terrible, amateurish, silly take on the old Dr. Mabuse character with virtually no redeeming value. Okay, the blue screen look of the film is occasionally striking, but this is a mess when it comes to a solid script, strong characters, suspense, tension, or any coherent excitement. I felt sorry for the old "Dark Shadows" actors, of which only Kathryn Leigh Scott gives a memorable performance in a laughably under-written role.

I can only imagine that somebody got their relatives or people who worked on the film to write these rave reviews. The new Spielberg? Come on!

Due to my love of the original Dark Shadows tv series and it's many actors, I came upon doing a deep dive into filmmaker Ansel Faraj's filmography the last few months.

Faraj having made this film at such a young age is extremely impressive! The mood and actors included are definitely the cherry on top! (DS alumni Jerry Lacy, Kathryn Leigh Scott and the beautiful Lara Parker!)

Going back to an early film like Mabuse was really exciting and rewarding to see what Ansel has been able to do in the years since this release! I highly recommend 2019's "Loon Lake" also starring DS alumni's, like David Selby and Kathryn Leigh Scott (once more!)

This film merged old school acting techniques with new film making! Strong characters, great script and an amazing score are among the best features of this film. Ansel shows that with determination and a strong cast - his ideas can come alive even on a limited budget.

Favorites in the film are Jerry Lacy and the late Linden Chiles with effortless, natural performances by both that only comes from years of experience. Strong supporting roles by David Graham, Julian Grant and John C. Smith.

Slow dialogue exchanges between Nathan Wilson and Bahia Garrigan made for lengthy scenes, I had wished for quicker delivery. Though the two had moments that showcased their talents.

A lot going on in this film both visually and within the plot. The film was easy to follow, script was well written and there were no loop holes for me. Climax scene between Lacy and Wilson was very well done.

I enjoyed the film; that being said I would have enjoyed it more and given it a better rating if the dialogue pace during some of the scene had not been so slow (lengthy).

Thumbs up to Ansel for directing a terrific cast of all ages. He really showed his professionalism with this film. People don't realize he does EVERYTHING on his projects: writes, produces, edits, visual effects, casts, edits again, directs, cameraman, edits again and delivers each film from his soul! 21 years old! Most 21 year old's are in college trying to find a major or are on the beach surfing all morning. Ansel eats, sleeps, drinks and breathes movies. Its in his DNA and in this film it shows. He should be proud.

I had high hopes for this indie go at a film with the super criminal Norbert Jacques created in 1921 but was horribly disappointed. While I went with a high degree enthusiasm (and never imagined the film to be in the theme of Lang's Mabuse films) and sat through the entire film, I was supremely disappointed in the Ansel Faraj-helmed effort.

The film is unevenly acted, obtusely written and far, far too pretentious. It doesn't work merely as a piece of art, and as entertainment it's a thermonuclear fail many times over.

A second Mabuse film is said to be in pre-production by the same group, a fact that defies belief after seeing this misguided effort.

I bought the DVD because it featured several Dark Shadows actors. And it was nice seeing them again -- though I felt sorry for them that they'd been reduced to working in this mess.

This production has an ultra low-budget feel. Shot entirely on stage, indoors, with green screen backgrounds. The scenes are very talky and pointless. I couldn't follow the logic of the plot. Lots of babble, which only serves to pad a dramatically vapid production.

Lara Parker and Kathryn Leigh Scott were under-utilized, so there wasn't even the pleasure of seeing them so much. At least Jerry Lacy had a more substantive role.