Lessons On Movies.com
  Free Handout + MP3 + 8 Online Quizzes on M

  GAMES:

  • Fill-in-the-blank
  • Matching
  • Hangman
  • Flash cards
  • Sentence jumble
  • Missing words
  • No letters
  • Crossword puzzle

M is a 1931 German drama-thriller directed by Fritz Lang and starring Peter Lorre. It was written by Lang and his wife Thea von Harbou and was Lang's first film with sound, although he had directed more than a dozen films previously. The film has become a classic which Lang himself considered his finest work. The film is set in Berlin in 1931. The police are looking for a child murderer and start rounding up all the criminals they know. The city's gangs decide to try and catch the killer themselves. They do just that and try him in their own court. The police rescue him and arrest him so that he can stand trial again. The film ends with a warning to parents to watch over their children.

M is supposedly based on the real-life case of serial killer Peter Kürten, the "Vampire of Düsseldorf", whose crimes took place in the 1920s. Lang denied that he was influenced in any way by this case. Lang told film historian Gero Gandert in a 1963 interview: "At the time I decided to use the subject matter of M there were many serial killers terrorizing Germany." M premiered on May 11, 1931 in a version lasting 117 minutes. The original negative is preserved at the Federal Film Archive in a 96-minute version. In 1960 a shortened version was released lasting 98 minutes. The original 1931 version was ranked #33 in Empire magazine's "The 100 Best Films Of World Cinema" in 2010.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M_%281931_film%29 

  TRAILER AND POSTER

M POSTER

1. SIX WORDS: Look at the poster and write down six words (more if you like) that you think of as you look at it. Share the words with your partner(s). Why did you choose them?

2. STORY: Talk about what you think the story of the movie is – the start, beginning, end, etc. Change partners and share stories.

3. CREDITS: Look at the credits on the poster (the actors, director, producer…) and talk about them with your partner(s).

4. MUST-SEE: Talk with your partner(s) about whether the poster and movie title are good and make you want to see the movie.

5. STARRING YOU: Imagine you are one of the stars of the movie. Talk about your role with your movie star partner(s).

M TRAILER

1. RETELL: Watch the trailer and retell what you saw to your partner(s).

2. CHUNKS: Watch 10-to-15 second chunks of the trailer and retell what you saw to your partner(s).

3. QUIZ: Watch the trailer and write down some quiz questions for your partner(s). Watch a second time to find the answers to the questions.

4. VOCABULARY: Make a note of words in the trailer that you see or hear. Talk about them with your partner(s).

5. GOOD / BAD: Watch the trailer and write down why you think the film might be good or bad. Share your ideas with your partner(s).

  MATCHING

SYNONYM MATCH

1.	sound	a.	happened
2	classic	b.	protect
3.	finest	c.	apparently
4.	warning	d.	edition
5.	watch over	e.	caution
6.	supposedly	f.	menacing
7.	took place	g.	audio
8.	terrorizing	h.	ordered
9.	version	i.	masterpiece
10.	ranked	j.	best

PHRASE MATCH

1.	more than a	a.	killer Peter Kürten
2	his finest	b.	over their children
3.	rounding	c.	negative
4.	stand	d.	dozen films
5.	a warning to parents to watch	e.	matter
6.	the real-life case of serial	f.	work
7.	Lang denied that he was influenced	g.	version
8.	the subject	h.	trial
9.	The original	i.	up all the criminals
10.	a shortened	j.	in any way

  LISTENING / READING GAP FILL

M is a 1931 German (1) _________________________ Fritz Lang and starring Peter Lorre. It was written by Lang and his wife Thea von Harbou and was Lang's first film with sound, (2) _________________________ than a dozen films previously. The film has become a classic which Lang   (3) _________________________. The film is set in Berlin in 1931. The police are looking for a child murderer (4) _________________________ the criminals they know. The city's gangs decide to try and catch the killer themselves. They do just that (5) _________________________. The police rescue him and arrest him so that he can stand trial again. The film ends with a (6) _________________________ their children.

M is supposedly based on (7) _________________________ Peter Kürten, the "Vampire of Düsseldorf", whose crimes took place in the 1920s. Lang denied that he (8) _________________________ by this case. Lang told film historian Gero Gandert in a 1963 interview: "At the time I decided to use the subject matter of M there were many serial killers terrorizing Germany." M premiered on May 11, 1931 (9) ________________________. The (10) _________________________ at the Federal Film Archive in a 96-minute version. In 1960 a (11) _________________________ lasting 98 minutes. The original 1931 (12) _________________________ Empire magazine's "The 100 Best Films Of World Cinema" in 2010.

  CORRECT THE SPELLING

Paragraph 1
1.	a 1931 German drama lihrletr
2.	he had directed more than a dozen films lseopuivyr
3.	looking for a child derumerr
4.	gourdnin up all the criminals
5.	The police ceuesr him
6.	stand rtail
Paragraph 2
7.	ydpspeoslu based on the real-life case
8.	Lang denied that he was idnfeeculn in any way
9.	film toianrhis
10.	use the tujsbce matter
11.	the original gvtneeia
12.	a reedhosnt version

  PUNCTUATE & PUT CAPITALS IN THE TEXT

m is a 1931 german drama-thriller directed by fritz lang and starring peter lorre it was written by lang and his wife thea von harbou and was lang's first film with sound although he had directed more than a dozen films previously the film has become a classic which lang himself considered his finest work the film is set in berlin in 1931 the police are looking for a child murderer and start rounding up all the criminals they know the city's gangs decide to try and catch the killer themselves they do just that and try him in their own court the police rescue him and arrest him so that he can stand trial again the film ends with a warning to parents to watch over their children

m is supposedly based on the real-life case of serial killer peter kürten the "vampire of düsseldorf" whose crimes took place in the 1920s lang denied that he was influenced in any way by this case lang told film historian gero gandert in a 1963 interview "at the time i decided to use the subject matter of m there were many serial killers terrorizing germany" m premiered on may 11 1931 in a version lasting 117 minutes the original negative is preserved at the federal film archive in a 96-minute version in 1960 a shortened version was released lasting 98 minutes the original 1931 version was ranked #33 in empire magazine's "the 100 best films of world cinema" in 2010

  INSERT THE VOWELS

M _s _ 1931 G_rm_n dr_m_-thr_ll_r d_r_ct_d by Fr_tz L_ng _nd st_rr_ng P_t_r L_rr_. _t w_s wr_tt_n by L_ng _nd h_s w_f_ Th__ v_n H_rb__ _nd w_s L_ng's f_rst f_lm w_th s__nd, _lth__gh h_ h_d d_r_ct_d m_r_ th_n _ d_z_n f_lms pr_v___sly. Th_ f_lm h_s b_c_m_ _ cl_ss_c wh_ch L_ng h_ms_lf c_ns_d_r_d h_s f_n_st w_rk. Th_ f_lm _s s_t _n B_rl_n _n 1931. Th_ p_l_c_ _r_ l__k_ng f_r _ ch_ld m_rd_r_r _nd st_rt r__nd_ng _p _ll th_ cr_m_n_ls th_y kn_w. Th_ c_ty's g_ngs d_c_d_ t_ try _nd c_tch th_ k_ll_r th_ms_lv_s. Th_y d_ j_st th_t _nd try h_m _n th__r _wn c__rt. Th_ p_l_c_ r_sc__ h_m _nd _rr_st h_m s_ th_t h_ c_n st_nd tr__l _g__n. Th_ f_lm _nds w_th _ w_rn_ng t_ p_r_nts t_ w_tch _v_r th__r ch_ldr_n.

M _s s_pp_s_dly b_s_d _n th_ r__l-l_f_ c_s_ _f s_r__l k_ll_r P_t_r Kürt_n, th_ "V_mp_r_ _f Düss_ld_rf", wh_s_ cr_m_s t__k pl_c_ _n th_ 1920s. L_ng d_n__d th_t h_ w_s _nfl__nc_d _n _ny w_y by th_s c_s_. L_ng t_ld f_lm h_st_r__n G_r_ G_nd_rt _n _ 1963 _nt_rv__w: "_t th_ t_m_ _ d_c_d_d t_ _s_ th_ s_bj_ct m_tt_r _f M th_r_ w_r_ m_ny s_r__l k_ll_rs t_rr_r_z_ng G_rm_ny." M pr_m__r_d _n M_y 11, 1931 _n _ v_rs__n l_st_ng 117 m_n_t_s. Th_ _r_g_n_l n_g_t_v_ _s pr_s_rv_d _t th_ F_d_r_l F_lm _rch_v_ _n _ 96-m_n_t_ v_rs__n. _n 1960 _ sh_rt_n_d v_rs__n w_s r_l__s_d l_st_ng 98 m_n_t_s. Th_ _r_g_n_l 1931 v_rs__n w_s r_nk_d #33 _n _mp_r_ m_g_z_n_'s "Th_ 100 B_st F_lms _f W_rld C_n_m_" _n 2010.

  MARK THE SPACES

Misa1931Germandrama-thrillerdirectedbyFritzLang
andstarringPeterLorre.ItwaswrittenbyLa
ngandhiswifeTheavonHarbouandwasLang'sfirstfilmwithsound,altho
ughhehaddirectedmorethanadozenfilmspreviously.Thefilmhasbeco
meaclassicwhichLanghimselfconsideredhisfinestwork.Thefilmisseti
nBerlinin1931.Thepolicearelookingforachildmurdererandstartroun
dingupallthecriminalstheyknow.Thecity'sgangsdecidetotryandcatc
hthekillerthemselves.Theydojustthatandtryhimintheirowncourt.Th
epolicerescuehimandarresthimsothathecanstandtrialagain.Thefilm
endswithawarningtoparentstowatchovertheirchildren.Missupposedl
ybasedonthereallifecaseofserialkillerPeterKürten,the"VampireofDü
sseldorf",whosecrimestookplaceinthe1920s.Langdeniedthathewasi
nfluencedinanywaybythiscase.LangtoldfilmhistorianGeroGandertin
a1963interview:"AtthetimeIdecidedtousethesubjectmatterofMther
eweremanyserialkillersterrorizingGermany."MpremieredonMay11,
1931inaversionlasting117minutes.Theoriginalnegativeispreserved
attheFederalFilmArchiveina96minuteversion.In1960ashortenedver
sionwasreleasedlasting98minutes.Theoriginal1931versionwasrank
ed#33inEmpiremagazine's"The100BestFilmsOfWorldCinema"in2010.

  DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.	__________________________________________________________________
2.	__________________________________________________________________
3.	__________________________________________________________________
4.	__________________________________________________________________
5.	__________________________________________________________________
6.	__________________________________________________________________

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
1.	__________________________________________________________________
2.	__________________________________________________________________
3.	__________________________________________________________________
4.	__________________________________________________________________
5.	__________________________________________________________________
6.	__________________________________________________________________

  M SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about M in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

	Student 1 __________	Student 2 __________	Student 3 __________
Q1.
Q2.
Q3.
Q4.
Q5.

• Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.
• Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

  WRITING

Write your own movie review. Show your partner your letter. Correct each other's work.

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

  HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google's search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET INFO: Search the Internet and find more information about "M". Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about "M". What are (did) critics and moviegoers saying (say) about it? How good were the actors' performances? What was good and bad about the movie? Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

4. "M" POSTER: Make a poster about "M". Make sure you put tag lines, audience and critics' reviews, why people should see it, etc.  Show it to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your posters.

5. MY PREQUEL / SEQUEL: Make your own prequel or sequel for  "M". Make sure there is a good mix of things to do. Find some good online activities. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback.

6. CHARACTER STORY: Choose one of the characters from the movie. Imagine you are that character. Write your story about what you did in the movie. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback.

7. ONLINE SHARING: Use your blog, wiki, Facebook page, Twitter stream, or any other social media tool to get opinions on "M". Share your findings with the class.

  ANSWERS

SYNONYM MATCH

1.	sound	a.	audio
2	classic	b.	masterpiece
3.	finest	c.	best
4.	warning	d.	caution
5.	watch over	e.	protect
6.	supposedly	f.	apparently
7.	took place	g.	happened
8.	terrorizing	h.	menacing
9.	version	i.	edition
10.	ranked	j.	ordered

OTHER ACTIVITIES

Please check for yourself by looking at the movie review article at the top of the page.
(It's good for your English ;-)