1. Hans Beckert in M (1931)
Alike Takeuchi, Hans Beckert is all about his final scene. Before that moment, we can tell that he fails to repress temptation whenever an urge to kill resurfaces. But we have no background about him throughout the movie. Most of the film entails capturing Beckert, and his effect on society. Whoever watches
M nowadays
at least has a vague idea on how serial killers think. Some lack any sense of remorse and enjoy their sanguine deeds. Others have a little devil on their shoulder whose thirst for blood must be quenched. We know because we are privileged with several media outlets and networks. A very broad public sphere (whether newspapers, television, or internet) feeds us knowledge in ways unprecedented in the 1930s. Imagine watching this film back then. Unless you were a psychologist and/or a scholar, how could someone understand serial killers and their gruesome acts? Fritz Lang offers an ample explanation by Beckerts monologue in the ending, and Peter Lorre steals the show after his first minutes of continuous screen time. You see a man who views himself as a monster. You can almost feel his veins overflowing through his expressions. He is a man who is incapable of stopping himself however hard he tries. His pleads of support are almost palpable. He even shares envy for the other criminals in society who are treated with the power of choice; they can decide to end their dirty deeds any day. Beckert cannot. Like he says: who knows what it is like to be me? In a sense, he is a blend of the previous selections. The only difference is that he has always been self-aware. How could you not feel sorry for him? He is a serial killer like Bates, he is misunderstood like The Monster in Frankenstein, he has a chance to express himself like Takeuchi, and regrets his past decisions like Woo-jin Lee and Darth Vader. Has anybody been forgotten? Would you replace anyone in the list with another? Let us know in your comments!