The Mistress Of Atlantis (1932)

Starring Brigitte Helm, John Stuart, Tela Tchai, Gustav Diessl, Gibb McLaughlin
Directed by G.W. Pabst
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)

Two French Legionnaires are captured in the Sahara desert and taken to underground catacombs housing the lost city of Atlantis, which is ruled by a cruel but beautiful queen.

Commencing with the unique revelation that the lost city of Atlantis may not have been located on a sea island, but in the desert, this showcase for Helm features excellent photography and convincing desert landscapes, but those expecting any breathtaking visuals of Atlantis or fantastic technology may well be disappointed.  The catacomb sets, while they serve the story and the characters, are surprisingly limited and nondescript. There's also not a lot for Helm to do besides look beautiful and issue cruel orders, but she's lovingly photographed and the sequence in which she plays chess with Stuart for his freedom is well designed and acted to illustrate the power she wields over him.  However, I found the film as a whole to be more dreary than striking, although thankfully the giant-mustached McLaughlin provides a badly needed colorful supporting character to liven things up a bit.  I think despite its faults, the picture still is worthwhile for its imagery, which culminates in a stunning pairing of Helm standing alongside a giant bust of her face which is not to be missed.

The Testament Of Dr. Mabuse (1933)

Starring Rudolf Klein-Rogge, Otto Wernicke, Gustav Diessl, Rudolf Schundler, Oskar Hocker
Directed by Fritz Lang
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)

Despite being imprisoned in an insane asylum, and apparently out of his mind, the criminal genius Dr. Mabuse is still able to devise plans and deliver them to his criminal gang to carry out.

Fritz Lang's follow-up to his silent classic Dr. Mabuse: The Gambler is a less impressive film in my opinion, but still interesting viewing, featuring thrilling sequences including a nighttime car chase from a burning chemical factory, and two people desperately trying to escape from a locked room containing a bomb.  Less time and detail is devoted to the extent of Mabuse's attempts to create terror in the city, as the director focuses more on Mabuse's gang, including a reluctant member who wants to give up his criminal past and start a new life with his beautiful girlfriend.  It's still a worthy effort by a master filmmaker, just not as impactful as the story's first chapter.