An incredible box set of German crime films is being released this month by Eureka! and they are just spectacular- presented in High Definition from 2K restorations from the original film elements undertaken by CCC Film.
Now, much like the “giallo” sexy suspense films were in Italy, these “krimi” films were a cycle of thrillers based on the novels of mystery writer Edgar Wallace (by Rialto Films) that were surprise hits in German cinemas in the 1960s. Producer Artur Brauner of CCC Films wanted to get in on the action so he craftily hired Edgar Wallace’s writer son Bryan Edgar Wallace as spokesman for their thrillers. To be honest, these films weren’t often penned by Bryan Edgar Wallace but by other screenwriters. Black and white (with occasional color titles), these mysteries were set in seedy Soho bars and streets or gloomy castles with secret passageways and hooded killers creeping outside. Now, we only saw these in the States badly dubbed in English and in cut, crummy-looking prints. So, to see how beautiful they look (and were shot) and to hear them in their original German language makes for a totally different, and thrilling, experience.
The films included in the set are: The Curse of the Yellow Snake (1963) which was actually based on a real Edgar Wallace novel that Rialto Films didn’t have the copyright on. It’s about a Chinese cult trying to steal an ancient artifact that will help them in their dream of world dominance. Actor Joachim Fuchsberger (who usually starred as a Scotland Yard inspector in the Rialto “Krimi” films) is our hero, trying to thwart his psychotic half-brother (Pinkus Braun), the head of the cult. Eddi Arent stars as a collector of Chinese antiquities and is the comic relief as he was for most of the Rialto films.
The Strangler of Blackmoor Castle (1963) A hooded killer stalks a country estate killing, and beheading, his victims and carving an M on the foreheads of the corpses. The mystery is around a shady nobleman and some stolen diamonds hidden somewhere in the bowels pf the castle. Really atmospheric, moody and suspenseful.
The Mad Executioners (1963) One of the very best in this set. It’s about a vigilante kangaroo court with secret “judges” wearing robes and hoods who abduct criminals who have evaded the law, or have been exonerated by a jury even though they are guilty. The “prisoners” are brought to a dungeon-like setting and tried and executed by hanging, leaving their bodies and “evidence” for Scotland Yard to find. There is also a side story about a fiendish killer beheading women in the city, and the lead detective (Hansjorg Felmy), whose sister was tragically one of the victims.
The Phantom of Soho (1964) This is the one title that is only in SD but, trust me, it still looks incredible. A killer wearing a creepy mask and sparkly golden gloves stalks his victims around a seedy Soho nightclub run by a mysterious, scarred woman in a wheelchair. A writer of mysteries- Clarinda Smith (Barbara Rutting)- keeps injecting herself into the investigation as fodder for her next book. (Bryan Edgar Wallace makes a cameo during the credits).
The Monster of London City (1964) Using a lot of the same sets from The Phantom of Soho, this is set around a hit play in London’s West End concerning Jack the Ripper. Meanwhile, a real killer is hacking up prostitutes in the neighborhood. The police suspect the lead actor of the play- Richard Sand (Hansjorg Felmy), who is prone to depression and blackouts. His girlfriend is suspicious of her political bigwig uncle who dresses up in a cloak and hat and disappears into the night the same time the murders occur.
The Racetrack Murders (1964) A prize horse called “Satan” is at the center of this crackling mystery. First his jockey is killed, then several members of the family of the horse’s owner- in bizarre fashion. Can the horse make it to the Darby, considering several London gangsters have a vested interest in the thoroughbred not making it to the finish line? The original German title for the film was The Seventh Victim, foreshadowing the bitterly ironic gag at the end of the film.
There are copious extras. Introductions to each title by film historian Tim Lucas (that are informative as hell but might be better watched after you see the film). There are audio commentaries and features about Bryan Edgar Wallace, the influence of the “krimi” film on the Italian “giallo” film, and an interview with the beautiful Alice Brauner, daughter of the producer of CCC Films.
