In the 1960s, a cycle of crime films - or krimis - became hugely popular with West German audiences. Adapted from works by the British crime writer Edgar Wallace and his son Bryan Edgar Wallace, they combined the traditional murder mystery with horror as they depicted enigmatic killers stalking their victims through foggy English landscapes - from the streets of London to isolated rural mansions. Following the early success of the cycle after the release of Face of the Frog and The Crimson Circle, veteran producer Artur Brauner launched into his own series of Wallace krimis with his company CCC Film. Presented here are five key films drawn from CCC's krimi cycle. In The Curse of the Yellow Snake, a mysterious cult wishes to lay its hands on an ancient artefact that has been brought to London from Hong Kong. The Strangler of Blackmoor Castle sees a masked murderer stalk the grounds of a vast British estate - one who brands his victims' foreheads with the letter "M." London is faced with dual threats in The Mad Executioners, as a gang of hooded vigilantes roams the streets while a sadistic serial killer is on the loose. Jack the Ripper lives on in The Monster of London City, as a series of brutal murders brings panic to the British capital. Finally, in The Racetrack Murders (or The Seventh Victim), people are dropping like flies in and around a stately home - and the murders might just have something to do with the owner's prized racehorse. With its masked killers, labyrinthine plots and gothic atmosphere, the Wallace krimi blended crime, thriller and horror elements into a potent mix that had a significant influence on both the Italian giallo and the American slasher film. The Masters of Cinema series is proud to present five of Artur Brauner's Wallace adaptations on Blu-ray in the UK from restorations provided by CCC Film, alongside a wealth of special features - including a bonus film presented in standard definition, The Phantom of Soho.
- Region Code:
- Region A,B
- Duration:
- 460 minutes
- Original Language:
- German
- Extras:
- Language(s): German, English, Subtitles: English, Interactive Menu, Screen ratio 1 - 1.66:1, Screen ratio 2 - 1.37:1, Screen ratio 3 - 2.35:1, Commentary: 'The Curse of the Yellow Snake'/'The Phantom of Soho': Kim Newman and Barry Forshaw; 'The Strangler of Blackmoor Castle'/'The Mad Executioners'/'The Racetrack Murders': Kevin Lyons and Jonathan Rigby; 'The Monster of London City': Kim Newman and Stephen Jones., Documentaries: 'Passing the Blade'; 'Terror in the Fog'., Interviews: Alice Brauner (producer/managing director of CCC Film)., Limited edition hardcase featuring new artwork by Poochamin; Bonus feature: 'The Phantom of Soho' (1964); New introductions to each film by Tim Lucas (genre film expert/'Video Watchdog' founder).
View