Tuesday, September 30, 2025
Monday, September 29, 2025
Das Ungeheuer von London City aka The Monster of London (1964) Quasi Black Comedy "Krimi" Noir
Directed by Edwin Zbonek. Written by Robert A. Stemmle and Bryan Edgar Wallace. Cinematography by Siegfried Hold, composer Martin Böttcher.
The film stars Hansjörg Felmy (Torn Curtain) as Richard Sand, Marianne Koch (A Fistful Of Dollars) as Ann Morlay, Dietmar Schönherr as Dr. Morely Greely / Michael, Hans Nielsen as Dorne, Chariklia Baxevanos as Betty Ball, Fritz Tillmann as Sir George, Walter Pfeil as Horrlick, Peer Schmidt as Teddy Flynn, Kurd Pieritz as Maylor, Elsa Wagner as Housekeeper, Adelheid Hinz as Maid, Gerda Blisse as Assistant, Manfred Grote as Detective, Kai Fischer as Helen Capstick, Gudrun Schmidt as Evelyn Nichols.
Story
This is the story of a copy cat of Jack The Ripper who is terrorizing 1960s London. It just happens that at the same time a popular theater drama about Jack The Ripper is playing in SoHo.
A local politician, Sir George, is railing about the play being the cause of the killings. His ward and niece Ann Morlay, is romantically involved with the lead actor Richard Sand, whom, Sir George wants Ann to have nothing to do with him.
As the killings continue Richard Sand comes under suspicion. There's also a private detective and his secretary / gal pal who try to lure the "Ripper" by having her pretend to be a prostitute.
We cut back and forth between the play and the real life ripper murders.
Noirsville
.png) |
| Hansjörg Felmy as Richard Sands and Marianne Koch as Ann Morlay |
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
The Director Edwin Zbonek and cinematographer Siegfried Hold create a good looking light café au lait Noir that feels a bit uneven, there's great establishing shots, a lot of false leads sprinkled through the story, a mansion set that obviously doubles as a castle, there's a dash of an Inspector Clouseau detective type character, and a pinch of a musical. I admit that I've seen only a handful of German Noir so this one just may be an aberration, a German Noir "kink." Similar in a way that Mexican and Greek "Cabaretera" Noir add a lot of dancing and music.
There's some very nice on location shots in London but most on the film was shot at the Spandau Studios in Berlin. Watchable & for free on YouTube 6.5 /10
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)