Dead Eyes of London Ghost

Rating:
Summary: Finally, a good print of "Dead eyes!"
Review: German cinema has always been interesting. During the 1960s, a genre developed in Munich based largely upon the mystery-thriller writings of British author, Edgar Wallace (who did the screenplay for King Kong), or his son, Bryan Edgar Wallace. This genre is called "krimi" (crime drama), and is characterized by complex, convoluted plots with several simultaneous cross-currents occurring - all of which get resolved in the last five minutes of the film. Also, the films all have excellent, jazzy scores composed by such musical luminaries as Peter Thomas and Gert Wilden. The cast usually included a selection of Joachim Fuchsberger, Heinz Drache, Karin Dor, Senta Berger, Werner Peters, Eddi Arendt, and Klaus Kinski. Viewers either love these films for being fascinating, or revile them for being confusing - they are seldom dull. There is a reasonably large, worldwide cult following for these films, and I must confess that I am a member.

"Dead eyes" is one of the better films of the krimi genre and features the international star, Joachim "Blackie" Fuchsberger. It is a fast-paced story with several intertwined plots, of which the main one is about a gang of blind assassins who are murdering rich people all of whom are insured by the same insurance company. The initial suspense level is sustained throughout the entire film by means of expert direction and superb acting. The film's mood is dark and brooding and creates an empty, alienated, and invasive atmosphere. No - this movie does not meet the cinematic standard established by "Gone with the wind," however, if you are a fan of what is called "Eurotrash," you will probably like this film. While the print quality is less than pristine and tends to be slightly on the soft side, it is better than "pretty good" and is likely the best quality reprint that is available now or will be in the future.

Also, the Barbara Steele film, "Ghost," is great! This is truly a DVD worth adding to your 1960s mystery-thriller collection.

Rating:
Summary: GOOD OLD RETROMEDIA....
Review: I bought this because I wanted a better print of "The Ghost" on DVD. It's a rare Italian horror film with Barbara Steele that's a follow up to the classic "Terror of Dr.Hitchcock". Extremely moody and eerie and saturated with Gothic atmosphere, it features Steele at her best as both vixen and victim. While Retromedia's print does look better, it is by far not the best. There are bad scratches on the print throughout. The second feature on this disc is a soft and dupey print of "Dead Eyes of London". This is a low-budget German remake of Lugosi's 1939 thriller "The Human Monster". Both films are based on a story by Edgar Wallace. "Dead Eyes" is a murder mystery or "krimi" that features a Tor Johnson type blind brute following orders and kidnapping wealthy older men. It is neither scary nor a horror film despite the hype on the box. It does feature a pretty funny electronic score that flourishes the "scary scenes". I was disappointed on all counts with this purchase. I do admit that the print of "The Ghost" is better than what I had but it's not the best and the scratches distract. So until something better comes along, for Steele fans, get this for "The Ghost". "Dead Eyes of London" is a curiosity at best.

Rating:
Summary: GOOD OLD RETROMEDIA....
Review: I bought this because I wanted a better print of "The Ghost" on DVD. It's a rare Italian horror film with Barbara Steele that's a follow up to the classic "Terror of Dr.Hitchcock". Extremely moody and eerie and saturated with Gothic atmosphere, it features Steele at her best as both vixen and victim. While Retromedia's print does look better, it is by far not the best. There are bad scratches on the print throughout. The second feature on this disc is a soft and dupey print of "Dead Eyes of London". This is a low-budget German remake of Lugosi's 1939 thriller "The Human Monster". Both films are based on a story by Edgar Wallace. "Dead Eyes" is a murder mystery or "krimi" that features a Tor Johnson type blind brute following orders and kidnapping wealthy older men. It is neither scary nor a horror film despite the hype on the box. It does feature a pretty funny electronic score that flourishes the "scary scenes". I was disappointed on all counts with this purchase. I do admit that the print of "The Ghost" is better than what I had but it's not the best and the scratches distract. So until something better comes along, for Steele fans, get this for "The Ghost". "Dead Eyes of London" is a curiosity at best.