The Phantom of Soho (1967)

One of the worst movies I've ever seen

Fresh and Exciting

A Major Disappointment

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

"Das Phantom von Soho or "The Phantom of Soho" is a West German 90-minute film from 1964, so this one is already over 50 years old. The director is Franz Josef Gottlieb and the writer is Ladislas Fodor and these two were pretty prolific and successful back then. Their work on this film and also the cast are probably the main reason why this is a German-language film in the original (according to IMDb), but these days it may be easier to find the English-language dub than the original. I also watched the dub. The cast includes a handful of actors that were pretty successful back in the day, even if they are almost forgotten now. These would be Dieter Borsche, Barbara Rütting, Werner Peters, Hans Söhnker and others. You probably also find some of the cast members in other Edgar Wallace film as it was pretty rare they they just appeared in one of these. So now I already said that this 1.5-hour film from over half a century ago is based on an Edgar Wallace novel (Soho is mentioned not only in this title here) and these films were really popular back then and if you look for movies defining German cinema back in the 1960s, you will quickly meet Mr. Wallace for sure because of the quantity of films that exist, sadly not really because of the quality. This black-and-white movie here is another example of this. It has relatively little scare factor and humor compared to the other films, but it's a pretty grim little tale about a serial killer being out there and the cops try to figure out for what reason (s)he chooses his/her victims. All in all, a fairly forgettable watch. I did not find the story really that interesting and I give this one a thumbs-down. Not recommended.

'Das Phantom Von Soho' is a supremely pacy, atmospheric, and surprisingly grisly Krimi from the lurid pen of Bryan Edgar Wallace. The burlesque jazz sounds of Martin Bottcher are utterly sublime and not only are the performances uniformly excellent, the brutal stabbings have a decidedly proto-gialli feel. 'Das Phantom Von Soho' is an absolute must for rampant Krimi-headz, and while the overt camp-ness is considerably muted, the grisly, sordid atmosphere, thankfully isn't. This grungy little Edgar Wallace thriller was a real corker, and one of the rare Krimi's that I would happily watch again! And I most heartily approve of the lead actresses's spicy moniker: Barbara Rutting! "Oh, I say!" (Most appropriate for one so lithe!)

Slick Bryan Edgar Wallace mystery set in the seedy Soho district of London(..filmed in Berlin;part of Germany's successful Krimi crime genre, which resembles Italy's giallo)where a killer wearing golden gloves, black robe, and skull mask(..the latter is revealed at the end)is stalking and stabbing a group of questionable aristocratic individuals who populate at a strip club known as Zanzibar, and are caught off guard by the killer when they are most vulnerable. Obviously the killer must be found and who better to do so than the finest at Scotland Yard, led by Chief Inspector Patton(Dieter Borsche)and his lieutenant, Sergeant Hallam(Peter Vogel)answering to Sir Phillip(Hans Söhnker). A successful crime novelist, Clarinda Smith(Barbara Rütting), quite the opportunist, seeks to join the investigators, betting she could solve the mystery before they can. Each individual murdered seem tied together somehow, and the killer leaves a manila envelope(..with different types of currency, and a golden cigar case by one)at each crime scene. Patton and Hallam must determine the motive and why these certain individuals are selected for execution. It all ties to the Zanzibar strip club and the wheel-chair bound owner of the establishment, Joanna Gilyard(Stanislav Ledinek). Always by her side is Dr. Dalmer(Werner Peters), an established physician, known to care for wealthy clientèle. Patton and Hallam notice a rather ominous looking fellow hanging around Zanzibar, often hiding behind objects to spy on them, a visible birthmark around his eye, making him a recognizable figure, Wilhelm Grover(Otto Waldis)..he himself gets involved when Patton's on his way to discovering a truth about the killer. Another character who soon adds extra weight to an already difficult case is a bar photographer, Corinne(Helga Sommerfeld)whose job catches incriminating pictures of political and important figures in England..she may hold an answer herself in what is going on regarding the identity of the killer. And, another suspicious character arises, a blackmailing sailor, Captain Muggins(Hans W Hamacher)who threatens to expose information regarding a sunken ship and insurance fraud which certain people don't want published.Like any good mystery, Franz Josef Gottlieb's PHANTOM OF SOHO, follows the detectives on their pursuit of the killer, adding up the clues as characters are bumped off, tying up the loose ends as the complicated plot unfolds. If you follow behavior and how Gottlieb's camera sometimes casts doubt by pointing out faces during key moments of dialogue, you might just figure out who the killer is even if motive isn't clearly established until the end. Like many popular Giallo, this Krimi mystery is effectively stylish(..and atmospheric in the Gothic tradition)and even lurid at times(..since this is German produced, you even see dancers expose their breasts while stripping for on-lookers in the Zanzibar club)featuring devious characters with sordid pasts. And, at the heart of the story is a bona fide revenge angle for a very unjust act towards an innocent victim seeking retribution. Gottlieb's style is rather flashy, shooting characters from unusual(..but effective)angles, and the convoluted story is handled with expert skill. I recommend PHANTOM OF SOHO to fans of the Giallo, while it does lack the beautiful men & women wearing glamorous fashions, the gratuitous violence and sex/nudity associated with the popular Italian sub-genre, this Krimi mystery establishes the familiar framework the audience is accustomed to..unscrupulous characters with amorous appetites, dying at the hands of the killer, for a certain cause not yet established, the executions shot in a specific way(..the POV camera is the eyes of the killer as the gloved hands, one with the established knife, peer from the sides of the screen, confronting a frightened victim who is frozen from shock, stabbed in the heart, with the envelope planted either under the victim's hands or between their fingers), as the detectives solve the mystery. The colorful cast help matters immensely as does the intriguing plot(..and how it's designed)..I expect many will undoubtedly find such a film "old and boring", but fans of mysteries might like it.

"Residents and visitors of the Soho district in London are terrified due to a series of brutal murders near a prominent nightclub. A killer wearing a horrifying skull mask and golden gloves has been murdering patrons of the Sansibar. Scotland Yard is desperate to discover the secret behind the murders and find the killer before another victim falls at his hands," according to the DVD sleeve's synopsis.Scotland Yard inspector Dieter Borsche (as Hugh Patton) is unexpectedly accompanied, in sleuthing, by murder mystery novelist Barbara Rutting (as Clarinda Smith). Ms. Rütting believes she can unmask the "Phantom of Soho" before the police. Mr. Borsche is assisted by humorless Peter Sellers look-alike Peter Vogel (as Hallam). Director Gottlieb fails to make it very interesting, with some "arty" camera placements.*** Das Phantom von Soho (1964) Franz Josef Gottlieb ~ Dieter Borsche, Barbara Rütting, Peter Vogel