This remake of DARK EYES OF London (1940), from an Edgar Wallace novel, joins the mere handful of Krimis that I've watched over the years; as far as I can recall, these extend to just 3 DR. MABUSE entries and CIRCUS OF FEAR (1966). I know many are ardent fans of this type of film but, personally, I don't think they have the same rewatchability value as the contemporaneous Italian gialli.
The film is marked by directorial stylistics arresting shock cuts, inventive transition between scenes (including the iris effect), etc. and an avant-gardist score. It goes on too long, however, by having an inordinately convoluted plot that involves numerous characters; the original a British B-movie was, by necessity, far more compact and, consequently, more direct and effective. Still, the basic thriller elements remain undeniably engaging and the noir-ish atmosphere is thickly laid on (though undermined by the dupey, splicey print on the Retromedia DVD) making the film quite enjoyable if, ultimately, nothing special.
The cast is O.K.: likable middle-aged lead, attractive female roles, slightly overstated comic-relief sidekick; Bela Lugosi's role in the original is split into two here; the blind killer played by a Tor Johnson look-alike former wrestler is, again, depicted as a hairy grotesque; and it also features a young but typically intense Klaus Kinski in a supporting role.
The film is marked by directorial stylistics arresting shock cuts, inventive transition between scenes (including the iris effect), etc. and an avant-gardist score. It goes on too long, however, by having an inordinately convoluted plot that involves numerous characters; the original a British B-movie was, by necessity, far more compact and, consequently, more direct and effective. Still, the basic thriller elements remain undeniably engaging and the noir-ish atmosphere is thickly laid on (though undermined by the dupey, splicey print on the Retromedia DVD) making the film quite enjoyable if, ultimately, nothing special.
The cast is O.K.: likable middle-aged lead, attractive female roles, slightly overstated comic-relief sidekick; Bela Lugosi's role in the original is split into two here; the blind killer played by a Tor Johnson look-alike former wrestler is, again, depicted as a hairy grotesque; and it also features a young but typically intense Klaus Kinski in a supporting role.