The Phantom of Soho takes us to a setting of dark alleys and the dirty, crime infested streets of Soho England. We meet a varied assortment of characters including strippers and prostitutes. This is where we are taken in this movie which has a combination of horror, mystery, sexual backgrounds and situations. All of these together make this 1966 movie a bit different from the typical `who done it' movie. I didn't have high expectations for this movie but found myself to be pleasantly surprised having been caught up in it's suspense and mystery. In my opinion, there are a lot of better horror/mysteries out there, but this one is still worth watching and makes an enjoyable viewing. Give it a chance.
16 Reviews
Better than average
evilskip18 April 2000
In the 1960's two German studios were grinding out thrillers based on the works of Edgar Wallace and his son Bryan.This particular studio finally gave the field over to Rialto in 1964 after Monster Of London City.
This is a better than average film in the series as many at this point had become unwatchable.A hooded killer is disposing of clients of a seedy strip club.Government officials are heavily involved.A white slavery ring and revenge tie into the plot as well.The usual red herrings abound and the killer seemingly comes out of left field.Still worth a look.
This is a better than average film in the series as many at this point had become unwatchable.A hooded killer is disposing of clients of a seedy strip club.Government officials are heavily involved.A white slavery ring and revenge tie into the plot as well.The usual red herrings abound and the killer seemingly comes out of left field.Still worth a look.
Half decent Krimi effort
The_Void12 February 2009
The Phantom of Soho is another Krimi film based on a novel by the son of the great Edgar Wallace, Bryan Edgar Wallace. I can't say it's one of the best of the genre, but it features a decent plot that flows fairly well and kept my interest for most of the duration. As the title suggests; the film once again takes place in London and this allows director Franz Josef Gottlieb to build a dark and foreboding atmosphere to compliment his plot which chiefly involves murder. The plot focuses on a murder named 'The Phantom' who is going round London bumping various people off. The victims are all important men and seem to have something to do with Sansibar; a seedy nightclub owned by a crippled woman. Naturally it's not long before Scotland Yard is called in to investigate and they receive help from a mystery writer who is fascinated by the crimes. As they dig deeper into the murders, they find out that many of the victims have more in common than was first thought.
Naturally the film is not particularly graphic; but the murder scenes are rather memorable thanks to the way they are shown - usually we see the victim looking surprised while a pair of gloved hands (one holding a knife) is shown on either side of the screen. This is amusing the first time it's seen and while it does at least make the film somewhat memorable; I have to say that it does lack variety. The plot is more than a little bit sketchy and the film only really features memorable scenes, rather than a memorable narrative. The nightclub setting is good as it allows the director to show plenty of half naked women along with a sordid atmosphere. The film gets less interesting as it goes along and by the end I didn't really care too much about the mystery behind the murders, and that's a bit of a shame as there's a decent enough plot here to spawn a good thriller. The ending is something of a surprise, however, so anyone that makes it that far at least shouldn't be too disappointed. Overall, this is a Krimi worth seeing for genre fans; but it won't hold much interest for anyone else.
Naturally the film is not particularly graphic; but the murder scenes are rather memorable thanks to the way they are shown - usually we see the victim looking surprised while a pair of gloved hands (one holding a knife) is shown on either side of the screen. This is amusing the first time it's seen and while it does at least make the film somewhat memorable; I have to say that it does lack variety. The plot is more than a little bit sketchy and the film only really features memorable scenes, rather than a memorable narrative. The nightclub setting is good as it allows the director to show plenty of half naked women along with a sordid atmosphere. The film gets less interesting as it goes along and by the end I didn't really care too much about the mystery behind the murders, and that's a bit of a shame as there's a decent enough plot here to spawn a good thriller. The ending is something of a surprise, however, so anyone that makes it that far at least shouldn't be too disappointed. Overall, this is a Krimi worth seeing for genre fans; but it won't hold much interest for anyone else.
Superior (Bryan) Edgar Wallace "krimi"
lazarillo10 January 2009
A number of important men are being murdered in the London Soho district while attempting to make sexual liasons. The murders, perpetrated by the so-called "Phantom of Soho," seem to center around a seedy burlesque nightclub populated by a bizarre array of characters including the "crippled" female proprietor, her bent doctor/psychologist, and a pretty naive photographer. Eventually the Scotland Yard detectives and Agatha Christie-type female mystery writer tie the murders to a luxury yacht that sunk off the coast a couple years earlier. But the ending and the identity of the Phantom is a genuine surprise.
Although this is actually based on a novel of Edgar Wallace's much less talented son Bryan Edgar Wallace, this is actually a superior entry in the West German Wallace "krimi" series. It has a strong plot and an effective fog-shrouded atmosphere. It is also surprisingly risqué for the period with some of the nightclub acts culminating in some discrete toplessness, and the movie itself exuding a definite air of sexual decadence.
It is currently available on an apparently uncut Retrocinema double disc with the much weaker Edgar Wallace krimi "Curse of the Yellow Snake". That one is not really very worthwhile, but this one is definitely recommended.
Although this is actually based on a novel of Edgar Wallace's much less talented son Bryan Edgar Wallace, this is actually a superior entry in the West German Wallace "krimi" series. It has a strong plot and an effective fog-shrouded atmosphere. It is also surprisingly risqué for the period with some of the nightclub acts culminating in some discrete toplessness, and the movie itself exuding a definite air of sexual decadence.
It is currently available on an apparently uncut Retrocinema double disc with the much weaker Edgar Wallace krimi "Curse of the Yellow Snake". That one is not really very worthwhile, but this one is definitely recommended.
Phantom of Soho
Scarecrow-882 April 2009
Warning: Spoilers
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.
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.
Slow but Occasionally Effective
Hitchcoc1 February 2007
A German film taking place in England. A nice little plot with some entertaining policemen. The fun is in the investigation, though it does become muddied at times. For some reason, I knew the ending. Maybe I've watched too many movies. Still, there are some nice, stuffy performances and it is a pretty good whodunnit. If there is a criticism, it is editing and pacing. At times you just want to yell, "Get on with it!" But the plot does revolve around a crime for money and it really makes good sense when it is all over. The dubbing isn't bad. Whoever did voice overs did a nice job of trying to match the current scene.
Foggy Murder Mystery
wes-connors8 February 2009
"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
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
Evil lurks in Soho. A serial killer is on the loose.
michaelRokeefe26 April 2008
Warning: Spoilers
A very good mystery directed by Franz Josef Gottlieb and written by Bryan Egar Wallace. Dark and a little creepy. Not exactly predictable. Interest builds like a fever. Scotland Yard Chief Inspector Patton(Dieter Borsche)investigates the murders of several high-profile citizens of London. An attractive mystery writer Clarinda Smith(Barbara Rutting)asks to assist in the investigation to get material for her new book. She promises Patton that the mystery will be solved and the murderer revealed on the final page of her book. All victims just happen to frequent a Soho nightclub and lured to a neighboring hotel by a pretty photographer. The men are murdered by a gloved and masked killer with a magician's knife. Also in the cast: Hans Sohnker, Peter Vogel, Elisabeth Flickenschildt and Wemer Peters.
Awfully cheap....and slow.
planktonrules27 August 2013
"The Phantom of Soho" ("Das Phantom von Soho" or "Murder By Proxy") is a very, very cheap German film. The music is cheap, the sets are cheap and the film looks like it was made on an Ed Wood budget. The DVD print is REALLY cheap--and looks like it was copied from a scratchy old videotape. The only positive is that English dubbing (which I always dislike compared to good old subtitles) is pretty good.
Oddly, the film is set in the UK and features an investigation by Scotland Yard--probably because that's where Edgar Wallace set it, but I am still surprised the German production didn't just say it was in Hamburg, for example, and the investigators were the local police. Patrons of a Soho sex club are getting stabbed right and left but it turns out they have more in common than just a love of debauchery--they all shared the same life boat after a ship wreck. As to who is unknown killer is and why, I won't tell, as it would spoil the suspense.
So is the film any good? Well, it's not terrible--but it is incredibly talky and slow. Add this to the terrible print and it's a wonder if many people (other than a few nuts like me) would bother with this movie. Looking back at it, despite the cool title and neat DVD cover, I wouldn't have bothered had I known.
Oddly, the film is set in the UK and features an investigation by Scotland Yard--probably because that's where Edgar Wallace set it, but I am still surprised the German production didn't just say it was in Hamburg, for example, and the investigators were the local police. Patrons of a Soho sex club are getting stabbed right and left but it turns out they have more in common than just a love of debauchery--they all shared the same life boat after a ship wreck. As to who is unknown killer is and why, I won't tell, as it would spoil the suspense.
So is the film any good? Well, it's not terrible--but it is incredibly talky and slow. Add this to the terrible print and it's a wonder if many people (other than a few nuts like me) would bother with this movie. Looking back at it, despite the cool title and neat DVD cover, I wouldn't have bothered had I known.
The Phantom of Soho
coltras3513 February 2023
The killings in question take place around a seedy Soho den of ill repute known as the Sansibar, run by the wheelchair-bound crime boss Joanna Filiati (Elisabeth Flickenschildt). Somebody in sparkly golden Michael Jackson gloves is running around in the shadows stabbing people in the heart, something Joanna is trying to keep quiet, so as not to draw attention to her ring of prostitution, insurance scams, and other plain and sundry dirty dealings. Unfortunately for her, Scotland Yard is on the case, specifically Chief Inspector Hugh Patton (Dieter Borsche). Even more unfortunately for her, crime novelist Clarinda Smith (Barbara Rütting) is dogging him to let her tag along on the case, and the more he refuses, the more she seeks to prove herself an even better investigator than he is.
Despite this film featuring the comings and goings of the criminal element of London and their interactions with the Scotland Yard, this is a sort of a slasher thriller- the serial killer whodunit is front and center, forming the backbone of the entire plot. It's fast-paced, dark, seedy and sleazy with some surprising nudity by a dancer in the club. It's dripping with black and-white atmosphere, with cigarette embers lighting dark corners of the grimy street, and pale white disembodied faces peering around corners in harsh contrast with the dim London fog. Solid atmosphere, but it can be a bit too seedy for me. Surprising unraveling of the killer, with a tragic motive.
Despite this film featuring the comings and goings of the criminal element of London and their interactions with the Scotland Yard, this is a sort of a slasher thriller- the serial killer whodunit is front and center, forming the backbone of the entire plot. It's fast-paced, dark, seedy and sleazy with some surprising nudity by a dancer in the club. It's dripping with black and-white atmosphere, with cigarette embers lighting dark corners of the grimy street, and pale white disembodied faces peering around corners in harsh contrast with the dim London fog. Solid atmosphere, but it can be a bit too seedy for me. Surprising unraveling of the killer, with a tragic motive.
A darker Wallace adaptation, but not better than usual
Horst_In_Translation17 September 2016
Warning: Spoilers
"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.
A real gem in the series
rwagn8 January 2009
First off I recommend the Retromedia release as it is struck from a very good print. I might add this is the uncut version of the film. It contains two topless strip scenes and knife kill closeups that are usually missing from other prints. The dubbing is impressive. What I enjoy most is the agile and imaginative camera direction of Gottleib. The camera is almost never static.We are often treated to scenes which begin overhead then move down and envelop the actors. The scene involving the knife throwing act where the camera revolves as the assistant revolves is inventive. The plot is mediocre and you can identify the killer early on but taking the journey is most of the fun. A wonderful recreation of London with plenty of smoke and fog makes an excellent backdrop for this krimi thriller. Add to it an early 60's jazzy lounge soundtrack and you can't spend a better 96 minutes in my book.
'Das Phantom Von Soho' is a supremely pacy, atmospheric, and surprisingly grisly Krimi
Weirdling_Wolf23 January 2014
Franz Josef Gottlieb's singularly mean-spirited thriller 'Das Phantom Von Soho' is a supremely pacy, darkly atmospheric, and surprisingly grisly Krimi from the lurid pen of maestro Bryan Edgar Wallace. The blissfully burlesque jazz sounds of Martin Böttcher are utterly sublime and not only are the performances uniformly excellent, the brutal stabbings have a decidedly menacing, proto-Gialli feel. 'Das Phantom Von Soho' is an absolute must for rampant Krimi-headz, and while the overt campiness is considerably muted in this instance, thankfully, the remarkably grisly, sordid atmosphere isn't. This delightfully grungy little Edgar Wallace thriller is a real Bobby Dazzler, and one of the rare Krimi's that I would happily watch multiple times! And I most heartily approve of the hugely aesthetic lead actresses's spicy moniker: Barbara Rutting! "Oh, I say, missus!!!" (A most appropriate handle for one so uplifting!)
A True Phantom Menace...
azathothpwiggins22 July 2020
THE PHANTOM OF SOHO is a German "krimi" or crime drama about the titular district in London, England, and its being terrorized by said phantom.
Indeed, a murder spree is under way, having something to do with a strip club / brothel -yes, there are topless females- called Sansibar, run by the enigmatic Joanna (Elisabeth Flickenschildt). Certain men are being stalked and killed, and the killer is leaving a distinct "calling card" with the victims. Scotland Yard, represented by Chief Inspector Patton (Dieter Borsche), is suitably baffled.
A fairly gritty film, it's well written, acted, and directed. The characters are interesting and the mystery is intriguing. There's also a "shock" finale...
Indeed, a murder spree is under way, having something to do with a strip club / brothel -yes, there are topless females- called Sansibar, run by the enigmatic Joanna (Elisabeth Flickenschildt). Certain men are being stalked and killed, and the killer is leaving a distinct "calling card" with the victims. Scotland Yard, represented by Chief Inspector Patton (Dieter Borsche), is suitably baffled.
A fairly gritty film, it's well written, acted, and directed. The characters are interesting and the mystery is intriguing. There's also a "shock" finale...
Recommended!
JohnHowardReid9 March 2018
Warning: Spoilers
English dubbing supervised by Jacques Willmetz at his Paris Studios from a script by Alan Adair. Producer: Artur Brauner. Executive producer: Heinz Willeg.
A C.C.C. Production. Copyright 1964. West German release: 14 February 1964. U.S. release through Producers Releasing Organization: March 1967. New York opening: July 1967. Original title: das Phantom von Soho. 92 minutes.
COMMENT: Despite an unenthusiastic review by the U.S. trade paper Variety, I found this to be a gripping and wholly suspenseful movie. The characters are particularly well drawn. Admittedly the dubbing is a bit distracting at first, but most if it seems very competent and you soon get used to it.
The budget is admirably lavish, the sets so appropriately seedy one would swear it was all shot in the real Soho.
Sweeping camerawork imaginatively augments a tight screenplay by Ladislas Fodor (who had an extensive career in Hollywood as well as Berlin) that packs plenty of mystery and atmospheric horror into just about every minute of its highly charged running time.
A C.C.C. Production. Copyright 1964. West German release: 14 February 1964. U.S. release through Producers Releasing Organization: March 1967. New York opening: July 1967. Original title: das Phantom von Soho. 92 minutes.
COMMENT: Despite an unenthusiastic review by the U.S. trade paper Variety, I found this to be a gripping and wholly suspenseful movie. The characters are particularly well drawn. Admittedly the dubbing is a bit distracting at first, but most if it seems very competent and you soon get used to it.
The budget is admirably lavish, the sets so appropriately seedy one would swear it was all shot in the real Soho.
Sweeping camerawork imaginatively augments a tight screenplay by Ladislas Fodor (who had an extensive career in Hollywood as well as Berlin) that packs plenty of mystery and atmospheric horror into just about every minute of its highly charged running time.
Spitzenklasse!
feindlicheubernahme7 September 2023
Warning: Spoilers
...which means top class. And The Phantom of Soho really is. It's easily the best of the films I've seen based on the stories of Bryan Edgar Wallace.
Pretty much everything about is great, from the theme song onwards. The cast features such quality actors as Elisabeth Flickenschildt, Werner Peters, Dieter Borsche and Barbara Rütting. To give them all a bad script to work with would be a sin and, luckily, the writers don't commit it.
As everyone knows by now, the Italian giallo derived from the German krimi. The Phantom of Soho is, in my opinion, at least, at a point in between the two genres. It came out in 1964, the same year as Mario Bava's Blood and Black Lace, which is often described as being the first giallo. TPoS can certainly be called a proto-giallo, at the least. It has so many of the giallo elements: setting in a sleazy locale , the gloved killer, the attention paid to the killings and the fear on the victim's faces.
The differences are that the murders here aren't as bloody, the gloves aren't black and the victims are men (thousands of people cry out, "No! If it's not young, semi-naked women being slaughtered, don't dare to even compare it to a giallo!") Anyway, for me, who's no movie buff, it's a proto-giallo and I'm sticking to that.
We have an investigative team made up of two detectives, though we spend most of the film with Borsche's Patton, who's the senior partner. It makes a change to follow a seasoned old pro around, rather than a younger, more aggressive protagonist ever ready to fight with fists or bullets. We only have one action sequence, a long chase-and-fight which, while I can't say it was in any way realistic-looking, is about as much as you could hope for, given the period, the budget, and the actors involved.
The denouement is excellent. One last chase... Flickenschildt's hour has come... but no! In steps the detective at the last second. And we finally found out who the killer is.
Now, call me stupid, but I didn't have the guilty party figured out, as I'm sure many of you did. To be fair, I was enjoying the whole thing so immensely, I'd stopped to work out who it could be a while back and was just concentrating on watching, so I don't feel too bad.
And then the explanation of the reasons behind the killings. It's one of those where your sympathies immediately jump up and position themselves four-square behind the murderer. The revelation of kinship to another character was another surprise and quite moving. Exitus.
For once, I didn't even mind the ridiculous romantic ending, which came out of absolutely nowhere. I was in such a good mood, I even smiled at it. Shocking, I know. By the way, what was she being arrested for? Maybe I'll watch it again one day and find out.
So, a round of applause for The Phantom of Soho, if you will. One of the very best of the Wallace (both father and son) films. And please stop calling me stupid now. You can just think it.
Pretty much everything about is great, from the theme song onwards. The cast features such quality actors as Elisabeth Flickenschildt, Werner Peters, Dieter Borsche and Barbara Rütting. To give them all a bad script to work with would be a sin and, luckily, the writers don't commit it.
As everyone knows by now, the Italian giallo derived from the German krimi. The Phantom of Soho is, in my opinion, at least, at a point in between the two genres. It came out in 1964, the same year as Mario Bava's Blood and Black Lace, which is often described as being the first giallo. TPoS can certainly be called a proto-giallo, at the least. It has so many of the giallo elements: setting in a sleazy locale , the gloved killer, the attention paid to the killings and the fear on the victim's faces.
The differences are that the murders here aren't as bloody, the gloves aren't black and the victims are men (thousands of people cry out, "No! If it's not young, semi-naked women being slaughtered, don't dare to even compare it to a giallo!") Anyway, for me, who's no movie buff, it's a proto-giallo and I'm sticking to that.
We have an investigative team made up of two detectives, though we spend most of the film with Borsche's Patton, who's the senior partner. It makes a change to follow a seasoned old pro around, rather than a younger, more aggressive protagonist ever ready to fight with fists or bullets. We only have one action sequence, a long chase-and-fight which, while I can't say it was in any way realistic-looking, is about as much as you could hope for, given the period, the budget, and the actors involved.
The denouement is excellent. One last chase... Flickenschildt's hour has come... but no! In steps the detective at the last second. And we finally found out who the killer is.
Now, call me stupid, but I didn't have the guilty party figured out, as I'm sure many of you did. To be fair, I was enjoying the whole thing so immensely, I'd stopped to work out who it could be a while back and was just concentrating on watching, so I don't feel too bad.
And then the explanation of the reasons behind the killings. It's one of those where your sympathies immediately jump up and position themselves four-square behind the murderer. The revelation of kinship to another character was another surprise and quite moving. Exitus.
For once, I didn't even mind the ridiculous romantic ending, which came out of absolutely nowhere. I was in such a good mood, I even smiled at it. Shocking, I know. By the way, what was she being arrested for? Maybe I'll watch it again one day and find out.
So, a round of applause for The Phantom of Soho, if you will. One of the very best of the Wallace (both father and son) films. And please stop calling me stupid now. You can just think it.
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