| Creature With The Blue Hand |
| Directed by Alfred Vohrer Harald Leipnitz .... Ins Craig Klaus Kinski .... David & Richard Carl Lange .... Dr Mangrove Siegfried Schürenberg .... Sir John Ilse Steppat .... Lady Emerson Diana Körner .... Myrna Emerson |
| This movie was made in 1967 but not released in the USA until 1972.I happened to catch it in 1977 as part of a dusk to dawn drive in show with Beast Of The Yellow Night(see the poster) and a few others.Subsequent viewings have increased my appreciation of it. In front of his family (mother, twin Richard and sister Myrna) David Emerson is found guilty of murder.However due to the testimony of Dr Mangrove,David is remanded to the asylum.Dave protests his innocence. One night at the asylum someone slips David a key to his cell door.As he is escaping someone kills a nurse.David escapes into the foggy forest followed by a guard.(There is a nice use of backlighting in the fog during this chase).Scotland Yard is called in.Inspector Craig feels that Dave will head home to Greystone Hall which is only four miles away.This in fact is the case. Dave enters the basement of the manor.He is followed by the guard.The guard is swiftly killed with a strange weapon.A metal glove with knives does him in. Scotland Yard arrives at the house.While they examine the body Dave goes to Richard's room seeking help.He finds no one but does find a fresh change of clothes.The other Emerson boys and Myrna discuss whether or not Dave really did kill their gardener. Craig searches the house and finds a room full of mannequins.Lady Emerson explains that this was Dave's artwork.Craig shows her a picture of the metal glove with knife blades for fingers.She tells him it is the Blue Hand, a weapon developed by an ancestor.(It seems Dave was also researching the family history).The Blue Hand is in fact missing from its place. At this point we see everyone acting a bit strange, from the butler to the family attorney to even Lady Emerson.After all this is a krimi and if there isn't 20 suspects then something is amiss. Craig confronts Richard/David telling him he is in fact David.David pleads his innocence with Craig.As they are talking the killer wearing a hood and the Blue Hand assaults Myrna.Craig takes David to Scotland Yard to discuss the case with Sir John.David swears his innocence to Sir John.One of the asylum nurses tells Sir John and Craig that Mangrove lied about David.Another nurse had proof secreted somewhere.She was the one killed in David's escape. Myrna is kidnapped from Greystone Hall.In the meantime the Blue Hand begins to systematically knock off the Emersons. What are the reasons for the murderous attempts on the Emersons?Was David really framed?Who is the Creature With The Blue Hand? The look of the film is quite stunning which belies its low budget.It is well photographed and the cast is equal to the task (as far as dubbing permits).We're treated to a lot of spooky secret passageways and mysteries within the mystery.This film has a great jazzy score by Martin Bottcher.The opening theme song is extremely lively.Nicely directed by Alfred Vohrer. What somewhat hurts this film is that about 10 minutes has been cut from the running time.No doubt this was done to so it would fit easily onto a double bill here in the US.But what was cut would have helped explained who some of the people were and what their motivations were. All in all a film worth seeing if you can find it.It has been out of print for a few years now. |
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| Edgar Wallace Krimis # 1 |