The Phantom of Soho (1967)

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.

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.

"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

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.