Edgar Wallace - The Squeaker

[theuofc]

Question for Edgar Wallace people:



I'm aware of the 1937 version with Alistair Sim, et al, but has anyone seen the German version, Der Zinker, 1963, with Klaus Kinski? Any comments would be welcomed.



Barbara

[Nick Dando]

I can't imagine what Klaus Kinski's impression of Alastair would be like! A seriously deranged Professor Marcus, perhaps?



Nick

[theuofc]

name='Nick Dando']I can't imagine what Klaus Kinski's impression of Alastair would be like! A seriously deranged Professor Marcus, perhaps?



Nick

Hi, Nick,



I'm not sure if Kinski plays the same role as Sim, but it'd certainly be fun comparing them if he did. Have you heard of the German version? I had not.



Best,



Barbara

[batman]

Kinski has only a minor role in the film. It's a typical Wallace Krimi, no better or worse than the others ..... that means it is very entertaining.

[Nick Dando]

No, I hadn't. And I haven't seen the 1937 version either.



Nick

[theuofc]

name='batman']Kinski has only a minor role in the film. It's a typical Wallace Krimi, no better or worse than the others ..... that means it is very entertaining.

Hi, Batman,



If you've seen both versions, is the German one worth going out of the way to see?



Thanks,



Barbara

[batman]

name='theuofc']Hi, Batman,



If you've seen both versions, is the German one worth going out of the way to see?



Thanks,



Barbara

The German version is a typical Krimi, best seen in a subtitled version because the dubbing is poor. It's in colour, rare for an early 60s Krimi, and the photography is good. It sticks fairly closely to the book. I enjoyed it, but I like Krimis generally. IMHO is worth watching because it does create a nice sinister atmosphere and some of the performances are good. I like the 1937 version as well, but I would love to see the 1930 version (especially as EW directed it) if it still exists.

[theuofc]

name='batman']The German version is a typical Krimi, best seen in a subtitled version because the dubbing is poor. It's in colour, rare for an early 60s Krimi, and the photography is good. It sticks fairly closely to the book. I enjoyed it, but I like Krimis generally. IMHO is worth watching because it does create a nice sinister atmosphere and some of the performances are good. I like the 1937 version as well, but I would love to see the 1930 version (especially as EW directed it) if it still exists.

Many thanks, Batman. I knew there'd be an Edgar Wallace person in the know. I didn't realise there was a 1930 version and one directed by The Man himself.



I appreciate the comments on the German version. That it's in colour is surprising; I guess I just assumed it would be in black and white.



Best,



Barbara

[batman]

name='theuofc']Many thanks, Batman. I knew there'd be an Edgar Wallace person in the know. I didn't realise there was a 1930 version and one directed by The Man himself.



I appreciate the comments on the German version. That it's in colour is surprising; I guess I just assumed it would be in black and white.



Best,



Barbara

I was thinking about the colour thing so I checked up ..... the majority of the film is in B/W with just the opening credits are in colour. For some reason I remembered the whole film as being in colour. My mistake, sorry.

[theuofc]

name='batman']I was thinking about the colour thing so I checked up ..... the majority of the film is in B/W with just the opening credits are in colour. For some reason I remembered the whole film as being in colour. My mistake, sorry.

How cool is that! Even more interesting that primarily the credits are in colour and the majority of the film is in black and white. Do we do a PnP interpretation and assume that the credits are the mundane Earthly part while the b/w film itself is Heaven? Help, Steve.



Thanks again, Batman. I think highly of you to pause and recheck.



Barbara

[batman]

name='theuofc']



Thanks again, Batman. I think highly of you to pause and recheck.



Barbara

Thanks Barbara, I appreciate that.



I thought this might interest you .....







.... it's the press book, currently for sale on ebay.



This is a good site for having finding to Wallace krimi films ....



LINK: http://www.latarnia.com/krimi.htm

[theuofc]

name='batman']I was thinking about the colour thing so I checked up ..... the majority of the film is in B/W with just the opening credits are in colour. For some reason I remembered the whole film as being in colour. My mistake, sorry.

Hi, Batman,



This is a P.S. driven by curiosity. Do you have any thoughts, given your experience with Edgar Wallace films, as to why the credits would be in colour and the film in black and white? Is this the only EW one like that?



Thanks,



Barbara

[batman]

I have seen several and I don't recall colour in any of the others, but I just checked and according to Wikipedia all Wallace krimis from 1961 had colour credits. I must have seen non-colour prints of these films.



LINK: Films based on Edgar Wallace works - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[theuofc]

name='batman']I have seen several and I don't recall colour in any of the others, but I just checked and according to Wikipedia all Wallace krimis from 1961 had colour credits. I must have seen non-colour prints of these films.



LINK: Films based on Edgar Wallace works - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

What a fascinating read. Many thanks for that. I knew very little about Krimis and nothing about Rialto films and the 1960s Krimis' style with credits in colour. I learned a lot.



I'll have to track some down to watch. Much appreciated, Batman. Also thanks for the link to the pressbook and the EW films.



Barbara

[batman]

You can get some here ...



Link: .... ZDD Visual Media - The Collectors Choice -



Link: .... http://www.oldies.com/search/keyword...lace&x=18&y=19



Link: .... [ame="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Ddvd&field-keywords=edgar+wallace&x=13&y=16"]http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Ddvd&field-keywords=edgar+wallace&x=13&y=16[/ame]

[theuofc]

name='batman']You can get some here ...



Link: .... ZDD Visual Media - The Collectors Choice -



Link: .... Movie Search: edgar wallace: DVDs : OLDIES.com



Link: .... Amazon.com: edgar wallace - DVD: Movies & TV

Great links! The Latarnia one especially looks rich in Krimis titles. I hope the sinister films don't turn out to be as effective as Psycho which made me jump for years!



All the best,



Barbara

[theuofc]

name='batman']

Great poster, isn't it? Reporting back on Der Zinker (The Squeaker).



I saw Der Zinker this week on the big screen at the Goethe-Institut which was part of the Edgar Wallace krimis series directed by Alfred Vohrer they are screening.True to the deliberate 60s krimi formula, first the crime, then the splendid credits in bright red and yellow with a great soundtrack in the background, then the black and white film itself, and the happy tie-up at the end.



I enjoyed the 'experience'. What I didn't expect was the humour, almost slapstick or definitely not subtle, e.g. the reporter working for The Guardian (mind you this is a German film with German actors supposedly all filmed in London! big laughs). He and his boss at the Guardian have a running feud with The Telegraph which always scoops them on stories. And this was in the 60s.



The experimental cinematography was great fun and often beautifully atmospheric in some of the moody, foggy black and white shots with Klaus Kinski menacing in the background. We are treated to a shot -inside- one of the actor's mouth while he is eating a carrot! another from the (glass) bottom of the sink while one is washing a bloody knife, a closeup of an eye which may have been from the inside looking out (can't remember), and similar witty camera experiments.



To add to the spontaneous shooting of the film, at one point you could see the mike ring dangling at the top of the scene, so the actor casually reached over and hung his keyring on it and kept on talking. The audience burst out laughing!



The programmer at the Goethe-Institut told me while chatting about the krimis that the soundtracks are highly valued by krimi fans as well, and I believe it.



As I mentioned on another thread here, one critic managed to identify director Alfred Vohrer in uncredited cameos in several of the krimis, such as a concierge with one arm. He started out as an actor, but when he lost his hand he went into directing and became a strong presence in German film and on television.



All the best,



Barbara

[batman]

Glad you enjoyed it Barbara .... the Krimis certainly are a genre unto themselves. If you ever get the chance to see one of George Nader's German Jerry Cotton films do go and see it. They are not as bonkers as the Wallace Krimis but are a sort of Krimi James Bond and are hugely enjoyable.



LINK: Jerry Cotton (Character)

[theuofc]

name='batman']Glad you enjoyed it Barbara .... the Krimis certainly are a genre unto themselves. If you ever get the chance to see one of George Nader's German Jerry Cotton films do go and see it. They are not as bonkers as the Wallace Krimis but are a sort of Krimi James Bond and are hugely enjoyable.



LINK: Jerry Cotton (Character)

Hi, Batman,



I haven't managed to see any of the Jerry Cotton films, and I'm on notice now.



But I continue to muse about Alfred Vohrer krimis and The Squeaker. That's the effect and delight of the unexpected in films. When I wrote about the witty editing of the film, I forgot to mention another example (but want to as encouragement to viewers who have yet to see an Edgar Wallace-Vohrer film).



Right after the opening murder scene, followed by the coloured credits, we have a full-screen closeup of the grotesque face of a woman who seems to be screaming and waving her arms in distress. We think, "She's getting murdered too!" But wait. Camera pulls back, and we are treated to the bizarre scene of a short, grey haired woman (think Gladys Cooper with an extra two stone) on a podium waving her arms conducting Wagner to a record that's playing in her apartment to an enforced audience of relatives, who are probably waiting for her to die and get her money. Can you top that for the unexpected wit of film editing and leading an audience down the garden path?



More sly humour in a bar scene that has a huge head of a moose, left stage, with lit cigarettes sticking out of its nose. All of this could be slapstick, yet it works perhaps because the director doesn't focus on it but slides it in as comic relief and moves on to the darker drama at work.



Thanks again for pointing me to the krimis.



Barbara

[theuofc]

name='batman']Glad you enjoyed it Barbara .... the Krimis certainly are a genre unto themselves. If you ever get the chance to see one of George Nader's German Jerry Cotton films do go and see it. They are not as bonkers as the Wallace Krimis but are a sort of Krimi James Bond and are hugely enjoyable.



LINK: Jerry Cotton (Character)

Hi, Batman,



I just saw your new avatar. The best. But why are you 'in pain'?



Cheers,



Barbara