Die blaue Hand (1967)

Director:

Alfred Vohrer

Writers:

Herbert Reinecker (writer)
Edgar Wallace (novel)

Release Date:

1970 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Horror

Plot:

Scotland Yard is after a homicidal maniac called The Blue Hand, which is what he uses to kill his victims. |

Plot Keywords:

Snake | Murder | Insane Asylum | Twin | Secret Door

Cast

Harald Leipnitz	...	Inspektor Craig
Klaus Kinski	...	Dave Emerson / Richard Emerson
Carl Lange	...	Dr. Albert Mangrove
Ilse Steppat	...	Lady Emerson
Hermann Lenschau	...	Rechtsanwalt Douglas
Diana Körner	...	Myrna Emerson
Gudrun Genest	...	Schwester Harris
Albert Bessler	...	Butler Anthony
Richard Haller	...	Edward Appleton / Die Blaue Hand
Ilse Pagé	...	Miss Mabel Finley
Fred Haltiner	...	Wärter Reynolds
Peter Parten	...	Robert Emerson
Thomas Danneberg	...	Charles Emerson
Heinz Spitzner	...	Richter
Siegfried Schürenberg	...	Sir John

Also Known As:

Creature with the Blue Hand (USA)
The Bloody Dead (USA) (video title (recut version))

Runtime:

Germany:87 min | USA:72 min

Country:

West Germany

Language:

German

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Klangfilm-Magnetocord)

Certification:

Germany:12 (re-rating) (1991) | USA:GP | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

East Orange, New Jersey, USA

Company:

Rialto Film Preben-Philipsen

Trivia:

On the movie poster of the Italian release Diana Körner and Harald Leipnitz were credited as 'Diana Cornell' and 'Harald Leipniz'.

Movie Connections:

Edited into Out of this World Super Shock Show (2007) (V)

were 'Krimis' meant to be taken seriously?

I had seen both "The Bloody Dead" and "Creature with the Blue Hand" on VHS until I bought the DVD that has both versions, and I have to say that I enjoyed them although I can't imagine how exactly they were intended to be taken. Here we have a young man who has escaped a nasty asylum and manages to get home (four miles) and change into his brother's clothes, and be downstairs in a matter of moments, having assumed his brother's identity and shaved (and showered? he was awful sweaty-looking). Anyway, this is Dave (played by Klaus Kinski)who has assumed the identity of his brother Richard. Dave's been in the nut-house for killing the family gardener. Meanwhile, someone stalks the halls of the estate with the deadly Blue Hand, a metal glove, of sorts, with retractable claws, for those nasty gouges that cause immediate death in all they touch. And, there's something going on with wrongful commitments to the asylum in an attempt for someone to get an inheritance, or something along those lines. It's not terribly clear. There's also a dour butler with deadpan delivery who is quite amusing. This pretty fun to watch, despite its shortcomings, and has a cool jazzy 60's soundtrack which is also very enjoyable. The Bloody Dead version has added footage of cannibalistic inmates at the asylum but none of the additions do much for improving the coherence of the story. Anyway this is fun in a kind of odd way, and if you don't mind some cheesy effects and plot holes a mile wide, you may well enjoy this. It would of course help if you've already seen some "Krimis" and know what to expect. 7 out of 10.