Die blaue Hand (1967)

Director:

Alfred Vohrer
(more)

Writers:

Herbert Reinecker (writer)
Edgar Wallace (novel)
(more)

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
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Denise Coward	...	Nurse Warner (1987 footage) (uncredited)
Otto Czarski	...	Wärter Duck (uncredited)
Ed French	...	Bearded lunatic (1987 footage) (uncredited)
Karin Kenklies	...	Nurse Agnes Dairen (uncredited)
Helga Lander	...	Virginia (uncredited)
Harry Riebauer	...	Mr. Snobbits (uncredited)
Alfred Vohrer	...	Edgar Wallace / Boss (voice) (also archive footage) (uncredited)

Directed by
Alfred Vohrer
Samuel M. Sherman		(new footage) (uncredited)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Fred Denger		uncredited
Uschi Haarbrücker		script (uncredited)
Harald G. Petersson		uncredited
Herbert Reinecker		writer (as Alex Berg)
Samuel M. Sherman		1987 footage (uncredited)
Edgar Wallace		novel "The Blue Hand"

Produced by
Fritz Klotsch	....	executive producer
Horst Wendlandt	....	producer
Preben Philipsen	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Martin Böttcher

Cinematography by
Ernst W. Kalinke

Film Editing by
Jutta Hering

Production Design by
Walter Kutz
Wilhelm Vorwerg

Set Decoration by
Günter Beer		(uncredited)
Günter Franke		(uncredited)

Costume Design by
Irms Pauli
Gisela Nixdorf		(uncredited)
Helmut Preuss		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Charlotte Kersten	....	makeup artist (as Charlotte Kersten-Schmidt)
Willi Nixdorf	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Herbert Kerz	....	production manager
Wolfgang Kühnlenz	....	production manager
Harry Wilbert	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Eva Ebner	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Gerhard Müller	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Joachim Gitt	....	assistant camera
Wolfgang Hofmann	....	assistant camera
Gerd-Victor Krau	....	still photographer
Max Marhoffer	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Evelyn Siewert	....	assistant editor (uncredited)
Helga Stumpf	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Other crew
Werner Schröder	....	animal trainer
Eva Ebner	....	arm double: Myrna Emerson (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Rialto Film Preben-Philipsen

Distributors

• Constantin Film (1967) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Ambassador Film Distributors (1971) (Canada)
• Front Row Video (video)
• Image Entertainment (????) (USA) (DVD) (as "The Bloody Dead")
• New World Pictures (1971) (USA) (English dubbed)
• Platinum Video (video)
• Very Strange Video (VSV) (1997) (USA) (VHS) (as "The Bloody Dead") (recut version with added footage)

Other Companies

• Pelzhaus Berger  furs

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)

enjoyable krimi, not especially horrific

The DVD I watched had both the Bloody Dead and the original Creature with the Blue Hand versions on it; I watched the latter. Presumably the latter isn't exactly the original since it has English language titles and dialogue. Additionally, during the opening credits there are twelve gunshots and twelve bloody stains that appear on the screen. In The Video Watchdog Book, it's mentioned that krimis begin with that and the letters E D G A R W A L L A C E appearing out of the blood. However, those letters don't emerge on the version on the DVD, though they're clearly arranged that way.

Dave (Kinski) is committed after being found criminally insane for the murder of the family gardener. He later escapes, and people are murdered by a figure dressed in black wielding an iron blue glove with retractable knives. His twin brother, two other brothers, mother and sister are all concerned about his escape. The police investigate. Lots of secret passages and a sinister doctor is in charge of the asylum.

Enjoyable, but the ending seemed sort of contrived. Still, I'd like to see more krimis and even read some Edgar Wallace.