VIDEO REVIEW: The Indian Scarf

VIDEO REVIEW: Der Hexer

REVIEW: The Indian Scarf

The Indian Scarf
Director: Alfred Vohrer
Year 1963

The Indian Scarf is another wonderful cinematic Krimi adaption based on the Edgar Wallace novel of the same name. Directed by genre veteran Alfred Vohrer, the film displays some outstanding atmospheric shots combined with an eclectic cast of characters that transform this movie into an engaging whodunit story in which bodies literally begin to pile up as a mad killer stalks the visitors of a luxurious estate. With an enjoyable combination of horror, comedy, and intrigue, The Indian Scarf does a tremendous job in juggling all of these varying elements in order to deliver a Krimi entry that seems inspirational material for future sub-genres such as the Italian giallo movies and 80’s slasher flicks.

The film begins with the murder of Lord Edward Lebanon, a wealthy man, who violently leaves this world by the hands of a gloved killer armed with an Indian scarf. After the millionaire’s untimely death, his greedy relatives are called to the estate to witness the reading of the will, each foaming at the mouth in anticipation over receiving a hefty inheritance. To their dismay, they come to find that there is a stipulation that requires them to spend a week in the castle together in order for them to receive their money. With bad blood abound and long standing feuds reaching unbearable levels, the simple act of staying on the castle grounds for a week becomes a struggle for survival, for there is a murderer in their midst. One by one, family members begin dropping like flies, as the bulk of the inheritance finds fewer people to divvy up between. Is the killer one of them acting out an opportunistic plot, or is there something far more sinister and strange going on with this rash of killings? In true Krimi fashion, The Indian Scarf is an intricately played out murder mystery that always keeps the audience guessing as it narrows down the playing field in the most entertaining of ways.

Heinz Drache plays the role of Frank Tanner, the executor of Lord Edward Lebanon’s estate and reader of the will. Heinz Drache is no stranger to the Krimi genre, having starred in a number of excellent entries in which he did some rather admiral work, and in this entry he proves he’s a master of the genre. Having recently seen his performance in Der Hexer, playing the role of James W. Wesby, I have to say that he is an enjoyable actor that really brings a sense of respectability to the various characters that he undertakes. In this film, Heinz takes on the form of a detective so to speak, as he tries desperately to figure out who the real killer is within the group. The position of trying to wrangle all of these characters together and pick apart their personal grudges is a massive undertaking, and the story takes so many twists and turns that you often find yourself wondering if Heinz’s Frank Tanner is behind the murders, so the fact that Drache was able to sustain such a memorable and established character is a great example of his pull and validity as an actor.

The rest of the ensemble cast is a sight to behold, filled with such interesting vagrants as a dubious priest named Reverend Hastings played by Alexander Engel, a drugged up artist named Peter Ross played by Klaus Kinski, a venomous widower named Emily Lebanon played by Elisabeth Flickenschildt, a large monster of a man named Chiko played by Ady Berber, and an unusually silly butler named Richard Maria Bonwit played by the always entertaining Eddi Arent. Eddi especially carries a great deal of the film with his strange wit and unorthodox approach to the dire material. Eddi Arent was usually type-cast in these Krimi entries as the comic relief. Mostly his sole purpose in these films was to lighten the mood of the piece and bring about a sense of fun to the mostly dismal proceedings. When I was first introduced to his work, I felt the contrast of his performance quite shocking and unusual, but the inclusion of his presence in these types of films makes for an obtuse concoction that adds a delightful sense of fun into the mix. In The Indian Scarf, Eddi milks this unorthodox formula for all it’s worth, giving some exceptionally hilarious performances that seem like a toned down version of Tim Curry’s portrayal of the madcap butler from Clue. Eddi Arent and the rest of the cast do a remarkable job in filling out their respective roles, and their execution allows the film to feel lived in and tremendously diverse.

Like most Krimi entries, The Indian Scarf has a great abundance of atmosphere and tonal ambiguity, as it flaunts its delicate balance of horror and comedy. With the main plot of the film showcasing a group of people being murdered, one after the other, you would think that the movie would be a strictly down trodden affair, but it is played out in such a tongue and cheek manner that it begins to turn into a fun murder mystery, albeit one that has a twisted sense of humor. This is clearly represented by the character of Richard Maria Bonwit, played by Eddie Arent. Each time a family member bites the dust, Eddi’s butler character quietly begins taking away one place setting at the dinner table, simply and calmly informing the rest of the surviving guests that another person has been murdered. His nonchalant delivery of these lines is priceless in their emotionally void resonance and the reaction by the rest of the cast is unusual to say the least. The unconventional tone that is established in these scenes is perfectly blended against the film’s black comedic undertones, making for a Krimi entry that feels deliciously evil and overwhelmingly fun.

Another aspect of the production that I felt was rather endearing was the implementation of the killer and his method of strangulation as his primary form of dealing out death. The movie felt eerily like a prototype version of an Italian giallo or an 80’s era slasher flick, with its point of view shots and excessive body count. Often at times I had the impression that I was watching a lost gem from one of the aforementioned sub-genres, though one that was under the influence of laughing gas or some other kind of loopy mind altering blend. The gothic imagery that the filmmakers bombard onto the audience and the placement of the characters within this mysterious mansion filled with secrets and hidden passageways, give the film the impression of being in the same ilk as other features that prominently display their antagonist as a masked killer who stalks the entire cast until only a few remain. I thoroughly enjoyed this extraordinarily obscure take on the genre and the cast of backstabbers and opportunistic vagabonds are a joy to see interact.

The Indian Scarf is an extremely enjoyable Krimi film that governs over a slew of interesting characters, while maintaining to keep all of them relevant and prevalent to the storyline. With the abundance of roles to fill within the movie, each player brings their own unique brand of acting to the table and a choice few go above and beyond the call of duty in order to deliver a string of highly memorable performances. Heinz Drache, Eddi Arent, and Klaus Kinski especially allow their characters to shine within this topsy turvy world filled with mystery and murder, and their presence in this film is beyond palpable to the overall feel of this devilish Krimi entry.

The mixture of horror tinged atmosphere and comedy infused situations, is superbly executed, resulting in a hybrid that is both thrilling and entertaining to the last drop. The simplistic plot of a murder mystery combined with the wild array of characters that inhabit this fictional world is the perfect recipe for a fantastic Krimi film, and the concept that this all happens within the grounds of a beautifully gothic mansion estate is icing on the cake. The Indian Scarf pulls out all the punches when it comes to delivering a production that is both off the rails crazy and unpredictable, yet in this madness it is still able to rest nicely within the confines of the genre. That is an accomplishment that is easier said than done, but The Indian Scarf achieves this amazing feat with flying colors. If you’re looking for a Krimi film that blends the traditional contrasting concepts of the genre into an ideal mixture of pure entertainment, then look no further. The Indian Scarf is the…..

Someone help! My ascot is on too tight!

You say it was death by ascot? Puzzling indeed.

Ewwww!

And so the League of Extraordinarily Weird Gentlemen was born.

Is it hot in here or is it just my kickass goatee?

Straighten your glasses mister or so help me god I'll have you shot!

Well hello there you little pervert.

Eddi likes what he sees.

You call this art Kinski? Looks like Mr. Belvedere.

After reading The Neverending Story,
little Edward longed for a luck-dragon of his own.

These pair of breasts are a real looker!

You just keep smiling at that porthole weirdo.

Eddi Arent you silly.

Will you stop blowing smoke in my face! I've got my own smoke to inhale.

It's ok little Edward. The scary horse won't get you now.

Little Edward you weirdo!

Go for the crotch Fido!

See what happens when you leave banana peels lying around you stupid shit!



REVIEW: Der Hexer

Der Hexer
Director: Alfred Vohrer
Year 1964
 
Der Hexer is a deliciously entertaining Krimi film that features a mysterious criminal mastermind named The Hexer, who’s out for revenge. With a strange mixture of humor, horror, crime and mystery, the film makes for quite an interesting viewing. If you’re new to the genre of Krimi, like I was when introduced to this film, then give this one a go. Der Hexer is a blast in a half, with a cast that fills their rolls perfectly and enough red herrings to make any fan of murder mysteries stand up and cheer. Damn you Hexer!
 
The film begins with the murder of a young woman by the hands of a portly sex trade runner. Thinking that after disposing of the body, he would be in the clear, he disturbingly finds out that the woman he just murdered was the sister of the famed criminal, The Hexer. Known for his mysterious nature and feared by his cunningness, The Hexer flies to London to dish out his revenge. Hot on the heels of The Hexer is Scotland Yard, led by Inspector Higgins and the only man to have ever seen Hexer’s face, Inspector Warren. Can the two finally bring The Hexer to justice before he fulfills his diabolical plan for revenge, or is The Hexer too illusive for the two seasoned inspectors? Damn you again Hexer! You slippery shit!

Joachim Fuchsberger plays the role of Inspector Bryan Edgar Higgins, a charismatic and woman crazy Scotland Yard detective, who has been assigned to apprehend the erroneous and infamous man known as The Hexer. Joachim is an absolute hoot in this film, and it’s not surprising to come to find out that he seems to be the go to man when it comes to Krimi films. I’m glad that I decided to go with this film as my introduction to the genre, because both Der Hexer and Joachim Fuchsberger are outstandingly entertaining. Joachim gives it his all in this role and the balance that he was able to maintain throughout the film, between comedic and seriously toned moments is quite exceptional. I especially got a kick out of the comedy aspects of his character, like for example the fact that he must be chauffeured around by his girlfriend is beyond bizarre and absolutely hilarious. There’s also a great gag that has his girlfriend pop in to visit him at his office, right when he enthusiastically jumps out of the darkroom after developing a sexy photo of his secretary. These moments were unexpected for me, but ended up being a whole hell of a lot of fun. Joachim brought a charm and silliness to the role that I didn’t realize would be on the table when delving into my first Krimi.
 
Another great addition to this film is Siegfried Lowitz, who plays the role of Inspector Warren, the retired detective who is the only one to have seen the face of The Hexer. The character of Inspector Warren was another unexpected surprise for me, because his inclusion into the storyline brought another comedic aspect to the film. There is some great chemistry to be seen between Siegfried and Joachim, as they hunt down the infamous Hexer, and when they get together they just light up the screen with their antics. They play so well off each other that they had me wishing that these two paired up at least a few more times within the genre, but as of now I haven’t run across such a happening. I also don’t want to forget the inclusion of the character of James W. Wesby, who is played by Heinz Drache. Drache is another veteran of the Krimi genre and his ambiguous character of Mr. Wesby in this film is one that keeps the energy and flow of the movie speeding along and in entertaining fashion.

It seems that the Krimi genre has a great deal of parallels to the Eurospy genre, because there are some striking similarities that I have started to notice since running through a few of the entries on my Krimi quest. There always seems to be a lead hero, inspector type, character in these stories, which is true to any Eurospy entry, and the formula that they follow bares a striking resemblance to the super agent styled adventures that I’ve come to love. One of the best examples of these glaring similarities that I’ve noticed would be the inclusion of gorgeous woman that the lead character finds himself interacting with. Much like his spy brethren, the inspector charms the girls while taking on the bad guys, which in retrospect is the main pull of most Eurospy films. I’m happy to report that Der Hexer embraces this concept fully and with some striking beauties to boot.
 
Sophie Hardy plays the role of Elise, Inspector Higgins beautiful girlfriend and frequent chauffer and as with most Eurospy babes, Elise finds herself in a heap of trouble that only Higgins can get her out of. She’s often put in unusual circumstances that place her in harms way in order to progress the story along and make for some frighteningly tense situations. Sophie does an amazing job with both the thrilling oriented moments and the comedic aspects of the production, and her screen presence is exceptionally sound. Another one of Higgins’ girls would be his knockout secretary Jean, played by Anneli Sauli, whose also included in some of the more comedic portions of the film, for example the sexy photograph that gets Higgins in trouble. I have to say that the most impressive and unexpected thing that I came away with in this film, would have to be the fact that it was so much damn fun. I went in expecting to see an atmospheric noir styled thriller, which it was also, but came out seeing that the Krimi genre is more than meets the eye and extremely deeper than I first gave it credit for. I’m looking forward to trudging through this genre in search of more hidden gems like this one. Der Hexer was a delight from start to finish.

Der Hexer is a wonderful Krimi entry that did an amazing job in boosting my anticipation in finding some more genre greats as my quest continues. The film had a foggy mysterious quality to it that can only be described as Noir meets Horror, and the inclusion of the comedy elements works wonderfully against this strange concoction of cinematic cornerstones. To be expecting one thing and then getting it, plus a whole extra bag of goodies, is something I didn’t anticipate when preparing myself for my Krimi introduction. I have to say that I’m pleasantly surprised.
 
With a cast that shines on the screen at every turn and a narrative that has just as many twists, you really can’t go wrong with this entry in the genre. After being so enthralled with the world of Eurospy, I’m relieved to know that the Krimi films have a strange resemblance the genre that I’ve come to know and love, and I’m hoping to have as equal of an affinity for these movies as I do with those wonderful spy adventures. Edgar Wallace writes some damn entertaining crime novels and Alfred Vohrer can visualize it to no end, so if you’re looking for your gateway drug into the Krimi universe, give this film a go. Der Hexer is…..

What do you mean you can't deliver a Whopper?!?!

Get ready for your massage..... of DEATH!

What do you think of my cool shades?

Higgins gets a little too excited over his personal porn collection.

I'm looking right at your cleavage.

Damn you're fat.

The group was equally disgusted over how much weight Mr. Messer had gained. 

We think your hat looks silly.

Take off the damn hat weirdo or you'll be spitting out bullets for a week!

I see you, you little sneak.

I'm deciding on whether to give you a titty twister or not.

Red light.... Green light!

Hang in there Higgins!

Strip or I'll shoot.

What do you guys think of my big gun?

What are these two sneaks up to?

Enough with the foreplay. Lose the robe.

Sir.... you disgust me with your girth.