Horst in Translation ([email protected]) "Das Ungeheuer von London-City" or "The Monster of London City" is a West German German-language production from 1964, so this one is already over 50 years old. Director is Edwin Zbonek and Robert A. Stemmle worked with Bryan Edgar Wallace on the script here. The title of this slightly under 90-minute movie is already an indicator that we are once again taken into the horrendous world of Jack the Ripper. There is a play in London which deals with this infamous serial killer and at the very same time prostitutes get murdered by a new perpetrator that is soon of course also called Jack the Ripper. What is his motivation? Watch for yourself and find out. The cast includes the likes of Felmy, Koch, Schönherr, Nielsen, Tillmann, so quite a few actors that were relatively famous back then, at least here in Germany and this also shows how prestigious these crime/horror films were back then, especially if the name Wallace was attached to them. Oh yeah, this one here is a black-and-white movie of course.I must say having seen many films from the well-known Rialto series I expected not too much here because I hardly liked any of them and if I did somehow, then it was mostly due to Klaus Kinski being in the cast and here he is not. This is why as you can see from the title of my review I was indeed pretty surprised I ended up liking this one here. The story was simple, yet smart. There were interesting inclusions in terms of the connection between the play and reality, such as the exchanged dagger. There was suspense if the actor is actually the killer. The old cop character was interesting, but they did not shove him into our faces like in other of these movies. The killer is not running around in some stupid costume. The comedy was not an essential part here, but still there were some subtly funny moments here and there like the guy they suspect of being the killer near the end. And there are also not too many suspects that you just get confused who is who and stop caring. Sure there were also some weak moments like the rushed-in explanation at the very end, but it's all good. I still think the good outweighs the bad here and especially a thumbs-up goes to the writers who prove that scary German crime movies in the 1960s do not have to be a failure by definition. This one here is kind of the exception to the rule. I recommend checking it out. Final note: The highly prolific Arthur Brauner produced this one and he is still alive today at the age of 98 (and a half). Will he make it to 100? Feel free to check it out if you read this review in August 2018 or afterward.

christopher-underwood Pretty sure this is my first German 'krimi' and am rather surprised how much I enjoyed it. Said by some to be a precursor to the Italian giallo, I can now see why. Not only is there a silly/comic element but the actual kills are uncompromising with extensive use of force reducing victims to 'rag doll' like state and complete with body dragging and carrying sequences. My copy is dated 1964 and in some respects this looks earlier, being shot in b/w and featuring foggy streets (Hamburg standing in for London), complete with cobbles sparkling in their wetness. Also referencing back to the earliest German expressionist horror with curved brick walls extreme angles and long dark shadows creeping across the victim before the attack. In other ways the film strikes as later because 1964 would seem early to see such casual and concentrated violence and incidental sexuality. Very interesting and enjoyable watch.

Scarecrow-88 A serial killer, modeling his methods and look after Jack the Ripper, stalks prostitutes on the streets of 60's London, lurking the dark allies and street corners as the ever-present fog makes it's presence known. The killer surprises his prey, strangulating the girls into unconsciousness before mutilating them. There's a special vicious strike when he draws his cutting blade diving into the mod hookers before discarding them like garbage(one girl he drives her car into a ditch while another he tosses her carcass into the river). Scotland Yard focus their attention on troubled actor Richard Sand(Hansjörg Felmy), whose past yields a stint with drug addiction and at present is struggling with bad nerves..he portrays Jack the Ripper in a stage production of the killer. Sir George(Fritz Tillmann), an important member of Parliament, is hoping to pass a bill to remove/censor objectionable theatrical productions, often escapes, when his niece Ann(Marianne Koch)goes to bed, at night cautiously..we see that his attire looks like what the copy-cat Ripper killer wears, perhaps a far-too-obvious red-herring. Ann is in love with Richard which annoys George who wishes to close the Ripper production down. Dr. Michael(Dietmar Schönherr), a man in love with Ann having grown up with her after "his father died", is good friends with Richard. All these melodramatic complications only add to poor Richard's troubles as he feels the investigation breathing down his neck and a desire to quit the Ripper character who is slowly wearing him out. The film also has Teddy(Peer Schmidt)and his assistant as this moronic sleuthing team hoping to catch the Ripper so they can become famous making a name for their amateur detective agency, but always come up short of that goal despite being so close. Ann suspects her Uncle after catching him whisking off one night and decides to conduct a little investigation of her own.The mystery, as explained by two other users, is not too hard to figure out which does take away from the overall appeal of this atmospherically made low-budget thriller. I loved how the director shoots the Ripper and his killing methods, not exactly displaying the cutting, but getting the grisly display over by showing how he conducts himself so thoroughly. Still, a good mystery should make the identity of the psycho a bit harder to figure out..and, it isn't too hard in this flick's case. I think it's well crafted, but the screenplay is lacking. I like how the film feels authentic instead of stage-bound..I think that adds to the mood of it. Even if the film may not actually take place in London, Berlin sure looks a lot like the British city and that's certainly a benefit as far as I'm concerned. Director Zbonek likes to shoot action from afar, even when the Ripper does his dirty business, lensing those desolate quiet streets where no one can help those unfortunate females needing assistance where there is none. But, stylish direction can only carry you so far and the story itself isn't anything to write home about..even after we get an explanation of why the killer committed his heinous acts.

bensonmum2 A modern day Jack the Ripper is on the loose in London. The police and other government officials are concerned that a play concerning the Ripper's activities may have been, at the least, the inspiration for the rash of murders. In fact, the police view the actor who performs as Jack the Ripper each night as their primary suspect. Has this actor become so obsessed with his role that it's spilled out into everyday life? What Works: That Jazzy Score. One positive aspect of the film worth mentioning is the score. Martin Bottcher has created an incredible, over-the-top, jazzy score that suits the film. It's a good representation of the music I expect when watching a Krimi. Very nice!The Look. The Monster of London City is full of those dark streets and creepy alleyways that seem to breed knife-welding killers. These are the kind of places that I sure wouldn't want to walk through alone. It's a great look that is effective in creating the occasional suspenseful moment.What Doesn't Work: The Plot. The biggest flaw I see with The Monster of London City is in the plot. It's predictable and, as a result, there's really very little suspense. It should be quite obvious to anyone watching who the killer really is. Suspect after suspect are thrown at the viewer with little effect. It's far too easy to see through these red herrings and arrive at the correct conclusion.Acting. For the most part, the acting is emotionless. I've seen inanimate objects with the ability to emote better than these people. Many of them appear just this side of being bored to tears.The Comic Relief. I've seen several other Krimis that contain comic relief, but The Monster of London City takes it a bit too far. The bumbling husband and wife detective duo have far more screen time than they should have. While they are occasionally funny, their act takes away from the serious nature of the plot and feels like an unwelcome intrusion.In summary, it's not that The Monster of London City is the worst example of a Krimi you can find, but it's nowhere near the best. I'll keep watching these films because you never know when you're going to run across a real winner.