THE MAD EXECUTIONERS On Blu-ray From Eureka

 

It's back to the Krimis again, as I return to Eureka's TERROR IN THE FOG Blu-ray box set. This time I'll be covering THE MAD EXECUTIONERS (1963), originally titled DER HENKER VON LONDON. 

In this one a group of black-hooded and robed men are rounding up criminals who have managed to evade the law, and punishing them with a lethal form of justice. John Hillier, the police inspector investigating the case (Hansjorg Felmy) has plenty of reasons to admire these vigilantes--Hillier's sister was killed and decapitated by a mad scientist who is still on the loose committing similar murders. The executioners of London and the scientist's horrible activities come together in a very surprising climax. 

THE MAD EXECUTIONERS was supposedly based on a Bryan Edgar Wallace novel, but the author's name was more important to the resulting film than anything he might have written. The movie has plenty of Gothic chiller elements--the executioners ride around in a horse-drawn hearse during the middle of the night, and they try their picked defendants in an eerie underground crypt. (They also hang the guilty parties with a rope stolen from Scotland Yard's Black Museum.) Standing alongside these classic horror tropes is the wild sci-fi subplot of the mad doctor murdering gorgeous young women in his quest to attach a living head onto a mechanical body. THE MAD EXECUTIONERS may be confusing at times--every main character is a suspect, and most of them are hiding something--but it certainly isn't boring. 

Among the supporting cast members are Euro-cult actress Maria Perschy as Inspector Hillier's girlfriend, who gets more than she bargained for when she volunteers to help lure out the mad scientist; Wolfgang Preiss, taking time out from playing Dr. Mabuse by appearing as a Scotland Yard official; and Chris Howland, a British-born entertainer who provides comic relief and plays a major role in the unexpected finale. 

THE MAD EXECUTIONERS looks magnificent in this Eureka Blu-ray presentation. The film is uncut, and shown in its 2.35:1 original aspect ratio, showing off the fine black & white shot compositions and cinematography by Richard Angst. German and English voice tracks are included, with English subtitles available. This movie shares a disc with THE PHANTOM OF SOHO. 

The film has an introduction by Tim Lucas, in which he discusses the development of the story, the career of director Edwin Zbonek, and the excellent work of Richard Angst. A brand new audio commentary features Kevin Lyons and Jonathan Rigby once again, and it's another lively, fast-paced talk. The duo point out how this Krimi is a bit more gruesome than the usual entries in this genre, and they make the point that the CCC company that made this picture operated very much like Hammer Films in England. 

An 10 minute interview with Alice Brauner is also included on this disc, in which she talks about how her father, producer Artur Brauner, chose the association with Bryan Edgar Wallace as a way to start his own Krimi series. Original German and American trailers for the film are also provided, with the latter one being in very bad shape and being much more lurid and exploitative. 

THE MAD EXECUTIONERS has plenty of the "Everything but the kitchen sink" aspects that the better Krimis feature. It also has a truly jarring climax that even the most veteran movie mystery fans won't see coming. It's just one of the delights to be found in the TERROR IN THE FOG box set.