THE CURSE OF THE YELLOW SNAKE On Blu-ray From Eureka

 

The first film in Eureka's TERROR IN THE FOG Blu-ray set is THE CURSE OF THE YELLOW SNAKE, made in 1963 by Artur Brauner's CCC company. Unlike the other films in this set, this one is not attributed to the works of Bryan Edgar Wallace --it is an adaptation of an Edgar Wallace novel. Everything about the production--the opening sequence, the actors in it, the overall style--makes one think it is a Rialto Edgar Wallace Krimi, but it isn't. (The original German title of the film is DER FLUCH DER GELBEN SCHLANGE.) 

One main difference that THE CURSE OF THE YELLOW SNAKE has from most of the Rialto Wallace Krimis is that it is more of an adventure thriller instead of a mystery with Gothic overtones. Half-Chinese, half-English Fing-Su (Pinkas Braun) is determined to acquire an artifact known as the Yellow Snake, a golden statuette that will somehow endow him with enough power to lead all of Asia in a mammoth battle against the West. Opposing him is his half-brother, Clifford Lynn (Joachim Fuchsberger). The two men are also caught up in a scheme to marry their cousins (Brigitte Grothum and Doris Kirchner). 

THE CURSE OF THE YELLOW SNAKE has a very Fu Manchu-like aspect to it. It might have been better if it had been set back in the 1920s, when Edgar Wallace originally wrote the novel upon which it is based--the "Yellow Peril" daring-do doesn't sit too well in the 1960s. It's never explained how the Yellow Snake will give Fing-Su so much overwhelming power--he needs better henchmen than he does a mysterious knick knack. For all the glum-looking Chinese at his command, Fing-Su can't even get rid of his half-brother, a fellow who isn't all that impressive as a hero. 

It doesn't help that the makeup job used on Pinkas Braun makes him look like a Vulcan or Romulan from STAR TREK instead of a credible half-Chinese. Krimi regular Eddi Arent once again supplies the comic relief as Clifford's friend, a cowardly antiques dealer. Doris Kirchner makes a big impression as Mabel, the cynical cousin who winds up gaining the viewer's sympathy. 

I had already owned THE CURSE OF THE YELLOW SNAKE on DVD--it was included on one of Retromedia's Edgar Wallace collections. Eureka presents the film uncut, in its original 1.66:1 aspect ratio, and most importantly, the print includes the original main titles, which feature a striking injection of color. The black & white image on the print is very sharp, and German and English voice tracks are available, along with English subtitles. 

THE CURSE OF THE YELLOW SNAKE shares the first disc in Eureka's TERROR IN THE FOG set with THE STRANGLER OF BLACKMOOR CASTLE. Among the extras included on this disc is a six-minute program in which Tim Lucas defines what actually is a Krimi (he does this by mostly differentiating it from the Giallo). Lucas also provides an introduction to YELLOW SNAKE, where he discusses the film's complicated genesis. 

THE CURSE OF THE YELLOW SNAKE also gets a brand new audio commentary, featuring Kim Newman and Barry Forshaw. The duo spend a lot of time talking about Edgar Wallace's life, work, and how his output stands up in the 21st Century. Both men are also not very impressed with Eddi Arent's role in the film. Any one wishing to know more about the Krimi genre would do well to listen to the comments made by Lucas, Newman, and Forshaw on the extras. An original German trailer for YELLOW SNAKE is also included. 

This film may have been meant to be a close copy of an entry in the Rialto Edgar Wallace series, but it feels different from those movies, with its threats against the Empire storyline and serial-like thrills. THE CURSE OF THE YELLOW SNAKE is a diverting enough tale, but the rest of the films in the TERROR IN THE FOG box set all have much more traditional Krimi aspects.