THE
STRANGLER OF BLACKMOOR CASTLE (1963)
Directed by D. Harald Reinl
Alpha DVD
Reviewed 01.10.04
Review by Joseph A. Ziemba
THE FILM
On rare occasions, complete surprises
yield really enjoyable film experiences.
I love it when that happens.
Such is the case with The
Strangler Of Blackmoor Castle. This is a stylish
German film (english dubbed on this
dvd) that works some magic. It smartly
combines elements of horror, mystery,
and film noir and never lets you
down for a second. Like most of
my Alpha collection, I took a chance
after reading about it, not sure
what to expect. Lucky for me, I
was totally enthralled from the
first scene to the last.
I don’t want to give away
too much here, as plot development
is one of the most enjoyable aspects
of the film. The story works itself
around three main elements: a man
named Lucius Clark, his stolen diamonds,
and the black-hooded Strangler himself.
As the movie unfolds, we’re
introduced to a revolving cast of
characters as plot developments
weave in and out. Things move very
fast, which is a definite plus,
and the film somehow manages to
keep the goings-on's clear to the
viewer. In addition, “Strangler”
includes some great elements: a
spooky, mist-filled castle, violent
murders, charming London locales,
secret tunnels, fine acting (including
the voice acting), and an excellent
synth score.
Before this DVD, I had never heard
of The Strangler Of Blackmoor
Castle. Frankly, I’m
surprised this rare film isn’t
more well known. At times, it reminded
me very much of a less somber Eyes
Without A Face, with its
under-the-castle secrets, baying
dogs, and mysterious photography.
Surprising for sure.
AUDIO AND VIDEO
This is another good one for Alpha.
While not totally perfect, the print
is decent, somewhat scratchy with
a very “gray” feel (not
much contrast with the blacks and
whites). Overall, it looks pretty
nice. Presented full frame, there’s
some very apparent cropping taking
place -- I’d really like to
see this one in its original aspect
ratio.
EXTRAS
Nothing, save for an Alpha cover
gallery.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I have to recommend this film. It’s
doubtful that a nicer version will
be released on dvd anytime soon,
so the low retail price is definitely
worth it. |
Gotchoo
The strangler
Fake 'stache
Across the moors
|
