Dr. Mabuse Movies: 1960s Timeline
The 1960s timeline represents a cohesive cycle of six films produced by CCC Film during Germany's krimi boom, featuring recurring cast members like Wolfgang Preiss as Mabuse and shared production elements. These films form a pseudo-serialized timeline where characters acknowledge Mabuse's previous crimes and legacy, though each entry can stand alone.
This cycle updates Mabuse for the Cold War era, shifting focus from Weimar politics to contemporary threats like mind control technology and surveillance paranoia. The timeline maintains flexible continuity with creative retcons about how Mabuse returns from death or defeat, often through spirit possession or criminal networks that carry on his methods.
There are 2 other watch orders available – see the links up above.
The Thousand Eyes of Dr. Mabuse
A reporter's murder sets off a mysterious investigation involving a clairvoyant who witnessed the crime in a vision, but dark forces prevent him from identifying the killer in this classic thriller featuring the return of the notorious Dr. Mabuse.
The Return of Dr. Mabuse
The supposedly dead criminal mastermind Dr. Mabuse returns to his sinister activities while Police Inspector Lohmann teams up with a determined reporter and a mysterious American to investigate a series of murders connected to a maximum security prison.
The Invisible Dr. Mabuse
FBI agent Joe Como investigates strange occurrences at a revue theatre where a dancer is being stalked by an invisible admirer and a dead agent is discovered. Como soon realizes that the infamous criminal mastermind Dr. Mabuse is behind the mysterious events surrounding a secretive transport company.
The Terror of Doctor Mabuse
When a series of mysterious crimes begins occurring while the notorious criminal mastermind Dr. Mabuse remains locked in an insane asylum, a detective must visit the imprisoned madman to uncover clues to the baffling robberies.
Dr. Mabuse vs. Scotland Yard
The malevolent spirit of criminal mastermind Dr. Mabuse possesses a renowned professor, using his new host to launch a terrifying crime spree across the city.
The Death Ray of Dr. Mabuse
The evil criminal mastermind Dr. Mabuse develops a powerful death ray weapon and uses it to threaten the world.
Other Film Series
Bryan Edgar Wallace
A series of German crime thrillers produced by CCC Filmkunst in the 1960s-70s, marketed under the name of Edgar Wallace's son Bryan, featuring standalone mysteries with gothic atmosphere and masked killers.
Edgar Wallace
German crime thriller series from 1959-1972 that created a distinctive subgenre of atmospheric gothic mysteries, featuring recurring cast and iconic villains.
Hercule Poirot
Agatha Christie's famous Belgian detective has been adapted across multiple eras, from early talkies to modern star-studded ensembles.
Philip Marlowe
Film adaptations spanning eight decades featuring Raymond Chandler's iconic private detective Philip Marlowe, with different actors and interpretations across multiple eras.
Saw
A horror franchise centered on the elaborate death traps and moral philosophy of serial killer John Kramer, known as Jigsaw.
Sherlock Holmes
Feature films based on Arthur Conan Doyle's legendary detective, spanning multiple eras, actors, and interpretations across nearly a century of cinema.