Edgar Wallace Movies: Essential Films
This curated selection represents some of the best entries in the German Edgar Wallace Krimi series. These eight films showcase the evolution from the genre-defining original through the atmospheric masterpieces of the early 1960s to the transition into color productions.
Starting with the series launcher and progressing through fan favorites, this watch list captures the essence of what made the films a cultural phenomenon. Each represents a different aspect of the series' appeal, from pure gothic atmosphere to memorable villains to the camp sensibility that emerged in later entries.
There are 7 other watch lists available - see the links up above.
List not ranked (sorted by Release Date)
Fellowship of the Frog
Scotland Yard and an amateur American sleuth pursue a master criminal known as The Frog, who wears a distinctive bulging-eyed mask and marks his henchmen with frog tattoos. The investigation leads to a mysterious country manor where romance, murder, and kidnapping complicate the hunt for the elusive villain.
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The Red Circle
A mysterious red circle appears on a man's neck after he's saved from execution, becoming a family curse that haunts each generation. The strange mark leads to a cycle of blackmail and murder as the family struggles with its dark legacy.
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The Terrible People
A vengeful spirit returns from beyond the grave to exact revenge on those who wronged him in life.
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Dead Eyes of London
A disfigured killer with distinctive white eyes carries out murders to help an insurance agent-doctor collect victims' life insurance payouts.
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The Squeaker
Scotland Yard investigates a series of mysterious murders where victims are killed by snake venom poisoning.
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The Mysterious Magician
Inspector Higgins of Scotland Yard attempts to capture the elusive criminal "The Hexer" by using his sister's murder as bait for a trap. As bodies begin to pile up, it becomes a deadly game of cat and mouse between the inspector and the mysterious fugitive.
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The Hunchback of Soho
A woman becomes the target of criminals who kidnap her and steal her identity in order to claim her inheritance.
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What Have You Done to Solange?
When Catholic schoolgirls are brutally murdered, a teacher having an affair with one of his students becomes the prime suspect. As more killings occur, he must uncover the truth behind the murders to clear his name.
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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.
Dr. Mabuse
A decades-spanning German crime thriller series following the criminal mastermind Dr. Mabuse through various incarnations, from Fritz Lang's original trilogy to 1960s sequels and later spiritual successors.
Hercule Poirot
Agatha Christie's famous Belgian detective has been adapted across multiple eras, from early talkies to modern star-studded ensembles.
Saw
A horror franchise centered on the elaborate death traps and moral philosophy of serial killer John Kramer, known as Jigsaw.
Scream
A meta-horror franchise following Sidney Prescott and others as they face various Ghostface killers, known for its self-aware commentary on slasher film tropes.
Sherlock Holmes
Feature films based on Arthur Conan Doyle's legendary detective, spanning multiple eras, actors, and interpretations across nearly a century of cinema.