Edgar Wallace Movies: Reinl Films
This watch order lists the foundational films from Harald Reinl, the director who launched the Edgar Wallace series and established its early aesthetic. His five films span from the genre-defining original through to the mid-1960s, showcasing a more serious, noir-inflected approach.
Reinl's atmospheric direction emphasizes suspense and gothic elements, providing a fascinating contrast to the later, more playful entries. These films capture the series in its purest form, when the focus was on creating genuinely eerie crime thrillers in the classic tradition.
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 Terrible People
A vengeful spirit returns from beyond the grave to exact revenge on those who wronged him in life.
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The Forger of London
A wealthy playboy becomes the prime suspect when counterfeiters flood the country with fake money, but his claimed amnesia complicates the investigation.
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Room 13
A detective investigates a series of murders targeting women at a nightclub, but finds himself navigating through a web of gangsters while trying to catch the killer before they strike again.
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The Sinister Monk
A hooded serial killer terrorizes victims with a whip while police desperately try to track down the murderer before he strikes again.
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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.