Score

You remember the movie adaptations ... or was this entirely a German thing? They used to creep me out when I was little (and I mean CREEP OUT big time)! Now I just find them hilarious ... :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqDgrh...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOzrdZ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89GmTX...

Ashamed to say I never heard of Edgar Wallace. So he wrote King Kong, eh ? That alone earns him immortality.

He's mostly known as an author of "whodunnit" type thrillers -- pretty gripping stuff actually, at least until you become aware of the formula behind it all. In the 1960s, German TV produced a series of movies based on his books, as a result of which (for a while) he managed to actually be more popular and better-known than even Agatha Christie in Germany. Looking back at those movies today, they're incredibly campy and clichéd (and even more formulaic than the books) ... the hilarious effect of which, however, is probably an inseparable part of their lasting appeal. (They're rerun on German TV to this day, as a matter of fact.) They were also the first stepping stones in the careers of a few folks who would come to pretty big fame later on, including, e.g., Klaus Kinski (who of course played all the REALLY mean baddies). Check out some of the links I posted above -- there's a wealth of Edgar Wallace movie trailers and excerpts on YouTube!

ETA: This list's title is taken from the standard intro to those movies, btw, which featured a man's voiceover proclaiming: "Hallo, hier spricht ... Edgar Wallace!"

Is there a list specifically formulaic series? Thanks for posting those links, I watched a frame et a time (wobbly work day)

As for Klaus Kinski, I think he is ace!

http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/...

Themis-Athena wrote: "He's mostly known as an author of "whodunnit" type thrillers -- pretty gripping stuff actually, at least until you become aware of the formula behind it all. In the 1960s, German TV produced a ser..."

My son and his friends enjoy watching "really bad " movies....Klaus Kinski has a huge following here in the states.....Natasha Kinski is his daughter ? Right ? She-with-the-snake poster ?

She of Polanski's "Tess" and of "Paris -- Texas" ... yeah.

He has SUCH an expressive face, Klaus Kinski -- and what a great find, that clip from Woyceck, Bettie! Has anyone seen Werner Herzog's "Fitzcarraldo"? I found that one almost too much to watch ...

Your son and his friends would get a real kick out of the Edgar Wallace movies, in any event, Thom! :)