Im Stahlnetz des Dr. Mabuse (1961)

Im Stahlnetz des Dr. Mabuse: Directed by Harald Reinl. With Gert Fröbe, Lex Barker, Daliah Lavi, Fausto Tozzi. Evil mastermind Dr. Mabuse is using brainwashed prison inmates to commit crimes but the German police aided by an FBI agent is on his trail.

“The previous Dr. Mabuse movies were mostly mystery thrillers but this movie is more of a crime thriller, also with some certain u0026#39;60u0026#39;s funkiness added to it all. The movie is more starting to head into the u0026#39;James Bondu0026#39; sort of direction with this entry, also by having some silly gadgets in it, used to murder people with. It also all means that the story is less believable and even a bit silly, compared to the previous Dr. Mabuse entries. In the movie itu0026#39;s also kept a mystery for long who Dr. Mabuse is and heu0026#39;s mostly featured in shadows and underneath masking clothes, though if youu0026#39;ve seen the previous u0026quot;Die 1000 Augen des Dr. Mabuseu0026quot;, which got released only just one year before this movie, you already know who Dr. Mabuse is and how he looks like, so it just seems a bit silly all and in some ways this movie is just basically more of the same, compared to the previous Dr. Mabuse entries, especially the last one u0026quot;Die 1000 Augen des Dr. Mabuseu0026quot;. There unfortunately also are some unnecessary plot lines and characters. Or differently put; some characters and plot lines we just donu0026#39;t care about!u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eAll of the action and especially the editing of it all looks by todays standards terribly outdated and clumsy. But who can really blame them. Action movies and action-style was basically still non-existent in 1961. Then again, the movie also isnu0026#39;t too action filled. The movie at least doesnu0026#39;t lay its emphasis on it and rather relies on its script and the thriller and mystery elements in it.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe overall style and atmosphere is great. It has a sort of dark, mysterious atmosphere, that is being enhanced by the fact that the movie was shot in black u0026amp; white. Perhaps the only true thing that all of the Dr. Mabuse movies have in common (with the exception of u0026quot;Dr. M schlägt zuu0026quot; that was shot in color). Because lets face it, the Dr. Mabuse movies from the u0026#39;20u0026#39;s, u0026#39;30u0026#39;s and u0026#39;60u0026#39;s are all quite different in style, approach and overall execution of it all, simply because of the different time periods the movies got made in. Also the character of Dr. Mabuse changed and the Mabuse in this movie does not operate the same as the one from the u0026#39;20u0026#39;s and u0026#39;30u0026#39;s. But thatu0026#39;s OK all. It sort of gives each Dr. Mabuse movie its own identity and also makes sure that all of the movies are still filled with surprises. The character of Dr. Mabuse himself also doesnu0026#39;t get any weaker because of it.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe presence of the character of Dr. Mabuse of course really uplifts the movies and makes the movie much better than just any other average thriller from the same period. Itu0026#39;s a great villainous, classic crime character, with lots of power over people.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eGert Fröbe is not as great in this movie as he was in u0026quot;Die 1000 Augen des Dr. Mabuseu0026quot; and itu0026#39;s of course also a bit weird and confusing that he this time plays a totally different character as he did in the previous entry u0026quot;Die 1000 Augen des Dr. Mabuseu0026quot; (same goes for some other actors within this movie, such as for instance Werner Peters). But of course that doesnu0026#39;t take away that he still gives away one fine performance. Wolfgang Preiss reprises his role from the previous Dr. Mabuse movie again and does a good job at it, though I was his role was bigger.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eNot that great when compared to the previous 3 Dr. Mabuse movies but on its own this is simply a good and certainly enjoyable early crime thriller.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e7/10u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003ehttp://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/”