Before Fritz Lang became a worldwide sensation as a director with Metropolis and M, he had a major silent hit with Dr. Mabuse, the Gambler in 1922. The film was over four hours long, so the studio released it in two parts. Dr. Mabuse was a criminal mastermind who wanted complete control. He was also a master of disguise so no one knew who he was. Lang brought back the character with The Testament of Dr. Mabuse in 1933. This time his criminal mastermind had a voice with the introduction of sound into German cinema. After making the film Fritz Lang would flee German with the political rise of a certain man with a tiny mustache (can’t mention the name or Google will bury this review). After a long career in Hollywood, Lang returned to Germany (West Germany at this point) in the late ’50s. He directed a third movie about Dr. Mabuse in 1960. This time he was working for the CCC Filmkunst. The studio wanted a movie that could compete with the popular Edgar Wallace Krimi films. With his eyesight failing him, Lang created a high tech criminal thriller in The Thousand Eyes of Dr. Mabuse.
The Thousand Eyes of Dr. Mabuse (1960 – 104 minutes) introduces us to the mysterious criminal who has henchmen lurking all over West Berlin. Inspector Kras (Goldfinger‘s Gert Fröbe) gets a phone call from the blind psychic Cornelius who has just had a vision of a crime. Turns out a reporter was killed like the psychic foretold. At the same time American industrialist Henry Travers (Wages of Fear‘s Peter van Eyck) checks into the Luxor Hotel that promises the cutting edge in luxury accommodations. What he doesn’t realize is every room in the hotel has hidden cameras and all of them are hooked up to a TV screen watched by Dr. Mabuse (Von Ryan’s Express‘s Wolfgang Preiss). The diabolical Dr. Mabuse was presumed dead by the cops years ago. What evil is he going to spring on Berlin this time?
The Thousand Eyes of Dr. Mabuse did well at the European box office. While Fritz Lang retired from filmmaking soon after the movie, CCC was not done with Dr. Mabuse. Who says no to a sequel? Why else are we reviewing about Mabuse Lives! Dr Mabuse At CCC: 1960-1964? The studio was able to make five more sequels containing further plots by the criminal master mind with his science fiction plans. They still had their two biggest stars Wolfgang Preiss and Gert Fröbe so they brought in an American actor to beef up the international market demand for the movie.
The Return of Dr. Mabuse (1961 – 89 minutes) changes up things slightly. Gert Fröbe is now Inspector Lohmann. His big fishing trip is interrupted when he has to investigate the murder of an Interpol agent on a train. Turns out the guy had a briefcase that had information about the Chicago Crime Syndicate wanting to team up with European mobsters. Lohmann gets a tip that a woman from the Chicago crime syndicate is in town and waiting on a meeting. Before he can do anything, she gets burnt to a crisp by a flamethrower hidden in a van. As the investigation heightens, Lohmann meets FBI Agent Como (La Dolce Vita‘s Lex Barker). Can these two uncover what Dr. Mabuse is plotting this time? The film is intriguing. Barker is best known for replacing Johnny Weissmuller as Tarzan. He pulls off playing a suspicious agent lurking around West Berlin.
The Invisible Dr. Mabuse (1962 – 90 minutes) takes place at the Metropol Theater in West Berlin. This is the same theater where Lamberto Bava filmed the Italian horror spectacular Demons in the ’80s. There’s always something freaky happening in the theater which at this point hosts live stage performances. A ballet about the French Revolution is packing the house. Although we see that there’s one empty seat although it appears an invisible person is sitting in it. When one guy goes backstage to examine the mystery, he finds himself dropped through a trap door. Turns out he’s found the new lair of Dr. Mabuse and his goon squad who work as moving men. The guy ends up inside a steamer trunk and dumped at the dock. FBI Agent Como (Lex Barker) returns to the city to get to the bottom of the weirdness. Naturally the handsome agent gets involved with the lead dancer since she attracts the invisible person. There’s no Gert Fröbe.
The Testament of Dr. Mabuse (1962 – 89 minutes) is a remake of Fritz Lang’s second installment of the series. Dr. Mabuse is locked up in an asylum and stuck in a wheelchair. He is reduced to writing mysterious notes in his cell. But is there more happening? An armored car gets heisted and Inspector Lohman (Gert Fröbe) has to figure out who took all the gold bars. It is strange seeing the man who would be Goldfinger not be the one with all the gold. Supposed no one outside of the head of the asylum has contact with Dr. Mabuse so he can’t be running his criminal operation out of the cell. Or can he?
Scotland Yard Hunts Dr. Mabuse (1963 – 91 minutes) brings on the ultimate German actor into the series: Klaus Kinski (Aguirre: The Wrath of God). This is a bit twisted as Dr. Mabuse has taken possession of the doctor from the asylum where he died in the previous film. The German police need help, so Scotland Yard sends over Major Tern (played by Peter van Eyck as a different character from his industrialist in The Thousand Eyes). Can he crack this supernatural criminal mastermind? Kinski is a German inspector who doesn’t say too much. The real star of the show is Tern’s mom Gwendolyn (A Time To Love And A Time To Die‘s Agnes Windeck) who puts her love of mystery novels into helping solve her son’s case. She also enjoys a good cigar. She should have been spun-off into her own series.
The Death Ray of Dr. Mabuse (1964 – 92 minutes) was also released as The Secret of Dr. Mabuse. The secret of is that Dr. Mabuse isn’t really in the film. Actor Wolfgang Preiss does not appear in the film even though his name is in the opening credits. This is another ghost of Dr. Mabuse plot. The film is rather James Bond like in structure and set design. British Secret Service agent Bob Anders (Peter van Eyck returning as his third character in the series) must stop Professor Larsen (I Confess‘s O.E. Hasse) who is possessed by the ghost of Dr. Mabuse. It really has a 007 vibe. The film even features a giant fight between frogmen underwater before Thunderball had arrived in theaters.
Older readers might remember the Dr. Mabuse films running on TV in the ’60s since they were all packaged together to take advantage of Gert Fröbe’s iconic villain role as Goldfinger. UHF stations across America must have been excited to get mystery movies with science fiction twists starring a Bond actor. All six films in the boxset feature English audio tracks so you don’t have to read subtitles and just follow the tricky action. Dr. Mabuse is a great criminal character as he uses technology for his crimes. His ability to disguise himself from even his henchmen makes things interesting since you’re never sure if he’s a different character on the screen. Mabuse Lives! Dr Mabuse At CCC: 1960-1964 brings out the best from the ultimate criminal mastermind.
The Video for the first four films is 1.66:1 anamorphic while the last two are 1.33:1 full frame. The 1080p black and white transfers are sharp from a 2K restoration. The Audio is German and English LPCM 2.0 mono on all six movies. You can listen to either version to enjoy Dr. Mabuse’s evil plans. The movies are subtitled in English.
Archival audio commentary on The Thousand Eyes of Dr Mabuse by film historian and author David Kalat. Kalat has done new commentaries for the other five movies. He really goes over all the elements of the movie from story, cast and crew.
Mabuse Lives at CCC (15:54) features producer and managing director of CCC Film Alice Brauner, daughter of CCC founder Artur Brauner gives the history of the studio. Her father’s dream was to work with Fritz Lang. This led to him bringing Fritz Lang back to Berlin to make two films partially shot in India before his final movie that revived Dr. Mabuse. The film was a sensation for them. She talks about having to digitally transfer the films in the vault because of Vinegar Syndrome that destroys prints. We learn about how the studio kept the Dr. Mabuse films going after Lang’s retirement. The first three did well while the last three didn’t do as good at the box office. She is working on reviving the character again.
New introductions to each film by genre film expert and Video Watchdog founder Tim Lucas. He gets into the two previous Dr. Mabuse movies from Fritz Lang. He explains how the second film causes Fritz Lang to flee Germany. We learn what brought him back to the character and his old country.
Kriminology (30:17) is a video essay by David Cairns & Fiona Watson about the six films in the boxset. Turns out that Fritz Lang viewed Dr. Mabuse as dead and buried when CCC first approached him about a revival. They go back to the original book to show the mastermind had an end game for his crimes. He gets into the reaction to Lang returning to Dr. Mabuse. There is also a comparison between these films and Edgar Wallace Krimi movies.
Wolfgang Preiss Interview (15:50) was conducted in 2002 a few weeks before his passing. He talks about his early career and how he ended up in Dr. Mabuse. He was happy about the role since he was getting overcast as a World War II German officer. Fritz Lang had seen him in a few war films and cast him. He had a good relationship with Lang unlike a co-star. He talks about issue with his make-up mask in Return of. He gets into how he was weirded out at seeing his name on the poster for the final CCC Mabuse film when he didn’t act in it. He was working in America at the time. He mentions his career doing the voice work for German dubs. We learn about his time working with Frank Sinatra.
Alternate endings for The Thousand Eyes of Dr Mabuse (1:05) and The Death Ray of Dr Mabuse
Eye of Evil Trailer (2:43) is the U.S. Trailer for the release of The Thousand Eyes of Dr Mabuse. They want us to know who is Dr. Mabuse.
The Return of Dr. Mabus Trailer (3:33) for Germany. They push the flamethrower scene.
The Phantom Fiend Trailer (1:37) is The Return for the American Market. They put Lex Barker first as the star. They keep wanting us to guess who is Dr. Mabuse. We’re promised an acid bath!
The Invisible Dr. Mabus Trailer (2:41) for Germany. Who is the invisible person in the film? The film is also going by “The Invisible Claws of Dr. Mabuse.”
The Invisible Horror Trailer (2:08) Is the American version. We’re promised the most terrifying evil of all time. They use the same cheesy echo announcer for a drive-in horror flick. It’s double featured with the Terror of the Mad Doctor with Gert.
The Testament of Dr. Mabuse Trailer (3:25) for Germany. Promises that Dr. Mabuse is back and behind the walls of an insane asylum.
The Testament of Dr. Mabuse Trailer (0:53) for US release. We’re promised a sick and twisted brain. They renamed the film “Terror of the Mad Doctor.”
I Raggi Mortali Del Dr. Mabuse (109:09) is the Italian version of The Death Ray of Dr. Mabuse. This Italian cut is nearly 17 minutes longer than the German version. They open with footage of the underwater SCUBA fight so that people might think they’re watching Thunderball.
Limited edition 60-page collector’s book featuring new notes on each film by journalist Holger Haase, a new essay by German film scholar Tim Bergfelder, an archival essay by David Cairns, archival writing by Fritz Lang and notes by Lotte Eisner on
Eureka! Entertainment presents Mabuse Lives! Dr Mabuse At CCC: 1960-1964: Limited Edition. Directed by Fritz Lang, Werner Klingler, Paul May, Hugo Fregonese & Harold Reinl. Starring Wolfgang Preiss, Gert Fröbe, Peter van Eyck, Dawn Addams, Werner Peters, Lex Barker, Daliah Lavi and Klaus Kinski. Boxset Contents: 6 films on 4 Blu-ray discs. Rating: Unrated. Release Date: April 1, 2025.
