For those craving a taste of “Euro-Kinski”—and just in time for Halloween—two of Klaus Kinski‘s European features are now available in one creepy package., scanned in 4K from original 35mm archival elements, available Oct. 22 in a special two-disc collector’s edition on Blu-ray and DVD from Film Masters.
Creature With the Blue Hand (1967)
Originally released in Germany as Die Blaue Hand, the film was bought by Roger Corman’s New World Pictures and released in the U.S. in 1967 as the alternate version, Creature With the Blue Hand. This release is presented for the first time on Blu-ray in North America. A mystery-thriller about a series of grisly murders. It’s one of several German films based on the novels of Edgar Wallace, many adaptations of which starred Kinski. Directed by Alfred Vohrer, the film also stars Harald Leipnitz and Carl Lange.
The film follows an inmate (Kinski) who is being held at a questionable sanitarium. When the inmate escapes and a series of murders occur, signs point to him as the killer … but is he? Based on the novel, The Blue Hand, by Edgar Wallace, Creature With the Blue Hand is a suspenseful ride with many gothic elements and complex plot twists. Labeled as a “Krimi” film, this is a classic example of the genre, combining elements of mystery, crime and horror.
The film was later acquired by Independent International Pictures and released to home video in the U.S. as The Bloody Dead in 1987 with six minutes of new footage, shot specifically for the release. The extra footage is included in this special edition as a bonus feature, which also includes a HD version of the full film, The Bloody Dead.
Web of the Spider (1971)
A classic haunted house tale from Italian maestro, Antonio Margheriti, with Kinski as none other than Edgar Allan Poe! It’s a diabolical double dose from one of cinema’s most controversial and unique figures!
In the film, American writer Alan Foster is challenged to spend the night in a haunted castle by Edgar Allan Poe and his friend, Lord Blackwood. Foster, intrigued and eager for new inspiration for his writing, accepts the challenge. Once inside the supposedly deserted castle, Foster encounters many intriguing characters including the beautiful Elisabeth Blackwood. Foster and Elizabeth fall in love, but things are complicated when Elizabeth reveals that she may not be entirely alive. In a series of increasingly supernatural events, Foster learns about the tragic and sinister history of the castle and its former inhabitants. As the night progresses, the line between reality and the supernatural blurs.
Web of the Spider also stars Anthony Franciosa and Michèle Mercier and is a remake of director Margheriti‘s earlier film, Castle of Blood (1964). This version of Web of the Spider is the 92-minute U.S. version of the original Italian version of Nella Stretta Morsa del Ragno.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
New 4K transfer of The Bloody Dead, the alternate version of Creature with the Blue Hand; Ballyhoo Motion Pictures presents two new documentaries, A Man Of Mystery: Inside the World of Edgar Wallace and Kinski Krimis: Inside the Rialto Film Adaptations; authors and film historians Stephen Jones and Kim Newman join forces for full commentary tracks for Creature With the Blue Hand (liner notes by Nick Clark) and Web of the Spider (liner notes by Christopher Stewardson); Samuel M. Sherman provides an archival commentary track for The Bloody Dead; Creature with the Blue Hand original 35mm film trailer and recut trailer using restored film elements; and a new 2024 trailer for Web of the Spider, as well as the original English theatrical trailer for Castle of Blood.
TECH SPECS: Creature With the Blue Hand and The Bloody Dead are presented with an aspect ratio of 1.66:1; and Web of the Spider is presented with an aspect ratio of 2.35:1. Discs are region locked to North America and include English SDH. Audio is DTS-HD/Dolby AC3s.
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Brett Summers
Brett founded CultFaction.com in 2014 a website and podcast that deals with cult film and tv. He also has a strong interest in grappling martial arts both as a practitioner and as a historian.