Le Vampire de Düsseldorf

A brutal murderer was widely known in the 1920's in Germany, nicknamed The Vampire of Düsseldorf (hence the title). He got captured and he appeared to be Peter Kürten. In this version of events we follow Peter committing his crimes. A laborer who pretends he's from high society. There's much attention for the unstable political situation in the days of the Weimar republic. There are fascist everywhere, burning books, beating people up, etcetera.

Watching a serial killer doing his thing is a actually quite weird type of film to watch. But it exists for decades and keeps on fascinating people, until this day (for example Henry, Portrait of a serial killer, or series like The Fall and Dexter). Le vampire de Düsseldorf is an early example from 1965. But a film about (supposedly, director Fritz Lang denied it) the same killer, M., is even older, even from the same year as when Kürten was executed (1931).

The subject isn't very original. As many others already have mentioned, M. by Fritz Lang is a much better film. It's not so much about the killings, rather about psychology, fear and sentiments. As others also have mentioned, there's not much German about this film, not even an attempt to. This film lacks in original storytelling and in realism.

However, the good thing is: I found this film surprisingly stylish. Robert Hossein (who wrote and directed the film, and played the lead) was by then already an experienced film noir director, who knew how to capture the attention with silence, as he did in La Mort d'un Tueur. The street scenes at night are quite marvelous. The camera movements are lovely to see. Many pretty shots, as for example the distant shot of the bar Eldorado, the shot with Anna and all her mirrors, or the following through the streets. Those are absolutely worthy of the predicate film noir. I rate this 7/10, mostly for style.

Unrelated to the review, but I also like the idea of a bar with phones in which, for example, table 14 could call table 8. Apparently a common thing in the 20's. A funny concept that a smart person perhaps can revive again.

Skilled direction by the star, Robert Hossein, although the story was full of unsurprises. Hossein's portrayal of real life Weimar-era serial killer Peter Kurten was a little too detached, almost bored. Superb camera work and lighting, although the music grated at times. This movie was unknown to me until I found it online. It appears to have been released the same year as The Night of the Generals, a movie set in Nazi occupied Poland a decade later. With both films featuring Teutonic serial killers, I guess one of them had to step aside. Here there were no subtitles, but the dialogue spoken so clearly and free of argot I missed only a little. The people probably spoke non-colloquial French because they were supposed to be Germans, and everyone knows Germans in the 1930's spoke without argot. Marie-France Pisier was good as the chanteuse of a subterranean boite called El Dorado.

Robert Hossin directed and started in over 25 films. He had a distinctive "Noir" style. Always exquisitely photographed with a haunting original score. His persona, unlike Tritingant's cerebral quietness, is that of a lost soul searching for love only to be interrupted by violent inner demons. The Vampire of Deseldorf is no exception. The vampire here is a blue beard character who is disarmingly charming. Hossein, with little dialogue, captured the character with his eyes revealing a conflicted interior life.

Other Hossien motifs include wide-angle shots with large well-choreographed crowd scenes, long narrow streets shot at night, and a labyrinth this time made of brush.

Marie-France Pisier, in an early ingenue role, co-stars as a Marlene Dietrich-type cabaret singer. Her scenes include a lovely ballad. The film also includes a fine cast of supporting actors, another Hossein specialty.

A major discovery, for me, this one, written, directed and starring, Robert Hossein. Evidently a highly esteemed French actor who played many a romantic lead with the likes of Bardot and Loren, he also played less frivolous parts including thrillers such as Riffifi. Not as prolific at directing, he nevertheless seems to have made several interesting sounding titles that I shall have to look out for. His leading lady here is Marie France Pisier, who also was a very popular artiste in France and amongst other things was in Celine and Julie Go boating and a couple of Bunuel's. Here she plays a very cool and attractive cabaret singer, complete with top hat and whip. Her scenes in the nightclub are most effective as is the whole film. Based on a true story of a Dusseldorf serial killer, the sleazy back streets here are actually Madrid and the b/w cinematography throughout is a joy. Extremely well performed by all concerned and very competently directed, this is a highly recommended film.

In the late 20´s, Germany has high inflation rates and unemployment and the rise of the Nazi Party. In this scenario, in Dusseldorf, the worker Peter Kuerten (Robert Hossein), also known as The Vampire of Dusseldorf, commits nine murders.

The weirdo Peter Kuerten is obsessed in the cabaret singer Anna (Marie-France Pisier) and they have a love affair. Meanwhile he kills young women on the desert streets of Dusseldorf. One day, a man escorts Anna to her home and is followed by Peter. When he leaves her, the jealous Peter Kuerten kills him on the street. The Chief of Police Momberg (Roger Dutoit) is pressed by Berlin to hunt down the serial-killer since the victim was an industrialist.

"Le vampire de Düsseldorf" is a little gem by Robert Hossein with the true story of the notorious serial-killer of Dusseldorf. The screenplay is believable and the cinematography in black-and-white is magnificent. The performances are top-notch and the actresses are very beautiful. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "O Vampiro de Düsseldorf" ("The Vampire of Düsseldorf")