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Krimi?

What the hell is “krimi”? A krimi is a sub-genre of the crime thriller from West Germany. They were made from 1959 to 1972. The term krimi refers to Kriminalfilm (or Kriminalroman, a type of novel) translated as criminal or crime film or detective story. There are some common elements in krimi films. Any combination of these elements may be used.

1. A plot involving a group of individuals harboring a secret, being targeted one-by-one for blackmail and/or murder.
2. A masked killer whose identity will be revealed by the end of the film.
3. A devil-may-care protagonist investigating the killer and its victims.
4. A plot that takes us from London to some type of manor or castle in the English countryside.
5. A protagonist’s sidekick who exists only for broad comic relief.
6. Believe it or not Klaus Kinski. (Klaus was in a lot of them.)

32 of the krimi’s were based on stories written by Edgar Wallace. The sub-genre focuses mostly on British crime.

Krimi Movies

1. Face of the Frog AKA Der frosch mit der maske (1959)
2. The Terrible People AKA Die bande des schreckens (1960)
3. The Black Sheep AKA Das schwarze schaf (1960)
4. The Avenger AKA Der racher (1960)
5. The Mystery of the Green Spider AKA Das Rätsel der grünen Spinne (1960)
6. The Red Circle AKA Der rote kreis (1960)
7. The 1,000 Eyes of Dr. Mabuse AKA Die 1000 Augen des Dr. Mabuse (1960)
8. The Devil's Daffodil AKA Das geheimnis der gelben narzissen (1961)
9. The Green Archer AKA Der grüne Bogenschütze (1961)
10. The Forger of London AKA Der falscher von London (1961)
11. Dead Eyes of London AKA Die toten augen von London (1961)
12. The Return of Dr. Mabuse AKA Im Stahlnetz des Dr. Mabuse (1961)
13. The Strange Countess AKA Die seltsame Gräfin (1961)
14. The Secret of the Black Suitcase AKA Das Geheimnis der schwarzen Koffer (1962)
15. The Inn on the River AKA Das Gasthaus an der Themse (1962)
16. Hypnosis AKA Ipnosi (1962)
17. Secret of the Red Orchid AKA Das ratsel der roten Orchidee (1962)
18. The Red Pastures AKA Der rote Rausch (1962)
19. Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace AKA Sherlock Holmes und das Halsband des Todes (1962)
20. The Carpet of Horror AKA Der Teppich des Grauens (1962)
21. The Door with Seven Locks AKA Front à la Scotland Yard AKA Die Tür mit den 7 Schlössern (1962)
22. The Invisible Dr. Mabuse AKA Die unsichtbaren Krallen des Dr. Mabuse (1962)
23. The Scarf AKA Das Halstuch (1962– )
24. The Terror of Doctor Mabuse AKA Das Testament des Dr. Mabuse (1962)
25. He Can't Stop Doing it AKA Er kanns nicht lassen (1962)
26. The Curse of the Yellow Snake AKA Der Fluch der gelben Schlange (1963)
27. The Secret of the Black Widow AKA Das Geheimnis der schwarzen Witwe (1963)
28. The Mad Executioners AKA The Executioner of London AKA Der Henker von London (1963)
29. The Indian Scarf AKA Das indische tuch (1963)
30. Nylon Noose AKA Die Nylonschlinge (1963)
31. The Black Abbot AKA Der schwarze abt (1963)
32. Dr. Mabuse vs. Scotland Yard AKA Scotland Yard jagt Dr. Mabuse (1963)
33. The White Spider AKA Die weiße Spinne (1963)
34. The Strangler of Blackmoor Castle AKA Der Würger von Schloß Blackmoor (1963)
35. The Squeaker AKA Der Zinker (1963)
36. An Alibi for Death AKA Ein Alibi zerbricht (1963)
37. Piccadilly Zero Hour 12 AKA Piccadilly null Uhr zwölf (1963)
38. The Phantom of Soho AKA Das Phantom von Soho (1964)
39. The Secret of the Chinese Carnation AKA Das Geheimnis der chinesischen Nelke (1964)
40. Curse of the Hidden Vault AKA Die Gruft mit dem Rätselschloß (1964)
41. The Mysterious Magician AKA Der Hexer (1964)
42. Murder in the Fog AKA Nebelmörder (1964)
43. Coffin from Hong Kong AKA Ein Sarg aus Hongkong(1964)
44. The Seventh Victim AKA Das siebente Opfer (1964)
45. The Monster of London City AKA Das Ungeheuer von London-City (1964)
46. Traitor's Gate AKA Das Verrätertor (1964)
47. The Inn on Dartmoor AKA Das Wirtshaus von Dartmoor (1964)
48. Mark of the Tortoise AKA Wartezimmer zum Jenseits (1964)
49. The Death Ray of Dr. Mabuse AKA The Secret of Dr. Mabuse AKA Die Todesstrahlen des Dr. Mabuse (1964)
50. Room 13 AKA Zimmer 13 (1964)
51. Case 33: Antwerp AKA Tim Frazer jagt den geheimnisvollen Mister X (1964)
52. Hotel of Dead Guests AKA Hotel der toten Gäste (1965)
53. Again the Ringer AKA Neus vom hexer (1965)
54. The Sinister Monk AKA Der unheimliche monch (1965)
55. Dark Nights in St. Pauls AKA Mädchenjagd in St. Pauli (1966)
56. The Murderer with the Silk Scarf AKA Der Mörder mit dem Seidenschal (1966)
57. The Hunchback of Soho AKA Der Bucklige von Soho (1966)
58. The Strangler of the Tower AKA Der Würger vom Tower (1966)
59. Trygon Factor AKA Mystery of the White Nun AKA Das Geheimnis der weissen nonne (1966)
60. The Death of a Doppelganger AKA Der Tod eines Doppelgängers (1967)
61. Creature with the Blue Hand AKA Die blaue Hand (1967)
62. The College Girl Murders AKA The Monk with a Whip AKA Der monch mit der peitsche (1967)
63. Inn of the Gruesome Dolls AKA Das Rasthaus der grausamen Puppen (1967)
64. The Hound of Blackwood Castle AKA Der hund von Blackwood Castle (1968)
65. The Zombie Walks AKA Im Banne des Unheimlichen (1968)
66. Gorilla Gang AKA Der Gorilla von Soho (1968)
67. The Man with the Glass Eye AKA Der Mann mit dem Glasauge (1969)
68. The Unnaturals AKA Schreie in der Nacht (1969)
69. School of Fear AKA Sieben Tage Frist(1969)
70. Angels of Terror AKA Die Tote aus der Themse (1971)
71. The Avenger AKA Der Todesrächer von Soho (1972)

There are also 8 Jerry Cotton spy thrillers that some consider krimis

1. The Violin Case Murders AKA Tread Softly AKA Schüsse aus dem Geigenkasten (1965)
2. Manhattan Night of Murder AKA Mordnacht in Manhattan (1965)
3. The Trap Snaps Shut at Midnight AKA Um Null Uhr schnappt die Falle zu (1966)
4. Tip Not Included AKA Die Rechnung – eiskalt serviert (1966)
5. Murders Club of Brooklyn AKA Der Mörderclub von Brooklyn (1967)
6. Death and Diamonds AKA Dynamit in grüner Seide (1968)
7. Death in a Red Jaguar AKA Der Tod im roten Jaguar (1968)
8. Dead Body on Broadway AKA Todesschüsse am Broadway (1969)