Le Vampire de Düsseldorf (1965)
Directed by Robert Hossein

Film Review

Immediately after the phenomenal success of the first Angélique film, the actor-director Robert Hossein exchanged the clothes of the Count de Peyrac for those of the notorious German serial killer Peter Kürten, whose misdeeds are graphically portrayed in the atmospheric drama, Le Vampire de Düsseldorf, released on the 7th April 1965.  At the start of the film, the viewer is warned that it is based on a true story.  In fact, Hossein strays far from the truth, but few can blame him for attempting to take the sting out of a story about child murders and the unspeakable cruelty of adults.

Kürten's murderous exploits had previously featured in Fritz Lang's 1931 masterpiece M (with the then unknown Peter Lorre playing the killer), although Lang always denied that his film had anything to do with Kürten.  If the later film's allusions to the real-life killer are seldom entirely convincing, Hossein nonetheless manages to turn in a compelling psychological horror film that is suitably moody and unsettling.  Le Vampire de Düsseldorf is particularly worth noting for its authentic evocation of its era - the misery of widespread poverty, the rise of Nazism and the decline of society are all remarkably well represented.  The terror which beats down on Germany in the early 1930s is fittingly counterpointed by the terror of a sad lone figure with a strange and dangerous personality.  Hossein evidently sees Kürten as the physical manifestation of the evil of National Socialism.  In reality, Kürten's acts began as far back as 1913 (many years before Nazism came to the fore) and ended in 1929.

Whilst the film has many artistic strengths - notably its atmospheric lighting and a moody score composed by the director's father, André Hossein - it has its shortcomings.  The film makes no real attempt to uncover the motives for the so-called vampire's atrocious acts - he remains a shady, enigmatic creature of the night, brilliantly portrayed by Hossein as a man with a twisted mind and totally lacking in emotion.  The part of the cabaret singer Anna is played by Hossein's real-life lover at the time, Marie-France Pisier, whilst the police inspector Momberg is admirably portrayed by the Belgian actor Roger Dutoit. 

Le Vampire de Düsseldorf may not rank as a masterpiece, but it is an unusual and stylish excursion into the one popular genre that is virtually absent from French cinema, namely horror.  Well-received by the critics on its first release, the film attracted a respectable audience of 0.76 million in France, although today it is all but forgotten (in common, sadly, with virtually all of Hossein's work as a film director).  The film's recent release on DVD should hopefully help to change that.

Film Synopsis

In the 1930s, chaos and misery reign over Düsseldorf as the Nazis begin their campaign of terror.  But the city is afflicted by another menace, a serial killer who writes a letter to the police every time he murders a young woman.  Who would suspect Peter Kuerten, a man who is so mild and unassuming?  His only passion is Anna, a singer in a café, but she ignores him and makes fun of him.  One day, Peter meets two young country girls, Paula and Rosa.   Not long afterwards, Paula is found dead and Rosa, the prime witness to this murder, is herself killed a few days later.  Unaware of Peter's dark exploits, Anna becomes his lover.  But then she finds one of the messages he sends to the police...