'Das Phantom Von Soho' (1964)  - Franz Josef Gottlieb.

Franz Josef Gottlieb's singularly mean-spirited thriller 'Das Phantom Von Soho' is a supremely pacy, darkly atmospheric, and surprisingly grisly Krimi from the lurid pen of maestro Bryan Edgar Wallace. The blissfully burlesque jazz sounds of Martin Böttcher are utterly sublime and not only are the performances uniformly excellent, the brutal stabbings have a decidedly menacing, proto-Gialli feel. 'Das Phantom Von Soho' is an absolute must for rampant Krimi-headz, and while the overt campiness is considerably muted in this instance, thankfully, the remarkably grisly, sordid atmosphere isn't. This delightfully grungy little Edgar Wallace thriller is a real Bobby Dazzler, and one of the rare Krimi's that I would happily watch multiple times! And I most heartily approve of the hugely aesthetic lead actresses's spicy moniker: Barbara Rutting! "Oh, I say, missus!!!" (A most appropriate handle for one so uplifting!)