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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r |
(aka "Der Todesrächer von Soho" or "The Corpse Packs His Bags" or "The Avenger" or "Death Packs a Suitcase")
Directed by Jess Franco (as Jess Frank)
West
Germany / Spain / United Kingdom 1972
A black-gloved killer stalks London, packing the suitcases of their victims before murdering them with an exotic dagger. Surrounded by potential suspects but lacking hard evidence, a smooth-talking Inspector (Fred Williams, The Vengeance of Dr. Mabuse) seeks the help of famous crime-novelist Charles Barton (Horst Tappert, German TV’s Derrick). Euro-horror filmmaker Jess Franco took a break from his decadent sex thrillers (Vampyros Lesbos) to demonstrate his versatility with this whodunit. Working carefully within the genre of the German “Krimi” film, Franco nevertheless managed to infuse the film with personal touches: dynamic camerawork, seductive women, comic flourishes, all set to a jazz soundtrack by Rolf Kühn. Also released as Der Todesrächer von Soho (The Avenger of Soho), Death Packs a Suitcase was adapted from a story by Bryan Edgar Wallace, who carried on the literary tradition of his father, legendary mystery-writer Edgar Wallace (The Dark Eyes of London). ***
Death Packs a Suitcase, originally titled Der Todesrächer von Soho
and also known as The Corpse Packs His Bags, is a 1972 German-Spanish
co-production directed by the prolific exploitation filmmaker Jess Franco under
the pseudonym Jess Frank, serving as one of the final entries in the Edgar
Wallace krimi film series based on a novel by Bryan Edgar Wallace. |
Posters
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Theatrical Release: October 1972 (Sitges Film Festival)
Review: Kino Cult - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Box Cover |
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CLICK to order from: BONUS CAPTURES: |
Distribution | Kino Cult #38 - Region 'A' - Blu-ray | |
Runtime | 1:20:49.833 | |
Video |
1. 37:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-rayDisc Size: 27,813,867,787 bytesFeature: 22,215,856,128 bytes Video Bitrate: 32.99 MbpsCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video |
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NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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Bitrate Blu-ray: |
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Audio |
DTS-HD Master
Audio German 1557 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1557 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48
kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit) Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps / DN -31dB |
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Subtitles | English, None | |
Features |
Release Information: Studio: Kino
1. 37:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-rayDisc Size: 27,813,867,787 bytesFeature: 22,215,856,128 bytes Video Bitrate: 32.99 MbpsCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
Edition Details: • NEW Audio Commentary by Film Historians Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson
Standard Blu-ray Case inside slipcase Chapters 8 |
Comments: |
NOTE:
The below
Blu-ray
captures were taken directly from the
Blu-ray
disc.
NOTE: We have added 52 more large
resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless
PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons
HERE
On their
Blu-ray,
Kino Cult use a DTS-HD Master dual-mono track (24-bit) in the original
German language. The audio offers solid fidelity for a 1970s production,
ensuring Horst Tappert's dual-role performances and the knife-throwing
impacts come through crisply, making it a reliable option for
international viewers appreciating the film's krimi roots. Clarinetist
and arranger Rolf Kühn's (The
Vengeance of Doctor Mabuse,) groovy jazz soundtrack - cool,
improvisational riffs, subtle percussion, and melodic horns - dialogue,
and sound effects are exported without significant distortion or hiss,
providing a clear auditory experience that highlights the thriller's
suspenseful cues and comic elements. Kühn's score features laid-back,
lounge-inspired melodies with elements of bop and fusion, typical of his
background in post-war European jazz, providing a rhythmic underscore to
the thriller's suspenseful moments and nightclub sequences. Kino offer optional English
subtitles on their Region 'A'-locked
Blu-ray.
The
Kino Cult
Blu-ray
extras package offers a new audio commentary track featuring film
historians Troy Howarth (So
Deadly, So Perverse: Giallo-Style Films From Around the World, Vol. 3) and Nathaniel
Thompson (FrightFest
Guide to Vampire Movies,), who delve into Jess Franco's career,
the Edgar Wallace
krimi genre, production anecdotes, and the film's place in Euro-horror
history. This commentary is a highlight, offering insightful analysis on
the adaptation from
Bryan Edgar Wallace's
novel, Franco's stylistic choices, and cast details like
Tappert's pre-Derrick
role, making it essential for cult film enthusiasts. There are no other
supplements.
Jess Franco's Death Packs a
Suitcase
marks one of the final entries in the long-running Edgar Wallace krimi
series (The
Encyclopedia of Krimi Part I: Movies 1958-1964) a popular wave
of German crime thrillers from the 1960s and early 1970s inspired by the
works of British author Edgar Wallace and his son Bryan Edgar Wallace.
Specifically, it adapts Bryan
Edgar Wallace's
novel Death Packs a Suitcase, which had previously been filmed
in 1962 as The
Secret of the Black Trunk (Das Geheimnis der schwarzen Koffer),
and Franco's version closely mirrors elements from that earlier
adaptation, including replicated scenes. Produced on a modest budget by
Artur Brauner's (The
Indian Tomb,
The Tiger of Eschnapur,
The Curse of the Yellow Snake,
Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace) CCC Films in
collaboration with Spanish outfit Fénix Films (The
Erotic Rites of Frankenstein,
Night of the Skull,) the movie was shot primarily in Alicante,
Spain, despite its London setting, leading to noticeable anachronisms
like right-hand-drive cars in supposed British streets and a mismatched
foggy atmosphere that feels more contrived than authentic. Franco, known
for his prolific output - directing over 200 films often centered on
eroticism, horror, and sadomasochism - took a relatively restrained
approach here, dialing back his signature sleaze to fit the krimi (see
Terror in the Fog: the Wallace Krimi at Ccc, or adjacent films
like
Creature with the Blue Hand, the
Dr. Mabuse series,
The Head,
Double Face,
The Devil's Girls,) genre's whodunit formula, though his
idiosyncratic style still permeates the work. At its core, Death
Packs a Suitcase explores themes of deception, identity, and the
blurred line between reality and fiction, hallmarks of both the Wallace
krimi tradition and Franco's oeuvre. Overall, it blends whodunit
intrigue with
giallo sensationalism, creating a hybrid that feels both
nostalgic for 1960s krimis and prescient of 1970s Euro-horror excesses.
Franco's low-budget ethos shines through in the production design, with
character-driven moments - eccentric suspects and quirky dialogues -
elevating the material beyond its pulpy roots, though pacing lags in
talky exposition scenes. In Franco's vast filmography, it stands as a
characterful outlier, demonstrating his adaptability while retaining the
chaotic energy that defines his cult status. Death Packs a Suitcase
exemplifies Jess Franco's ability to infuse a standard krimi template
with his unique, if erratic, vision, resulting in a film that's equal
parts frustrating and fascinating. Its thematic depth, stylistic quirks,
and genre-blending make it a worthwhile study for fans of Euro-cult
cinema, offering a snapshot of 1970s thriller evolution amid declining
krimi popularity. While not Franco's masterpiece, its enduring charm
lies in its unpolished authenticity, proving that even in restraint, his
libido for filmmaking - libido in the broadest sense - never waned.
Overall, Kino Cult's Blu-ray edition
of Death Packs a Suitcase serves as a welcome physical media
debut for this quirky 1972 Jess Franco krimi, delivering competent video
and audio presentations that respect the film's low-budget origins while
providing a key extra in the form of an informative commentary by
Howarth and Thompson. 'Niche' appeal for sure - German crime thrillers,
Euro-cult cinema, or Franco completists - but that group will enjoy.
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Menus / Extras
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Box Cover |
|
CLICK to order from: BONUS CAPTURES: |
Distribution | Kino Cult #38 - Region 'A' - Blu-ray |
Search DVDBeaver |
S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r |