THE VENGEANCE OF DR. MABUSE (Jess Franco, 1972) Kino Cult Blu-ray

Although the title of the new Kino Lorber Cult Blu-ray is THE VENGEANCE OF DR. MABUSE, the film contained within is not Jess Franco's LA VENGENZA DEL DR. MABUSE (1972). It's the reedited, redubbed German cut prepared by producer Artur Brauner who rejected Franco's director cut. The oncreen title of this version is DR.M STRIKES BACK.

LA VENGANZA DEL DR MABUSE Blu-ray release: hot jazz bursts, dreamy lounge interludes, frenetic percussions written by David Khun aka Jess Franco. See the Spanish version IP. Avoid the recent Blu-ray, which was re-edited by the producer who hated Franco's director's cut. it's the re-edited version. This version also has redubbed German dialogue which changes all of Franco's original dialogue and story. The story now takes place in America and they're talking about invading Mexico! They hired a new director to shoot additional scenes of a shoot out and people talking in offices. All this additional footage is shot like a bland TV movie. Then they had a new editor cut it all together without Franco's involvement. This is all the Producers cut and was released in Germany . The Spanish directors cut was only briefly released in Spain and is now in the Spanish Filmoteca where Francesco Cesari saw it. I have the director cut on video from VSOM. The Bluray has good video quality but is a mess. They should have included Franco's version as part of the release. Hopefully someone will contact a company like MONDO MACABRO or Severin to do a proper release

LA VENGANZA DEL DR. MABUSE, the original cut of this films, is a very interesting, very low budget sci-fi thriller, Jess Franco style. It opens with waves crashing onto a rocky shore (Alicante coastline) as lounge jazz music, including some soft saxophone, vibes, some burst of le jazz hot sax stylings are later scored over action scenes. This score (which is altered in the Blu-ray version) was written by Jess Franco, as David Khunne, with an uncredited Daniel White (according to OBSESSION: THE FILMS OF JESS FRANCO), creates a mood unusual for a science fiction-crime film. Style usually dictates content in the filmography of Jess Franco, rather than vice-versa. The mise-en-scene of this film was affected by the low budget and initial demands of the producer, CCC CEO Artur Brauner, who presented Franco with an original treatment. Franco's response was a film which osscilates between the visual style of a B western and a Pop Art sci-fi film.