Kriminal 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

Kriminal 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov September 21, 2026

Umberto Lenzi's "Kriminal" (1966) arrives on 4K Blu-ray courtesy of Cult Epics. The supplemental features on the release include recent program with star Glenn Saxson; recent documentary about Umberto Lenzi and his career; new audio commentary by critics Eugenio Ercolani and Troy Howarth; recent program with film music expert Pierpaolo De Sanctics; vintage Italian trailer; and more. In English or Italian, with optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

All three original films have now been restored. The best and most influential of the three is unquestionably Danger: Diabolik (1968). Directed by Mario Bava, this film has the most intriguing protagonist, a cool new clone of the classic Italian comic book character, and a visual style that is still mighty impressive. It demonstrates perfectly why Bava was a master director and remains in a category of its own. However, few people know that it copies quite a few things from its rather obscure predecessor, Kriminal (1966). Directed by Umberto Lenzi, this film also produces an intriguing new clone of a very popular Italian comic book character. He is also a master thief, seducer, and, of course, an antihero. The last of the three films, Satanik (1968), is the least-seen one. Directed by Piero Vivarelli, this film produces a clone of a popular Italian comic book character as well. However, it adds a notable Iberian flavor to its narrative, pushing it a bit further from Danger: Diabolik and Kriminal. Additionally, it produces more conventional kitsch rather than the versatile transgressive material that makes its relatives attractive to adults. Most importantly, its clone is a female.

Like the three original films, the three original Italian comic characters come from the 1960s. Diabolik was created by the sisters Angela and Luciana Giussani in 1962. Kriminal was created by Magnus (real name Roberto Raviola) and Max Bunker (real name Luciano Secchi) in 1964. Several months later, again in 1964, the same duo created Satanik. Of the three, Diabolik was and remains the most influential.

Another important relationship to highlight when discussing the original comic book characters is that all three are influenced by Irma Vep, the star of Louis Feuillade’s silent serial Les Vampires (1915). Obviously, this makes Irma Vep a distant relative of the three cinematic clones as well.

Lenzi’s cinematic clone is a somewhat perplexing character, and it is not entirely clear whether it was supposed to be. He is a British national whose real name is Anthony Logan (Glenn Saxson). However, his greatest nemesis, Scotland Yard’s Inspector Milton (Andrea Bosic), and everyone else who is aware of his long criminal history refer to him as Kriminal. Logan is tall, athletic, blond, and very, very handsome. He is a classic heartthrob that any woman would fall for.

However, when Lenzi introduces him, Logan isn’t surrounded by women and appears to have run out of luck. For stealing the Crown Jewels, Logan is sentenced to die by hanging and is moments away from meeting his creator. But at the Tower of London, something goes terribly wrong. The floor cracks, the lights go out, and the executioners panic, allowing Logan to disappear without a trace. Once the lights turn on, Inspector Milton reveals the escape was deliberate: he let Logan go so the police could tail him straight to the stolen Crown Jewels. However, Logan outmaneuvers Inspector Milton and instead travels to Istanbul, Turkey, to steal a cache of priceless diamonds that several other shady characters plan to use in an insurance-fraud scheme.

More than two-thirds of Kriminal offer the thrills and fireworks that Ken Clark’s films about CIA special agent Dick Malloy, also known as Agent 077, are famous for. The first two films were released a year before Kriminal, and thematically, they are very similar. However, while every bit as handsome as Malloy, Logan is an antihero, and Lenzi uses him to create vastly different contrasts and, ultimately, excitement.

Kriminal is not as well-polished as Danger: Dibolik. However, it channels some of the same versatile transgressive material, which is why it is similarly enjoyable.

In 1967, Saxson reprised his character in The Mark of Kriminal, an Italian-Spanish co-production, directed by Fernando Cerchio.

Kriminal 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Cult Epics' release of Kriminal is a 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray combo pack. The 4K Blu-ray and the Blu-ray are both Region-Free.

Please note that all screencaptures included with this article are taken from the Blu-ray. We have not provided downscaled screencaptures from the 4K Blu-ray.

The release presents a new 4K restoration of Kriminal, sourced from the original camera negative, on 4K Blu-ray and Blu-ray. The 4K restoration is also made available on a separate Blu-ray release.

The 4K restoration exceeded all expectations I had. It is a jaw-dropper, one of the absolute best I have seen prepared for an older Italian genre film, shot in color. This is how all 4K restorations should look after they are completed at L'Immagine Ritrovata.

On my system, the entire film had a spectacular, enormously attractive, organic appearance. The outdoor and indoor footage looked equally striking, even when it was easy to tell that some of the unique footage from Turkey, for instance, must have been quite challenging. There are no traces of any problematic digital corrections, such as sharpening, contrast boosting, filtering, etc. Color reproduction and balance are phenomenal. All primaries and supporting nuances are properly set and expertly balanced. As a result, the entire film has a very faithful, gorgeous period appearance. here isn't even a whiff of the terrible yellow/green cast that is used to destroy color films at L'Immagine Ritrovata. The HDR grade helps the dynamic range of the visuals appear a bit more impressive, but the native 4K and 1080p presentations are equally striking. Image stability is excellent. Finally, the entire film looks immaculate as well.

Kriminal 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 and Italian DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English subtitles are provided for the main feature. When turned on, they appear inside the image frame.

I viewed Kriminal, in its entirety, on 4K Blu-ray and Blu-ray.

Both tracks use original overdubbing. I viewed Kriminal with the English track. It is predictably uneven in some areas, but its dynamic intensity is very nice. The music sounds great, too. Trained eyes will notice that in a few places the syncing is not ideal -- it is not distracting either -- but this is also a common development on original English tracks prepared for Italian genre films from the 1960s and 1970. I did not encounter any disturbing age-related anomalies.

Kriminal 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

4K BLU-RAY DISC

• Commentary - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by critics Eugenio Ercolani and Troy Howarth. The more interesting comments address the evolution of Italian genre cinema during the 1960s, Umberto Lenzi's career and cinematic output, and the conception and stylistic identity of Kriminal. However, I have to say that I disagree with the suggestion that Kriminal has elements of giallo, as suggested by one of the commentators.

• Theatrical Trailer - presented here is a remastered original Italian trailer for Kriminal. In Italian, with English subtitles. (4 min).

BLU-RAY DISC

• Commentary - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by critics Eugenio Ercolani and Troy Howarth. The more interesting comments address the evolution of Italian genre cinema during the 1960s, Umberto Lenzi's career and cinematic output, and the conception and stylistic identity of Kriminal. However, I have to say that I disagree with the suggestion that Kriminal has elements of giallo, as suggested by one of the commentators.

• Armed to the Teeth: The Cinema of Umberto Lenzi - this recent documentary film explores the career and cinematic legacy of Umberto Lenzi, as well as a few of the controversies that are attached to his name. The documentary was produced by Eugenio Ercolani and Andrea Meroni. In English and Italian, with English subtitles where necessary. (89 min).

• Camera Nostalgia - in this recent program, Glenn Saxson discusses his career and some of the characters he played in popular Italian genre film, including Kriminal and Django Shoots First, as well as the post-war Italian film industry. In Italian, with English subtitles. (38 min).

• The Sound of Krime - in this new program, film music expert Pierpaolo De Sanctis discusses Romano Mussolini's soundtrack for Kriminal and how it reflected some qualities that were associated with "Swinging Rome" at the same time. In Italian, with English subtitles. (25 min).

• Original Italian Credits - music only. (3 min).

• Theatrical Trailer - presented here is a remastered original Italian trailer for Kriminal. In Italian, with English subtitles. (4 min).

• Promotional Gallery - a collection of original promotional materials for Kriminal. Silent. (3 min).

• Isolated Score - presented as LPCM 2.0. (51 min).

• Cover - reversible cover with vintage poster art for Kriminal.

Kriminal 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Kriminal, Danger: Diabolik, and Satanik, the three popular original Italian comic book hero films form the 1960s, are fully restored now. Kriminal is the one with the most flexible identity because it has plenty in common with the three Ken Clark Eurospy films about CIA special agent Dick Malloy, also known as Agent 077. Cult Epics presents an incredible new 4K restoration of it, which is also made available on a standalone Blu-ray. This 4K restoration exceeded all expectations I had, so I will make sure it is mentioned in my Top Ten list at the end of the year. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.