Mabuse Lives! Dr. Mabuse at CCC: 1960-1964 Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.0

Mabuse Lives! Dr. Mabuse at CCC: 1960-1964 Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman April 1, 2025

The infamous Dr. Mabuse made his literary debut in 1921, one which made such a considerable impact that barely a year later the inimitable Fritz Lang offered a (silent) film adaptation with Dr. Mabuse: The Gambler. That film actually presaged such later blockbuster efforts like Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, or alternatively The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2, by unspooling in two parts (unlike the foregoing more contemporary features, Lang's two related 1922 Mabuse entries were released only a month apart). The film was such a sensation that Lang revisited the source property in 1933 for a sound film called The Testament of Dr. Mabuse*. Lang, who had famously become an expat due to the rise of Hitler (some aver the 1933 Mabuse is a thinly veiled commentary about Hitler), was coaxed back to his native Germany in the late fifties by producer Arthur Brauner, for whom Lang made his last three films, The Tiger of Eschnapur, The Indian Tomb (another "diptych" from Lang available on Blu-ray as part of the Film Movement release Fritz Lang's Indian Epic), and The Thousand Eyes of Dr. Mabuse, which saw Lang wrapping up his career by returning to arguably the most redolent character (and/or characters) of his filmography, and in so doing launching a whole new series of Mabuse films (albeit without Lang's continued involvement). This new "franchise" was fashioned to compete with or at least appeal to the same demographic as first Rialto Films' krimi productions, and then the somewhat later Wallace Krimi at CCC films, itself rather interesting since CCC produced these films. (The link points to a nice looking upcoming release from Eureka that may well serve as a companion piece to the Dr. Mabuse set). Also kind of interestingly just as this Dr. Mabuse cycle was close to coming to an end, another property which is mentioned in some of the supplements in this collection as featuring a sort of companion character to Mabuse resurfaced as part of a resurgent Fantomas series which began in 1964, almost exactly as the Mabuse films were ending (Jess Franco took up the veritable mantle in 1970 for The Vengeance of Dr. Mabuse, but for purposes of this review, the "official" original reboot series was over by 1964).

*Note: The link points to a Region B release.

For reviews of the films in this set please click on the following links:

The Thousand Eyes of Dr. Mabuse Blu-ray review

The Return of Dr. Mabuse Blu-ray review

The Invisible Dr. Mabuse Blu-ray review

The Testament of Dr. Mabuse Blu-ray review

Scotland Yard Hunts Dr. Mabuse Blu-ray review

The Death Ray of Dr. Mabuse Blu-ray review

Mabuse Lives! Dr. Mabuse at CCC: 1960-1964 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Video quality of each film is assessed in the above linked reviews.

Mabuse Lives! Dr. Mabuse at CCC: 1960-1964 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Audio quality of each film is assessed in the above linked reviews.

Mabuse Lives! Dr. Mabuse at CCC: 1960-1964 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Supplements on each disc are detailed in the above linked reviews (and as can be seen in the screenshots of the disc main menus I've uploaded to accompany this review, two of the discs have two films on them). This is a really nicely designed package from Eureka that includes a slipbox with some great character illustrations. Two keepcases with reversible sleeves are enclosed, as well as a really nice perfect bound booklet with some great writing and fun stills.

Mabuse Lives! Dr. Mabuse at CCC: 1960-1964 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

This set and the above linked upcoming Wallace Krimi set from Eureka are sure to appeal to a certain demographic, and for those folks, this release offers secure technical merits and some outstanding supplements, all delivered in some very handsome packaging with additional non disc swag. Recommended.