Nerdly » ‘The Vengeance of Dr. Mabuse’ Blu-ray Review

18th Aug2025

‘The Vengeance of Dr. Mabuse’ Blu-ray Review

by Jason Lockard

Stars: Fred Williams, Jack Taylor, Ewa Strömberg, Roberto Camardiel, Siegfried Lowitz, Gustavo Re, Eva Garden | Written by Jess Franco, Artur Brauner, Arne Elsholtz | Directed by Jess Franco

In 1921 Norbert Jacques created a nefarious literary supervillain named Dr. Mabuse. Dr. Mabuse was a master of disguise and telepathic hypnosis. In his adventures, he would use body transference often through demonic possession, all for one purpose: to change the world into a “society of crime”.

When you think of Dr. Mabuse, there is a director that would be perfect for a tale of this supervillain, and that man, of course, is Jess Franco. Franco was highly prolific in directing low-budget films, especially those in the genres of exploitation, horror and B-movies. In 1972, he co-wrote and directed “Dr. M schlägt zu”.

Now, 53 years after its release, Kino Lorber, under the division of Kino Cult, is releasing Dr. M schlägt zu or The Vengeance of Dr. Mabuse on Blu-ray. All so that foreign cinema fans and horror movie aficionados can enjoy the film for years to come.

A criminal mastermind (Jack Taylor, Female Vampire) deploys poison gas and a beautiful whip-wielding assassin (Beni Cardoso) in a plot to steal government secrets in The Vengeance of Dr Mabuse (Dr. M schlägt zu). But his elaborate schemes risk unraveling when a small-town inspector (Fred Williams) stumbles into the scene. An unauthorized entry in the Dr. Mabuse cycle, the film makes no reference to Norbert Jacques’s clairvoyant criminal (the M-word is carefully avoided). Instead, director Jess Franco used the project as a chance to revisit his own sci-fi thrillers (The Awful Dr. Orlof, The Diabolical Dr. Z). Fold in a disfigured henchman (Rocha), a striptease dancer (Ewa Strömberg, Vampyros Lesbos), and wrap it all in a feverish jazz score, and the result is a spicy cinematic mélange that could only have been concocted in the demented mind of Jess Franco.

The Vengeance of Dr. Mabuse running under 80 minutes, is a fast-paced horror film. For those who enjoy it, there are the exploitation aspects of this Jess Franco film. But this film is not without its problems. The story is a bit chaotic, and the production quality is not the best. But if you enjoy the films of Franco, this should be a film you will enjoy.

Kino Lorber has transferred The Vengeance of Dr. Mabuse in 1080p in 1.66:1 aspect ratio. The audio is the original German language track in Dolby Digital 2.0. And don’t worry if you don’t understand German, there are English subtitles. So, you are covered there. Kino Lorber’s Blu-ray bring a glorious look to this film. If you ever saw this film on streaming or DVD, I don’t have to tell you how terrible this film looked. Not here, the colours are stunning, the picture is sharp and shows the gritty detail of the Franco cult film.

Now, in addition to an upgrade in picture quality, Kino Lorber’s Kino Cult has added a wonderful Audio Commentary by Film Historians Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson. These two bring tons of information to this film, making this commentary a must-listen. Finally, this Blu-ray edition has a very cool slipcover. Many film fans adore these, so it’s a dream come true.

Now it’s understandable that Jess Franco films are not for everyone; there is a select audience for his kind of cinema. But if you enjoy his films, this new Blu-ray of The Vengeance of Dr. Mabuse is a must-add to your Franco collection.