MABUSE PROPAGANDA

Lots of chaos on the radar these days and nothing spells chaos like MABUSE. The arch-villain Doctor Mabuse was created by novelist Norbert Jacques and was popularized in a series of films between 1922-1971, most notably by director Fritz Lang. He was a diabolical mastermind driven to tighten his grip on power by destabilizing society, sowing discord, spreading crime, and positioning himself as the master manipulator. The Doctor also had mesmeric powers, enabling him to implant ideas and visions in the minds of his followers. Chilling! Beware of cult leaders. Dr Mabuse returned as a character in the 1980s in a recording by avant-pop band, Propaganda. The group hailed from Dusseldorf and recorded under Trevor Horn's ZTT label in the mid-1980s. Spy Vibers may remember Horn from The Art of Noise. After relocating to the UK, Propaganda released a number of interesting projects, including a cover of Throbbing Gristle's Discipline. Their debut 1984 single, The Nine Lives of Dr. Mabuse, charted in Germany and the UK, was featured on the acclaimed 1985 album A Secret Wish, and became a popular track on entertainment programs such as The Tube. The promotional video (version 1) for The Nine Lives of Dr. Mabuse celebrated the history of German thrillers and it was one of the first video projects by artist Anton Corbijn. Filmed in beautiful black and white, the Mabuse video featured the band members in cloak-and-dagger vibe, along with actor Vladek Sheybal (From Russia With Love, Secret Agent, The Baron, The Saint, Casino Royale, Billion Dollar Brain, The Champions, Callan, UFO) in the role of Dr. Mabuse! The video's rich imagery recalled the gothic krimi style of the classic Mabuse films, as well as Fritz Lang's M and the hooded fiends and secret societies of the Edgar Wallace series. The lyrics of the song warned: "The man without shadow promises you the world. Tell him your dreams and fanatical needs. He's buying them all with cash. Sell him your soul." Check it out below. 

The original Dr. Mabuse films are fantastic, especially the first three by Fritz Lang, which all have been released on Blu-ray by Eureka. I hope the company will follow up on their recent Feuillade Complete Crime Serials 1913-1918 box set (Fantomas, Les Vampires & more!) with a complete 1960s Mabuse cycle. 

Dr. Mabuse: The Gambler (1922)

The Testament of Dr. Mabuse (1933)

The Thousand Eyes of Dr. Mabuse (1960)

The Return of Dr. Mabuse (1961)

The Invisible Dr. Mabuse (1962)

The Testament of Dr. Mabuse (1962)

Dr. Mabuse vs. Scotland Yard (1963)

The Secret of Dr. Mabuse (1964)

The Vengeance of Dr. Mabuse (1972)

Many of the actors in the later Mabuse films will be familiar to Spy Vibers: Gert Fröbe (Goldfinger, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang), Senta Berger (The Man from U.N.C.L.E., It Takes a Thief, The Poppy is Also a Flower, The Quiller Memorandum, The Ambushers), Karin Dor (Upperseven, You Only Live Twice, Topaz), Dawn Addams (The Saint, Danger Man), Peter van Eyck (The Spy Who Came in From the Cold), Werner Peters (Assignment K, The Killer Likes Candy), and Dahlia Lavi (The Silencers, Casino Royale, Some Girls Do).

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