Hotel der toten Gäste

Horror crime thriller meets schlager / hit film - second attempt

Very similar to the film "DAS RÄTSEL DER GRÜNEN SPINNE / The Mystery of the Green Spider" (1960), which was made five years earlier, "HOTEL DER TOTEN GÄSTE / Hotel of the Dead Guests" (1965) is a very unusual mixture of Edgar Wallace-esque horror crime thriller and schlager / hit film. Two of the most successful genres in the German film industry were mixed to create a very special film cocktail. Well, in this case it only worked to a limited extent. The usual suspects of the Wallace stars give each other a hand (Joachim Fuchsberger, Karin Dor, Gisela Uhlen, Hans Nielsen, Ady Berber), but the spark doesn't really fly. It's a shame that Alfred Vohrer ("He is a genius!", Quentin Tarantino already knew) wasn't available as a director! The most worth mentioning are the beautiful Renate Ewert (sexy and sassy as always) and a mysterious Monika Peitsch at a very young age.

The whole killing takes place around the Italian schlager / pop festival in San Remo, so that singing performances (but only two!) can be included in the plot. Heino's future wife Hannelore Auer sings, who three years later would also appear in the "KOMMISSAR X" franchise. What was particularly successful was the performance of the enchanting GOLDEN GLOBE winner Elke Sommer, who - here at the beginning of her world career - sang the song "I say: No!".

Of course, who the murderer is is not revealed. Recommended for anyone who appreciates the convoluted trials and tribulations of the Federal Republic film industry.