Charles Regnier Movies
- 1998
"Cascadeur" is the French term for a film action coordinator, which actor-producer Hardy Martins did on German films for a decade, also training for 24 months at the Los Angeles International Stunt Association, before directing this $4 million German action-adventure in the Indiana Jones tradition. In Caracas, art-history student Christin (Regula Grauwiller) tracks a dying Nazi, acquires a unique key that leads to the Amber Room and a $150 million treasure stolen from Leningrad by the Nazis during WWII. Captured by a German intelligence Colonel (Heiner Lauterbach) during a Caracas chase, Christin is sent on a plane to Bavaria but escapes in a parachute, landing near former stuntman Vincent (Hardy Martins). Tracked by the Colonel's men, Vincent and Christin set out across Bavaria to find the Amber Room. Shown at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hardy Martins, Regula Grauwiller, (more)
- 1988
An American filmmaker travels to modern day Berlin to make a film based on a real-life incident from 1942 in which 13 Jewish prisoners from a concentration camp were promised freedom if they appeared in a German propaganda film. Unfortunately, the German's lied. The psychological process undergone by the modern filmmaker while shooting the story provide the basis of this arty and challenging film. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tony Curtis, Matthias Habich, (more)
- 1986
- NR
In this informative and measured docudrama, director Margarethe von Trotta (who inherited the project from the late Rainer Werner Fassbinder) relates the life and times of Rosa Luxemburg. Von Trotta based her film on historical research and some of the more than 2,000 letters Rosa Luxemburg wrote during her active life. Luxemburg was a leader of both the German and Polish Socialist parties who advocated an anti-colonialist and pacifist stance on the issues of her day. This drama opens with a shocking prison scene: Rosa is set up for a mock execution while other prisoners are murdered around her. She is eventually released from prison to continue writing, talking, traveling, and exhorting others to join in the Socialist movement. Her lovers, her friends, and historical VIPs wend their way through her life year by year as she fulfills her destiny. Imprisoned on more than one occasion, Rosa did not escape her political enemies; she was assassinated on a January night in 1919 while walking with her friend Karl Liebknecht, who was also murdered. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Barbara Sukowa, Daniel Olbrychski, (more)
- 1983
Loosely based on the colorful, combustible life and career of German filmmaker Rainer Werner Fassbinder, A Man Like Eva (Ein Mann Wie Eva) stars actress Eva Mattes in male drag as an obsessive, sadomasochistic movie director. Eva is currently working on a filmization of Dumas' Lady of the Camelias, and in so doing mercilessly uses and abuses everyone in "his" cast and crew. Attempting to sustain a "family" atmosphere on the set, Eva succeeds only in driving everyone crazy--and at least one person to suicide. After a while, A Man Like Eva takes on the dimensions of a genuine Fassbinder film, though one suspects that the late director might have been able to tighten up the sometimes slack plotline. Trivia note: in 1973, star Eva Mattes was the leading lady in Fassbinder's Jail Bait. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eva Mattes, Werner Stocker, (more)
- 1980
The destructive nature of a rising Nazi menace is the subtext in this drama about a young man in Germany in the late '20s. While he enjoys a certain immunity from hard times because of a rich friend and female companionship, he is not blind. He sees mounting injustices in the society around him and cannot always reconcile them with his own views. After his love life gets a jolt and he loses his job, he debates whether or not to work for a Nazi newspaper as the future seems to look worse each day. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hans-Peter Hallwachs, Hermann Lause, (more)
The Serpent's Egg, or Das Schlangenei is director Ingmar Bergman's second English language production (The Touch was his first). It is, however, his first completely non-Swedish production, made after his voluntary self-exile from Sweden over taxation issues. Set in Berlin in the early 1920s, it explores the fear and despair the city evokes in Manuela and Abel Rosenberg (Liv Ullmann and David Carradine), two Jewish trapeze artists. The suicide of Manuela's husband (Abel's brother), has stranded them in Berlin. Berlin is shown to already possess the sinister elements of cruelty and anti-Semitism which laid the groundwork for the later Nazi takeover. A series of misadventures gets them sent to a medical clinic for treatment. However, the clinic is actually a site for Nazi-type "racial" experiments on humans, which generally either madden or kill the subjects. Das Schlangenei was savaged by the critics for its improbable-seeming story and more particularly, for casting David Carradine (best known for his earlier appearances in the Kung Fu U.S. television series) in a crucial role. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Liv Ullmann, David Carradine, (more)
Abstract images produced with an electronic video mix -- as well as the surrealist paintings of artist Mati Klarwein -- highlight this adaptation of the literary classic by Herman Hesse. Max von Sydow stars as Harry Haller, a self-absorbed, misanthropic writer contemplating the duality of his nature as both a social outsider disenchanted with the chaos and disorder of the everyday world and an inner "steppenwolf." Planning to commit suicide by the age of 50, Haller seeks a reconciliation of these different aspects of the self, while encountering a mysterious woman who leads him into a magical realm where his efforts to achieve redemption may be realized through a metaphysical transcendence. Whether it is mental illness, narcotics, or an authentically supernatural experience that overtakes Haller remains unclear. Essentially as plotless as Hesse's source novel, Steppenwolf (1974) was mostly memorable for its avant garde visuals, which made it a favorite of youthful audiences seeking hallucinogenic cinematic experiences such as those in the final half hour of 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Max von Sydow, Dominique Sanda, (more)
- 1969
In this comedy, the trouble begins when a computer whiz tries to explain to the cops that his car was wrecked by an elephant. The cops naturally think he is looney, a suspicion confirmed when he frantically demands they let him go because his duck will be ringing at seven-thirty and he must be home to answer it. Despite his protestations, they immediately squire him to the local nut house. Unfortunately, the hacker is perfectly sane. There really was an elephant; it really did sit on his car, and his "duck" is his computer. Now the only way the hapless nerd can get home is to feign insanity so that the shrinks will free him. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hertha Feiler, Graziella Granata, (more)
- 1967
A priceless cache of blue diamonds cause criminal chaos in this grim action drama that is set in the Mexican jungle. The excitement begins with the robbery of an armored car carrying the valuable gems. Something goes awry and all but one of the thieves die violently. The sole witness to the crime then kills the surviving crook and hides the diamonds in the jungle. Later a gangster captures him and tries to force him to disclose their location. The gangster's moll takes pity on the fellow and helps him escape. The two then make a desperate bid for the border with both the crooks and the Diamond Syndicate Police in hot pursuit. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ina Balin, Sancho Gracia, (more)
- 1966
An extremely sub-James Bond orientation drives this thriller -- made in Europe but trying to look and sound American -- about a counter-intelligence operative (identified as a "super-agent" by his boss) investigating a leak to the Soviets. Dark, good-looking Ray Danton plays Larson, the "super-agent" in this awkward (but, on that level, enjoyable) yet knowing spoof of the genre. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Roger Hanin
- 1966
In A Study in Terror the ever popular Sherlock Holmes and his companion Dr. Watson search for the Victorian serial killerJack the Ripper in this well-made and exciting mystery produced, written and directed by James Hill. In this adaptation of the popular character created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Holmes (John Neville) aided by Dr. Watson (Donald Houston) and his brother Mycroft (Robert Morley) are called in to help catch the crazed killer of prostitutes. This film combines all the elements beloved by fans of Sherlock Holmes resulting in a satisfying and well-acted mystery. John Neville is good as the cool, logical Holmes and Robert Morley adds a nice dash of humor to liven up the story. A Study in Terror is highly recommended for fans of Sherlock Holmes and should be enjoyed by any viewer who loves vintage mysteries. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Neville, Donald Houston, (more)
- 1966
An idealistic young doctor (Tadeusz Lomnicki) takes a job at a woman's hospital in this routine medical drama. He loses his confidence and questions whether the medical field is right for him before a series of interactions between patients and their families restores his faith and dedication to heal the afflicted. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tadeusz Lomnicki, Sabine Bethmann, (more)
- 1965
A trio of crooks just out of prison plan their next scheme to strike it rich in this amusing crime comedy. Kurt (Curd Jurgens) is a handsome ladies man, with Charly (Walter Giller) as a dim-witted dolt and Roland (Charles Regnier) as the criminal mastermind. Their scheme is to ship Volkswagens to the United States, sell them for a profit, and eliminate the nearly 18 months waiting time the car buyers normally had to endure. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Curd Jürgens, Walter Giller, (more)
- 1965
This crime drama is a remake of Fritz Lang's The Testament of Dr. Mabuse (1933). This time, the malignant Mabuse attempts to enact his evil schemes by hypnotizing another to do them in his stead. A series of strange crimes sets a detective on the case. The hapless detective soon finds himself captured by Mabuse's evil pawn who tortures the investigator with electroshock treatments. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1965
Tissot (Pierre Brice) is French secret agent No. 11011 in this James Bond-style spy thriller. He is sent on a mission to retrieve stolen plans for a newly developed steering mechanism for rockets. The typical genre mix of comedy, sex, and fight scenes overcomes a sometimes confusing storyline. Distaff interest is provided by Jana Brejchova and Daliah Lavi. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Pierre Brice, Heinz Drache, (more)
- 1965
Angelique (Michele Mercier) is saved by the king of the cutthroats (Giuliano Gemma) when she is endangered in the streets of Paris. After her hero is killed, she has many amorous affairs and becomes a successful businesswoman in this costume-drama sequel based on the book by Serge and Anne Golon. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michele Mercier, Jean-Louis Trintignant, (more)
- 1964
A man insists that he was framed for a hit-and-run driving accident. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1964
This German thriller is based on an Edgar Wallace story. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1963
The Invisible Man, a German science fiction thriller, written, produced and directed by Raphael Nussbaum, is an interesting, if somewhat slow reprise of the classic H.G. Wells novel, The Invisible Man, combined with elements of the famous Dr. Mabuse films, a series based on the Fritz Lang classic The Thousand Eyes of Dr Mabuse about a scientist who can also make himself invisible. In this version, originally titled Der Unsichtbare, two men desperately search for a professor (Has von Borsody) who has disappeared under mysterious circumstances. While this German production has some interesting moments, it is derivative and predictable, and fans of the Invisible Man series should stick to the original. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide
- 1963
Curse of the Yellow Snake is a riproaring entry in Germany's series of low-budget films based on the works of Edgar Wallace. This time the filmmakers have borrowed a page from "Fu Manchu" creator Sax Rohmer, spinning a yarn about an Oriental cult's revolt against the white race. The names in the cast list are decidedly Teutonic, indicating that the "orientals" seen throughout are literally skin-deep. Heading the cast is Jochim Fuchsberger, a regular participant in the German Edgar Wallace series. Curse of the Yellow Snake establishes mood and tension early on, seldom letting up throughout its 98 minutes (much longer than usual for a Wallace film). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1963
When a German gangster uses a scientist's formula to render himself invisible, he sets out on a crime spree. ~ All Movie Guide
In this lightweight French comedy a pair of sharpers, Cathy (Jeanne Moreau) and her ex-husband Michel (Jean-Paul Belmondo) attempt to bilk a miserly millionaire out of his fortune during his visit to the French Riviera. Unfortunately for them, he is just as crafty as they are. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeanne Moreau, Jean-Paul Belmondo, (more)
- 1963
This overdone German film relies on a repetitive plot centered around bedroom antics worthy of daytime dramas. A call girl (Hildegard Knef) teaches the "ways of love" to a boy (Thomas Fritsch). The boy uses the knowledge to seduce the young wife (Alexandra Stewart) of his professor (Martin Held). Meanwhile, the professor carries on with his secretary (Daliah Lavi). The story continues in like fashion, with little else to give it strength. ~ Lucinda Ramsey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lilli Palmer, Nadja Tiller, (more)
