Edgar Wallace Mysteries: Volume 1 (1960) (DVD)

One of the twentieth century's most successful crime novelists, Edgar Wallace's thrillers have been widely adapted for film and television the most memorable of which are the Edgar Wallace Mysteries series, made at Merton Park Studios during the first half of the 1960s. A noir-esque series, it updates some of the author's stories to more contemporary settings, blending classic B-movie elements with a distinctly British feel. Long-awaited and much sought after, all 47 films will be released over seven volumes on DVD. As special features, they will also include the seven separate Edgar Wallace thrillers made by Independent Artists Ltd between 1959 and 1961. This series includes top-notch performances from Michael Caine, Alfred Burke, Barry Foster, Hazel Court, Patrick Magee, Bernard Archard, Michael Gough, Jack Watling, Harry H. Corbett and Bernard Lee, including scripts by Robert Banks Stewart (Callan), Man in a Suitcase co-creator Richard Harris, Philip Mackie (The Naked Civil Servant), Lukas Heller (The Dirty Dozen) and Roger Marshall (The Sweeney). Noted directors include Sidney Hayers (The Avengers), Robert Tronson (Armchair Thriller) and Quentin Lawrence (Catweazle). A recording of the series memorable theme music, Man of Mystery, also spawned a Top Five UK hit for The Shadows.