Documentary examines the extraordinary success of the Edgar Wallace series in Germany: the British writer who provided the inspiration for the films was actually out of fashion worldwide in the 1950s - too old-fashioned, too dignified, too boring. Only in Germany was it different, because there was a need to catch up after the end of the Second World War. The National Socialists had banned crime thrillers in general and Edgar Wallace in particular. With a few exceptions, the Edgar Wallace films were therefore the first since the expressionist films...

Captain Jeff Barlow ist Pilot mit Leib und Seele. Für eine französische Gesellschaft wagt er ein nicht ungefährliches Experiment: über der Sahara soll Trockeneis in Wolken geschossen werden, um diese zum Abregnen zu bringen. Auf diese Art und Weise will man dem Wassermangel ein Ende setzen. Das Projekt mit dem künstlichen Regen ist jedoch alles andere als ungefährlich. Captain Barlow ist aber ein viel zu leidenschaftlicher Flieger, als dass er sich von der Gefahr abschrecken ließe. Und so kommt, was kommen muss. Ein Sandsturm wird Barlow zum Verhängnis und er stürzt mit seiner Maschine ab. Verloren in den Weiten der Sahara fehlt von ihm jede Spur. Eine eingeleitete Suchaktion verläuft erfolglos. Für Barlow beginnt ein Wettlauf mit der Zeit, denn seine Wasservorräte werden knapp ...

In Liverpool there's a gang war between the Mods (who dress in the latest fashions and styles) and the Rockers (who are more into the '50s "greaser" look). Ricky, the son of a wealthy businessman, is a Mod guitar player, and in a gang fight with some Rockers, his girlfriend is killed. He leaves Liverpool for the continent and winds up in Rome, where he becomes involved with his father's mistress.

1969 television film directed by Wolfgang Becker

1965 film by Eberhard Itzenplitz

Frankie Bargher is hired by the government to pose as his own brother who became a target for two groups of evil agents.

Shortly after his return from India, a special agent of the British secret service falls victim to an insidious poisoning in London. Scotland Yard gets involved. But too late: valuable information has fallen into the hands of an international criminal gang...

After an automobile accident, in which a man is unrecognizably burnt to a crisp, his wife's only able to confirm the corpse's identity by his talisman: a small, white spider. However, soon, there are more corpses walking around than at a comic con convention and every single one of them was a white spider sitting on or nearby the body.

Winter 1942: Like thousands of other German soldiers, Asch and Vierbein have ended up at the Eastern front. Although Vierbein finds a new friend in Kowalski, the squadron commander captain Witterer, a true army veteran, gives them a really hard time. Witterer’s pointless orders reflect the bad habits of many former superiors. And again, Vierbein has to bear the brunt.

Jimmy Bondi and his miracle beetle Dudu are on their way to Portugal by sea. In the Algarve, they are witness to a dispute in which ex-inmate Plato and the attractive Tamara have to do with Marchese de la Sotta and his henchmen.

1954 film by Paul May

The "Frog with the Mask" spreads fear and anxiety within the streets of London. The creature is hidden under a wide clergyman's robe, its face covered up and only two enormously frightening, gleaming eyes can be seen. Together with members of his gang the "Frog with the Mask" hunts down innocent victims. Scotland Yard's Superintendent Elk is full of activity, as there are absolutely no traces on the crime scenes - only the wrists of the murdered bear a visible trace: the black "Frog Gang" mark. But - Then there is also Private Detective Richard Gordon together with his butler who are trailing down the "Frog with the Mask" as well...

A serial killer who calls himself "The Laughing Corpse" dresses up in a skeleton costume and kills his victims with a poison-filled scorpion-shaped ring. | add synopsis Plot Keywords:Detective

Police try to track down a hooded serial killer who murders his victims with a combination of acid and poison gas

The sister of a famous, but as yet uncaught, criminal named The Hexer is murdered. Inspector Higgins of Scotland Yard believes that The Hexer will surface to take his revenge on his sister's killers, and plans to set a trap to finally capture him. However, soon bodies start piling up, and it looks as if The Hexer may get away yet again

1958 film by Harald Reinl

A serial-killer is murdering the ladies of a night club. Detective Gray is seeking for the killer but can only find a lot of gangsters. And the killer is about to act again...