Die Zärtlichkeit der Wölfe (The Tenderness of Wolves) (1973)
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60% of critics liked it
(5 reviews) -
60% of users liked it
(225 ratings)
This dark horror film from director Ulli Lommel was based on the real-life crimes of Fritz Haarman (Kurt Raab), the so-called "Vampire of Dusseldorf" who murdered over 25 young boys, drank their blood, and sold their flesh as black-market meat. Several German films had depicted… More This dark horror film from director Ulli Lommel was based on the real-life crimes of Fritz Haarman (Kurt Raab), the so-called "Vampire of Dusseldorf" who murdered over 25 young boys, drank their blood, and sold their flesh as black-market meat. Several German films had depicted Haarman's murderous exploits, most notably Fritz Lang's classic M (1931), but Lommel's version is far more graphic and horrifying. Produced by filmmaker Rainer Werner Fassbinder, who also appears, the film revels in pseudo-Expressionistic imagery which sears itself into the viewer's mind. Raab's performance is reminiscent of both Peter Lorre in M and Max Schreck in the vampire classic Nosferatu (1922), but is unforgettable in its own right. A deeply disturbing cinematic poem about the face of true evil, this overlooked classic has developed a cult following, but is not recommended for sensitive viewers. ~ Robert Firsching, Rovi
- Directed By
- Ulli Lommel
- Written By
- Kurt Raab
- Genres
- Drama, Horror, Art House & International, Mystery & Suspense
Unrated,
- In Theaters
- Jul 12, 1973 Wide
Critic Reviews
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Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
A nasty little melodrama, lurid and creepy and sometimes bordering on demented humor. It's the kind of movie we may not exactly enjoy, but we don't walk out on.
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Vincent Canby, New York Times
It is beautifully and enthusiastically performed and it doesn't contain a single superfluous or redundant camera movement.
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Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
A black comedy of manners, but the crimes are so ghastly that they drown out the comedy.
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, Film4
Lommel's film remains as disturbing a look at a serial killer as you're likely to see.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
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