Kriminal (film)

Lore & Background

The film originated from the fumetti neri series Kriminal, which began publication in August 1964 and often contained themes of sex and violence. Director Umberto Lenzi initially wanted to adapt Diabolik but could not obtain the rights, which had been purchased by Dino De Laurentiis. He then attempted an adaptation of Satanik before settling on Kriminal. Lenzi argued with Kriminal's creator Luciano Secchi about changes he made to the character, which Lenzi later described as 'a bit Nazi-skin fascist. We made a fun film.' Lenzi opted for a lighter tone compared to the comic's sex and violence.

The lead role was played by Dutch actor Roel Bos under the name Glenn Saxson, who had previously starred in Spaghetti Westerns. Bos performed a screen test for Lenzi, who wanted a younger portrayal of Kriminal. Shooting lasted approximately two months, with interiors shot in Rome and exteriors in Madrid, Istanbul, the Black Sea, and London. Most physical stunts were performed by Bos' double Attilio Serverini, except for a dangerous sequence involving Kriminal running atop a speeding train.

Reader's Guide

Kriminal was released in 1966 and described by film historian Roberto Curti as 'moderately successful,' leading to a sequel, Il marchio di Kriminal, directed by Fernando Cerchio, released the following year. The film was released in Spain on April 28, 1969, as La máscara de Kriminal. As of 2016, no official English-language DVD had been released.

In a retrospective review, Curti wrote that Kriminal is 'fast, fun and entertaining overall, but it is also disappointingly tame,' lacking the comic's 'tongue-in-cheek attitude and political uncorrectness' and resembling 'travelogue James Bond rip-offs.' Lenzi later noted that when he re-watched the film on television, it 'seemed even better than when I shot in 1966: then I was a bit perplexed, now I appreciate the aspect of irony in it, something which comic strips didn't have because they were vulgar, horrible.' The film remains a notable entry in Italian comic book adaptations of the 1960s.

Did You Know?

• The film was directed and written by Umberto Lenzi.
• As of 2016, there had been no official English-language DVD of Kriminal.

From Comic Pages to Silver Screen

The 1966 film Kriminal traces its roots to the fumetti neri genre, a wave of Italian comics that began publication in August 1964. These graphic stories were notorious for their unapologetic blend of sexuality and graphic violence, with the title character frequently depicted seducing scantily clad women before strangling or stabbing them to conceal his identity. Director Umberto Lenzi originally set his sights on adapting Diabolik, another iconic fumetti neri villain, but found the rights already secured by Dino De Laurentiis. He next explored adapting Satanik before ultimately landing on Kriminal. The choice proved contentious: Lenzi clashed with the character's creator, Luciano Secchi, over the alterations he made to the source material. Lenzi later characterized the comic-book Kriminal as "a bit Nazi-skin fascist" and emphasized that his goal was simply to "make a fun film." In a deliberate departure from the source, he stripped away the explicit sexual violence in favor of a considerably lighter, more playful tone.

The Man Behind the Mask

The role of Kriminal was filled by Dutch actor Roel Bos, who performed under the screen name Glenn Saxson. Before taking on this part, Bos had already established himself in the Spaghetti Western genre, starring in films such as Go with God and Gringo. He underwent a screen test specifically for Lenzi, who envisioned a younger, more agile version of the character than the one readers knew from the fumetti pages. Opposite him, Andrea Bosic played Inspector Milton, the relentless pursuer chasing Kriminal after his prison escape. The supporting cast included Helga Liné as Inge-Trude, Esmeralda Ruspoli as Lady Gold, Mary Arden as Gloria Farr, and Ivano Staccioli as Alex Lafont. Much of the film's physical action was handled by Bos' stunt double, Attilio Serverini, who performed the majority of the dangerous sequences. The one notable exception was a particularly perilous scene in which Kriminal sprints across the roof of a speeding train, a feat Bos himself carried out.

Critical Reception and Reappraisal

Film historian Roberto Curti offered a measured assessment of Kriminal, calling it "moderately successful" while simultaneously noting it was "fast, fun and entertaining overall, but it is also disappointingly tame." In his retrospective review, Curti observed that the film lacked the tongue-in-cheek irreverence and political uncorrectness that defined the original comics. He further suggested that much of the production resembled the wave of travelogue-style James Bond imitations that were saturating screens in the mid-1960s. Lenzi himself, however, grew to appreciate the film more with time. When he rewatched it on television years after its 1966 production, he found it "seemed even better than when I shot in 1966." He explained that during filming he had felt "a bit perplexed," but in later years he came to recognize an element of irony in the finished product. Lenzi contrasted this with the source material, noting that the comic strips "didn't have" that ironic quality "because they were vulgar, horrible."

Production Scope and Afterlife

Principal photography for Kriminal stretched across roughly two months, with interior scenes captured in Rome and exterior sequences shot in a remarkably international array of locations including Madrid, Istanbul, the Black Sea coast, and London. This globe-trotting production design gave the film a distinctly cosmopolitan feel, fitting for a story about a thief escaping prison and evading capture across borders. The film was released in 1966 and earned enough positive reception to prompt a sequel, Il marchio di Kriminal (The Mark of Kriminal), directed by Fernando Cerchio and released the following year. In Spain, the film found a later audience under the title La máscara de Kriminal, receiving its theatrical release on April 28, 1969. Despite its international shooting locations and dual-country release, the film has remained somewhat elusive for English-speaking audiences; as of 2016, no official English-language DVD had been issued. It appears in both the lists of Italian and Spanish films of 1966, reflecting its cross-border production and distribution.

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