Tenderness of the Wolves (1973)
"Die Zärtlichkeit der Wölfe" (original title)

Story of a gay serial killer who murders young boys so he can serve them as dinner to his circle of fellow cannibals.

Director:

Ulli Lommel

Writer:

Kurt Raab

Stars:

Kurt Raab, Jeff Roden, Margit Carstensen

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kurt Raab	...	Insp. Fritz Haarmann
Jeff Roden	...	Hans Grans
Margit Carstensen	...	Frau Lindner
Ingrid Caven	...	Dora
Wolfgang Schenck	...	Kommissar Braun
Brigitte Mira	...	Louise Engel
Rainer Hauer	...	Kommissar Müller
Barbara Bertram	...	Elli
Rainer Werner Fassbinder	...	Wittowski
Heinrich Giskes	...	Lungis
Friedrich Karl Praetorius	...	Kurt Fromm
Karl von Liebezeit	...	Herr Engel
Walter Kaltheuner	...	Schuhmacher
El Hedi ben Salem	...	Französischer Soldat
Rainer Will	...	Opfer (as Reiner Will)

Storyline

In 1925, in Germany, Fritz Haarmann is a homosexual, thief and sneak, having a special license from the police. He sells meat in the black market. He also kills boys and young men, drinking their blood, quarter-sewing their bodies and throwing away the parts in a river. Certainly what he sells in the black market is human meat.

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Plot Keywords:

meat | serial killer | homosexual | germany | boy strangling | 

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Genres:

Crime | Horror | Thriller | Drama

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Details

Country:

West Germany

Language:

German

Release Date:

12 July 1973 (West Germany)

Also Known As:

Tenderness of the Wolves

Filming Locations:

Düsseldorf, North Rhine - Westphalia, Germany

Box Office

Budget:

DEM 250,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Tango Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min 82 min (DVD)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Listed as one of the 1,000 movies that will change your life in the book by TimeOut.

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Crazy Credits

"Mein Tod und Blut gebe ich gern zur Sühne in Gottes Arme und Gerechtigkeit" Fritz Haarmann (I will gladly give my death and blood as a reparation into the arms of god and justice)

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Connections

Edited into Ulli Lommel's Zodiac Killer (2005)

User Reviews

Masterpiece

This is a true masterpiece. A classic Produced by Rainer Werner Fassbinder, who also plays a small role, and directed by Cult Filmmaker Ulli Lommel. It stars legendary Kurt Raab and it reminds you of Fritz Lang's masterpiece "M". Even though it is 37 years old, it feels like it was made yesterday. The camera work, the music, the acting, the directing, the lighting, the music, it's all as good as it gets! Based on a true crime story, it's about serial killer Fritz Haarmann, who murdered some 40 kids back around WWII in Germany. The mood, the settings, the whole feel of the film is so extraordinary, it keeps you glued to the screen from the first minute. And it's actually as good as the best Fassbinder films I have seen. I read a review back in the 70s by Vincent Canby in the New York Times, who loved this film and I saw it back then at a cinema in Manhattan, but this DVD I just screened is so cool so wonderful, this film is on my all time top ten list.