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The Fantômas series is a silent crime film serial consisting of five episodes (in a 3-Disc set), based on the novels of the same name, each an hour to an hour and a half in length, which end in cliffhangers, i.e., episodes one and three end with Fantomas making a last minute escape, the end of the second movie has Fantômas blowing up Lady Beltham's manor house with Juve and Fandor, the two heroes, still inside. The subsequent episodes begin with a recap of the story that has gone before. Each film is further divided into three or more chapters that do not end in cliffhangers.
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52 of 54 people found the following review helpful
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For those of you not familiar with Louis Feuillade, he was the artistic director of France's Gaumont Studios from 1907-1918 during which time he directed or supervised over 800 films. He is best remembered today for his groundbreaking crime serials FANTOMAS, JUDEX, and LES VAMPIRES which still have the power to amaze and entertain almost 100 years later. FANTOMAS is the earliest of the three dating from 1913-14. It is the blueprint for countless crime serials that would follow where an archcriminal who is a master of disguise and head of a vast criminal empire (Fantomas) is doggedly pursued by a dedicated "supercop" (Inspector Juve) and his sidekick (Fandor) who are determined to bring him down.
FANTOMAS was conceived on a grand scale. It breaks down into five films (IN THE SHADOW OF THE GUILLOTINE, JUVE-vs-FANTOMAS, THE MURDEROUS CORPSE, FANTOMAS-vs-FANTOMAS, THE FALSE MAGISTRATE) and runs for over 5 1/2 hours. It is full of disguises, surprises, several comic moments, a touch of the supernatural and surprising brutality. It's also a time capsule of settings and life before World War One which makes it invaluable as history. Rene Navarre and Edmond Breon as protagonist and antagonist give surprisingly restrained (and effective) performances considering that this film was made in 1913. Be warned, once you start it, it's hard to stop watching, even if you're not into silent films.
Although it was the first to be made, FANTOMAS is the last of three great Feuillade serials to make it to Region One DVD. LES VAMPIRES and JUDEX have been available for a few years now and if you haven't seen them you should check them out as well. Gaumont did the restoration back in 1998 and the film looks astonishing for its age. It was first released on Region 2 DVD in the U.K. by Artificial Eye back in 2006. This edition comes with an entertaining and appropriate music score as well as special features that include 2 short Feuillade films as well as commentary from film historian David Kalat. Thanks to Kino Lorber for finally making it available in the USA so that Americans can it enjoy it as well.
FANTOMAS was conceived on a grand scale. It breaks down into five films (IN THE SHADOW OF THE GUILLOTINE, JUVE-vs-FANTOMAS, THE MURDEROUS CORPSE, FANTOMAS-vs-FANTOMAS, THE FALSE MAGISTRATE) and runs for over 5 1/2 hours. It is full of disguises, surprises, several comic moments, a touch of the supernatural and surprising brutality. It's also a time capsule of settings and life before World War One which makes it invaluable as history. Rene Navarre and Edmond Breon as protagonist and antagonist give surprisingly restrained (and effective) performances considering that this film was made in 1913. Be warned, once you start it, it's hard to stop watching, even if you're not into silent films.
Although it was the first to be made, FANTOMAS is the last of three great Feuillade serials to make it to Region One DVD. LES VAMPIRES and JUDEX have been available for a few years now and if you haven't seen them you should check them out as well. Gaumont did the restoration back in 1998 and the film looks astonishing for its age. It was first released on Region 2 DVD in the U.K. by Artificial Eye back in 2006. This edition comes with an entertaining and appropriate music score as well as special features that include 2 short Feuillade films as well as commentary from film historian David Kalat. Thanks to Kino Lorber for finally making it available in the USA so that Americans can it enjoy it as well.
30 of 31 people found the following review helpful
By M. Boxwood
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Just like its eponymous antagonist towering over Paris at dusk, Fantômas looms over the thriller genre, presaging the work of Fritz Lang, Alfred Hitchcock, and countless others. A series of five films produced in France during 1913-14 by Louis Feuillade, "Fantômas" reflected the era's fascination with outlandish criminal masterminds and nudged the thriller genre into realms of surrealism and poetic sadism. The films are linked together by virtue of the characters, but each can be enjoyed on its own terms.
Part One, "In the Shadow of the Guillotine," introduces the basic dynamic between arch-fiend Fantômas and the duo obsessively devoted to bringing him to justice, Juve of the Sûreté and his loyal sidekick, the reporter Fandor. Fantômas quickly demonstrates his defining characteristics, an uncanny ability to assume new identities and an utter ruthlessness. His exploitation of the character of Lady Beltham borders on the vampiric. The second film, "Juve vs. Fantômas" is a fever dream of pulpish delights including a train wreck, a gun battle culminating in an inferno, and a killer boa constrictor. It concludes with Fantômas blowing up the house with the two protagonists still inside and their fates unknown. Much of Part Three, "The Murderous Corpse," plays like a fin-de-siècle police procedural as the authorities step up their investigative efforts, and the subsequent film, "Fantômas vs. Fantômas," ratchets up the surrealism with a bleeding wall and a costumed ball attended by three guests dressed as Fantômas. The final film, "The False Magistrate," offers the viewer the best opportunity to observe the villain's methods as he assumes the identity of a judicial official and abuses the position for his own nefarious gains.
Modern viewers may find devoting five-and-a-half hours to watch a silent French serial to be unreasonable: the camera remains largely motionless and scenes play themselves out with only a modicum of edits. Those approaching Fantômas with patience and an open mind will be amply rewarded. Images become like a tableau and linger in the mind. Like Feuillade's other thrillers, "Les Vampires" and "Judex," "Fantômas" takes on the texture of a filmed dream, almost like an "Inception" made a century earlier. Identities are exchanged and abandoned with ease while motives and intentions remain unclear.
The films generally look exceptionally good for their age although portions of "The False Magistrate" are lost and replaced with descriptions and a still photograph. While visually pleasing, the musical score, drawn from a French music library, presents some minor issues. Many of the cues selected compliment the action on screen, but in other instances the music overplays the menace or the comedy. Also certain vocal pieces and occasional sound effects (gunshots, applause, etc.) are distracting and reminiscent of budget-priced DVD releases. The exemplary work done by composer Robert Israel on "Les Vampires" and "Judex" is greatly missed here. This is a minor quibble given the overall excellence of the restoration and the supplementary features included by Kino. In addition to a still gallery is an audio commentary by film scholar David Kalat on the first two films. Kalat provided one of the most informative and entertaining commentaries I've ever listened to for Image's release of "Dr. Mabuse, der Spieler" and he brings the same insight and enthusiasm to this project. Fuelliade's directorial versatility is demonstrated by a ten-minute film on his career and a pair of short films, "The Nativity" (1910) and "The Dwarf" (1912).
Overall it's a fantastic set that belongs in the collection of anyone with an interest in early cinema, pulp thrillers, or great storytelling.
Part One, "In the Shadow of the Guillotine," introduces the basic dynamic between arch-fiend Fantômas and the duo obsessively devoted to bringing him to justice, Juve of the Sûreté and his loyal sidekick, the reporter Fandor. Fantômas quickly demonstrates his defining characteristics, an uncanny ability to assume new identities and an utter ruthlessness. His exploitation of the character of Lady Beltham borders on the vampiric. The second film, "Juve vs. Fantômas" is a fever dream of pulpish delights including a train wreck, a gun battle culminating in an inferno, and a killer boa constrictor. It concludes with Fantômas blowing up the house with the two protagonists still inside and their fates unknown. Much of Part Three, "The Murderous Corpse," plays like a fin-de-siècle police procedural as the authorities step up their investigative efforts, and the subsequent film, "Fantômas vs. Fantômas," ratchets up the surrealism with a bleeding wall and a costumed ball attended by three guests dressed as Fantômas. The final film, "The False Magistrate," offers the viewer the best opportunity to observe the villain's methods as he assumes the identity of a judicial official and abuses the position for his own nefarious gains.
Modern viewers may find devoting five-and-a-half hours to watch a silent French serial to be unreasonable: the camera remains largely motionless and scenes play themselves out with only a modicum of edits. Those approaching Fantômas with patience and an open mind will be amply rewarded. Images become like a tableau and linger in the mind. Like Feuillade's other thrillers, "Les Vampires" and "Judex," "Fantômas" takes on the texture of a filmed dream, almost like an "Inception" made a century earlier. Identities are exchanged and abandoned with ease while motives and intentions remain unclear.
The films generally look exceptionally good for their age although portions of "The False Magistrate" are lost and replaced with descriptions and a still photograph. While visually pleasing, the musical score, drawn from a French music library, presents some minor issues. Many of the cues selected compliment the action on screen, but in other instances the music overplays the menace or the comedy. Also certain vocal pieces and occasional sound effects (gunshots, applause, etc.) are distracting and reminiscent of budget-priced DVD releases. The exemplary work done by composer Robert Israel on "Les Vampires" and "Judex" is greatly missed here. This is a minor quibble given the overall excellence of the restoration and the supplementary features included by Kino. In addition to a still gallery is an audio commentary by film scholar David Kalat on the first two films. Kalat provided one of the most informative and entertaining commentaries I've ever listened to for Image's release of "Dr. Mabuse, der Spieler" and he brings the same insight and enthusiasm to this project. Fuelliade's directorial versatility is demonstrated by a ten-minute film on his career and a pair of short films, "The Nativity" (1910) and "The Dwarf" (1912).
Overall it's a fantastic set that belongs in the collection of anyone with an interest in early cinema, pulp thrillers, or great storytelling.
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful
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French film pioneer Louis Feuillade's 1913 groundbreaking, epic crime thriller FANTOMAS is a captivating viewing experience. This five part series was based on the popular French pulp novels of the day and served as the prototype for all future films in this vein, including Feuillade's own brilliant follow up LES VAMPIRES and Fritz Lang's terrific DR. MABUSE saga.
The intrigue is all very intricately presented with the title master criminal assuming several different identities along the way in order to throw the authorities off his track. FANTOMAS has a neatly mixed atmosphere of fantasy and realism, with its outrageous premise being played out in and around the streets of Paris before the outbreak of World War 1. This is partly what makes these films so fascinating to watch today.
Presented with an effective music score by Catalougue Sonimage and an informative commentary by historian David Kalat, Kino's beautiful restoration preserves FANTOMAS so that modern viewers can better appreciate Feuillade's innovative masterpiece.
The intrigue is all very intricately presented with the title master criminal assuming several different identities along the way in order to throw the authorities off his track. FANTOMAS has a neatly mixed atmosphere of fantasy and realism, with its outrageous premise being played out in and around the streets of Paris before the outbreak of World War 1. This is partly what makes these films so fascinating to watch today.
Presented with an effective music score by Catalougue Sonimage and an informative commentary by historian David Kalat, Kino's beautiful restoration preserves FANTOMAS so that modern viewers can better appreciate Feuillade's innovative masterpiece.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic Fantomas
After one-hundred years, the story of Fantomas is still enthralling. A criminal mastermind is tracked down by a police detective and a reporter, and he manages to outwit them each... Read more
Published 13 days ago by Thomas L. Canfield
3.0 out of 5 stars
HISTORY REMEMBERED
For a black and white, silent set of movies, these were fascinating. Acting was better than I expected (not too many raised black eyebrows and rolling eyes! Read more
Published 3 months ago by Irene C
5.0 out of 5 stars
The dawn of film is dazzling
The first expressions of a new artistic medium are often filled with fantastic energy & liberating possibility. Read more
Published 4 months ago by William Timothy Lukeman
5.0 out of 5 stars
FANTOMAS...100 yr.-old images spring to life!!!
Being that FANTOMAS(1913) is now 100 years old, all I need to add to the many excellent reviews is that I'm totally blown away that a movie this old can look this good. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Richard J. Oravitz
5.0 out of 5 stars
those thrilling day of yesteryear
The movie serial peaked during the days of silent film, and French Director Louis Feuillade was an important part of that blossoming. Read more
Published on January 4, 2011 by Stephen Persing
4.0 out of 5 stars
Period movie
One of the more fascinating aspects of this movie is the detailed and rich presentation of life at the turn of the century: dress, hairdos, cars, living spaces (the hotel lobby for... Read more
Published on October 30, 2010 by Ziggy
