Customer Reviews

Judex (Deluxe Edition)

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As a long time fan of silent films I was familiar with JUDEX from a number of reference books and from the 1963 remake by Georges Franju which is not without interest and should also be revived. Therefore it was an unexpected pleasure to discover that Flicker Alley (the people who gave us GARDEN OF EDEN with Corinne Griffith a few years back) in conjunction with Turner Classic Movies was issuing a newly restored version of the original 1916 version.

Louis Feuillade (1873-1925) was the undisputed master of the movie serial. He took what was regarded as the cheapest form of cinematic entertainment and turned it into an art form. Although not as erotic or as violent as LES VAMPIRES his previous effort, JUDEX benefits from a tighter storyline, more fully developed characters, and some of the most remarkable photography to come out of that era. The plot is simple and is basically a reworking of THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO. A young man plans to avenge himself against the unscrupulous banker who ruined his family but his plans are compromised when he falls in love with the banker's daughter.

The complete film runs over 5 hours and is divided into 12 chapters. While each episode doesn't end in a cliffhanger like most American serials, the storyline is intriguing enough that you'll want to keep going just to see how it all works out. The performances by the French cast are restrained by silent film standards and use a great deal of subtle pantomime which is very effective. The real star however is the photography. Feuillade uses a mostly stationary camera but the compositions of his shots and what he does within them especially in the outdoor scenes is truly remarkable. It is easy to see why he was known as the D. W. Griffith of France.

The film has been color tinted to 1916 standards and features superb musical accompaniment from Robert Israel which ranges from solo piano to orchestral. While I haven't seen FANTOMAS which is not available in the U. S. but judging from what I've read about it and from LES VAMPIRES which is available, I'd have to say that JUDEX is Feuillade's masterpiece. Another winner from Flicker Alley, this DVD is an absolute must for all silent film buffs and to anyone interested in the cinema of crime.

I don't suppose I'd ever heard of this film a year or two ago, and yet now it's one of my all time favorites. "Judex" is as good as movie-making gets. It is a serial-- over five hours of it-- and yet, unlike every other serial I've seen, it is a coherent and powerful story. It might be better to compare it to a television mini-series, only I've never seen one of those this good. "Judex" held my interest every step of the way, and has so retained its charm with me that I've already watched the whole thing a number of times. The acting and cinematography are both excellent. The accompanying music by Robert Israel is superb; I wish I had that on CD. As far as the DVD presentation, the film is not restored, but is supposedly the best quality available. There are some weak spots, but the film is always watchable, and usually looks pretty good. The tinting is visually pleasing and enhances the appropriate scenes. "Judex" would have been worth twice what I paid for it. I recommend it wholeheartedly. If I don't watch myself I'll end up starting a "Judex" fan club!

I agree wholeheartedly with J. Sims and Chip Kaufmann. This serial is excellent in plot, music, and cinematography. Also the acting in most instances is very good and natural and not the stereotypical exaggerated facial and body motions that some people associate with silent movies. I am an ardent silent movie fan and also a serial fan and to me this is absolutely one of the best of any genre I have ever seen (including most "talkies"). In addition, it is great to see competent women able to do difficult things (e.g., Miss Daisy Torp who is an excellent swimmer and can climb into ships very well). Finally, I believe that Rene Creste who plays Judex is one of the best looking leading men of that era (or of even later eras, particularly when you can see him without the heavy dark eye makeup).

This was such fun to watch!
As an admitted comic-book geek, it was great to see the similarities and influence the charater of Judex had with Batman.
(A secret lair, disguises and hidden identities, gadgets...)
I hadn't heard of this series until just recently, but I was familiar "Les Vampires" by Feuillade. (another great serial to watch if you haven't yet!)
While it's very campy at times, at others it's very touching. Especially when Judex thinks he's lost his secret love due to his actions.
The musical score is wonderful and fit the individual characters well, although at times it can become monotonous and I found myself tuning it out as I watched.

The special features (a discussion of the music by Robert Israel) is intersting and well-worth watching.

If you're a comic-book geek you'll appreciate where Bob Kane got some of his ideas for his creation of Batman.
(Also, if you didn't know, the Joker is based on Conrad Veidt's character in "The Man Who Laughs" -- I haven't seen this one yet, but it's next on my list)

If you are a fan of silent films and have not watched this, I highly recommend it... and if you can get your kids to sit still long enough, I think they'd like it too.

I would like to emphasize how wonderfully Robert Israel's musical score complements Feuillade's images and the superb performances of his actors. So many silent films on video or DVD are weakened by ineffective scores, but not this one. To me, the score of Judex represents the gold standard for silent film music, to which all should aspire but few, lamentably, will attain.

This was an excellent production by Louis Feuillade! I had seen it on Turner Classic Movies once, and decided I MUST have this movie!

It is a fantasy/comedy/drama/romance all bundled in one! René Cresté gave an excellent preformance as our superhero, Judex, aka Jacques de Tremeuse. His character was very well-rounded.

René Poyen gave an outstanding performance as The Licorice Kid -- street-savvy, yet adorable!

And, of course, Musidora gave a chilling performance as her usual villainess self -- the character types she usually portrays! She even bares a little skin! Almost a little risqué for 1917, one might think!

A must-see!!!!!!!!!

This is an exceptionally outstanding 2-DVD set which already rates highly just for its presentation of excellent notes and an informative 20-minute documentary on the making of the musical score, but this unusual French serial already stands alone as a great work of early cinema deserving all five stars. Made during my favourite period of the silent era, namely the mid to late 1910s, "Judex" strikes me as being far ahead of other films made in the same year, not to mention something of a novelty because silent serials like these are unfortunately quite rare for us today. The 12 episodes, along with a prologue and an epilogue, run for over five hours but it feels like just over one hour because the story is so interesting and the scenes move along at just the right pace to hold the viewer's attention from the very start all the way through each exciting episode. Director Louis Feuillade had already been successful with a similar serial a year earlier, namely "Les Vampires" which is also compelling viewing, but in some ways "Judex" is more elegant and refined, and as far as plots and suspenseful storytelling are concerned, it could still complete with modern-day serials like "24", in my opinion. For anyone tiring of contemporary themes with all its true-to-life horrors, "Judex" is the perfect escape into another world without terrorism and nuclear warfare, where well-dressed people living in grand homes drove gorgeous vintage cars when they were still brand new. The only echo of real life perhaps is the pivot character Favreau, an unscrupulous banker who ruined many people's lives. Unlike the real world, however, a mysterious character called Judex arises to avenge those victims, and as in all first-class stories, the identity of Judex and his real motives are only gradually revealed half way through the fascinating sequence of events. All characters were no doubt carefully chosen and played their roles very convincingly, such as the female villain who continually foils Judex's plans for her own personal gain. Such a fiendish character in the form of an attractive young woman might already surprise some viewers who think that all such women of the silent era were meek, romantic and harmless. But my favourite characters are the two charming and delightful young child actors, especially `the Licorice Kid' whose style is both natural and very professional at the same time. Although serious overall, there is a romantic and somewhat surreal feel to the whole film, along with subtle humour mostly in the form of the private investigator with a very big nose. "Judex" also strikes the right balance between relationships, action and the triumph of goodness and justice, while at the same time taking the viewer on a most enthralling ride through France of 1916. Beautifully restored with colour tinting, this serial is perfectly complemented with a high standard classical music accompaniment arranged by Robert Israel, who talks about the making of this score in the bonus feature documentary in this DVD set. More than just an essential part of any good silent film collection, I'm sure that "Judex" would also be enjoyed by the general viewer looking for an escapist adventure to another world and time but still containing all the essential ingredients of an entertaining and satisfying cinema experience.

JUDEX (1916) is a French film series that I inexplicably got to see when I was very young - it must've been at my parent's favorite old neighborhood theater. The next time I saw it (which was the last time I saw it) was on AMC hosted by Robert Osborne.

This film series, described quite well here, is absolutely awesome. Not only does it show life as it was 95 years ago, it shows the people, how they lived and how they thought. For example, in one early scene, when a pledge is made, it is signified by a heil-Hitler-type salute, and we also did that as kids to salute the American flag.

Set in Paris, the story deals with the title character Judex, cinema's FIRST superhero and forerunner of the comic book. As one reviewer states, Judex is really Batman ... though I will correct that reviewer, and say Judex is Batman's great-grandfather.

Judex is aristocrat Jacques de Tremeuse (René Cresté ), a man twisted by a family oath to avenge himself on the evil banker (le banquier Favraux, played by Louis Leubas) who is responsible for the death of their beloved father the Count de Tremeuse (who is, as far as I know, unnamed and uncredited).

Judex has a brother Roger (Édouard Mathé) who has sworn the same oath of revenge for their father, but being a rather effeminate military officer, he's far from being a Batman prototype. The brothers' touching dedication to their staunch, lovable mother is profoundly symbolic (she is the Countess Dowager de Tremeuse, played most charmingly by Yvonne Dario).

Judex is quite brilliant and is clearly based on Sherlock Holmes. Lots of writers created detectives before Holmes, but Judex is a purely cinematic invention. This film distinguishes itself because it is the first European film shot on locations and it shows them in crisp, ethereal beauty. In one particular scene by a river, the shooting was done when they were just about out of light, and the effect is like Debussy's music. Its penchant for atmosphere is unequalled even by "The Phantom of the Opera".

Throw in a silly, Clouseau-type warmhearted detective (Commissaire Cocantin, played by The Original Film Comedian Marcel Lévesque) and a streetwise kid called the "Licorice Kid" (child actor René Poyen, a/k/a "Bout-de-Zan" who made a ton of his own films under this nickname) and you have a 21st century adventure that was first conceived in 1899. You cannot miss this elegant, funny and incredibly OLD forerunner of almost every movie there is. Plus it is the first true serial (if we exclude the "Bout-de-Zan" series of 1913).

Lastly, you will be thrilled at the genuine quality of this movie. Some of the sets are actual interior locations, and there are several street shots that in themselves alone make this film series well worth it. My dad pointed excitedly to the car featured in the film and excitedly said, "That's a car I used to own as a kid!" Dad was a mechanic, born in 1911 - just five years before this series was screened. He also had seen the series as a kid.

Buy it at any cost - just get this DVD from Amazon, it is a great complete set, and the extras are to die for. BEWARE: there is a 1960s German remake of this and I would not waste a second on it.

Yes, the price is a bit expensive but then again, what good and true restoration is not? The picture quality is fantastic and even thought this is a French film, it is clearly English all the way. The extras are a treat like sugar sprinkled on a cake. Many dis the silent cinema and especially the cliffhangers but I gotta tell you this is worth the price.

Robert Israel supplied the music and he always does a top-notch job. Disney was smart hiring him for the Oswald cartoons, too. There is an eighteen minute featurette included with this two-disc set. The nooklet essay is well written and I recommend you read it before and after viewing the serial for a better understanding of silent cinema. Ranks up there with Lon Davis' books on silent cinema.

What an amazing movie! It's hard to believe that it was created almost 90 years ago. I would also highly recommend the 5-movie 2-DVD Fantomas set available in region 2 from amazon.fr mentioned in another review. Simply amazing!