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Post by thwhtguardian on Feb 5, 2015 17:07:38 GMT -5
This is an interesting one: FantomasDirected by Louis Feuillade 1913, Gaumont Pictures  Although something of a cliche now, in 1913 a story that focused on the exploits of a super-criminal was a novel idea and one that is executed much better than the works of today. A patch work quilt of murders, train robberies, jewel thefts and mistaken identities, each of the films follows roughly the same pattern: A crime is committed, Inspector Juve of the Paris Security Office and his assistant Fandor, trace the crime to a perceived perpetrator who turns out to be the shape-shifting Fantômas, but just as they close in to apprehend the criminal he eludes their grasp.
It's a fun ride from start to finish, but that isn't what made it truly interesting for me but rather the length of the episodes. In my experience most of the serials I've seen consisted of 12 to 15 episodes each of about a half hour long but here the serial by Louis Feuillade consists of but 5 episodes each about an hour long. These longer chapters really allow the film to develop its characters much more fully than the American serials allowed, making for a deeper cinematic experience. |
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Post by MDG on Feb 6, 2015 10:31:07 GMT -5
Yes--I watched the Fantomas serial a little while back and enjoyed it. I first heard of Fantomas when I was investigating Rene Magritte.  |
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Post by robsuperfriend63 on Feb 6, 2015 17:41:33 GMT -5
Here is one I just started watching on You Tube.
Mandrake The Magician:
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Post by thwhtguardian on Feb 6, 2015 18:15:08 GMT -5
Yes--I watched the Fantomas serial a little while back and enjoyed it. I first heard of Fantomas when I was investigating Rene Magritte. Ha that's a great picture, and one of his that I don't think I've seen before. I have a print of Golconda in my living room. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 6, 2015 18:19:01 GMT -5
I was planning to watch Fantomas on Netflix, but ended up cancelling and see that it's not on Prime. I'm tempted to just order the DVD since it's just $20, but I've got such a backlog of unwatched stuff as is.
Anybody got an opinion on Judex? I happened across it while looking into Fantomas, but it's $40.
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Post by thwhtguardian on Feb 6, 2015 18:28:37 GMT -5
I was planning to watch Fantomas on Netflix, but ended up cancelling and see that it's not on Prime. I'm tempted to just order the DVD since it's just $20, but I've got such a backlog of unwatched stuff as is. Anybody got an opinion on Judex? I happened across it while looking into Fantomas, but it's $40. I came across that one as well after watching Fantomas, I loved the way Louis Feuillade directed that film so I wanted to see more of his work. I haven't tracked down Judex yet but from what I've gathered its very similar to Fantomas except that the titular character is a hero rather than a villain, though like the Spider and the Shadow that distinction is pretty thin as his methods aren't much better than a criminal's. |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Feb 6, 2015 22:30:20 GMT -5
Another new one for me: The Three Musketeers Directed by Armand Schaeffer Staring John Wayne Mascot Pictures, 1931  This was an interesting update of Dumas' classic set against the French Foreign Legion's battles in North Africa. I say interesting in the sense that it bears little resemblance to the story by Dumas other than its name and the comraderie between the Legionnaires but the concept of transposing the Musketeers to Legionnaires is inspired. Other than the concept though it's really not that great, though John Wayne's winning personalty really does shine. |
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Feb 7, 2015 0:22:05 GMT -5
Watching episode one of Spy Smasher!
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Post by Jasoomian on Feb 7, 2015 0:40:25 GMT -5
I caught most of Judex when they ran it late Sunday nights on TCM a few years ago. I thought it was worthwhile.
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Post by thwhtguardian on Feb 7, 2015 21:18:34 GMT -5
Watching episode one of Spy Smasher! I don't know if I'll get to it but that is on my list! |
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Post by robsuperfriend63 on Feb 7, 2015 21:34:51 GMT -5
Watching episode one of Spy Smasher! I don't know if I'll get to it but that is on my list! I recommend it. I think Spy Smasher inspired George Lucas to do the Indiana Jones films. The action those movies is similar to this serial. |
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Feb 8, 2015 2:18:27 GMT -5
I watched through chapter five thus far. I gotta say it's great. Tons of action, decent special effects and good cliff-hangers. There is at least one fistfight and a chase of some kind every chapter.
Tons of fun. I'll finish this one out and then I'm leaning toward either Flash Gordon or Buck Rogers.
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Post by robsuperfriend63 on Feb 8, 2015 14:28:39 GMT -5
I watched through chapter five thus far. I gotta say it's great. Tons of action, decent special effects and good cliff-hangers. There is at least one fistfight and a chase of some kind every chapter. Tons of fun. I'll finish this one out and then I'm leaning toward either Flash Gordon or Buck Rogers. Ah, Buster Crabbe was good in either of those roles. I also remember when he made an appearance on the Buck Rogers episode "Planet of the Slave Girls" where is played a retired pilot named "Gordon". It was a tongue and humor to his Flash Gordon character. Also the lines between him and Gil Gerard as Buck were classic humor to Crabbe's time as Buck. I remember it went something like this: BUCK: "Gordon where did you learn to shoot like that?" GORDON: "I was doing that sort of thing before you were born!" BUCK: "You think so, huh..." GORDON: "Young man, I know so!" LOL |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Feb 8, 2015 20:46:41 GMT -5
I watched through chapter five thus far. I gotta say it's great. Tons of action, decent special effects and good cliff-hangers. There is at least one fistfight and a chase of some kind every chapter. Tons of fun. I'll finish this one out and then I'm leaning toward either Flash Gordon or Buck Rogers. Ah, Buster Crabbe was good in either of those roles. I also remember when he made an appearance on the Buck Rogers episode "Planet of the Slave Girls" where is played a retired pilot named "Gordon". It was a tongue and humor to his Flash Gordon character. Also the lines between him and Gil Gerard as Buck were classic humor to Crabbe's time as Buck. I remember it went something like this: BUCK: "Gordon where did you learn to shoot like that?" GORDON: "I was doing that sort of thing before you were born!" BUCK: "You think so, huh..." GORDON: "Young man, I know so!" LOL I loved that episode. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 9, 2015 7:25:43 GMT -5
You can count me in as a fan of SPY SMASHER too!
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