...just above the previous episode: Le Mort qui tue (1913). Louis Feuillade's narrative mastery greatly improved after the first adventure of the "Emperor of Crime."
Fantômas vs. Fantômas is a perfect balance between mystery, action and surreal/visual poetry. Just think of the bleeding wall and the fancy dress ball.
The ultimate episode, Le Faux Magistrat (1914), is more of a classical crime story. Fantômas' P.O.V. is widely over-used and action takes place in a little town instead of Paris.
By 1914 Fritz Lang was a painter in Montmartre. He obviously learned a lot from the serial. Especially how cinema could bring together art and entertainment. He then gave us Mabuse, the "Crime Genius", a more serious and tragic character than Fantômas and, above all, a major step-stone in cinema history.
Fantômas vs. Fantômas is a perfect balance between mystery, action and surreal/visual poetry. Just think of the bleeding wall and the fancy dress ball.
The ultimate episode, Le Faux Magistrat (1914), is more of a classical crime story. Fantômas' P.O.V. is widely over-used and action takes place in a little town instead of Paris.
By 1914 Fritz Lang was a painter in Montmartre. He obviously learned a lot from the serial. Especially how cinema could bring together art and entertainment. He then gave us Mabuse, the "Crime Genius", a more serious and tragic character than Fantômas and, above all, a major step-stone in cinema history.