Fantomas (1913-1914) (Blu-ray) (UK Import)

An early cinematic pioneer with an undeniably pervasive influence, Louis Feuillade made hundreds of films in a short career spanning only a few decades. Today, he is best remembered for his landmark serials Fantomas, Les Vampires, Judex and Tih-Minh, four crime epics that have had an immeasurable impact on popular culture around the globe. Adapted from a series of popular novels by Marcel Allain and Pierre Souvestre, Fantomas stars Rene Navarre as the eponymous criminal mastermind. Across the serial's five episodes, Fantomas is pursued by Inspector Juve (Edmund Breon) and newspaper reporter Jerome Fandor (Georges Melchior) as he carries out his nefarious schemes. Feuillade's crime serials had an enormous impact on some of the greatest filmmakers of the twentieth century, chiefly Fritz Lang and Alfred Hitchcock. They also played an important role in the development of the criminal mastermind and masked vigilante characters that would proliferate in pulp magazines, film, television, radio and comic books over the next few decades, including Dr Mabuse, The Shadow and Diabolik. The Masters of Cinema series is honoured to present Fantomas on Blu-ray from an astonishing 4K restoration.

Extras:

Language(s): Silent (French intertitles with English subtitles), Interactive Menu, Screen ratio 1 - 1.37: 1, Commentary: 'In the Shadow of the Guillotine'/'Juve Vs Fantomas': David Kalat (film historian / author)., Interviews: Kim Newman (critic / author).