41 reviews
Seeing a police drama that is a favorite of surrealists like Luis Bunuel ought to tell you that this isn't an episode of Law and order.
It take place in a Paris that is empty because of WWI. The dreamlike scenes add to the story of a reporter Phillipe Guerande (Edouard Mathe) who is looking to a criminal organization known as The Vampires (sorry, bloodsucking fans, it's not about Dracula or his minions.).
The crime syndicate could be considered a forerunner of the Mafia as it had it's tentacles in every level of society from the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court to nobility.
A classic silent film.
Louis Feuillade, who directed over 600 films is the film great grandfather of Alfred Hitchcock and David Lynch. Musidora, who played Irma Vep is probably the first screen vamp.
It take place in a Paris that is empty because of WWI. The dreamlike scenes add to the story of a reporter Phillipe Guerande (Edouard Mathe) who is looking to a criminal organization known as The Vampires (sorry, bloodsucking fans, it's not about Dracula or his minions.).
The crime syndicate could be considered a forerunner of the Mafia as it had it's tentacles in every level of society from the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court to nobility.
A classic silent film.
Louis Feuillade, who directed over 600 films is the film great grandfather of Alfred Hitchcock and David Lynch. Musidora, who played Irma Vep is probably the first screen vamp.
- lastliberal
- May 11, 2009
- Permalink
I knew next to nothing about this serial before starting on the first installment. I had mild expectations, figuring it would be a struggle to pay attention and not get bored. Boy, was I wrong! It starts of with a fast pace, leading you into a mystery with twists and turns and exciting villains. Following the young reporter, it's almost like an excellent Tintin-adventure. In fact, there are many parallels to Tintin that can be made, including a clumsy friend that happens upon great wealth.
Sadly, it loses a lot of momentum about midway through. As far as I can understand, there was no script (only a general idea), and it kind of shows. I assume the Irma Vep and Mazamette-characters were the most popular, because they become more and more involved in the storyline as it progresses. After a while, Guérande (the hero reporter) is almost completely overshadowed by the "supporting cast". Musidora is fantastic as Irma Vep, and it's hard to complain about there being more of her - but it does lead to a less interesting story. As you eventually follow the villains almost as much as the protagonist, there is no longer any mystery to it. The twists and turns doesn't matter, because they often don't surprise you. When it comes to Marcel Lévesque's performance as Mazamette, it was probably better in its time than it is now. As (almost) the only character, he constantly looks at the camera, acting as if it was a slapstick comedy. The same goes for his son, who appears later.
Don't get me wrong, there are still thrilling scenes, stunts and twists in the latter episodes, but they are few and far apart, and not enough to save the entire series. Maybe it would have been better if I had not "binge-watched" it, but from what I hear, that's how it's usually shown in screenings.
Had the rest of the serial been as good as the first 4-5 installments, this would have been an excellent introduction to silent film.
Sadly, it loses a lot of momentum about midway through. As far as I can understand, there was no script (only a general idea), and it kind of shows. I assume the Irma Vep and Mazamette-characters were the most popular, because they become more and more involved in the storyline as it progresses. After a while, Guérande (the hero reporter) is almost completely overshadowed by the "supporting cast". Musidora is fantastic as Irma Vep, and it's hard to complain about there being more of her - but it does lead to a less interesting story. As you eventually follow the villains almost as much as the protagonist, there is no longer any mystery to it. The twists and turns doesn't matter, because they often don't surprise you. When it comes to Marcel Lévesque's performance as Mazamette, it was probably better in its time than it is now. As (almost) the only character, he constantly looks at the camera, acting as if it was a slapstick comedy. The same goes for his son, who appears later.
Don't get me wrong, there are still thrilling scenes, stunts and twists in the latter episodes, but they are few and far apart, and not enough to save the entire series. Maybe it would have been better if I had not "binge-watched" it, but from what I hear, that's how it's usually shown in screenings.
Had the rest of the serial been as good as the first 4-5 installments, this would have been an excellent introduction to silent film.
Now here's a movie that doesn't require a replication of Paris in the early 20th century. The real McCoy is used for the settings, vehicles, costumes, firearms, etc. Since it was filmed in 1916 one can see for example how horse-drawn carriages were still a very popular means of transport in the "modern" sense. If you a true fan of motion picture history -- then you can't afford to miss this gem. It represents the dawn of the motion picture industry before we had well-known movie stars and blockbusters like Intolerance (1916) and Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1919).
This film, a series of 10 episodes, tells the story of a gang of thieves and murderers (The Vampire Gang) who are out to create havoc in Paris for their own personal goals. The heros of this tale are a newspaper reporter, Phillipe Guerande, and his hilarious sidekick, Mazamette. Together they aim to foil the latest capers of the gang and find themselves in unexpected trouble throughout the entire series. Ingenious methods by the criminals are used in each episode.
Each episode builds upon the first, so I strongly recommend you watch it in sequence (as if you watching the Sopranos on HBO). It's interesting to see how the characters develop and improve their acting as they gain experience and confidence within their roles. Irma Vep and Mazamette, especially are a treat to watch. Later in the series, both Irma Vep and Mazamete deliberately ham it up for the viewing audience and camera just for fun! Guerande reminded me a lot of Gene Kelly with his clean-cut facial expressions and haircut. Only the last episode (#10) was a disappointment. For some reason, much of the print was washed out in the interior scenes, the tinting inconsistent (many outdoor scenes were red instead of green etc.) and the storyline was unrealistically forced forward (i.e., how did Mazamette enter into Guerande's house at 2:00 am uninvited and how did Guerande climb down the 3rd floor balcony of the Vampires' mansion after he threw away their knotted rope, the Vampires' only means of escape from that level?)
Most episodes are 45 minutes in length, except #10 which is nearly a hour. Even though the entire series runs over 8 hours, don't watch it a double speed as suggested by a previous reviewer. The score adds ambience, suspense & excitement to the Parisian scenes at the appropriate places. Lastly there are two supplements on the DVD. The first is a royal waste (a true supernavel, or "turnip" according to the French), the second is a cute story starring the young boy who played Mazamette's son in "Les Vampires".
This film, a series of 10 episodes, tells the story of a gang of thieves and murderers (The Vampire Gang) who are out to create havoc in Paris for their own personal goals. The heros of this tale are a newspaper reporter, Phillipe Guerande, and his hilarious sidekick, Mazamette. Together they aim to foil the latest capers of the gang and find themselves in unexpected trouble throughout the entire series. Ingenious methods by the criminals are used in each episode.
Each episode builds upon the first, so I strongly recommend you watch it in sequence (as if you watching the Sopranos on HBO). It's interesting to see how the characters develop and improve their acting as they gain experience and confidence within their roles. Irma Vep and Mazamette, especially are a treat to watch. Later in the series, both Irma Vep and Mazamete deliberately ham it up for the viewing audience and camera just for fun! Guerande reminded me a lot of Gene Kelly with his clean-cut facial expressions and haircut. Only the last episode (#10) was a disappointment. For some reason, much of the print was washed out in the interior scenes, the tinting inconsistent (many outdoor scenes were red instead of green etc.) and the storyline was unrealistically forced forward (i.e., how did Mazamette enter into Guerande's house at 2:00 am uninvited and how did Guerande climb down the 3rd floor balcony of the Vampires' mansion after he threw away their knotted rope, the Vampires' only means of escape from that level?)
Most episodes are 45 minutes in length, except #10 which is nearly a hour. Even though the entire series runs over 8 hours, don't watch it a double speed as suggested by a previous reviewer. The score adds ambience, suspense & excitement to the Parisian scenes at the appropriate places. Lastly there are two supplements on the DVD. The first is a royal waste (a true supernavel, or "turnip" according to the French), the second is a cute story starring the young boy who played Mazamette's son in "Les Vampires".
Lensed in an eerily abandoned Paris in 1915, Louis Feuillade's stark chapterplay LES VAMPIRES is a grim and powerful work which is worlds apart from the later glitz and polish of the golden age serials produced by the American studios.
It should be noted that serials were nothing new at this point in time. Formative efforts such as THE PERILS OF PAULINE had already established the appeal of these generally inexpensive actioners, with their bizarre twists and inventive death traps.
The emphasis was generally on a resourceful protagonist pitted against an equally inventive and determined fiend -- frequently an unsuspected heir or lawyer out to obtain an undeserved inheritance.
LES VAMPIRES did this formula one better, making the menace a vast and largely unsuspected criminal empire which is devouring Paris from inside. With members taken from all classes, the dark society is able to plunder, blackmail and murder without dear of action from the authorities. This continues until their removal of a government investigator brings ambitious reporter Philippe Guerande (Edouard Mathe) into things.
Sent to the country to search for details on the official's murder, Philippe plans to combine business and pleasure by meeting Dr. Lox, an old family friend who has a chateau in the area.
Arriving at Lox's estate at the same time as an American heiress who means to purchase the property, the reporter is promptly framed for theft by the hooded agents of the gang, who are secreted in the ancient building.
Locating the dead investigator's head, Philippe manages to turn suspicion on Lox. Murdering the heiress and making his escape across the rooftops, the "doctor" is revealed as the Grand Vampire the (evident) leader of the criminal society.
Philippe falls into the Vampires' hands but is rescued by Oscar Cloud Mazamette (Marcel Levesque) -- a clerk and minor member of the gang whom he had helped earlier. Philippe and Mazamette combine to try to expose the society's operations and bring the gang to a deserved end.
A series of adventures follow, with the Grand Vampire (Fernand Herrmann) and exotic dancer/criminal Irma Vep (Musidora) providing much of the opposition. In a surprise development, it is revealed that the Grand Vampire is not the gang's ultimate leader. When it is convenient, his superior eliminates him. He, in turn, commits suicide when he is imprisoned by the police.
Satanas, the criminal mastermind behind the group's poisons and explosives steps in and assumes co-command with Irma Vep. This occurs too late, however, as Philippe is closing in on the gang's chief meeting place.
After a series of close calls, the reporter and the reformed Mazamette succeed in destroying the Vampires' leadership and bringing the rank and file members to justice.
Not enough emphasis can be placed on the serial's grim and stark look, which almost functions as a characters of its own. This is a Paris where the gang's activities have seemingly terrified the people to the degree that they refuse to venture out unless it is absolutely unavoidable.
Production took place during WW I, when the streets were largely abandoned, and this strange desolation combines with the scurrying of the few characters to present a powerful emphasis that goes beyond the actual turns and twists of the plotline. The result is compelling, entertaining, and more than a bit weird in spots. Tinted scenes add to the welcome air of unreality.
Definitely a 9 out of 10 possible points.
It should be noted that serials were nothing new at this point in time. Formative efforts such as THE PERILS OF PAULINE had already established the appeal of these generally inexpensive actioners, with their bizarre twists and inventive death traps.
The emphasis was generally on a resourceful protagonist pitted against an equally inventive and determined fiend -- frequently an unsuspected heir or lawyer out to obtain an undeserved inheritance.
LES VAMPIRES did this formula one better, making the menace a vast and largely unsuspected criminal empire which is devouring Paris from inside. With members taken from all classes, the dark society is able to plunder, blackmail and murder without dear of action from the authorities. This continues until their removal of a government investigator brings ambitious reporter Philippe Guerande (Edouard Mathe) into things.
Sent to the country to search for details on the official's murder, Philippe plans to combine business and pleasure by meeting Dr. Lox, an old family friend who has a chateau in the area.
Arriving at Lox's estate at the same time as an American heiress who means to purchase the property, the reporter is promptly framed for theft by the hooded agents of the gang, who are secreted in the ancient building.
Locating the dead investigator's head, Philippe manages to turn suspicion on Lox. Murdering the heiress and making his escape across the rooftops, the "doctor" is revealed as the Grand Vampire the (evident) leader of the criminal society.
Philippe falls into the Vampires' hands but is rescued by Oscar Cloud Mazamette (Marcel Levesque) -- a clerk and minor member of the gang whom he had helped earlier. Philippe and Mazamette combine to try to expose the society's operations and bring the gang to a deserved end.
A series of adventures follow, with the Grand Vampire (Fernand Herrmann) and exotic dancer/criminal Irma Vep (Musidora) providing much of the opposition. In a surprise development, it is revealed that the Grand Vampire is not the gang's ultimate leader. When it is convenient, his superior eliminates him. He, in turn, commits suicide when he is imprisoned by the police.
Satanas, the criminal mastermind behind the group's poisons and explosives steps in and assumes co-command with Irma Vep. This occurs too late, however, as Philippe is closing in on the gang's chief meeting place.
After a series of close calls, the reporter and the reformed Mazamette succeed in destroying the Vampires' leadership and bringing the rank and file members to justice.
Not enough emphasis can be placed on the serial's grim and stark look, which almost functions as a characters of its own. This is a Paris where the gang's activities have seemingly terrified the people to the degree that they refuse to venture out unless it is absolutely unavoidable.
Production took place during WW I, when the streets were largely abandoned, and this strange desolation combines with the scurrying of the few characters to present a powerful emphasis that goes beyond the actual turns and twists of the plotline. The result is compelling, entertaining, and more than a bit weird in spots. Tinted scenes add to the welcome air of unreality.
Definitely a 9 out of 10 possible points.
An intrepid reporter and his loyal friend battle a bizarre secret society of criminals known as The Vampires.
Director Louis Feuillade is something of a legend, having directed an astonishing 630 films in the silent era (and perhaps more). He is best known for "Fantomas", the serial he made prior to "Vampires", and while the former may be marginally superior, they are both exquisite in their own way, and a great example of early thrillers.
Indeed, it is quite impressive that a film is seven hours long and still exists one hundred years later. Given how many silent films have since been lost forever, it is incredible that Feuillade's work seems to be intact and in great shape.
Director Louis Feuillade is something of a legend, having directed an astonishing 630 films in the silent era (and perhaps more). He is best known for "Fantomas", the serial he made prior to "Vampires", and while the former may be marginally superior, they are both exquisite in their own way, and a great example of early thrillers.
Indeed, it is quite impressive that a film is seven hours long and still exists one hundred years later. Given how many silent films have since been lost forever, it is incredible that Feuillade's work seems to be intact and in great shape.
A ten-part serial that took eight hours to watch with breaks, this thing defies not just summary but reliable recall: describing it is like trying to describe a year in my life. Chaotic, unpredictable, upside down, with endless sneaky tricks that defy our conception of 'movie' magic because they mainly involve Cirque-type human machines doing things that couldn't have been faked so convincingly at this date. I mean, you can see the splice whenever a character turns on the light, so when the bitchy criminal mastermind Irma Vep gets wrapped up in rope, then rolls down the side of a four-story building like a human yo-yo, you know you're watching history in the making. What's more, and redemptively, the stupid detectives are REALLY stupid, including this outrageous Italian stereotype who keeps nyuk-ing straight into the camera. There's a wild chase-fight scene on a moving train, a gas attack on a large high-society do, a kid accidentally shooting his father in the nose, and God knows what else. This dumbfoundingly imaginative, yet consistently goofy and crowd-pleasing movie could only have happened in a medium whose limits had not yet been properly defined - in fact you can see the definition happening on screen. When I grow up I want to be Henri Langlois, founder of the Cinematheque Francais, who rescued the world's only print of this film from the curb on garbage day. Hooray!
- jonathan-577
- Oct 1, 2007
- Permalink
Louis Feuillade may have been an early French pioneer of silent shorts but "Les Vampires" is still bogged down in plot contrivances. Technically speaking it is difficult to view this today as it was upon its release, as 10 separate films, because we're not returning to the theater weekly to see the next great piece of the puzzle. And at 7 plus hours long, to view it in one sitting can be an act of futility and frustration.
Feuillade's great strength was short films but with most of these 10 episodes reaching 45 minutes apiece, he extended his stay a large part of the time, serial or not. Designed as a crime saga with comic relief and unrealistic plot devices, "Les Vampires" has been compared to early James Bond and has been mentioned as being influential on Hitchcock. I don't see it. At best it can be compared to the weekly serials shown in theaters in the 50's, early pulp fiction, and the Pink Panther series. That's not an insult but I'm not giving out credit unjustly either. None of these take away from the fun of the work.
The Vampires are a sinister (take that lightly) crime gang that is plaguing the streets of Paris circa 1915. Edouarde Mathe's Philippe Guarande and Marcel Levesque's Mazamette are the journalist and sidekick who pursue the group. The Vampires most featured member is second-in-command Irma Vep played by Musidora and she actually is rather sexy. The Vampires leader, the Grand Vampire, actually changes three different times during the story and it is the little nuances like this that spoil the film.
Whereas having fun can be quite entertaining, plot can kill the messenger even at this early stage of cinematic history. The poison pens, portable cannons, and paralyzing pin pricks can all be strategically crafty when used appropriately, particularly in a serial series, but they lose their humorous magic when we can't even believe in the people using them. The Vampires, this menace that stalks the rich of Paris and robs them blind, are arguably the clumsiest and most unplanned organization I've ever seen wear black in a movie. Juan Jose Moreno, played by Fernand Herrmann, leads a rival crime syndicate that battles wits with the Vampires and the Guarande/Mazamette team. From the time Moreno enters the film, he successfully thwarts every single Vampire scheme hatched as they cannot do anything right. Indeed were Irma Vep not so sexy she would not be worth having around. She fails at practically every assignment she is given yet not only continually gets away but also is still a highly desired commodity by both the Grand Vampire and Moreno himself.
Of course we know why these continual lapses in anything reminiscent of an actual plot and purpose occur...Feuillade has to push this baby to ten episodes to entertain the masses of 1915 for whom it was intended. But Feuillade does show some weakness here even above his writing by playing scenes out extraordinarily too long. In fact by virtue of trimming seconds off of every scene that went on too long "Les Vampires" could have made an excellent feature length picture around 210 minutes and we could have cleared up the ridiculous plot lapses to boot.
From an acting standpoint it is neither forgettable nor excellent with the possible exception of Levesque's Mazamette character who steals the show with his hilarious mannerisms and comic imagery. While appearing to be a foolish sidekick early on, by the film's end he actually does more and knows more to catch the bumbling Vampires than anyone else on screen. And he's not even the star. If any influencing went on here it was Mazamette's character on Peter Seller's Inspector Clouseau.
The nutshell: great fun if it weren't so unnecessarily long. Like early pulp fiction its nonstop use of dastardly doings, devious schemes, and nasty devices may keep you coming back for the next episode time and time again (same bat time, same bat channel) but the plot will probably slow you down in the end. Possibly worth watching to get a look at early French cinema but when compared to Griffith like all 1912-1920 films must be, Feuillade doesn't even come close...6/10.
Feuillade's great strength was short films but with most of these 10 episodes reaching 45 minutes apiece, he extended his stay a large part of the time, serial or not. Designed as a crime saga with comic relief and unrealistic plot devices, "Les Vampires" has been compared to early James Bond and has been mentioned as being influential on Hitchcock. I don't see it. At best it can be compared to the weekly serials shown in theaters in the 50's, early pulp fiction, and the Pink Panther series. That's not an insult but I'm not giving out credit unjustly either. None of these take away from the fun of the work.
The Vampires are a sinister (take that lightly) crime gang that is plaguing the streets of Paris circa 1915. Edouarde Mathe's Philippe Guarande and Marcel Levesque's Mazamette are the journalist and sidekick who pursue the group. The Vampires most featured member is second-in-command Irma Vep played by Musidora and she actually is rather sexy. The Vampires leader, the Grand Vampire, actually changes three different times during the story and it is the little nuances like this that spoil the film.
Whereas having fun can be quite entertaining, plot can kill the messenger even at this early stage of cinematic history. The poison pens, portable cannons, and paralyzing pin pricks can all be strategically crafty when used appropriately, particularly in a serial series, but they lose their humorous magic when we can't even believe in the people using them. The Vampires, this menace that stalks the rich of Paris and robs them blind, are arguably the clumsiest and most unplanned organization I've ever seen wear black in a movie. Juan Jose Moreno, played by Fernand Herrmann, leads a rival crime syndicate that battles wits with the Vampires and the Guarande/Mazamette team. From the time Moreno enters the film, he successfully thwarts every single Vampire scheme hatched as they cannot do anything right. Indeed were Irma Vep not so sexy she would not be worth having around. She fails at practically every assignment she is given yet not only continually gets away but also is still a highly desired commodity by both the Grand Vampire and Moreno himself.
Of course we know why these continual lapses in anything reminiscent of an actual plot and purpose occur...Feuillade has to push this baby to ten episodes to entertain the masses of 1915 for whom it was intended. But Feuillade does show some weakness here even above his writing by playing scenes out extraordinarily too long. In fact by virtue of trimming seconds off of every scene that went on too long "Les Vampires" could have made an excellent feature length picture around 210 minutes and we could have cleared up the ridiculous plot lapses to boot.
From an acting standpoint it is neither forgettable nor excellent with the possible exception of Levesque's Mazamette character who steals the show with his hilarious mannerisms and comic imagery. While appearing to be a foolish sidekick early on, by the film's end he actually does more and knows more to catch the bumbling Vampires than anyone else on screen. And he's not even the star. If any influencing went on here it was Mazamette's character on Peter Seller's Inspector Clouseau.
The nutshell: great fun if it weren't so unnecessarily long. Like early pulp fiction its nonstop use of dastardly doings, devious schemes, and nasty devices may keep you coming back for the next episode time and time again (same bat time, same bat channel) but the plot will probably slow you down in the end. Possibly worth watching to get a look at early French cinema but when compared to Griffith like all 1912-1920 films must be, Feuillade doesn't even come close...6/10.
What an incredible piece of history and cinema this is. "Les Vampires" is an 10 episodes long French serial, by Louis Feuillade. A sort of early 20th century mini-series, you may call it. I can't imaging how incredibly gripped the audience must have been while watching one of the episodes in the theater and couldn't hardly wait for the next chapter of the story.
Of course these sort of chapter-plays weren't really anything new at the time of 1915 but still "Les Vampires" is one of the best and most unique as well as accessible of its kind. It has a greatly written and intriguing story, that shows the dark side of common men and the criminal and more disturbing, less peaceful and dangerous side of beautiful Paris.
The serial tells the story of an organized criminal organization, known as 'Les Vampires'. A sort of more rebellious than criminal, organization, who blackmail, kill and steal from the high society in Paris. The episodes follow this organization as well as the groups who battle them; a rivaling criminal organization, the police and a journalist and his friend, who are the real main characters of the movie.
Perhaps the entire serial can also be seen as a social commentary on the life of the rich in Paris but I can't be completely sure of this were the creators intentions.
The first four episodes are perhaps a bit of a drag, since it mostly focuses on development of the characters and the events. After that the gloves are off and the serial turns into a very exciting and tense serial, in which lots is happening, both action- and story-wise. The first few episodes also differ widely in its running time and some are around 15 minutes long, while other are around 30 or 45 minutes. The later episodes are all around an hour long.
The serial features lots of daring escapes, traitorous characters and criminal plans to cause mayhem in the everyday society. Yes, at times the serial gets overlong, since it often repeat itself. Basically the serial is about the characters constantly chasing and capturing each other, until they escape again and things seem to start all over again. It probably is also the reason why you shouldn't watch all the episodes just as once. Best is to watch around 2 episodes a day, to keep the tension and intriguing aspects of the story and characters to a maximum level.
The story telling is surprising good, for 1915 standards. The entire production is a silent one and it forces it to tell the story entirely by its visuals and acting. It does this well and makes the story understandable, although it gets a bit too hard to follow at certain points. Because it has to explain and tell everything with its visual, some of the sequences are overlong. The acting is of course also exaggerated at times, to put down a certain emotion or tension in the story but not as much as some of the early American of that time show. In that regard, the acting in this is truly about 20 years ahead of its time, compared to American and most German productions, of the same time period.
I was absolutely gripped by the storytelling, especially the last 4 episodes or so and even founded it to be tense and excitement, something not too common for an over 90 years old production, even though the story also became quite ridicules at times.
Perhaps the only flaw in the storytelling is that they kept bringing in new characters, also very late in the serial, such as the real main villain that only gets revealed in I believe the 7th episode. if I remember correctly. It makes the whole story a bit too hard to follow- and not always completely interesting and credibly at times.
It is well cast and especially Musidora as the über-lady vamp Irma Vep is great and impressive. She is both sensual as dangerous in her role. What a great early classic character of cinema. Also Marcel Lévesque is great, as the sort of comical relief of the serials and Édouard Mathé also plays a likable main character.
There are some really daring and dangerous, for its time looking, stunts in this production. It also really adds to the tension and excitement of it all.
The production design is great and its like going back in time when watching this. The serial cleverly uses some camera-color filters for each location and mood, to add to the atmosphere and storytelling of the entire serial.
It all in all is an overall very well put together interesting historical big-production, that still remains perfectly watchable by todays standards, thanks to its exciting storytelling and build up.
10/10
http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/
Of course these sort of chapter-plays weren't really anything new at the time of 1915 but still "Les Vampires" is one of the best and most unique as well as accessible of its kind. It has a greatly written and intriguing story, that shows the dark side of common men and the criminal and more disturbing, less peaceful and dangerous side of beautiful Paris.
The serial tells the story of an organized criminal organization, known as 'Les Vampires'. A sort of more rebellious than criminal, organization, who blackmail, kill and steal from the high society in Paris. The episodes follow this organization as well as the groups who battle them; a rivaling criminal organization, the police and a journalist and his friend, who are the real main characters of the movie.
Perhaps the entire serial can also be seen as a social commentary on the life of the rich in Paris but I can't be completely sure of this were the creators intentions.
The first four episodes are perhaps a bit of a drag, since it mostly focuses on development of the characters and the events. After that the gloves are off and the serial turns into a very exciting and tense serial, in which lots is happening, both action- and story-wise. The first few episodes also differ widely in its running time and some are around 15 minutes long, while other are around 30 or 45 minutes. The later episodes are all around an hour long.
The serial features lots of daring escapes, traitorous characters and criminal plans to cause mayhem in the everyday society. Yes, at times the serial gets overlong, since it often repeat itself. Basically the serial is about the characters constantly chasing and capturing each other, until they escape again and things seem to start all over again. It probably is also the reason why you shouldn't watch all the episodes just as once. Best is to watch around 2 episodes a day, to keep the tension and intriguing aspects of the story and characters to a maximum level.
The story telling is surprising good, for 1915 standards. The entire production is a silent one and it forces it to tell the story entirely by its visuals and acting. It does this well and makes the story understandable, although it gets a bit too hard to follow at certain points. Because it has to explain and tell everything with its visual, some of the sequences are overlong. The acting is of course also exaggerated at times, to put down a certain emotion or tension in the story but not as much as some of the early American of that time show. In that regard, the acting in this is truly about 20 years ahead of its time, compared to American and most German productions, of the same time period.
I was absolutely gripped by the storytelling, especially the last 4 episodes or so and even founded it to be tense and excitement, something not too common for an over 90 years old production, even though the story also became quite ridicules at times.
Perhaps the only flaw in the storytelling is that they kept bringing in new characters, also very late in the serial, such as the real main villain that only gets revealed in I believe the 7th episode. if I remember correctly. It makes the whole story a bit too hard to follow- and not always completely interesting and credibly at times.
It is well cast and especially Musidora as the über-lady vamp Irma Vep is great and impressive. She is both sensual as dangerous in her role. What a great early classic character of cinema. Also Marcel Lévesque is great, as the sort of comical relief of the serials and Édouard Mathé also plays a likable main character.
There are some really daring and dangerous, for its time looking, stunts in this production. It also really adds to the tension and excitement of it all.
The production design is great and its like going back in time when watching this. The serial cleverly uses some camera-color filters for each location and mood, to add to the atmosphere and storytelling of the entire serial.
It all in all is an overall very well put together interesting historical big-production, that still remains perfectly watchable by todays standards, thanks to its exciting storytelling and build up.
10/10
http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/
- Boba_Fett1138
- Jan 23, 2007
- Permalink
- jboothmillard
- Dec 3, 2010
- Permalink
This 1915 French mystery serial is fascinating. Its device of using gadgets (poison rings, poison fountain pens, cabinets with fake back panels, etc.) predates James Bond's by decades, and makes each new episode something to look forward to. The comely Irma Vep is one of the most mysterious and darkest screen heroines of all times. The filmmaker makes extensive use of real Parisian street locations, which seem always, oddly, to be drained of pedestrian life; watching "Les Vampires" is like getting into a time machine.
View "Les Vampires" first, then see "Irma Vep" (France, 1996) so you have a point of reference.
View "Les Vampires" first, then see "Irma Vep" (France, 1996) so you have a point of reference.
Admittedly, I was skeptical to watch this not only because of its 7-hour runtime, but also because it is silent and that staying interested for that long on a silent film would be too much of a challenge.
I was wrong however, this is quite watchable and the fact that it is split into ten episodes (of widely varying lengths) makes it all the more accessible.
The plot is also interesting. The film follows a journalist and his bumbling accomplice who repeatedly attempt to track down and foil the plans of a criminal gang known as 'The Vampires'. This plot takes many twists and turns over the course of its runtime with many surprises and also gags (at the hands of Mazamette - the journalist's accomplice).
The acting (despite it being melodramatic due to the time period) is pretty good - especially that of Musidora, who plays Irma Vep of the Vampire gang and is a real scene-stealer.
Overall, this was enjoyable to watch for the most part however it is probably best watched as separate episodes and not in one go.
6/10
I was wrong however, this is quite watchable and the fact that it is split into ten episodes (of widely varying lengths) makes it all the more accessible.
The plot is also interesting. The film follows a journalist and his bumbling accomplice who repeatedly attempt to track down and foil the plans of a criminal gang known as 'The Vampires'. This plot takes many twists and turns over the course of its runtime with many surprises and also gags (at the hands of Mazamette - the journalist's accomplice).
The acting (despite it being melodramatic due to the time period) is pretty good - especially that of Musidora, who plays Irma Vep of the Vampire gang and is a real scene-stealer.
Overall, this was enjoyable to watch for the most part however it is probably best watched as separate episodes and not in one go.
6/10
- jaxelvester
- Jan 7, 2019
- Permalink
SEVEN HOURS!! The longest movie I had seen before "Les Vampires" was "1900", but that was just five hours. Little, compared to this. This is my new favourite film! You can't believe how good this is! I love silent cinema, and I wanted to take it to the extreme by watching one of the longest silent features (and possibly one of the longest ever) and what a good day it was! You know those incredible movies, like "The Good, The Bad And The Ugly", that just are absurdly entertaining? Well, this is one of them. One movie from 1915 (how cool is that?) that rivals even the best action movies of our times. There isn't a moment of boredom in the entire 7 hours of "Les Vampires". When you exclude one or two very minor plot holes, you get a perfect movie that has both incredible characters and, most of all, one of the most unbelievable and remarkable stories in film history! All in all, "Les Vampires" brings to life innovation and mesmerizing entertainment, a combo that is not always successful. Every performance is noteworthy. Kudos especially to Musidora, for she is probably the most precious thing in the entire movie. Irma Vep, as she will always be known. I am just too excited! But I have to advise you not to watch it all the way through in one big marathon. That's what I did and I sort of wished that hadn't happened. The movie is divided in 10 episodes and you have to make use of those divisions, otherwise you will feel apathetic and will not enjoy it to the fullest and won't feel engaged enough in the final hours. I repeat, DON'T WATCH IT IN ONE BIG MARATHON.
- adolescente-frustrado
- Oct 4, 2009
- Permalink
I've only seen about two-thirds of this series so far, but seeing as it took Lovefilm more than six months to send me the second disc in the collection after I returned the first I figured I should review it now before the whole thing fades from memory.
The most striking thing about the series is how fantastical the stories are – even though there isn't a real vampire in sight (which is a bit of a let-down really). The world of Les Vampires is one in which gangs of skilled thieves prey on the wealthy; in which every handshake or pat on the back may result in paralysis of the recipient thanks to a tiny poisonous dart strapped to their attacker's hand; in which nefarious villains hypnotise women into believing they are in love with them, and in which police remove floorboards to create a trap for unsuspecting criminals, then truss them in a giant sack and carry them off to jail.
It all sounds like a lot of fun really, doesn't it? Especially the hypnotism bit. Unfortunately, the episodes of this famous silent serial from Louis Feuillade do have a tendency to drag. This is more an indication of how public expectations have changed in the ninety-plus years since this serial was produced than it is of a weakness in the films, I suppose, but to try to appreciate a film from the perspective of the audience for which it was initially intended is damn near impossible.
The story revolves around the efforts of Philippe Guerande and Mazzematte, his ex-undertaker sidekick and (fairly hopeless) comic relief, to bring to justice the members of Les Vampires Crime Enterprise (French Division). This being a serial lasting many hours, their attempts are, more often than not, foiled, although a villain is occasionally nabbed only for a new face to declare that he is the real leader of the gang, and the other bloke was just his lackey. Mazzematte casts supposedly comical glances at the audience and sometimes pulls childlike faces while Guerande is all charm and capability. Prominent amongst the villains is Mlle Musidora as the femme fatale Irma Vep, who is quite fond of sneaking around in a black body stocking that makes her look alarmingly lumpy.
Like the guy who plays Mazzematte, she plays to the camera – although possibly not quite as intentionally – pulling strange faces and striking over-dramatic poses and postures. It's all quite distracting, but offers some amusement when the story starts to drag. Serials would grow more fast-paced and exciting in the 20s, but this was no doubt considered something of a class act in 1915, and is still worth a look today (if you've got about nine hours to spare) even though it's unlikely to make it into anybody's top ten list.
The most striking thing about the series is how fantastical the stories are – even though there isn't a real vampire in sight (which is a bit of a let-down really). The world of Les Vampires is one in which gangs of skilled thieves prey on the wealthy; in which every handshake or pat on the back may result in paralysis of the recipient thanks to a tiny poisonous dart strapped to their attacker's hand; in which nefarious villains hypnotise women into believing they are in love with them, and in which police remove floorboards to create a trap for unsuspecting criminals, then truss them in a giant sack and carry them off to jail.
It all sounds like a lot of fun really, doesn't it? Especially the hypnotism bit. Unfortunately, the episodes of this famous silent serial from Louis Feuillade do have a tendency to drag. This is more an indication of how public expectations have changed in the ninety-plus years since this serial was produced than it is of a weakness in the films, I suppose, but to try to appreciate a film from the perspective of the audience for which it was initially intended is damn near impossible.
The story revolves around the efforts of Philippe Guerande and Mazzematte, his ex-undertaker sidekick and (fairly hopeless) comic relief, to bring to justice the members of Les Vampires Crime Enterprise (French Division). This being a serial lasting many hours, their attempts are, more often than not, foiled, although a villain is occasionally nabbed only for a new face to declare that he is the real leader of the gang, and the other bloke was just his lackey. Mazzematte casts supposedly comical glances at the audience and sometimes pulls childlike faces while Guerande is all charm and capability. Prominent amongst the villains is Mlle Musidora as the femme fatale Irma Vep, who is quite fond of sneaking around in a black body stocking that makes her look alarmingly lumpy.
Like the guy who plays Mazzematte, she plays to the camera – although possibly not quite as intentionally – pulling strange faces and striking over-dramatic poses and postures. It's all quite distracting, but offers some amusement when the story starts to drag. Serials would grow more fast-paced and exciting in the 20s, but this was no doubt considered something of a class act in 1915, and is still worth a look today (if you've got about nine hours to spare) even though it's unlikely to make it into anybody's top ten list.
- JoeytheBrit
- Nov 18, 2009
- Permalink
Feuillade has become much more popular abroad than in his native France where his movies are seldom screened on "cultural TV ,the Arte Channel or the "Cinema De Minuit".Some critics call "Les Vampires" brainwashing at a time when France was at war .Some critics praise it to the skies.I'm for the golden middle .Feuillade was certainly important in the shaping of the serial (along "the perils of Pauline" in America)but he was not as great a director as his contemporaries David Wark Griffith and Abel Gance (whose career did not begin with "Napoleon" in 1926).
The screenplay of "Les Vampires" is pretty silly,definitely weaker than that of "Fantomas" and it is sure easy to see why: "Fantomas " was first a set of volumes written by Pierre Souvestre and Marcel Allain -and Feuillade botched the first chapters which were the best of the saga :see Paul Fejos's "Fantomas" (1932) for that matter.But the rest was quite acceptable,some movies(the third episode :"Le Mort Qui Tue" notably) highly commendable.
"Les Vampires" was a different matter ,because it was an original screenplay and the writer/director had to kill the "Chef Des Vampires" ,not because he thought the audience needed change ,but because it was the war and the actors were mobilized.That's why Feuillade gave up making "lEs Vampires" after 10 episodes and opted for a "good " hero ,Judex ,a conjurer fighting against the villains.The stories are far-fetched to a fault ,pleasant to watch,but not particularly memorable (Maurice Leblanc was writing much more brilliant stories at the time featuring his hero Arsene Lupin who is much more exciting than his bland hero Philippe Guérande and his mate/undertaker.
Much more than the stories,it's the details that are interesting: the maid Mrs Guerande hires is a Girl from Britanny ,and at the time most of the servants came from that region:this was the subject of Becassine ,a comic strip of the era;it's interesting to note that whereas the villains have lovers,the hero,after losing his fiancée in the second chapter-and he doesn't even shed a tear-,remains chaste till the ...ninth episode in which he finds another one.Musidora's famous black tight caused an outcry : the series remained famous for her but she only appears in her outfit in two brief moments: one when she's scrawling on the roofs and the other one in a hotel where she also appears (that crowns it!) dressed as a young man complete with mustache .
Feuillade's most salutary quality was story -telling :even if the plot seems too often too much ,we can't help but admire the way he uses the pictures and thus keeps his lines to the minimum -a thing many of his colleagues could not do-.
Feuillade's influence in France?One sees little of it in the great directors of the Golden Era (Carné,Renoir,Guitry,Duvivier,Et Al). Feuillade's influence shows ,however,in one of Duvivier's silent films " Le Mystere De La Tour Eiffel" or even in Clair's "Le Fantome Du Moulin Rouge" .
Feuillade 's most dedicated follower was Georges Franju who made a remake of "Judex"(1963) and "Les Nuits Rouges"(1973) ,a failed attempt at a seventies "Vampires".Most of this director's works have something of Feuillade : "Les Yeux Sans Visage"(1959) "La Tête Contre Les Murs" (1960)"Pleins Feux Sur L'Assassin".(1961)
In the seventies,Feuillade's touch appeared again in Rivette's stuff ,but it's reserved for intellectuals.What was once the most popular French cinema of an era became one inspiration for the most cerebral (who said boring?) art.
The screenplay of "Les Vampires" is pretty silly,definitely weaker than that of "Fantomas" and it is sure easy to see why: "Fantomas " was first a set of volumes written by Pierre Souvestre and Marcel Allain -and Feuillade botched the first chapters which were the best of the saga :see Paul Fejos's "Fantomas" (1932) for that matter.But the rest was quite acceptable,some movies(the third episode :"Le Mort Qui Tue" notably) highly commendable.
"Les Vampires" was a different matter ,because it was an original screenplay and the writer/director had to kill the "Chef Des Vampires" ,not because he thought the audience needed change ,but because it was the war and the actors were mobilized.That's why Feuillade gave up making "lEs Vampires" after 10 episodes and opted for a "good " hero ,Judex ,a conjurer fighting against the villains.The stories are far-fetched to a fault ,pleasant to watch,but not particularly memorable (Maurice Leblanc was writing much more brilliant stories at the time featuring his hero Arsene Lupin who is much more exciting than his bland hero Philippe Guérande and his mate/undertaker.
Much more than the stories,it's the details that are interesting: the maid Mrs Guerande hires is a Girl from Britanny ,and at the time most of the servants came from that region:this was the subject of Becassine ,a comic strip of the era;it's interesting to note that whereas the villains have lovers,the hero,after losing his fiancée in the second chapter-and he doesn't even shed a tear-,remains chaste till the ...ninth episode in which he finds another one.Musidora's famous black tight caused an outcry : the series remained famous for her but she only appears in her outfit in two brief moments: one when she's scrawling on the roofs and the other one in a hotel where she also appears (that crowns it!) dressed as a young man complete with mustache .
Feuillade's most salutary quality was story -telling :even if the plot seems too often too much ,we can't help but admire the way he uses the pictures and thus keeps his lines to the minimum -a thing many of his colleagues could not do-.
Feuillade's influence in France?One sees little of it in the great directors of the Golden Era (Carné,Renoir,Guitry,Duvivier,Et Al). Feuillade's influence shows ,however,in one of Duvivier's silent films " Le Mystere De La Tour Eiffel" or even in Clair's "Le Fantome Du Moulin Rouge" .
Feuillade 's most dedicated follower was Georges Franju who made a remake of "Judex"(1963) and "Les Nuits Rouges"(1973) ,a failed attempt at a seventies "Vampires".Most of this director's works have something of Feuillade : "Les Yeux Sans Visage"(1959) "La Tête Contre Les Murs" (1960)"Pleins Feux Sur L'Assassin".(1961)
In the seventies,Feuillade's touch appeared again in Rivette's stuff ,but it's reserved for intellectuals.What was once the most popular French cinema of an era became one inspiration for the most cerebral (who said boring?) art.
- dbdumonteil
- Aug 29, 2009
- Permalink
- Cristi_Ciopron
- Feb 7, 2010
- Permalink
Finished this tonight after watching it over the past few days. At almost seven hours long, and divided into 10 parts averaging about 30-40 minutes each, it wasn't really sensible to watch it in one go. And due to the episodic nature of it all and the way it is a little repetitive at points, I wouldn't recommend a marathon session at all.
That repetition is the only real complaint I have. It's okay for each part to hit similar beats, but there is a lot of hidden identities, kidnappings, and last-minute escapes, to the point where you sometimes wonder why some characters don't learn from them when it all keeps on happening.
But in other ways the series does find ways to shake things up and keep things fresh. There were a few twists and turns I didn't see coming, there was one character who I was sure it was so obvious faked their death because it happened off screen... and it turned out nope, they really died, and in general, the series is surprisingly willing to knock off supporting characters and replace them.
There's also some good action and stunts for the time it was made, and seeing crime elements play out in a really early film (that would go on to influence others) was a lot of fun, especially because crime films are one of my favourite genres. For those interested in silent movies, the action/crime genre's origins, or epic movies, Les Vampires is easy to recommend, and overall, the problems I had with it at times were pretty minimal.
That repetition is the only real complaint I have. It's okay for each part to hit similar beats, but there is a lot of hidden identities, kidnappings, and last-minute escapes, to the point where you sometimes wonder why some characters don't learn from them when it all keeps on happening.
But in other ways the series does find ways to shake things up and keep things fresh. There were a few twists and turns I didn't see coming, there was one character who I was sure it was so obvious faked their death because it happened off screen... and it turned out nope, they really died, and in general, the series is surprisingly willing to knock off supporting characters and replace them.
There's also some good action and stunts for the time it was made, and seeing crime elements play out in a really early film (that would go on to influence others) was a lot of fun, especially because crime films are one of my favourite genres. For those interested in silent movies, the action/crime genre's origins, or epic movies, Les Vampires is easy to recommend, and overall, the problems I had with it at times were pretty minimal.
- Jeremy_Urquhart
- Mar 29, 2022
- Permalink
Just put in table that I'm not a fan of mute movies, but concerning about Vampires I was willing to watch it just by inquisitiveness, l has to say that was a bit tiring for a while, repetitive sometimes, but after ten chapters that start last year I had finally reach in the end (Uff), it' was an odd experience to my taste, but putting in mind that it was made in 1915 was a fabulous achievement to those early cinema's steps, through this point I'd a true marathon on those episodes, it might be the very first series ever done?? I didn't have an answer, perhaps, all elements are gathered on the series itself, the hero as pressman played by Édouard Mathé, the bad guys including a female Musidora as the Vampires, a mandatory funny character, a true skilled performance by Oscar Mazzanette in the role as Marcel Lévesque a sort of private investigator as Philippe Guérande's helper, the body language were imperative at mute's scenes, quite often there were long takes between the texts, so demand a flawless acting, it was an exciting and the same time exhausting way to learn oldest picture's process !!!
Resume:
First watch: 2017 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7.25
Resume:
First watch: 2017 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7.25
- elo-equipamentos
- May 12, 2019
- Permalink
A review by episodes:
Episode 1 - The Severed Head (6/10) Not an incredibly strong start to the series, though it's not without intrigue and menace. A reporter who has been investigating an organization called Les Vampires goes out to a chateau to see about the death of an inspector who was decapitated by the same group. As a fair warning, despite the name and a rather iconic image that appears in episode 2, there are no actual vampires or Dracula-type characters in this series. If you were expecting that, you might find the cat burglar character we see in this first episode rather disappointing. A rich American woman has her jewels stolen in the night by a sleek man in black via hidden passageways, you see. The thief seen gingerly walking along the roof and shimmying down a railing was frankly a bit of a letdown, even knowing that he was just a taste of things to come. The plot thickens when the severed head is recovered and further murders are committed, whereupon the first episode ends. It's probably unfair to review this 33 minute short in isolation (kind of like reviewing a single chapter of a book), and I fully expect the series to get better as it goes along.
Episode 2 - The Ring that Kills (8/10) The image of Marfa (Stacia Napierkowska) in that black bodysuit, slowly spreading her bat wings back while on tiptoe, surely has to rate among the silent era's best. And gosh, a justice of the Supreme Court involved in clandestine, corrupt activities with a mysterious shadow organization, hmmm who would have thought that was possible? This installment is short and sweet at just 15 minutes, but the murder onstage and introduction into the lair of Les Vampires are wonderful.
Episode 3 - The Red Cryptogram (7/10) Pretty cool to see the Irma Vep character (Musidora) and the special effects, 1915-style, rearranging the letters to spell Vampire. She was of course the reference for the 1996 film with Maggie Cheung. The criminal organization that Philippe Guérande (Édouard Mathé) is up against is pretty sinister, with poisoned ink that kills within seconds after skin contact (something that would make Vladimir Putin proud), and resorting to attacks at home and kidnapping. It's a little slow-moving at 39 minutes for such a simple episode, but the groundwork continues to be laid for an entertaining series. The traitor to Les Vampires, Mazamette (Marcel Lévesque) and strong mother character (Delphine Renot) are nice touches too.
Episode 4 - The Spectre (8/10) The story to this episode relies on an enormously convenient coincidence - the leader of a separate crime ring who has just taken an apartment next to Irma Vep is the same guy who happens across the dead body of Les Vampires' latest victim - but there is enough ominous subterfuge afoot that I didn't mind. A guy is murdered with a hatpin and thrown off a train, for goodness sake, how cool is that for 1916. Operating in disguise is a recurring theme here - Irma acts as the secretary in a bank, Philippe Guérande shows up as a handyman, and the new criminal (Fernand Hermann) dresses up as the murder victim so convincingly that he appears as a "spectre" to Irma. There are two moments when the audience sees people laying in wait and getting close to battle, which must have been thrilling at the time, and still carries a certain amount of tension today. Fleeing down a manhole cover, getting access to a safe from a false real panel, and sneaking into a house with the aid of an accomplice - the slinking around here is fantastic, creating a world where good and evil fight as cat and mice, and nothing can be trusted. There's a nice little split screen action as well. It's great stuff, and does the most important thing in telling the larger story - makes me want to keep watching more episodes.
Episode 5 - The Corpse's Escape (8/10) It was clever to continue the thread of the rival gang to Les Vampires, the one led by Moréno, as it added an extra dimension to this already very entertaining series. It created double peril for Philippe Guérande, with Les Vampires capturing him spectacularly off his 2nd story balcony by using a loop connected to a long pole, and Moréno capturing him just as wonderfully when Guérande calls over to two cops and discovers to his chagrin that they are Moréno's cronies in disguise. Having two warring gangs also created opportunity for Guérande, however, ala "the enemy of my enemy is my friend." It's a triangle where each party is battling the other two, with the gangs robbing from each other and eluding capture, but also not quite able to kill off Guérande.
In one of my favorite scenes, a crowd of socialites is gassed at a party, a moment that predates what you might see from the villains in Batman. As they all clamor to get out but find the windows boarded up and doors locked, we're treated to a slow raised tracking shot, one which shows a marble bust looking impassively on as the arms of the victims flail away. That was brilliant. There are lots of other little things here - good ol' Mazamette making a rubber mold of a lock to create a key, a large basket containing our hero falling down a long staircase, and of course, the fake cyanide tablet that results in the "corpse" rising at night to strangle the guard. Fantastic stuff, and a great episode.
Episode 6 - Hypnotic Eyes (8/10) Irma Vep (Musidora) is so cute with her short hair disguised as a young man, and of course in that black skintight outfit prowling around. In this episode, enter a pair of Americans on the run with $200,000 that they've stolen, which the two rival gangs, led by Moréno and the Grand Vampire, are hot on the trail for. Little do they realize that they've been beaten to the punch by Guérande and his sidekick Mazamette. Of the three horses in this race, you might say that Guérande comes in first, Moréno in second by virtue of kidnapping Irma Vep, and Les Vampires in last, losing out on the money, Irma, and yet another thing in a surprising finale.
The hypnosis bit from Moréno, first performed on his maid (Mlle Maxa), was a wonderful touch, and I loved how he fell in love with Irma Vep once she was in his possession - and then used her for his nefarious purposes. The only off note was the killing of a couple of bulls in the recounted story from the Napoleonic era, which was needless narratively and cruel besides (one of the bulls gives chase to a rider on a horse before being brutally tripped by what looks like barbed wire, another is just lounging in a field before meeting its end). Despite the bad taste that left in my mouth, I really enjoyed this one, as apart from the maneuverings between the three parties, it showed just how varied these episodes were, and how spontaneous the storytelling could be.
Episode 7 - Satanas (8/10) Episode 7 starts with a rather astonishing intertitle that tells us that Irma Vep has not only been enslaved through the hypnotic powers of Moréno, but he's also made her his mistress, which I guess is shorthand for "sex slave." It's also pretty surprising that the Grand Master of the Vampires who was killed at the end of episode 6 has remained dead - but no worries, it turns out he was a subordinate to someone even higher - Satanas (Louis Leubas), a diabolical name if ever there was one. This guy shows up at Moréno's place knowing about the murder and pricking Moréno with a secret pin strapped to his palm, one that paralyzes him for five minutes. Just to make sure Moréno understands he's up against a superior power, later, at the press of a button, a high-tech cannon wheels out of a hidden door and he uses it to blow up a nightclub, which results in Moréno and Irma Vep meekly returning to the fold of Les Vampires.
The cannon is quite a contrast to the teeny (and funny) guns that are bandied about throughout this series. In another use of technology, a clever ruse is devised whereby Irma Vep gets an American millionaire to speak into a portable sound recorder (uttering the only French phrase he knows, which is "Paris has the most charming women.") He's also unwittingly signed over a bank order, and the scheme used against him - with Irma Vep posing as a bespectacled switchboard operator - reminded me of clever heist movies from decades later. It was also a treat to see Irma in a bohemian outfit, wearing many strands of pearls and one across her forehead. She's such a delight.
The episode may lag a bit as the crime and its aftermath plays out, but it had built up enough equity with me that I didn't mind. There's lots of other nice little bits - a body in a crate dumped in the river from a bridge, the two cabaret dancers at the Joyeux Cagibi (the 'Happy Hideaway') trying but usually failing to stay in sync, the kidnapping of an innocent woman as she shrieks and struggles, and the cops using a trapdoor and giant sack to capture Moréno and Irma Vep instead of just surrounding them (lol). It's all very entertaining, and impressive for 1916.
Episode 8 - The Thunder Master (8/10) At the outset of episode 8, Irma Vep has been sent to prison, while Moréno has been executed by guillotine, which was dramatic even if it was only alluded to. As Irma is about to be shipped off to the French penal colony in Algeria, she gets the secret message that the ship carrying her will be blown up. We see the letters rearrange with the special effects of the day (in what seemed like a tough anagram!) and invisible ink revealed with the heat of the receiver's breath. Soon afterwards, we see the Grand Vampire Satanas bring his fancy cannon out in a hotel room (hey, it's portable too!) and proceed to fire upon the prison transport. Did Irma survive?
Episode 9 - The Poison Man (7/10) A slight step down in the series which really hit its stride in about episode 4, but entertaining nonetheless.
Episode 10 - The Bloody Wedding (6/10) At an even 60 minutes this is the longest episode, and there was not enough content. Out of room, thanks for reading this far.
Episode 1 - The Severed Head (6/10) Not an incredibly strong start to the series, though it's not without intrigue and menace. A reporter who has been investigating an organization called Les Vampires goes out to a chateau to see about the death of an inspector who was decapitated by the same group. As a fair warning, despite the name and a rather iconic image that appears in episode 2, there are no actual vampires or Dracula-type characters in this series. If you were expecting that, you might find the cat burglar character we see in this first episode rather disappointing. A rich American woman has her jewels stolen in the night by a sleek man in black via hidden passageways, you see. The thief seen gingerly walking along the roof and shimmying down a railing was frankly a bit of a letdown, even knowing that he was just a taste of things to come. The plot thickens when the severed head is recovered and further murders are committed, whereupon the first episode ends. It's probably unfair to review this 33 minute short in isolation (kind of like reviewing a single chapter of a book), and I fully expect the series to get better as it goes along.
Episode 2 - The Ring that Kills (8/10) The image of Marfa (Stacia Napierkowska) in that black bodysuit, slowly spreading her bat wings back while on tiptoe, surely has to rate among the silent era's best. And gosh, a justice of the Supreme Court involved in clandestine, corrupt activities with a mysterious shadow organization, hmmm who would have thought that was possible? This installment is short and sweet at just 15 minutes, but the murder onstage and introduction into the lair of Les Vampires are wonderful.
Episode 3 - The Red Cryptogram (7/10) Pretty cool to see the Irma Vep character (Musidora) and the special effects, 1915-style, rearranging the letters to spell Vampire. She was of course the reference for the 1996 film with Maggie Cheung. The criminal organization that Philippe Guérande (Édouard Mathé) is up against is pretty sinister, with poisoned ink that kills within seconds after skin contact (something that would make Vladimir Putin proud), and resorting to attacks at home and kidnapping. It's a little slow-moving at 39 minutes for such a simple episode, but the groundwork continues to be laid for an entertaining series. The traitor to Les Vampires, Mazamette (Marcel Lévesque) and strong mother character (Delphine Renot) are nice touches too.
Episode 4 - The Spectre (8/10) The story to this episode relies on an enormously convenient coincidence - the leader of a separate crime ring who has just taken an apartment next to Irma Vep is the same guy who happens across the dead body of Les Vampires' latest victim - but there is enough ominous subterfuge afoot that I didn't mind. A guy is murdered with a hatpin and thrown off a train, for goodness sake, how cool is that for 1916. Operating in disguise is a recurring theme here - Irma acts as the secretary in a bank, Philippe Guérande shows up as a handyman, and the new criminal (Fernand Hermann) dresses up as the murder victim so convincingly that he appears as a "spectre" to Irma. There are two moments when the audience sees people laying in wait and getting close to battle, which must have been thrilling at the time, and still carries a certain amount of tension today. Fleeing down a manhole cover, getting access to a safe from a false real panel, and sneaking into a house with the aid of an accomplice - the slinking around here is fantastic, creating a world where good and evil fight as cat and mice, and nothing can be trusted. There's a nice little split screen action as well. It's great stuff, and does the most important thing in telling the larger story - makes me want to keep watching more episodes.
Episode 5 - The Corpse's Escape (8/10) It was clever to continue the thread of the rival gang to Les Vampires, the one led by Moréno, as it added an extra dimension to this already very entertaining series. It created double peril for Philippe Guérande, with Les Vampires capturing him spectacularly off his 2nd story balcony by using a loop connected to a long pole, and Moréno capturing him just as wonderfully when Guérande calls over to two cops and discovers to his chagrin that they are Moréno's cronies in disguise. Having two warring gangs also created opportunity for Guérande, however, ala "the enemy of my enemy is my friend." It's a triangle where each party is battling the other two, with the gangs robbing from each other and eluding capture, but also not quite able to kill off Guérande.
In one of my favorite scenes, a crowd of socialites is gassed at a party, a moment that predates what you might see from the villains in Batman. As they all clamor to get out but find the windows boarded up and doors locked, we're treated to a slow raised tracking shot, one which shows a marble bust looking impassively on as the arms of the victims flail away. That was brilliant. There are lots of other little things here - good ol' Mazamette making a rubber mold of a lock to create a key, a large basket containing our hero falling down a long staircase, and of course, the fake cyanide tablet that results in the "corpse" rising at night to strangle the guard. Fantastic stuff, and a great episode.
Episode 6 - Hypnotic Eyes (8/10) Irma Vep (Musidora) is so cute with her short hair disguised as a young man, and of course in that black skintight outfit prowling around. In this episode, enter a pair of Americans on the run with $200,000 that they've stolen, which the two rival gangs, led by Moréno and the Grand Vampire, are hot on the trail for. Little do they realize that they've been beaten to the punch by Guérande and his sidekick Mazamette. Of the three horses in this race, you might say that Guérande comes in first, Moréno in second by virtue of kidnapping Irma Vep, and Les Vampires in last, losing out on the money, Irma, and yet another thing in a surprising finale.
The hypnosis bit from Moréno, first performed on his maid (Mlle Maxa), was a wonderful touch, and I loved how he fell in love with Irma Vep once she was in his possession - and then used her for his nefarious purposes. The only off note was the killing of a couple of bulls in the recounted story from the Napoleonic era, which was needless narratively and cruel besides (one of the bulls gives chase to a rider on a horse before being brutally tripped by what looks like barbed wire, another is just lounging in a field before meeting its end). Despite the bad taste that left in my mouth, I really enjoyed this one, as apart from the maneuverings between the three parties, it showed just how varied these episodes were, and how spontaneous the storytelling could be.
Episode 7 - Satanas (8/10) Episode 7 starts with a rather astonishing intertitle that tells us that Irma Vep has not only been enslaved through the hypnotic powers of Moréno, but he's also made her his mistress, which I guess is shorthand for "sex slave." It's also pretty surprising that the Grand Master of the Vampires who was killed at the end of episode 6 has remained dead - but no worries, it turns out he was a subordinate to someone even higher - Satanas (Louis Leubas), a diabolical name if ever there was one. This guy shows up at Moréno's place knowing about the murder and pricking Moréno with a secret pin strapped to his palm, one that paralyzes him for five minutes. Just to make sure Moréno understands he's up against a superior power, later, at the press of a button, a high-tech cannon wheels out of a hidden door and he uses it to blow up a nightclub, which results in Moréno and Irma Vep meekly returning to the fold of Les Vampires.
The cannon is quite a contrast to the teeny (and funny) guns that are bandied about throughout this series. In another use of technology, a clever ruse is devised whereby Irma Vep gets an American millionaire to speak into a portable sound recorder (uttering the only French phrase he knows, which is "Paris has the most charming women.") He's also unwittingly signed over a bank order, and the scheme used against him - with Irma Vep posing as a bespectacled switchboard operator - reminded me of clever heist movies from decades later. It was also a treat to see Irma in a bohemian outfit, wearing many strands of pearls and one across her forehead. She's such a delight.
The episode may lag a bit as the crime and its aftermath plays out, but it had built up enough equity with me that I didn't mind. There's lots of other nice little bits - a body in a crate dumped in the river from a bridge, the two cabaret dancers at the Joyeux Cagibi (the 'Happy Hideaway') trying but usually failing to stay in sync, the kidnapping of an innocent woman as she shrieks and struggles, and the cops using a trapdoor and giant sack to capture Moréno and Irma Vep instead of just surrounding them (lol). It's all very entertaining, and impressive for 1916.
Episode 8 - The Thunder Master (8/10) At the outset of episode 8, Irma Vep has been sent to prison, while Moréno has been executed by guillotine, which was dramatic even if it was only alluded to. As Irma is about to be shipped off to the French penal colony in Algeria, she gets the secret message that the ship carrying her will be blown up. We see the letters rearrange with the special effects of the day (in what seemed like a tough anagram!) and invisible ink revealed with the heat of the receiver's breath. Soon afterwards, we see the Grand Vampire Satanas bring his fancy cannon out in a hotel room (hey, it's portable too!) and proceed to fire upon the prison transport. Did Irma survive?
Episode 9 - The Poison Man (7/10) A slight step down in the series which really hit its stride in about episode 4, but entertaining nonetheless.
Episode 10 - The Bloody Wedding (6/10) At an even 60 minutes this is the longest episode, and there was not enough content. Out of room, thanks for reading this far.
- gbill-74877
- Jan 8, 2023
- Permalink
Les Vampires was an incredibly successful French film series that tells the story of a criminal organization known as the Vampires. This 10- part film series was produced between 1915-1916 and is often considered one of the first modern crime series. The series follows the adventures of the gang of criminals known as Vampires and their enemies, including newspaper reporter Philippe Guerande, as gang's enemies attempt to expose their nefarious activities.
The series was widely praised for its innovation and technical achievements, showcasing camera tricks and stunts that were rarely seen in 1915. While some of the technical achievements may be dated to modern audiences, the series still holds up some of the time and has been cited as an influence on later works such as Mission Impossible and Ocean's Eleven. Be prepared for long slower sections though.
Ultimately, Les Vampires is an interesting piece of film history and its influence on later works cannot be understated. It's a must-watch for anyone who is interested in the history of cinema or classic thrillers, but not for entertainment, or those who don't have 8 hours available.
It is considered a must see film on the 1001 movies to see before you die.
The series was widely praised for its innovation and technical achievements, showcasing camera tricks and stunts that were rarely seen in 1915. While some of the technical achievements may be dated to modern audiences, the series still holds up some of the time and has been cited as an influence on later works such as Mission Impossible and Ocean's Eleven. Be prepared for long slower sections though.
Ultimately, Les Vampires is an interesting piece of film history and its influence on later works cannot be understated. It's a must-watch for anyone who is interested in the history of cinema or classic thrillers, but not for entertainment, or those who don't have 8 hours available.
It is considered a must see film on the 1001 movies to see before you die.
- JumpingCineFile
- Jan 4, 2023
- Permalink
Seven hours of fun in the most crazy and fascinating serial ever made.
Far from the polished finish of Tih Minh, Les vampires is a carefree and unpredictable mess shot mostly in desolate Parisian suburbs and painted interiors of mansions, improvising plots based on the actors available at any given moment (among them an unforgettable Musidora) and with the freshness of the unexpected and the fortuitous.
The best thing about the serial is Feuillade's visual imagination, his absolutely unpredictable character, an always frenetic pace and the presence of Musidora as Irma Vamp, number 2 of the vampire clan, although she herself is capable of surviving four bosses of the gang. Her appearance in the third episode is unforgettable, on the stage of a low-life cabaret, where the criminal gang meets between Apaches and criminals to plan their hits and enjoy their wild dances. But her best-known image is clad in a tight black suit during any of her misdeeds.
It is true that there is a marked evolution throughout the chapters that increasingly abandons the macabre initial triumphs of the gang (which initially leaves a trail of dead in its wake), towards a less lethal attitude, focusing on kidnappings or failed attempts of murder, possibly because of the censorship that did not see with good eyes that the criminal gang got away with it and repeatedly outwitted the forces of order. It's like a gradual descent from the menacing atmosphere of Fantomas to the much more tolerable one of a Judex or Tih Minh. Even so, the last chapters include some of the best moments of the entire serial.
Feathers loaded with lethal ink, poisoned rings, strange hiding places behind paintings on the walls, safes with false bottoms, portable cannons fired from simple hotel rooms, and naturally many hooded, rooftops, trunks and car chases.
If vampires are the ones keeping our interest, law enforcement doesn't fare so well: journalist Philippe Guerande (played by a rather bland Edouard Mathé) and his collaborator Mazamette (a mostly insufferable Marcel Lévesque of highly questionable humor) they earn our respect by their goodwill and little else.
Without the budget of its other great serials, in the midst of the First World War, Les Vampires does not hide its flimsy doors that look like cardboard, its painted carpentry on the walls, and some rudimentary special effects, but everything adds to its charm and its attractive lack of respectability.
Feuillade only intends to surprise us, amuse us, immerse us in an atmosphere of delirium, oneirism and rejection of all logic, and give us a handful of absolutely fascinating images along the way.
Far from the polished finish of Tih Minh, Les vampires is a carefree and unpredictable mess shot mostly in desolate Parisian suburbs and painted interiors of mansions, improvising plots based on the actors available at any given moment (among them an unforgettable Musidora) and with the freshness of the unexpected and the fortuitous.
The best thing about the serial is Feuillade's visual imagination, his absolutely unpredictable character, an always frenetic pace and the presence of Musidora as Irma Vamp, number 2 of the vampire clan, although she herself is capable of surviving four bosses of the gang. Her appearance in the third episode is unforgettable, on the stage of a low-life cabaret, where the criminal gang meets between Apaches and criminals to plan their hits and enjoy their wild dances. But her best-known image is clad in a tight black suit during any of her misdeeds.
It is true that there is a marked evolution throughout the chapters that increasingly abandons the macabre initial triumphs of the gang (which initially leaves a trail of dead in its wake), towards a less lethal attitude, focusing on kidnappings or failed attempts of murder, possibly because of the censorship that did not see with good eyes that the criminal gang got away with it and repeatedly outwitted the forces of order. It's like a gradual descent from the menacing atmosphere of Fantomas to the much more tolerable one of a Judex or Tih Minh. Even so, the last chapters include some of the best moments of the entire serial.
Feathers loaded with lethal ink, poisoned rings, strange hiding places behind paintings on the walls, safes with false bottoms, portable cannons fired from simple hotel rooms, and naturally many hooded, rooftops, trunks and car chases.
If vampires are the ones keeping our interest, law enforcement doesn't fare so well: journalist Philippe Guerande (played by a rather bland Edouard Mathé) and his collaborator Mazamette (a mostly insufferable Marcel Lévesque of highly questionable humor) they earn our respect by their goodwill and little else.
Without the budget of its other great serials, in the midst of the First World War, Les Vampires does not hide its flimsy doors that look like cardboard, its painted carpentry on the walls, and some rudimentary special effects, but everything adds to its charm and its attractive lack of respectability.
Feuillade only intends to surprise us, amuse us, immerse us in an atmosphere of delirium, oneirism and rejection of all logic, and give us a handful of absolutely fascinating images along the way.
- Falkner1976
- Mar 21, 2022
- Permalink
They are the kings of moonless nights, darkness is their kingdom.
Carrying death and sowing terror.
Here is the black flight of the Vampires.
Gorged on blood, viscous and fat.
They go, those evil Vampires on great suede wings... Not towards the bad... towards the worst!
Although it is usually not considered as innovative or narratively tight as his previous work Fantômas, Feuillade's Les Vampires is more captivating due to its use of the concept of sympathy toward the film's main villain. The villain, Irma Vep, enchants viewers from the start with her exaggerated facial expressions, body language, and physical stunts. (Musidora, the actress portraying Irma Vep, was a famous French acrobat at the time.)
The ten-part film faced many issues both during and after production. The former challenges arose due to the ongoing First World War, with some of the lead actors being drafted into the French army (which likely explains why no single main male role is established throughout the film). The latter issues stemmed from official criticism, as the film was viewed as promoting banditry and criminal behavior.
The movie is divided into ten separate stories of varying lengths, which do not rely on narrative hooks or cliffhangers. The production was notably fast, and much of it was done concurrently with Feuillade's other work, Judex, with both films sharing a significant part of the ensemble cast.
From a storytelling perspective, it's important to remember that Les Vampires was made during an era when literary anti-heroes like Arsène Lupin and Fantômas were two of the most popular protagonists in contemporary French crime fiction. In comparison, Les Vampires is based on an original script rather than a literary source, though the story was later novelized following the film's success.
From a craft perspective, the film's narrative relies more on visual storytelling rather than on textual intertitles to explain the plot. In this sense, Les Vampires is a more mature and refined film than its predecessor, Fantômas, which was filled with textual MacGuffins that often stalled the pacing.
The version I watched was the 2012 restoration by Cinémathèque française and Kino Lorber, featuring a magnificent musical score by the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra.
Carrying death and sowing terror.
Here is the black flight of the Vampires.
Gorged on blood, viscous and fat.
They go, those evil Vampires on great suede wings... Not towards the bad... towards the worst!
Although it is usually not considered as innovative or narratively tight as his previous work Fantômas, Feuillade's Les Vampires is more captivating due to its use of the concept of sympathy toward the film's main villain. The villain, Irma Vep, enchants viewers from the start with her exaggerated facial expressions, body language, and physical stunts. (Musidora, the actress portraying Irma Vep, was a famous French acrobat at the time.)
The ten-part film faced many issues both during and after production. The former challenges arose due to the ongoing First World War, with some of the lead actors being drafted into the French army (which likely explains why no single main male role is established throughout the film). The latter issues stemmed from official criticism, as the film was viewed as promoting banditry and criminal behavior.
The movie is divided into ten separate stories of varying lengths, which do not rely on narrative hooks or cliffhangers. The production was notably fast, and much of it was done concurrently with Feuillade's other work, Judex, with both films sharing a significant part of the ensemble cast.
From a storytelling perspective, it's important to remember that Les Vampires was made during an era when literary anti-heroes like Arsène Lupin and Fantômas were two of the most popular protagonists in contemporary French crime fiction. In comparison, Les Vampires is based on an original script rather than a literary source, though the story was later novelized following the film's success.
From a craft perspective, the film's narrative relies more on visual storytelling rather than on textual intertitles to explain the plot. In this sense, Les Vampires is a more mature and refined film than its predecessor, Fantômas, which was filled with textual MacGuffins that often stalled the pacing.
The version I watched was the 2012 restoration by Cinémathèque française and Kino Lorber, featuring a magnificent musical score by the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra.
- Dry-Na-Nord
- Oct 12, 2024
- Permalink
Les Vampires is a 1915 serial film written and directed by Louis Feuillade and starring Musidora, Èdouard Mathé and Marcel Lévesque.
Finally after 8 days I got through this film and it was a really great experience.
For such a long film I really don't have that much to say, I thought it was most of the time very interesting and intriguing even though at some points it is a bit tedious, it's full of great and very memourable scenes like the vampire dance in episode 2 or the ending which was awesome. The performances are fine although Mazamette is always making weird facial expressions at the camera but I really liked Musidora as Irma Vep, it's in my opinion one of the great female villains of cinema.
Overall it's by no means a flawless film but it's still really good and a mostly very enjoyable experience.
9/10
- joelgodinho
- Aug 2, 2020
- Permalink
- Cineanalyst
- Aug 5, 2005
- Permalink
"Les Vampires" (1915 - 398 minutes - B&W) is a classic of the mute cinema series directed by Louis Feuillade. In ten episodes, it counts the adventures of a masked assailants group who haunt Paris. The mythical actress Musidora [ the first "Vamp" of the European cinema ] is the star in the series, that achieved fame due to the great admiration among the surrealists (Andres Breton and Luis Buñuel were its bigger fans), seduced by the dreamily scenes that sometimes appears in the narrative. At first "Les Vampires" was rejected for the French vanguard directors, that considered it like a mere policeman series. The film was saved from destruction thanks to the efforts of the founder of the French Film library, Henri Langlois, and after years forgotten, "Les Vampires" was exhibited again in the sixties, in concurred sessions that had marked time, especially in Paris, London and New York, causing a reevaluation of the critics relatively to the work of Feuillade. Andres Bazin, the great critic of the French cinema, said that "Les Vampires" was "one of the biggest film of all the times", admiration shared with the directors of the new French cinema. Today, Feuillade is placed side by side to other geniuses of the mute period of the cinema, as Griffith, Stroheim, Murnau and Gance. The episodes: 1: The Cut Head (31 minutes); 2: The Ring that Kills (13 minutes); 3: The Red Book (39 minutes); 4: The Specter (30 minutes); 5: The Escape of the Dead Man (35 minutes); 6: Hypnotic eyes (53 minutes); 7: Satanus (42 minutes); 8: The Master of the Thunder (50 minutes); 9: The Poisoner (48 minutes); 10: The Terrible Marriage (57 minutes).
- paulorcbarros
- Mar 11, 2005
- Permalink