Juve vs. Fantômas (1913)

Juve vs. Fantômas (1913), directed by Louis Feuillade, 3.5 stars

“Juve vs. Fantômas” is Louis Feuillade’s second entry in a crime series featuring the exploits of arch-villain, Fantômas, and his nemesis, Inspector Juve. The films were so popular upon their release, that Feuillade made three more, all within a two year period.

I enjoyed the sequel more than its predecessor largely because of its heavy use of exterior location footage.  Like the first film, “Fantômas in the Shadow of the Guillotine” (1913), and nearly all films shot during this period, the camera is most often planted in a single spot in anticipation of the action to follow.  In front of a stationary lens, characters move about the frame until, in some cases, an entire scene plays out.  For me, a nice side effect of this type of minimalist editing and camera movement is that it allows me to turn my attention to other items of interest on the screen with very little chance of missing the action.  I found it fascinating to watch characters make their way through the actual streets of Paris of 100 years ago.  Bystanders at the edges of the frame occasionally notice the camera and do double takes, staring with surprise and curiosity directly into the lens.  Manure is present on the cobblestone streets, and at one point, a random passer-by, a well-dressed lady in long sleeves and a dress that nearly touches the pavement, walks briskly through several small piles without slowing or touching a single one.  To me, moments like this ground the film, giving its otherwise rather fantastical elements some basis in reality.

And, yes, the film does produce its fair share of larger-than-life moments.  After robbing passengers on a moving train, Fantômas masterminds a massive wreck to ensure that there are no witnesses to the crime.  Later on, he uses a huge boa constrictor in a plot to assassinate Juve. Although the film runs only 61 minutes, there is still more action afoot.  In fact, unlike its more subdued predecessor, I would characterize "Juve vs. Fantômas" as a thriller.  Although the film follows and makes reference to action that take place earlier, the overall connection between them is minimal at best.  This discontinuity didn't in any way detract from my enjoyment of the sequel.  In fact, this is a rare case where I actually rate the second film more highly than the first.