Masterpiece Selection Resonating with the Themes of Séraphin ou les...

Dir: Louis Feuillade

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Louis Feuillade

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of The Vampires: The Terrible Wedding perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

The Vampires do not give up their attempts on the life of Philip Guard even after he is married. The wife of the janitor who was accidentally poisoned by wine meant for Philip's wedding is now in Philip's employ. She is anxious to avenge her husband's death, and consults a fortune teller. The fortune teller is a Vampire. By hypnotizing her visitor, the woman influences her to open the door of Philip's home to the Vampires. Normandin has fallen in love with Augustine, and has followed her to the fortune teller. She will not reveal the reason for her visit and he watches her day and night. It is this vigilance which finally rewards him by finding the Vampires descend on Philip's home. The Vampires are put to flight when they are discovered trying to asphyxiate Philip and his wife. While Philip and Normandin go for the police, Augustine and Jane, Philip's wife, are kidnapped and carried to a house in the suburbs. Normandin, pursuing the automobile, fires a shot that punctures the lubricating oil tank. This drips, leaving a trail which Normandin follows slowly but successfully on a bicycle. Philip and Normandin find that Jane and Augustine are kept prisoners in a cellar of the house. Philip leaves his revolver with his wife while he and Normandin go for the police. The official raiding party arrives while the marriage of Irma Vep and Venenos is being celebrated. Every exit is watched, and the police break in upon the Vampires. All are killed or captured, but a count shows that Irma Vep is missing. She has secured a revolver dropped by a policeman and hurried to the cellar to be revenged upon Jane and Augustine for the death of her companions. Jane, however, defends herself by shooting Irma, who drops at the feet of Normandin and Philip who have also hurried to the cellar. Thus the last Vampire is accounted for, and Philip has freed France of the terrible criminal menace. Normandin marries Augustine, and the two pair live happily ever after.

Dir: Louis Feuillade

Movie serial "Vendemiaire" depicts a registering nationalist and regionalism concerns about the effects of the First World War.

Dir: Louis Feuillade

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Vendémiaire perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Louis Feuillade

After Phil Guard and Normandin capture two Vampires, Irma Vep and Moreno, the latter is guillotined and the woman is condemned to life imprisonment. The authorities as well as Philip, good reporter that he was, were lulled into security, thinking the Vampires were now powerless. They did not even know about Satanas, who was now leader of the band. Before her incarceration for life, Irma Vep is sent by the authorities to Algeria to testify regarding a crime committed there. Before leaving the detention home to board the vessel, she receives comforting information from a priest. The man is really Satanas in disguise. Satanas tells her that once on shipboard she must feign illness and be sent to the infirmary near the stern of the vessel, with his wonderful electric gun Satanas will destroy the ship, the projectile striking near the bow. Thus Irma will have a chance to regain her liberty. Even if she dies, that will be better than a life spent in prison. The ship is destroyed and Irma Vep is saved. She does not find Satanas, being afraid to disclose her identity in Algeria. She works her way back to Paris, whither Satanas has also returned. The head of the Vampires plans to destroy Philip Guard. The reporter is bound and gagged in his room and left to wait for the explosion of a bomb which will destroy him and those dear to him. Fortunately Normandin arrives, hears the clock-work tick of the infernal machine, and throws it into the garden just in time to save Philip. Satanas is living as a wealthy man in a new apartment, but the faithful Normandin penetrates his disguise and finds one of the shells for the electric gun. Normandin is accompanied by his son who enters the apartment upon a pretext. When he thinks he is alone he admits his father. Normandin hides in a chest, a fact known to Satanas, who has been watching through a mask on the wall, which is really a peep-hole from another room. The boy and Satanas struggle, after the former sees the chest locked and fears that his father is to be smothered. The fight is going in favor of the Vampire, despite his young adversary's revolver, when the door is broken and Philip and the police enter. Satanas is overcome and Normandin is released. He is suffering from a slight wound. His own son has shot him, grazing his big nose! The Vampires hold a meeting to discuss the capture of their chief. Irma Vep appears for the first time after her return and is loudly welcomed by the band. Venenos, the "man of poisons," takes from his pocket directions Satanas left with him in case he was captured. The request is for a certain letter to be smuggled to him in prison. This is done. Satanas chews the letter into a pulp and drops dead. The paper has been steeped in a deadly poison.

Dir: Louis Feuillade

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Les heures - Épisode 4: Le soir, la nuit perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

The efforts of lawyer Jacques Varese and journalist Raoul de Nerac who attempt to expose and destroy the criminal organization led by a sadistic banker Rudolph Strelitz.

Dir: Louis Feuillade

The creeping black assassin Fantômas, the criminal lord of Paris and master of disguise, has won the first round. But the equally resourceful Inspector Juve swears to win the second.

Dir: Louis Feuillade

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of The Vampires: Satanas perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Satanas, having committed suicide in prison, Venenos becomes the head of the Vampires. He learns that Philip is engaged to be married and orders Irma Vep to take an apartment in the same building and watch the girl. Irma learns that the betrothal dinner is soon to be celebrated. Venenos is advised and tells the caterer that the dinner has been postponed one day. The Vampires impersonate the caterer and his assistants. They poison the wine, and the janitor, who has been given some, drinks it and dies. His wife rushes into the banquet just in time to save the guests, who are about to drink to Philip and the girl. The Vampires switch off the lights and escape. Philip writes in code to his fiancée and tells her to go with her mother to a villa at Chailly. Irma Vep, accompanied by her maid, lies in wait for the limousine. It arrives with a wardrobe trunk strapped upright on the running board. Irma is at work spraying the interior of the automobile with a powerful anesthetic when Normandin steps out of the trunk. The women overpower him and Irma hides in the trunk. On arrival at Chailly, Irma telephones to Venenos, and is afterward captured by Philip Guard, who is soon joined by Normandin, who has escaped from the Vampires. Venenos rescues Irma and the pair escape in an automobile and escapes as the men continue after Venenos, who jumps from a bridge to a moving train and elude Philip and Normandin.

Dir: Louis Feuillade

An intrepid reporter and his loyal friend battle a bizarre secret society of criminals known as The Vampires.

Dir: Unknown Director

The Judge needs a present for his wife's birthday, so Harry suggests a new corset. They go to the shop, but he's so embarrassed to ask the saleslady he hides in a phone booth.Harry goes in, but finds a GUY wearing one, and runs out.They both dress as women to get back in, but Mrs. Rummy gets there and chases him out.