Fantômas
Encyclopedia
Fantômas is a fiction
al character created by French writers Marcel Allain
(1885–1969) and Pierre Souvestre
(1874–1914).
One of the most popular characters in the history of French crime fiction
, Fantômas was created in 1911 and appeared in a total of 32 volumes written by the two collaborators, then a subsequent 11 volumes written by Allain alone after Souvestre's death. The character was also the basis of various film, television, and comic book
adaptations. In the history of crime fiction, he represents a transition from Gothic novel villains of the 19th century to modern-day serial killer
s.
The books and movies that came out in quick succession anticipate current production methods of Hollywood
, in two respects: First, the authors distributed the writing among themselves; their "working method was to draw up the general plot between them and then go off and write alternate chapters independently of each other, meeting up to tie the two halves of the story together in the final chapter." This approach allowed the authors to produce almost one novel per month. Second, the movie rights to the books were immediately snapped up. Such a system ensured that the film studio could produce sequels reliably.
, another well-known thief. But whereas Lupin draws the line at murder, Fantômas has no such qualms and is shown as a sociopath
who enjoys killing in a sadistic fashion.
He is totally ruthless, gives no mercy, and is loyal to none, not even his own children. He is a master of disguise, always appearing under an assumed identity, often that of a person whom he has murdered. Fantômas makes use of bizarre and improbable techniques in his crimes, such as plague-infested rats
, giant snakes, and rooms that fill with sand.
Fantômas's background remains vague. He might be of British and/or French ancestry. He appears to have been born in 1867.
In the books, it is established that c. 1892, the man who later became Fantômas called himself Archduke Juan North and operated in the German Principality of Hesse-Weimar. There he fathered a child, Vladimir, with an unidentified noblewoman. In circumstances unrevealed, he was arrested and sent to prison
.
C. 1895, Fantômas was in India. There, an unidentified European woman gave birth to a baby girl, Hélène, whose father might be Fantômas, or an Indian Prince who was Fantômas' acolyte. The girl was raised in South Africa
.
In 1897, Fantômas was in the United States of America and Mexico. There, he ruined his then-business partner, Etienne Rambert.
In 1899, he fought in the Second Boer War
in South Africa
under the name of Gurn. He fought in the Transvaal
as an artillery sergeant under the command of Lord Roberts. He became aide-de-camp to Lord Edward Beltham of Scottwell Hill and fell in love with his younger wife, Lady Maud Beltham.
Upon their return to Europe, soon before the first novel begins (c. 1900), Gurn and Lady Beltham were surprised in their Paris love nest, Rue Levert, by her husband. Lord Beltham was about to shoot Maud when Gurn hit him with a hammer then strangled him.
Fantômas then impersonated Etienne Rambert and framed his son, Charles, for a murder he had committed. As Etienne, he convinced Charles to go into hiding, but the young man was soon found out by French police detective
Juve, truly obsessed with the capture of Fantômas. Juve knew that Charles was innocent and gave him a new identity: journalist
Jerôme Fandor who is employed at the newspaper La Capitale. Juve later arrested Gurn and, at his trial, brought forward a convincing argument that Gurn and Fantômas were one and the same, though the evidence was too circumstantial to make a real case. On the eve of his execution, Gurn/Fantômas escaped from custody by being replaced by an actor who had modelled the appearance of his latest character after him and was guillotine
d in his place.
Lady Beltham remained constantly torn between her passion for the villain and her horror at his criminal schemes. She eventually committed suicide
in 1910.
Fandor fell in love with Hélène and, despite Fantômas repeated attempts to break them up, married her.
Fantômas' evil son, Vladimir, reappeared in 1911. Vladimir's girlfriend was murdered by Fantômas and Vladimir himself was eventually shot by Juve.
The silent film
pioneer Louis Feuillade
directed five Fantômas serials
starring René Navarre
as Fantômas, Bréon as Juve, Georges Melchior
as Fandor, and Renée Carl as Lady Beltham. They are regarded as masterpieces of silent film. His later serial Les Vampires
, which concerns the eponymous crime syndicate (and not actual vampires) is also reminiscent of the Fantômas series.
There was a 1920 20-episode American Fantômas
serial directed by Edward Sedgwick
starring Edward Roseman
as Fantômas, which bore little resemblance to the French series. In it, Fantômas' nemesis is detective Fred Dixon, played by John Willard
. It was partially released in France (12 episodes only) under the title Les Exploits de Diabolos (The Exploits of Diabolos). A novelization of this serial was written by David White
for Black Coat Press under the title Fantômas in America in 2007.
as Fantômas, Jacques Dufilho
as Juve, and Gayle Hunnicutt
as Lady Beltham. Episodes 1 and 4 were directed by Claude Chabrol
; episodes 2 and 3 by Luis Buñuel
's son, Juan Luis Buñuel.
publisher Editorial Novaro produced a Fantomas La Amenaza Elegante (Fantomas, the Elegant Threat) comic book series that was popular throughout Latin America
. This was apparently meant to be the same character, although rewritten as a heroic character, and with no acknowledgement to the original books or films. It is not known if this was done with or without legal permission.
This Fantomas was a thief who committed spectacular robberies just for the thrill of it, and wore a white, skintight mask all the time or a variety of disguises so his true face was never shown. The character was also pursued by the authorities, in his case mainly by a French police inspector named Gerard. His mask in this version — which was clearly inspired by the black mask worn by the Italian comic book criminal Diabolik
— and his use of it, seems to have been influenced by the popular images generated by Mexican wrestling
. Apparently the series was also influenced by the James Bond
movies, as Fantomas, equipped with advanced technology created by a scientist called Professor Semo, had all kind of adventures around the world, and even fought other, more cruel criminals.
He also was a millionaire, owning several corporations under assumed identities, had secret headquarters outside Paris, and was assisted by several agents, including the 12 "Zodiac Girls", beautiful women who assisted him personally, known only by their codenames — the signs of the zodiac
. Although cancelled years ago (Novaro folded in 1985, and a character revival by rival Grupo Editorial Vid
in Mexico in the 1990s did not last long), it is from this comic that the character is best known in both Central America
and South America. For more information on this version of the character check the link to the Fantomas Lives website below.
and Roy Mann
appeared in Captain Action
Comics #1, published in 2009 by Moonstone Books
.
. Blaise Cendrars
called the series "the modern Aeneid
"; Guillaume Apollinaire
said that "from the imaginative standpoint Fantômas is one of the richest works that exist." The painter René Magritte
and the surrealist poet and novelist Robert Desnos
both produced works alluding to Fantômas.
The movies were also very popular in the Soviet Union. In 2007, Russian author Andrey Shary
published the book Sign F: Fantomas in Books and on the Screen, dealing in particular with this phenomenon.
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
al character created by French writers Marcel Allain
Marcel Allain
Marcel Allain was a French writer mostly remembered today for his co-creation with Pierre Souvestre of the fictional arch-villain and master criminal Fantômas....
(1885–1969) and Pierre Souvestre
Pierre Souvestre
Pierre Souvestre was a French lawyer, journalist, writer and organizer of motor races. He is mostly remembered today for his co-creation with Marcel Allain of the fictional arch-villain and master criminal Fantômas...
(1874–1914).
One of the most popular characters in the history of French crime fiction
Crime fiction
Crime fiction is the literary genre that fictionalizes crimes, their detection, criminals and their motives. It is usually distinguished from mainstream fiction and other genres such as science fiction or historical fiction, but boundaries can be, and indeed are, blurred...
, Fantômas was created in 1911 and appeared in a total of 32 volumes written by the two collaborators, then a subsequent 11 volumes written by Allain alone after Souvestre's death. The character was also the basis of various film, television, and comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
adaptations. In the history of crime fiction, he represents a transition from Gothic novel villains of the 19th century to modern-day serial killer
Serial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
s.
The books and movies that came out in quick succession anticipate current production methods of Hollywood
Cinema of the United States
The cinema of the United States, also known as Hollywood, has had a profound effect on cinema across the world since the early 20th century. Its history is sometimes separated into four main periods: the silent film era, classical Hollywood cinema, New Hollywood, and the contemporary period...
, in two respects: First, the authors distributed the writing among themselves; their "working method was to draw up the general plot between them and then go off and write alternate chapters independently of each other, meeting up to tie the two halves of the story together in the final chapter." This approach allowed the authors to produce almost one novel per month. Second, the movie rights to the books were immediately snapped up. Such a system ensured that the film studio could produce sequels reliably.
Overview
Fantômas was introduced a few years after Arsène LupinArsène Lupin
Arsène Lupin is a fictional character who appears in a book series of detective fiction / crime fiction novels written by French writer Maurice Leblanc, as well as a number of non-canonical sequels and numerous film, television such as Night Hood, stage play and comic book adaptations.- Overview :A...
, another well-known thief. But whereas Lupin draws the line at murder, Fantômas has no such qualms and is shown as a sociopath
Psychopathy
Psychopathy is a mental disorder characterized primarily by a lack of empathy and remorse, shallow emotions, egocentricity, and deceptiveness. Psychopaths are highly prone to antisocial behavior and abusive treatment of others, and are very disproportionately responsible for violent crime...
who enjoys killing in a sadistic fashion.
He is totally ruthless, gives no mercy, and is loyal to none, not even his own children. He is a master of disguise, always appearing under an assumed identity, often that of a person whom he has murdered. Fantômas makes use of bizarre and improbable techniques in his crimes, such as plague-infested rats
RATS
RATS may refer to:* RATS , Regression Analysis of Time Series, a statistical package* Rough Auditing Tool for Security, a computer program...
, giant snakes, and rooms that fill with sand.
Fantômas's background remains vague. He might be of British and/or French ancestry. He appears to have been born in 1867.
In the books, it is established that c. 1892, the man who later became Fantômas called himself Archduke Juan North and operated in the German Principality of Hesse-Weimar. There he fathered a child, Vladimir, with an unidentified noblewoman. In circumstances unrevealed, he was arrested and sent to prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
.
C. 1895, Fantômas was in India. There, an unidentified European woman gave birth to a baby girl, Hélène, whose father might be Fantômas, or an Indian Prince who was Fantômas' acolyte. The girl was raised in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
In 1897, Fantômas was in the United States of America and Mexico. There, he ruined his then-business partner, Etienne Rambert.
In 1899, he fought in the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
under the name of Gurn. He fought in the Transvaal
South African Republic
The South African Republic , often informally known as the Transvaal Republic, was an independent Boer-ruled country in Southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century. Not to be confused with the present-day Republic of South Africa, it occupied the area later known as the South African...
as an artillery sergeant under the command of Lord Roberts. He became aide-de-camp to Lord Edward Beltham of Scottwell Hill and fell in love with his younger wife, Lady Maud Beltham.
Upon their return to Europe, soon before the first novel begins (c. 1900), Gurn and Lady Beltham were surprised in their Paris love nest, Rue Levert, by her husband. Lord Beltham was about to shoot Maud when Gurn hit him with a hammer then strangled him.
Fantômas then impersonated Etienne Rambert and framed his son, Charles, for a murder he had committed. As Etienne, he convinced Charles to go into hiding, but the young man was soon found out by French police detective
Detective
A detective is an investigator, either a member of a police agency or a private person. The latter may be known as private investigators or "private eyes"...
Juve, truly obsessed with the capture of Fantômas. Juve knew that Charles was innocent and gave him a new identity: journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
Jerôme Fandor who is employed at the newspaper La Capitale. Juve later arrested Gurn and, at his trial, brought forward a convincing argument that Gurn and Fantômas were one and the same, though the evidence was too circumstantial to make a real case. On the eve of his execution, Gurn/Fantômas escaped from custody by being replaced by an actor who had modelled the appearance of his latest character after him and was guillotine
Guillotine
The guillotine is a device used for carrying out :executions by decapitation. It consists of a tall upright frame from which an angled blade is suspended. This blade is raised with a rope and then allowed to drop, severing the head from the body...
d in his place.
Lady Beltham remained constantly torn between her passion for the villain and her horror at his criminal schemes. She eventually committed suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
in 1910.
Fandor fell in love with Hélène and, despite Fantômas repeated attempts to break them up, married her.
Fantômas' evil son, Vladimir, reappeared in 1911. Vladimir's girlfriend was murdered by Fantômas and Vladimir himself was eventually shot by Juve.
By Allain and Souvestre
- 1. Fantômas (1911; transl. 1915; retransl. 1986)
- 2. Juve contre Fantômas (1911; transl. 1916 as The Exploits of Juve; retransl. 1987 as The Silent Executioner)
- 3. Le Mort qui Tue (1911; transl. 1917 as Messengers of Evil)
- 4. L'Agent Secret (1911; transl. 1917 as A Nest of Spies)
- 5. Un Roi Prisonnier de Fantômas (1911; transl. 1919 as A Royal Prisoner)
- 6. Le Policier Apache (1911; transl. 1924 by Alfred AllinsonAlfred Richard AllinsonAlfred Richard Allinson was a 19th- and 20th-century British academic, author, and voluminous translator of continental European literature into English. His translations were often published as by A. R. Allinson, Alfred R. Allinson or Alfred Allinson.-Life:Allinson was born in December 1852 in...
as The Long Arm of Fantômas) - 7. Le Pendu de Londres (1911; transl. 1920 as Slippery as Sin)
- 8. La Fille de Fantômas (1911; transl. 2006 by Mark P. Steele as The Daughter of Fantomas) (ISBN 1932983562)
- 9. Le Fiacre de Nuit (1911)
- 10. La Main Coupée (1911; transl. 1924 by Alfred AllinsonAlfred Richard AllinsonAlfred Richard Allinson was a 19th- and 20th-century British academic, author, and voluminous translator of continental European literature into English. His translations were often published as by A. R. Allinson, Alfred R. Allinson or Alfred Allinson.-Life:Allinson was born in December 1852 in...
as The Limb of Satan) - 11. L'Arrestation de Fantômas (1912)
- 12. Le Magistrat Cambrioleur (1912)
- 13. La Livrée du Crime (1912)
- 14. La Mort de Juve (1912)
- 15. L'Evadée de Saint-Lazare (1912)
- 16. La Disparition de Fandor (1912)
- 17. Le Mariage de Fantômas (1912)
- 18. L'Assassin de Lady Beltham (1912)
- 19. La Guêpe Rouge (1912)
- 20. Les Souliers du Mort (1912)
- 21. Le Train Perdu (1912)
- 22. Les Amours d'un Prince (1912)
- 23. Le Bouquet Tragique (1912)
- 24. Le Jockey Masqué (1913)
- 25. Le Cercueil Vide (1913)
- 26. Le Faiseur de Reines (1913)
- 27. Le Cadavre Géant (1913)
- 28. Le Voleur d'Or (1913)
- 29. La Série Rouge (1913)
- 30. L'Hôtel du Crime (1913)
- 31. La Cravate de Chanvre (1913)
- 32. La Fin de Fantômas (1913)
By Allain
- 33. Fantômas est-il ressuscité? (1925; transl. 1925 by Alfred AllinsonAlfred Richard AllinsonAlfred Richard Allinson was a 19th- and 20th-century British academic, author, and voluminous translator of continental European literature into English. His translations were often published as by A. R. Allinson, Alfred R. Allinson or Alfred Allinson.-Life:Allinson was born in December 1852 in...
as The Lord of Terror) - 34. Fantômas, Roi des Recéleurs (1926; transl. 1926 by Alfred AllinsonAlfred Richard AllinsonAlfred Richard Allinson was a 19th- and 20th-century British academic, author, and voluminous translator of continental European literature into English. His translations were often published as by A. R. Allinson, Alfred R. Allinson or Alfred Allinson.-Life:Allinson was born in December 1852 in...
as Juve in the Dock) - 35. Fantômas en Danger (1926; transl. 1926 by Alfred AllinsonAlfred Richard AllinsonAlfred Richard Allinson was a 19th- and 20th-century British academic, author, and voluminous translator of continental European literature into English. His translations were often published as by A. R. Allinson, Alfred R. Allinson or Alfred Allinson.-Life:Allinson was born in December 1852 in...
as Fantômas Captured) - 36. Fantômas prend sa Revanche (1926; transl. 1927 by Alfred AllinsonAlfred Richard AllinsonAlfred Richard Allinson was a 19th- and 20th-century British academic, author, and voluminous translator of continental European literature into English. His translations were often published as by A. R. Allinson, Alfred R. Allinson or Alfred Allinson.-Life:Allinson was born in December 1852 in...
as The Revenge of Fantômas) - 37. Fantômas Attaque Fandor (1926; transl. 1928 by Alfred AllinsonAlfred Richard AllinsonAlfred Richard Allinson was a 19th- and 20th-century British academic, author, and voluminous translator of continental European literature into English. His translations were often published as by A. R. Allinson, Alfred R. Allinson or Alfred Allinson.-Life:Allinson was born in December 1852 in...
as Bulldog and Rats) - 38. Si c'était Fantômas? (1933)
- 39. Oui, c'est Fantômas! (1934)
- 40. Fantômas Joue et Gagne (1935)
- 41. Fantômas Rencontre l'Amour (1946)
- 42. Fantômas Vole des Blondes (1948)
- 43. Fantômas Mène le Bal (1963)
Films
Silent serials
- 1. FantômasFantômas (1913 serial)Fantômas is a French silent crime film serial directed by Louis Feuillade, based on the novel of the same name. The five episodes were released in 1913 – 1914....
(1913) - 2. Juve Contre Fantômas (1913)
- 3. Le Mort Qui Tue (1913)
- 4. Fantômas contre Fantômas (1914)
- 5. Le Faux Magistrat (1914)
The silent film
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
pioneer Louis Feuillade
Louis Feuillade
Louis Feuillade was a prolific and prominent French film director from the silent era. Between 1906 and 1924 he directed over 630 films...
directed five Fantômas serials
Serial (film)
Serials, more specifically known as Movie serials, Film serials or Chapter plays, were short subjects originally shown in theaters in conjunction with a feature film. They were related to pulp magazine serialized fiction...
starring René Navarre
René Navarre
René Navarre was a French actor of the silent era. He appeared in 109 films between 1910 and 1946.He was born in Limoges, Haute-Vienne and died in Azay-sur-Cher, Indre-et-Loire.-External links:...
as Fantômas, Bréon as Juve, Georges Melchior
Georges Melchior
Georges Melchior was a French actor of the silent era. He appeared in 67 films between 1911 and 1937.-Selected filmography:* Fantômas * L'Atlantide...
as Fandor, and Renée Carl as Lady Beltham. They are regarded as masterpieces of silent film. His later serial Les Vampires
Les Vampires
Les Vampires is a 1915/1916 ten-part silent film serial. It was written and directed by Louis Feuillade and stars Musidora as "Irma Vep" a femme fatale whose name is a suspicious anagram of "vampire." The serial is set in Paris and follows the exploits of a gang of master criminals who call...
, which concerns the eponymous crime syndicate (and not actual vampires) is also reminiscent of the Fantômas series.
There was a 1920 20-episode American Fantômas
Fantômas (1920 serial)
Fantômas is a 1920 crime film serial directed by Edward Sedgwick. The film is considered to be lost.-Cast:* Edward Roseman - Fantomas* Edna Murphy - Ruth Harrington* Johnnie Walker - Jack Meredith* Lionel Adams - Prof.James D...
serial directed by Edward Sedgwick
Edward Sedgwick
Edward Sedgwick was a film director, writer, actor and producer.-Biography:He was born in Galveston, Texas, the son of Edward Sedgwick, Sr. and Josephine Walker, both stage actors. Young Edward Sedgwick joined his show business family as one of the Five Sedgwicks, a vaudeville act...
starring Edward Roseman
Edward Roseman
Edward Roseman , sometimes identified as Edward F. Roseman, was an American actor, primarily during the silent film era.The son of a pharmacist, Roseman was born in Terre Haute, Indiana, christened Ernest Frederick Roseman...
as Fantômas, which bore little resemblance to the French series. In it, Fantômas' nemesis is detective Fred Dixon, played by John Willard
John Willard (playwright)
John Willard was an American playwright. His most famous work is The Cat and the Canary , a play that was made into the influential silent film of the same name in 1927.-External links: at the Internet Movie Database....
. It was partially released in France (12 episodes only) under the title Les Exploits de Diabolos (The Exploits of Diabolos). A novelization of this serial was written by David White
Dave White (author)
Dave White is a Derringer Award-winning mystery author and educator. White, an eighth grade teacher for the Clifton, NJ Public School district, has written two novels featuring former New Brunswick, New Jersey police detective turned private investigator Jackson Donne. The novels take place in...
for Black Coat Press under the title Fantômas in America in 2007.
Other films
- 6. Fantômas (1932), directed by Paul FéjosPaul FejosPaul Fejos was a film director in America.Fejos was born in Budapest, Hungary as Pál Fejös. He emigrated to the United States in 1924 and became a naturalized citizen in 1930...
with Jean GallandJean Galland-Selected filmography:* The Barber of Seville * Le Scandale * Princesse Tam Tam * The House of the Spaniard * Savage Brigade * Entente cordiale * La Fugue de Monsieur Perle...
as Fantômas. - 7. Monsieur Fantômas (1937), directed by Ernst MoermanErnst MoermanErnst Moerman was a Belgian writer and film director.He directed only one film—Monsieur Fantômas in 1937—but this work is very important in the history of the Belgian cinema.- References :...
. - 8. Fantômas (1946), directed by Jean Sacha with Marcel HerrandMarcel HerrandMarcel Herrand was a French stage and film actor best remembered for his roles in swashbuckling or historical films.He appeared in over 25 films between 1932 and 1952....
as Fantomas. - 9. Fantômas contre Fantômas (1948), directed by Robert Vernay with Maurice TeynacMaurice TeynacMaurice Teynac was a French actor. In 1948 he starred in the film The Lame Devil under Sacha Guitry.- Selected filmography :* Le Pavillon brûle * The Red Rose * Austerlitz * Le Capitaine Fracasse...
as Fantomas. - 10. FantômasFantômas (film)Fantômas is a 1964 French film starring Jean Marais as the arch villain with the same name opposite Louis de Funès as the earnest but outclassed commissaire Paul Juve. In the film Juve teams up with journalist Fandor, also played by Marais, trying to catch Fantômas but never quite succeeding...
(1964), the first of three films directed by André HunebelleAndré HunebelleAndré Hunebelle was a French director born September 1, 1896 in Meudon , died 27 November 1985 in Nice .Hunebelle was a former publisher of a French newspaper called La Fleché...
; with Jean MaraisJean Marais-Biography:A native of Cherbourg, France, Marais starred in several movies directed by Jean Cocteau, for a time his lover, most famously Beauty and the Beast and Orphée ....
as both Fantômas and Fandor, Louis de FunèsLouis de FunèsLouis Germain David de Funès de Galarza was a very popular French actor who is one of the giants of French comedy alongside André Bourvil and Fernandel...
as Juve, and Mylène DemongeotMylène DemongeotMylène Demongeot is a French actress, who has appeared in 72 films since 1953. She was born Marie-Hélène Demongeot in Nice, Southern France....
as Fandor's bride, the photographer Hélène. Their tone was generally much more light-hearted than the novels' and the characters were updated in a James BondJames BondJames Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
-like style including Bond-type gadgets like the flying Citroën DSCitroën DSThe Citroën DS is an executive car produced by the French manufacturer Citroën between 1955 and 1975. Styled by Italian sculptor and industrial designer Flaminio Bertoni and the French aeronautical engineer André Lefèbvre, the DS was known for its aerodynamic futuristic body design and innovative...
of Fantômas with retractable wings that converts to an airplane. - 11. Fantômas se déchaîneFantômas se déchaîneFantômas se déchaîne is a 1965 film starring Jean Marais as the arch villain with the same name opposite Louis de Funès as the earnest but outclassed commissaire Juve and the journalist Fandor, also played by Marais. It was France's answer, with the Fantômas trilogy starting in 1964, to the James...
(1965) - 12. Fantômas contre Scotland YardFantômas contre Scotland YardFantômas contre Scotland Yard is the final installment of a trilogy of films starring Jean Marais as the arch villain with the same name opposite Louis de Funès as the earnest but outclassed commissaire Juve and the journalist Fandor, also played by Marais. The trilogy was France's answer,...
(1966) - 13. Fantômas (2011), directed by Christophe GansChristophe GansChristophe Gans is a French film director, writer, and producer who specializes in horror, fantasy movies and video game adaptations.-Biography:...
.
Television
A Fantômas series of four 90-minute episodes was produced in 1980 starring Helmut BergerHelmut Berger
Helmut Berger is an Austrian-born German film and television actor. He is most famous for his work with Luchino Visconti, particularly in his performance as King Ludwig II of Bavaria in Ludwig, for which he received a special David di Donatello award.He appears primarily in European cinema, but...
as Fantômas, Jacques Dufilho
Jacques Dufilho
Jacques Dufilho was a French actor.He was born at Bègles and he died at Ponsampère .He was also famous for his collection of Bugatti cars.-Filmography:More than 150 movie, including:...
as Juve, and Gayle Hunnicutt
Gayle Hunnicutt
Gayle, Lady Jenkins , known by her birth name Gayle Hunnicutt, is an American actress.-Personal life:Hunnicutt was born in Fort Worth, Texas, the daughter of Colonel Sam Lloyd Hunnicutt and Virginia Hunnicutt, and attended the University of California, Los Angeles. She worked as a fashion model...
as Lady Beltham. Episodes 1 and 4 were directed by Claude Chabrol
Claude Chabrol
Claude Chabrol was a French film director, a member of the French New Wave group of filmmakers who first came to prominence at the end of the 1950s...
; episodes 2 and 3 by Luis Buñuel
Luis Buñuel
Luis Buñuel Portolés was a Spanish-born filmmaker — later a naturalized citizen of Mexico — who worked in Spain, Mexico, France and the US..-Early years:...
's son, Juan Luis Buñuel.
French
- "Fantômas contre les Nains". A weekly color page written by Marcel Allain and drawn by Santini was published in Gavroche #24-30 (1941). This series was interrupted because of censorship; a sequel, Fantômas et l'Enfer Sous-Marin was written but not published.
- A daily "Fantômas" strip drawn by Pierre Tabary was syndicated by Opera Mundi from November 1957 to March 1958 (192 strips in total), adapting the first two novels.
- Seventeen Fantômas fumetti magazines adapting books 1, 2, 3, and 5 were published by Del Duca in 1962 and 1963.
- A new weekly "Fantômas" color page, written by Agnès Guilloteau and drawn by Jacques Taillefer, was again syndicated by Opera Mundi in 1969 and published in Jours de France.
- Finally, a series of Fantômas graphic novels written by L. Dellisse and drawn by Claude LaverdureClaude LaverdureClaude Laverdure was until 2007 Canada's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to France and to Luxembourg...
were published by Belgian publisher Claude Lefrancq: L'Affaire Beltham (1990), Juve contre Fantômas (1991), and Le Mort qui Tue (1995).
Mexican
During the 1960s the Mexican comicsComics
Comics denotes a hybrid medium having verbal side of its vocabulary tightly tied to its visual side in order to convey narrative or information only, the latter in case of non-fiction comics, seeking synergy by using both visual and verbal side in...
publisher Editorial Novaro produced a Fantomas La Amenaza Elegante (Fantomas, the Elegant Threat) comic book series that was popular throughout Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
. This was apparently meant to be the same character, although rewritten as a heroic character, and with no acknowledgement to the original books or films. It is not known if this was done with or without legal permission.
This Fantomas was a thief who committed spectacular robberies just for the thrill of it, and wore a white, skintight mask all the time or a variety of disguises so his true face was never shown. The character was also pursued by the authorities, in his case mainly by a French police inspector named Gerard. His mask in this version — which was clearly inspired by the black mask worn by the Italian comic book criminal Diabolik
Diabolik
Diabolik is a fictional character, an anti-hero featured in Italian comics. He was created by sisters Angela and Luciana Giussani in 1962. His stories appear in monthly black and white digest-sized booklets. The character was inspired by several previous characters from Italian and French pulp...
— and his use of it, seems to have been influenced by the popular images generated by Mexican wrestling
Lucha libre
Lucha libre is a term used in Mexico, and other Spanish-speaking countries, for a form of professional wrestling that has developed within those countries...
. Apparently the series was also influenced by the James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
movies, as Fantomas, equipped with advanced technology created by a scientist called Professor Semo, had all kind of adventures around the world, and even fought other, more cruel criminals.
He also was a millionaire, owning several corporations under assumed identities, had secret headquarters outside Paris, and was assisted by several agents, including the 12 "Zodiac Girls", beautiful women who assisted him personally, known only by their codenames — the signs of the zodiac
Zodiac
In astronomy, the zodiac is a circle of twelve 30° divisions of celestial longitude which are centred upon the ecliptic: the apparent path of the Sun across the celestial sphere over the course of the year...
. Although cancelled years ago (Novaro folded in 1985, and a character revival by rival Grupo Editorial Vid
Grupo Editorial Vid
Grupo Editorial Vid is a Mexican comic, manga and books publisher. It was founded in the early 1940s as Editorial Argumentos ....
in Mexico in the 1990s did not last long), it is from this comic that the character is best known in both Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
and South America. For more information on this version of the character check the link to the Fantomas Lives website below.
American
A short Fantômas story by Paul KupperbergPaul Kupperberg
Paul Kupperberg is a former editor for DC Comics, and a prolific writer of comic books and newspaper strips.-Biography:Kupperberg entered the comics field from comics fandom, as had his brother, writer/artist Alan Kupperberg...
and Roy Mann
Romano Felmang
Romano Felmang is an Italian artist best known for his illustrations of American comic strip characters such as The Phantom and Flash Gordon. His first work, in 1962, was a Phantom story titled Kaniska, which was never published in its original form, but which gained him entry to the SPADA...
appeared in Captain Action
Captain Action
Captain Action was an action figure, from 1966, equipped with a wardrobe of costumes allowing him to become Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, Captain America, Aquaman, the Phantom, The Lone Ranger , Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers, Sgt. Fury, Steve Canyon, and the Green Hornet. Captain Action was the Ideal...
Comics #1, published in 2009 by Moonstone Books
Moonstone Books
Moonstone Books is an American comic book, graphic novel, and prose fiction publisher based in Chicago focused on pulp fiction comic books and prose anthologies as well as horror and western tales....
.
Cultural influence
The Fantômas novels and the subsequent films were highly regarded by the French avant-garde of the day, particularly by the surrealistsSurrealism
Surrealism is a cultural movement that began in the early 1920s, and is best known for the visual artworks and writings of the group members....
. Blaise Cendrars
Blaise Cendrars
Frédéric Louis Sauser , better known as Blaise Cendrars, was a Swiss novelist and poet naturalized French in 1916. He was a writer of considerable influence in the modernist movement.-Early years:...
called the series "the modern Aeneid
Aeneid
The Aeneid is a Latin epic poem, written by Virgil between 29 and 19 BC, that tells the legendary story of Aeneas, a Trojan who travelled to Italy, where he became the ancestor of the Romans. It is composed of roughly 10,000 lines in dactylic hexameter...
"; Guillaume Apollinaire
Guillaume Apollinaire
Wilhelm Albert Włodzimierz Apolinary Kostrowicki, known as Guillaume Apollinaire was a French poet, playwright, short story writer, novelist, and art critic born in Italy to a Polish mother....
said that "from the imaginative standpoint Fantômas is one of the richest works that exist." The painter René Magritte
René Magritte
René François Ghislain Magritte[p] was a Belgian surrealist artist. He became well known for a number of witty and thought-provoking images...
and the surrealist poet and novelist Robert Desnos
Robert Desnos
Robert Desnos , was a French surrealist poet who played a key role in the Surrealist movement of his day.- Biography :...
both produced works alluding to Fantômas.
The movies were also very popular in the Soviet Union. In 2007, Russian author Andrey Shary
Andrey Shary
Andrey Shary is a Russian journalist and author.He studied journalism at the State Institute of International Relations in Moscow, graduating in 1987. Shary worked for the Soviet daily Pravda from 1987–1990, and then moved to the weekly Rossiya . In 1992 he began cooperation with Radio Svoboda,...
published the book Sign F: Fantomas in Books and on the Screen, dealing in particular with this phenomenon.
Pastiches, homages, and related characters
- Fantômas may well have been influenced by its less well remembered predecessor, Zigomar, the creation of Léon Sazie, which first appeared as a serial in Le Matin in 1909, then as a pulp magazine (28 issues) in 1913, and again in Zigomar contre Zigomar for eight more issues in 1924.
- In France alone, Fantômas spawned numerous imitators. Among those are Arnould GalopinArnould GalopinArnould Galopin was a prolific French writer with more than 50 novels to his credit. Galopin won the French Academy's Grand Prize for his Sur le Front de Mer , a critically acclaimed novel about the Merchant Navy during World War I, and wrote several equally acclaimed novels about his experiences...
's Tenebras, Gaston René's Masque Rouge, Arthur BernèdeArthur BernèdeArthur Bernède was a French writer, poet, opera libretist, and playwright.He was born in Redon, Ille-et-Vilaine department, in Brittany....
's BelphégorBelphégor (novel)Belphégor is a 1927 horror novel by French writer Arthur Bernède, about a "ghost" which haunts the Louvre Museum, in reality a masked villain trying to steal a hidden treasure...
, R. Collard's Demonax and Marcel Allain's own Tigris, Fatala, Miss Teria and Ferocias. - Fantômas has appeared in an unauthorized fashion in two French stage plays: Nick Carter vs. Fantômas (1910) by Alexandre BissonAlexandre BissonAlexandre Charles Auguste Bisson was an important French playwright, vaudeville creator, and novelist. Born in Briouze, Orne in Lower Normandy, he was successful in his native France as well as in the United States...
and Guillaume Livet (translated, ISBN 978-1934543054) and Sherlock HolmesSherlock HolmesSherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The fantastic London-based "consulting detective", Holmes is famous for his astute logical reasoning, his ability to take almost any disguise, and his use of forensic science skills to solve...
vs. Fantômas (La Mort d' Herlock Sholmes, ou Bandits en Habits Noirs, 1914) by Pierre de Wattyne and Yorril Walter (translated, ISBN 978-1934543672). - A number of Italian super-villains of the 1960s were clearly influenced by Fantômas. Among the most famous are DiabolikDiabolikDiabolik is a fictional character, an anti-hero featured in Italian comics. He was created by sisters Angela and Luciana Giussani in 1962. His stories appear in monthly black and white digest-sized booklets. The character was inspired by several previous characters from Italian and French pulp...
, KriminalKriminalKriminal is an Italian comics series featuring an eponymous fictional character, created in 1964 by Magnus and Max Bunker, the authors of Alan Ford, Maxmagnus and Satanik.-Characters:...
, KillingKilling (comics)Killing is an Italian photo comic series featuring an eponymous character. The series was entitled Satanik in the French edition, Kiling in Argentina as well as being published in Belgium, Brazil, Colombia, Germany and Venezuela...
, and SatanikSatanikSatanik is an Italian noir comic book created in December 1964 by Max Bunker and Magnus , also the authors of the popular series Kriminal and Alan Ford.-Synopsis:...
. - The British film critic and writer Kim NewmanKim NewmanKim Newman is an English journalist, film critic, and fiction writer. Recurring interests visible in his work include film history and horror fiction—both of which he attributes to seeing Tod Browning's Dracula at the age of eleven—and alternate fictional versions of history...
has argued that Fantômas inspired the Pink Panther film series starring Peter SellersPeter SellersRichard Henry Sellers, CBE , known as Peter Sellers, was a British comedian and actor. Perhaps best known as Chief Inspector Clouseau in The Pink Panther film series, he is also notable for playing three different characters in Dr...
. In the initial 1963 Pink PantherThe Pink Panther (1963 film)The Pink Panther is a 1963 American comedy film directed by Blake Edwards and co-written by Edwards and Maurice Richlin, starring David Niven, Peter Sellers, Robert Wagner, Capucine, and Claudia Cardinale...
film, Fantômas was transformed into Sir Charles Lytton (the Phantom), and Inspector Juve became Inspector Clouseau. - Fantômas also has many plot points in common with the 1969 Hong Kong movie Temptress of a Thousand Faces.
- Paperinik, a superheroSuperheroA superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
alter-ego of Donald DuckDonald DuckDonald Fauntleroy Duck is a cartoon character created in 1934 at Walt Disney Productions and licensed by The Walt Disney Company. Donald is an anthropomorphic white duck with a yellow-orange bill, legs, and feet. He typically wears a sailor suit with a cap and a black or red bow tie. Donald is most...
created by Guido Martina and Giovan Battista CarpiGiovan Battista CarpiGiovan Battista Carpi was an Italian comics artist. He worked mainly for Disney comics, mostly on books featuring Donald Duck and Scrooge McDuck, although he occasionally drew Mickey Mouse as well...
in 1969, is partly based on Fantômas. His predecessor, Fantomius, was obviously also named after Fantômas. In France, the character is known as Fantomiald; in Germany, as Phantomias. - Fantômas inspired Julio CortázarJulio CortázarJulio Cortázar, born Jules Florencio Cortázar, was an Argentine writer. Cortázar, known as one of the founders of the Latin American Boom, influenced an entire generation of Spanish speaking readers and writers in the Americas and Europe.-Early life:Cortázar's parents, Julio José Cortázar and...
's 1975 novella Fantomas contra los vampiros multinacionales. - Fantomas was the inspiration for the character Mr. Ixnay, who appears in The Chuckling Whatsit, a 1997 graphic novel by writer/artist Richard SalaRichard SalaRichard Sala is an American cartoonist, illustrator, and comic book creator with a unique expressionistic style whose books often combine elements of mystery, horror and whimsy.-Biography:...
, creator of Invisible Hands, an animated homage to old-fashioned mystery thrillers which aired on MTVMTVMTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
. - In 1999, Mike PattonMike PattonMichael Allan "Mike" Patton is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and actor, best known as the lead singer of the metal/experimental rock band Faith No More. He has also sung for Mr...
named his rock group FantômasFantômas (band)Fantômas is an avant-garde metal supergroup formed in 1998 in California, United States. The band is named after Fantômas, a supervillain featured in a series of crime novels popular in France before World War I and in film, most notably in the 60s French movie series.-History:Fantômas began just...
after the fictional character. - There is a Marvel ComicsMarvel ComicsMarvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
character named FantomexFantomexFantomex is a fictional superhero associated with the X-Men in titles published by Marvel Comics. Fantomex first appeared in New X-Men #128 and was created by Grant Morrison and Igor Kordey....
, first appearing in August 2002. He was created by Grant MorrisonGrant MorrisonGrant Morrison is a Scottish comic book writer, playwright and occultist. He is known for his nonlinear narratives and counter-cultural leanings, as well as his successful runs on titles like Animal Man, Doom Patrol, JLA, The Invisibles, New X-Men, Fantastic Four, All-Star Superman, and...
and Igor KordeyIgor Kordey-Career:While his best-known work is featured in New X-Men, he has a very diverse repertoire, moving between traditional pencils and inks to fully painted panels. Because of his speed as an artist, at his peak, he was producing artwork for three or four monthly books at the same time...
for the title New X-MenNew X-MenNew X-Men was a superhero comic book series published by Marvel Comics within the X-Men franchise. After the end of Grant Morrison's run on X-Men , titled New X-Men, the title was used for a new series, New X-Men: Academy X, serving as a continuation of the second volume of New Mutants...
. - In one of the back-story sectionsThe New Traveller's AlmanacThe New Traveller's Almanac was a series of writings included in the back of all six issues of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Volume II, covering the timeline and the world of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen....
of the graphic novel The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Volume IIThe League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Volume IIThe League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Volume II is a comic book limited series written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Kevin O'Neill, published under the America's Best Comics imprint of DC Comics...
, Fantômas is described as being a member of "Les Hommes Mysterieux", the French counterpart of the League, alongside Arsène LupinArsène LupinArsène Lupin is a fictional character who appears in a book series of detective fiction / crime fiction novels written by French writer Maurice Leblanc, as well as a number of non-canonical sequels and numerous film, television such as Night Hood, stage play and comic book adaptations.- Overview :A...
, the sky-pirate RoburRobur the ConquerorRobur the Conqueror is a science fiction novel by Jules Verne, published in 1886. It is also known as The Clipper of the Clouds. It has a sequel, The Master of the World, which was published in 1904.- Plot summary :...
, and the NyctalopeNyctalopeThe Nyctalope is the name of a lesser-known fictional superhero who appears in a book series of novels written by French writer Jean de La Hire, a prolific author of popular adventure series, many of which include science fiction elements...
. In the follow-up, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black DossierThe League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black DossierThe League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier is an original graphic novel in the comic book series The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Kevin O'Neill. It was the last volume of the series to be published by DC Comics. Although the third book to be...
, the League's encounter with Les Hommes is halted once Fantômas detonates a bomb which destroys the Opera Garnier, after saying in unaccented English, "I win". - In the French version of the extended Wold Newton universe, Jean-Marc LofficierJean-Marc LofficierJean-Marc Lofficier is a French author of books about films and television programs, as well as numerous comic books and translations of a number of animation screenplays. He usually collaborates with his wife, Randy Lofficier .-Biography:Jean-Marc Lofficier was born in Toulon, France in 1954...
has theorized that Fantômas may be the son of RocamboleRocambole (character)Rocambole is the creation of Pierre Alexis Ponson du Terrail, a 19th-century French writer. Rocambole is a fictional adventurer. His importance to the genres of adventure novels and crime fiction cannot be overestimated, as he represents the transition from the old-fashioned Gothic novel to modern...
and his lover and enemy, Ellen Palmure. - The character of Spectrobert in Gahan WilsonGahan WilsonGahan Wilson is an American author, cartoonist and illustrator known for his cartoons depicting horror-fantasy situations...
's book Everybody's Favorite DuckEverybody's Favorite DuckEverybody's Favorite Duck is a 1988 parody of classic detective fiction and sensational crime stories. This short novel by cartoonist Gahan Wilson pits the detectives Enoch Bone and John Weston against the Professor, a British Napoleon of Crime; the Mandarin, a Chinese mastermind, and Spectrobert,...
is a direct parody of Fantômas. - Fantômas makes a brief appearance in Kim NewmanKim NewmanKim Newman is an English journalist, film critic, and fiction writer. Recurring interests visible in his work include film history and horror fiction—both of which he attributes to seeing Tod Browning's Dracula at the age of eleven—and alternate fictional versions of history...
's novel The Bloody Red BaronThe Bloody Red BaronThe Bloody Red Baron is a 1995 novel by British author Kim Newman. It is the second book in the Anno Dracula series and takes place thirty years after the former.-Plot:...
. - Fantômas is a partial inspiration for the character of Phantom Limb on the Adult SwimAdult SwimAdult Swim is an adult-oriented Cable network that shares channel space with Cartoon Network from 9:00 pm until 6:00 am ET/PT in the United States, and broadcasts in countries such as Australia and New Zealand...
cartoon The Venture Bros.The Venture Bros.The Venture Bros. is an American animated television series that premiered on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim on February 16, 2003. The series mixes action and comedy together while it chronicles the adventures of the Venture family: well-meaning but incompetent teenagers Hank and Dean Venture; their...
His last name, in fact, is Fantômas. A picture similar in appearance to the masked villain can be seen hanging on the wall of his office at State University in "The Invisible Hand of Fate". It is revealed that Phantom Limb is actually the grandson of the famous criminal. Fantômas himself briefly appears in the series during a flashback in the season 3 episode "ORB" as one of the original members of the Guild of Calamitous Intent. - Fantômas has a German cousin in the person of the (supposedly British) Lord Lister.
- At the end of David Eveleigh's All Hallows Eve: A Superhero Tale, there is a teaser image for a forthcoming sequel in which Eve, the book's protagonist, will battle Fantômas.
- In the story "Fantômville" by Nick Campbell, in the collection Wildthyme in PurpleWildthyme in PurpleWildthyme in Purple is a short-story anthology edited by Cody Quijano-Schell and Stuart Douglas, published by Obverse Books and featuring Iris Wildthyme, a series character with a complicated publishing history, and Iris' companion Panda, a ten inch tall sentient toy panda.The book is themed round...
, Fantomas meets the time traveller Iris WildthymeIris WildthymeIris Wildthyme is a fictional character created by writer Paul Magrs, who has appeared in short stories, novels and audio dramas from numerous publishers...
.
External links
- Fantômas works at Project GutenbergProject GutenbergProject Gutenberg is a volunteer effort to digitize and archive cultural works, to "encourage the creation and distribution of eBooks". Founded in 1971 by Michael S. Hart, it is the oldest digital library. Most of the items in its collection are the full texts of public domain books...
- Fantômas: l'Empéreur du Crime
- French Wold Newton Universe – Fantômas
- Picture of the Fantômas Citroën DS with retractable wings that converts to an airplane via the Internet Archive
- Centenary of the birth of the character of Fantômas: February 10, 2011
