Juve vs. Fantômas (1913) by Louis Feuillade
Saturday, November 16, 1985, 8:00 pm
Early Surrealism and the Fantastic
Films: The Pumpkin Race (1907) by Louis Feuillade and Romeo Bosetti (formerly attributed to Cohl); Juve vs. Fantomas (1913) by Feuillade; L’Age d’Or (1930) by Luis Buñuel, screenplay by Buñuel and Dalí
A program of films by two masters of the fantastic, Buñuel and Feuillade. Fantômas was a five-part serial (of which this is chapter 2) about the exploits of a mysterious pre-Lang master criminal who baffles his pursuers through mind-control and a genius for disguise. Set in turn-of-the-century Paris, Fantômas is magically alive with a lyricism and fantastic atmosphere which was greatly admired by the Surrealists. Bunuel’s L’Age d’Or was his second and final collaboration with Dalí (following Un Chien Andalou), and has only been made publicly available in recent years. “The sexual instinct and the sense of death form the substance of the film. It is a romantic film performed in full Surrealistic frenzy.” (L.B.) Max Ernst is featured as the Bandit Chief.