Musidora

1916 · 131912 — Neuilly-sur-Seine France: Gaumont 1916. Vintage double weight matte finish still photograph from the legendary 1916 silent film serial. With the Gaumont logo at the lower right corner. <br/><br/>The last of Feuillade's three film serial masterpieces preceded by "Fantomas" 1913 and "Les Vampires" 1915 combining elements of both its predecessors. In Judex Latin for "judge" Feuillade furthered his vision of the dark enigmatic anti-hero he introduced with the legendary Fantomas character and utilized Musidora-who played the lead character Irma Vep in "Les Vampires"-as the villainess. Judex was a step forward from the criminal Fantomas however predicting pulp heroes to come such as The Shadow and especially Batman in the US: he was a masterful fighter an expert in disguise and kept his headquarters in the subterranean passages beneath a ruined castle lavishly outfitted with high tech gadgets. Feuillade shot "Judex" in 1914 but the outbreak of World War I delayed release in France until 1916 and wide release until 1917. <br/><br/>Pictured here is Judex cunning and silent in a stunt scene where in he attempts what we suspect will be successful entry into an unsuspecting criminal's car while the vehicle is in motion. <br/><br/>11 x 9 inches. A few pinholes at the corners else Near Fine. <br/><br/>Hardy The BFI Companion to Crime p. 187-188. Gaumont unknown books