60s Fantomas Trilogy Coming to U.S. Blu-ray
I founded this website in 2017, which was also the year I first had the opportunity to watch the films of popular French comedian Louis de Funès. However, in order to see the films, I had to import French Blu-rays, as Funès is as unknown in the U.S. as he is popular in Europe. Happily, Kino Lorber Studio Classics just announced that they will be releasing three of Funès’ films on April 30th.
The Fantômas series — Fantômas (1964), Fantômas Unleashed (1965), and Fantômas vs. Scotland Yard (1967) — were action films, meant to benefit from the James Bond fad, which centered around a criminal super-villain. Louis de Funès, who was just on the edge of stardom, served as comedy relief in the role of police Commissaire Juve. Consequently, the films fall somewhere between the James Bond and Pink Panther franchises.
I previously posted a review of the first film in the series, and I also included the films on my 2017 Film Discoveries list on the Rupert Pupkin Speaks blog. In other words, you can consider this upcoming release highly recommended.
Here is the announcement from the Kino Lorber Studio Classics Facebook page:
Coming April 30th on DVD and Blu-ray!
2K Restorations!
FANTOMAS 1960s: THREE FILM COLLECTION
(1964-1967) Color 322 Minutes 2.35:1 Not Rated
In French with optional English subtitles
- Audio Commentary by Film Historian Tim Lucas (Fantomas ’64)
- Fantômas (1964) – Trailer
- Fantômas Unleashed (1965) – Trailer
- Fantômas vs. Scotland Yard (1967) – Trailer
- OSS 117 Is Unleashed – Trailer
- OSS 117: Panic in Bangkok – Trailer
- OSS 117: Mission For a Killer – Trailer
Pierre Souvestre’s Fantômas was originally adapted for the screen by legendary filmmaker Louis Feuillade (Les vampires) in 1913. André Hunebelle (OSS 117: Mission for a Killer) introduced a revamped and modernized version of Fantômas to the 1960s OSS 117 and 007 audience. All three films starred the great Jean Marais (Jean Cocteau’s Beauty and the Beast) as Fantômas, a criminal mastermind and man of a thousand faces. The three films co-starred Louis de Funès as Le commissaire Juve, Mylène Demongeot as Hélène, Jacques Dynam as L’inspecteur Bertrand and Robert Dalban as Le directeur du journal. The first film, Fantomas (Fantômas), was released in 1964, followed by Fantomas Unleashed (Fantômas se déchaîne) in 1965 and Fantomas vs. Scotland Yard (Fantômas contre Scotland Yard) in 1967. All three films were beautifully shot in ’Scope, the first two in Eastmancolor and the finale in Technicolor.
