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DVD Judex (Deluxe Edition)
Occupying a delicious place between Victorian melodrama and superhero comic books, Judex is one of the great serials from the career of French movie pioneer Louis Feuillade. From his castle lair high above the countryside, mystery man Judex (granite-faced Rene Creste) seeks to protect the lovely Jacqueline, while nursing a secret hatred for her fatcat father. Multiple kidnappings, assassination attempts, and narrow escapes follow; much of the mischief is orchestrated by wicked temptress Diana Monti (Musidora, the star of Feuillade's Les Vampires). There's also a delightfully overwhelmed detective (Marcel Levesque), who's a sort of prototype of Monsieur Clouseau, and a streetwise Artful Dodger known as the Licorice Kid.
On DVD, the serial's 12 episodes and prologue are smartly tinted and feature a lively orchestral score by Robert Israel. Feuillade's use of real locations (both Paris and the Riviera figure prominently in the action) gives the film a realistic freshness that cuts wonderfully against the flamboyant plotline. When Feuillade's serials were re-discovered in the 1940s, they proved influential to a generation of filmmakers, and Georges Franju actually did a feature-length remake of Judex in 1963. Indeed, the figure of Judex remains a powerful fantasy protector: his secret lair, his disguises, his complete moral authority (although a cynic might point out that he doesn't always do a good job of protecting his ladylove--but then there'd be no cliffhangers). For all intents and purposes, Judex is Batman. He even has the cape. --Robert Horton
I would like to emphasize how wonderfully Robert Israel's musical score complements Feuillade's images and the superb performances of his actors. So many silent films on video or DVD are weakened by ineffective scores, but not this one. To me, the score of Judex represents the gold standard for silent film music, to which all should aspire but few, lamentably, will attain.
Amazing!
What an amazing movie! It's hard to believe that it was created almost 90 years ago. I would also highly recommend the 5-movie 2-DVD Fantomas set available in region 2 from amazon.fr mentioned in another review. Simply amazing!
Absolutely one the best of any movie/serial.
I agree wholeheartedly with J. Sims and Chip Kaufmann. This serial is excellent in plot, music, and cinematography. Also the acting in most instances is very good and natural and not the stereotypical exaggerated facial and body motions that some people associate with silent movies. I am an ardent silent movie fan and also a serial fan and to me this is absolutely one of the best of any genre I have ever seen (including most "talkies"). In addition, it is great to see competent women able to do difficult things (e.g., Miss Daisy Torp who is an excellent swimmer and can climb into ships very well). Finally, I believe that Rene Creste who plays Judex is one of the best looking leading men of that era (or of even later eras, particularly when you can see him without the heavy dark eye makeup).
This legendary seven-hour silent French serial, one of the earliest and most original gangster films, combines realism and fantasy. Written and directed by Louis Feuillade, Les Vampires concerns an intrepid reporter's pursuit of a strange gang of jewel thieves terrorizing Paris. The gang ambitiously seeks political, psychological, and sexual domination of the city's social elite, with the seductive Irma Vep (an anagram of "vampire") as its brazen leader. While slow going at first, the 10-part serial becomes more and more fascinating with each episode, thanks in large part to the alluring Musidora as Irma Vep. Because of her many guises and frightful charms, she truly becomes a vampire of sorts. Feuillade achieves a subversive, nightmarish atmosphere amid the everyday goings-on of... More Info about this DVD Director(s): Louis Feuillade DVD Release Date: Released the 16 May 2000 Usually ships in 24 hours
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Edison - The Invention of the Movies is a four-disc treasure trove of 140 of the first moving pictures ever seen, spanning the birth of cinema from 1891-1918. The collaboration between Kino Video and the Museum of Modern Art includes 14-second-long camera tests, early special effects, street scenes, humorous shorts, and "The Great Train Robbery," widely considered the world's first blockbuster. Arranged chronologically, the films gradually improve in technical sophistication and narrative complexity while providing riveting glimpses of American culture 100 years ago. Highlights include the slyly edited "The Gay Shoe Clerk," the phantasmagoric "Dreams of the Rarebit Fiend," and a film of social justice called "The Kleptomaniac." Contemporary sensibilities will be challenged by... More Info about this DVD DVD Release Date: Released the 22 February 2005 Usually ships in 24 hours
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This marvellous second set of rare archival material never before released on video truly is a treasure for anyone interested in the development of motion pictures in all its genres. I found the diverse variety on these 3 dics surprising and impressive, as well as very educational. An excellent book contains all the background information you might start to wonder about once you see some of the unusual and unexpected short films, and there are commentaries by critics and historians on the discs as well. As a silent film enthusiast, I was most delighted to see the four feature films (over an hour in length) in this set, as well as the poignant D.W. Griffith short, "The Country Doctor" an action-packed episode from the movie serial "The Hazards of Helen", and the fascinating 1907 Edison... More Info about this DVD DVD Release Date: Released the 07 September 2004 Usually ships in 24 hours
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The musical accompaniment for most of these seminal avant-garde films is very bad. A previous reviewer mentioned that it was done by "the best in the business." Well, I am of the opinion that, unfortunately, there are not enough interesting minds in that business (silent film scoring), or at least not enough employed by Kino Video, to make for a competent collection.
There is electric guitar (Creed-style riffing!!!). There is arbitrary "Frenchy" sounding music. And yes, there is even some dreaded Casio keyboard "vox" effect.
Who could possibly think that keyboard "vox" was a good idea? Not me.
These films, like all those Kino releases, are rare and under-appreciated, and worth owning on DVD because this is the only way you'll get them. I only wish... More Info about this DVD DVD Release Date: Released the 02 August 2005 Usually ships in 24 hours
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