Firstly it must be reminded to our dear readers that the Hunebelle franchise is not the adaptation of Allain's installments; as the credits put it, the script is inspired by the original Allain novels. Moreover, the Hunebelle movies update it, and give it a funny twist. (FANTOMAS was indeed twice adapted—once as a silent serial, then as a TV series.) I find Hunebelle's movie about Fantômas interesting—basically, first because I like Marais; then, because I like some of Funès' performances; thirdly, because I'm interested in Hunebelle's movies; then, because I enjoy the '60s screwy gadget fictions. (I am a Fantômas aficionado, true, but this is no reason to enjoy Hunebelle's interpolations and addenda.) Hunebelle's FANTOMAS has the air of a blockbuster, as it was intended; the trio of characters is handled by two actors, Marais taking over both Fantomas and Fandor while Funès does both Juve and Fantomas disguised. This first installment features the jewels adventure (--Fantomas' first robbery disguised as poor Fandor-but I guess that Juve and Fandor aren't called like that in this updated version
--save for Juve who I think is called once 'Juve' by Fantomas, when preparing to impersonate him for the theater attack); then the Juve impersonation—used in front of the theater and at the casino.
There's Marais –firstly, before switching to the mastermind, in a less physical role than he deserved (Fandor is the brand of witness—roles, a la Watson or Hastings, not advantageous for a lead), but then he becomes the villain and his agility is needed; a fair blonde, Mylène Demongeot, whose nice tits are quite visible by the '60s see—through; and Funès, whose routine is acceptable and sometimes delightful.
The once famous Hunebelle adapted not a few of the French popular novels or at least he took his cues from them; he mostly had Marais for the leading part in these many adaptations—and here we find out what was the chief note achieved by --he exploited Marais' strikingly creepy look, he used the fact that Marais could look eerily. This way he adapted FANTOMAS (i.e., he filmed a script inspired by the original books ), Sue, Zévaco, Dumas, Féval.
Hunebelle adapts Sue by giving him a suited eerie look; bizarrely, he softens a surrealist masterpiece like FANTOMAS and makes it less creepy than it ought to. On the other hand, the '60s were, in the Anglo—American culture, the age of a surrealist eeriness, updated as spy flicks, etc..
Hunebelle was quite sloppy, and for a comedy this first FANTOMAS obviously lacks the required briskness, charm and lightness; at Hunebelle you see the intention of a comedy, but not its very elements—look at the police inspector's role, the 'once Jouve'—Funès manages to pull in an element or two of comedy, but they are beyond the script, and beside the script.
The music is glorious; Mylène Demongeot, extremely hot, the action, decent, Marais—in his best shape, the cast—likable. FANTOMAS as filmed by Hunebelle is nice action fare. It is a try to do American action fare, by a director who was not one of the fittest for the job.
If you like, you may read my comments about other Marais movies (JOSEPH BALSAMO, TRAIN D'ENFER and TYPHON SUR Nagasaki), or about the straight adaptation of FANTOMAS.
There's Marais –firstly, before switching to the mastermind, in a less physical role than he deserved (Fandor is the brand of witness—roles, a la Watson or Hastings, not advantageous for a lead), but then he becomes the villain and his agility is needed; a fair blonde, Mylène Demongeot, whose nice tits are quite visible by the '60s see—through; and Funès, whose routine is acceptable and sometimes delightful.
The once famous Hunebelle adapted not a few of the French popular novels or at least he took his cues from them; he mostly had Marais for the leading part in these many adaptations—and here we find out what was the chief note achieved by --he exploited Marais' strikingly creepy look, he used the fact that Marais could look eerily. This way he adapted FANTOMAS (i.e., he filmed a script inspired by the original books ), Sue, Zévaco, Dumas, Féval.
Hunebelle adapts Sue by giving him a suited eerie look; bizarrely, he softens a surrealist masterpiece like FANTOMAS and makes it less creepy than it ought to. On the other hand, the '60s were, in the Anglo—American culture, the age of a surrealist eeriness, updated as spy flicks, etc..
Hunebelle was quite sloppy, and for a comedy this first FANTOMAS obviously lacks the required briskness, charm and lightness; at Hunebelle you see the intention of a comedy, but not its very elements—look at the police inspector's role, the 'once Jouve'—Funès manages to pull in an element or two of comedy, but they are beyond the script, and beside the script.
The music is glorious; Mylène Demongeot, extremely hot, the action, decent, Marais—in his best shape, the cast—likable. FANTOMAS as filmed by Hunebelle is nice action fare. It is a try to do American action fare, by a director who was not one of the fittest for the job.
If you like, you may read my comments about other Marais movies (JOSEPH BALSAMO, TRAIN D'ENFER and TYPHON SUR Nagasaki), or about the straight adaptation of FANTOMAS.