Pierre Souvestre, the man who co- created “Fantomas”

Born in 1874, Pierre Souvestre died at an early age in 1914. With his assistant Allain, Fantomas would see the life in a series of books that till now are enjoyed by many. Fantomas appeared as a film in 1913 starring Rene Navarre with the title “Fantomas: A l’ombre de la guillotine”. Since then, other films emerged, in 1914, 1920, 1932, 1947, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1980 and a pre production of “Fantomas” starring Vincent Cassel and Jean Reno. It is also interesting to note that a french movie starring the russian actor and director Ivan Mozzhukhin with the title “Feu Mathias Pascal” or “The Living Dead Man” in English, a movie directed by Marcel L’Herbier in 1926 based on a story by Luigi Pirandello has been thought by cinema lovers to be a prelude of Fantomas, like “before Fantomas became Fantomas”, because of the story that is being portrayed.

Fantomas appears in different languages, in movies, books, comic series and it is still and will be one of the most interesting characters both in literature and in cinema.

 

Some images portraying Fantomas:

“Fantomas a l’ombre de la guillotine” , 1913. Image: www.walterfilm.com

 

Juve Against Fantomas, 1913. Image: www.kino.com

 

 

Fantomas, 1947

 

Fantomas Contre Scotland Yard, 1967

 

Pre Production 2011. Vincent Cassel and Jean Reno

This is a scene from “Feu Matthias Pascal” (1926). The story of a man who is considered dead and for diverse reasons he pretends to accept his fate, start a new life under a new identity and commit vengeance.