Movie Description 6it1y
Les Vampires is a 1915-16 French silent crime serial film written and directed by Louis Feuillade. Set in Paris, it stars Edouard Mathe, Musidora and Marcel Levesque. The main characters are a journalist and his friend who become involved in trying to uncover and stop a bizarre underground Apache gang, known as The Vampires (who are not the mythological beings their name suggests). The serial consists of ten episodes, which vary greatly in length. Being roughly 7 hours long, it is considered one of the longest films ever made. It was produced and distributed by Feuillade's company Gaumont. Due to its stylistic similarities with Feuillade's other crime serials Fantomas and Judex, the three are often considered a trilogy. p941
Fresh from the success of Feuillade's previous serial, Fantomas, and facing competition from rival company Pathe, Feuillade made the film quickly and inexpensively with very little written script. Upon its initial release Les Vampires was given negative reviews by critics for its dubious morality and its lack of cinematic techniques compared to other films. However, it was a massive success with its wartime audience, making Musidora a star of French cinema. The film has since come under re-evaluation and is considered by many to be Feuillade's magnum opus and a cinematic masterpiece. It is recognised for developing thriller techniques, adopted by Alfred Hitchcock and Fritz Lang, and avant-garde cinema, inspiring Luis Bunuel and others. It is included in the book 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die.
(Summary from Wikipedia)
Copyright Info: This movie is in the public domain and is legally available for free on YouTube.