Fantomas Returns! (12) |Home Ents Review

The masked French arch-criminal and master of disguise, first presented to the world in novel form in 1911, charged back in the 1960s with these three films. They are pretty engaging movies, told with comic book brio, which see the dark master re-cast in comedic, crime caper mold. 

Eureka Entertainment’s limited edition 2-disc Blu-ray box set presents the Fantomas Trilogy from the years 1964 to 1967: Fantômas, Fantômas Unleashed and Fantômas vs Scotland Yard. 

Jean Marais plays dual roles as the green-masked Fantômas and journalist Fandor, who teams up with the police to bring the super-villain down. Marais’ Fantômas is both uncanny and iconic, his magnificent eyes and athletic figure doing a lot of the work. However, the real discovery here may be Fantomas’ nemesis, Inspector Juve, played here by Louis de Funès. 

Funès is not well known in the English-speaking world but he is the most famous and most successful French screen actor of all time. His is a very physical type of comedy and his characters are often prone to brown-nosing those in authority – think Sellars’ Inspector Clouseau crossed with Basil Fawlty, although he looks more like Harry Enfield at his most rubbery faced. 

Marais’ Fantômas will appeal to fans of the early James Bond films as he oozes Bond villain vibes. He has cut-price, hi-tech lairs, uses outrageous gadgets and has an evil laugh – plus there’s the mask and those eyes!

Funès’ Juve majors in panicked reactions and appears to be making up for his short stature by bullying everyone around him. It is interesting to spot gags that eventually made it into Pink Panther films, as well as James Bond style car chases and exotic locations. 

The supporting cast includes Jacques Dynam as Juve’s second in command and Mylène Demongeot as Fandor’s girlfriend.  

There are good extras, including a new interview with French cinema expert Mary Harrod on Louis de Funès, French comedy and the Fantômas trilogy; and an informative new video essay on the evolution of Fantômas in cinema by Radio Times editor Calum Baker.