Fantomas Unleashed (1965)

When Professor Marchand, a famous scientist, mysteriously disappears, the commissioner, Juve, immediately suspects Fantomas.

Directors:

André Hunebelle, Haroun Tazieff (co-director)

Writers:

Pierre Souvestre (novels), Marcel Allain (novels)

Stars:

Jean Marais, Louis de Funès, Mylène Demongeot

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jean Marais	...	Fantômas / Fandor / Professeur Lefèvre
Louis de Funès	...	Commissaire Juve
Mylène Demongeot	...	Hélène
Jacques Dynam	...	Bertrand
Robert Dalban	...	Le rédacteur du 'Point du Jour'
Albert Dagnant	...	Professeur Marchard
Christian Toma	...	Inspecteur
Michel Duplaix	...	Un inspecteur
Olivier De Funès	...	Michou
Florence Blot	...	La dame
Robert Le Béal	...	Le ministre
Pietro Tordi	...	Le président de l'Assemblée
Henri Attal	...	Le garde de Fantômas (as Henri Atal)
Dominique Zardi	...	Homme de main
Jacques Marin	...	L'agent de police ferroviaire

Storyline

When Professor Marchand, a famous scientist, mysteriously disappears, the commissioner, Juve, immediately suspects Fantomas. Meanwhile, the journalist disguised as Fandor Lefevre, Marchand's assistant, is removed by Fantomas. Commissioner Juve falls into the trap as Fantomas, too, is transformed into Lefevre and they are all found in Rome at a scientific meeting. Fantomas will prevail and stakeholders will gather in his den, and prisoners, it seems, without any possibility of escaping their fate. Accompanied by the music of an organ played by Fantomas.

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Plot Keywords:

1960s | large family | electrical shock | car | police officer | 

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Taglines:

For Thrills With a Difference

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Genres:

Adventure | Comedy | Crime | Fantasy

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

The character of the boy, Michou is played by Olivier De Funès, who is Louis de Funès's son. This is the first time the father and the son star together.

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Goofs

When Juve falls out of the plane near the end of the movie, he is very obviously played by a stunt double; moreover, the double wears badly concealed parachute packs on back and belly.

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Crazy Credits

The opening credits' animation recreates sequences from the previous film in the series, Fantomas (1964).

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Connections

Referenced in The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)

User Reviews

The French strike back at James Bond

'Fantomas Strikes Back' is a great period piece. While not as believable and scary as the original series opener a year earlier, the wonderful Rome locations more than compensate. The Fantomas films were shot in post-WWII Europe's heydays, when it looked like the future will be just as rosy.

This film came out the same year as the Bond flick 'Thunderball,' and can be considered French cinema's answer to the Anglophile 007 craze sweeping Europe and the world back then. The kidnapped scientist plot shows up in many Bond films, of course. But the best gimmick in any Fantomas film is Fantomas' ability to assume other people's identity at will by using high quality rubber face masks. And his own, featureless eerie green rubber mask is rather scary still.

BTW, does anyone know if the 'Fantomas' films are available on DVD?

Details

Country:

France Italy

Language:

French

Release Date:

8 December 1965 (France)

Also Known As:

Fantomas Strikes Back

Filming Locations:

Hotel Hilton Cavalieri - 101 via Alberto Cadlolo, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company Credits

Production Co:

Société Nouvelle des Établissements Gaumont (SNEG), Produzioni Atlas Consorziate (P.A.C.), Da Ma Produzione

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1