Ear to the ground like a Sioux warrior
Episode 9: l'Homme des Poisons
More of my schizo reviewing:
(I've left out so much on this film it's crazy. But hopefully you check it out yourself and can get a better handle on it than me).
This chapter opens with shots of Irma and the "new" Grand Vampire Venenos in white lab smocks and masks preparing their "potions" in a chem lab. They will be married later...
The police thought Irma was dead and now she's a collaborator of Venenos.
115 rue d'Artois
An apartment is given a viewing and approved by Jane Bremontier, Phillipe's new flame (they are to wed as well).
Phillipe's mother takes care of wedding plans, Phillipe and Jane kiss. There's scenes dealing with Bechamel's, a caterer and two new characters named Hortense and Aurelie. There's a dinner party, and Mazamette appears again. He's got a really big schnozz! Maybe not a big as Karl Malden's, but it's one distinctive proboscis! A cartoon silhouette of Mazamette is made later on, towards the end of the film. He's a real comedic actor. I want to know more about the actor who played him. He reminded me of Chaplin a few times, with his mugging and wacky mannerisms.
Great comedic role.
The champagne at the dinner party is poisoned, hence the title of this episode. More rooftop shenanigans, more scaling of buildings (and waterducts). You got more telegrammes that push the narrative, more "perfume" is concocted to gas the Vampires' victims and Irma at one point sprays Mazamette when he finds her baiting a carriage with it. He's dragged off by a female accomplice of Irma's, who drops him on the street and summons the cops to be rid of this "drunk". They cart him away. Irma stows herself in the trunk that's attached to the carriage. then she plots an escape- into the car itself, which Phillipe realizes too late after dealing with Mazamette by telephone at the cop shop. Musidora does her own daring stunts in the next scene, when she escapes from the moving car. It's real stuntwork. They filmed it on the fly- it was great to see that the French in those days were kinda like Buster Keaton...there are quite a few interesting stunts throughout the whole serial.
Scenes at the Hotel de la Pyramide, Fontainbleau, there's even a PAN shot! in 1915! It's the scene where Irma is tied up by Mazamette and Phillipe and tossed into their car. I couldn't believe it! An actual pan! it's short, but it's there.
I swear, the French have cinema in their DNA...
Irma honks for her rescue with her head! (she was tied up, after all) She escapes with help, then she drives off in Mazamettes car. Why they left her alone is a mystery. There's a really great train chase in this episode, and it looks to have been carefully planned and orchestrated. I kept reminding myself of how brilliant the editing of this Epic is, and what miles and miles of footage was edited out or not used. Did they have one take for each shot?
Phillipe jumps from a bridge onto a moving train to chase the baddie, with Mazamette close behind. But the cops prevent Maza from jumping. So he slaps the cop. For not letting him assist his friend. Hilarious. He realizes immediately how wrong that act was and offers his cheek to the copper to slap. They book him instead. Phillipe jumps from the train and injures himself and is later reunited with Maza at the cop shop.
I noticed parts of this episode's original negative was in worse shape than the rest of the film- quite a few lines and scratches.
But the print itself was pristine (for a silent transfer at least).
Tragic engagement party.
Phillipe and Jane are married.
Another character, Augustine, is offered a chambermaid job.
I don't remember exactly where the episode ended, so I'll blend these comments with the last
Episode 10: Les Noces Sanglantes:
Wild stunts with climbing ropes and falling from buildings (again with obvious dummies- audience howled at the obviousness).
Police chases, meandering scenes with Phillipe on a bike, climbing over fences and roofs, the dinner party rages on with toasts, and the actors in this opus really really went for it. They put their all into this film, from start to finish. You can tell that miles away.
This episode basically has a lot of chaotic shit going down, ending in a Vampires orgy and gunfight! Yes, you heard right. Mazamette is honored with a sketch on an easel of his huge nose/face, which has no eye drawn. Venenos draws his gun and fires single bullet into the drawing, creating an "eye".
There's some wild vamp dancing and pirouetting and the climax (if there is one) is Irma Vep being shot in the left breast.
This is the best I can do for a review of this mammoth work.
It's difficult for me to get my head around this schizo yet engaging 10-parter. There isn't too much in the way of profundity here, but it is essential viewing if you are a cinephile. You have to see it at least once. For historical importance at the very least.
If you are entertained (and I think you will be if you love silent cinema) then that's a bonus.