Judex (English Version)

Judex’ is a homage to Louis Feuillade’s twelve episode serial made in 1916. The characters - the evil banker, his innocent daughter, Judex the invisible avenger, the comic detective, the adventuress and the beautiful acrobat - are derived directly from the serial and full of improbable twists and turns. The magical clash between good and evil provides the pretext for poetic symbolism and surreal set pieces such as the murder at the masked ball, filmed in the contrasty black and white photography of early cinema. On the surface Franju’s film seems to foreshadow postmodern pastiche but the difference lies in the gap between the random stylistic allusion of the latter and Franju’s loving immersion in the ‘surreal innocence’ of an earlier time. ‘Judex’ will be a physical film, not a psychological film. Forget fiction. I want to make a dream-like, purely formal film; I am looking for a certain ceremonial, a certain luxury.” (Georges Franju). Also available in French on 16mm film.

Credits: Director, Georges Franju ; writers, Jacques Champreux, Francis Lacassin ; photography, Marcel Fradetal ; music, Maurice Jarre ; editor, Gilbert Natot.
Cast: Channing Pollock, Francine Berge, Sylvia Koscina, Edith Scob, Michel Vitold.