The Big Puppet Show

Around the turn of the 20th century, France began turning out some of the most diabolical and insane horror anyone had ever seen. From the Grand Guignol to the bizarre crime novels involving the villain Fantômas, there was some seriously twisted entertainment in Paris. Most of it is coming up on a century old but it's still pretty great stuff. There's not a lot of info about these works in English so any information anyone has to share would be very welcome.

• The Catacombs: In 1786 the Parisians dug up the bones from overcrowded cemeteries, transported them to a series of underground tunnels and stacked them in what amounts to an organized mass grave. By far the creepiest thing I have ever seen in my life and a highly recommended travel destination for those so inclined.
• Le Theatre du Grand Guignol: The original Theater of Terror, this unassuming little venue created a style of live performance yet to be matched for violence and macabre subject matter.
• Fantômas: The master of crime, his sinister exploits became the obsession of France in the pre-WWI years.
• Louis Feuillade: An early master of French cinema, he directed the Fantômas serial (1913-14) which many regard as the ultimate version of the arch-criminal. This was followed by Les Vampires, a serial about a Fantômas-like crime syndicate and Judex, a serial that basically invents the masked crime-fighter genre.

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