Les Vampires (1915)

100% of critics liked it
(13 reviews)
77% of users liked it
(1,828 ratings)

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 6 hr. 39 min.
Directed By: Louis Feuillade
Written By: Louis Feuillade
Genres: Horror, Art House & International, Mystery & Suspense, Classics

In Theaters: Jan 1, 1915 Wide
On DVD: May 16, 2000

Critic Reviews

Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
Louis Feuillade's extraordinary ten-part silent serial of 1916, running just under eight hours, is one of the supreme delights of film.
Tim Brayton, Antagony & Ecstasy
A cracking good story...in those wonderful moments where Musidora's kohl-marked face stares right out of the screen and into your soul, it's terribly perfect.
Douglas Pratt, DVDLaser
The elaborate production, written and directed by Louis Feuillade, is an epic modern crime thriller, the precursor to many of today's multi-million dollar action films.
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
[Director Louis Feuillade] masterfully builds suspense over the film's massive, nearly 7-hour running time.
, Time Out
It's possible to overstate the extent to which all this is a bunch of fun: if shown, as it often is, in one great unnatural marathon, it can be sheer torture.
Michael E. Grost, Classic Film and Television
Classic Crime serial, with superb storytelling.
Michael W. Phillips, Jr., Goatdog's Movies
One of the great masterpieces of the cinema.
Ed Gonzalez, Slant Magazine
...this magical mystery tour through a deadly Parisian landscape is, like A Trip to the Moon, a towering and radical work of narrative fiction.
Dan Jardine, All Movie Guide
A seminal mood piece
Jeremy Heilman, MovieMartyr.com
Blows almost any modern action film out of the water.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Les Vampires is one of France's great classic contributions to the world of popular cinema...

Read all 11 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Stella D

this isn't a horror movie; it's a crime thriller. produced by gaumont to compete with the popular perils of pauline serial, it's divided into 10 parts, average 30-45 minutes. these were shown in theaters before the main feature. the story follows reporter philippe… More
this isn't a horror movie; it's a crime thriller. produced by gaumont to compete with the popular perils of pauline serial, it's divided into 10 parts, average 30-45 minutes. these were shown in theaters before the main feature. the story follows reporter philippe guérande's investigation of the mysterious exploits of a gang of master criminals known as les vampires. it's full of nefarious plots, disguises and daring escapes, with stunning stuntwork. musidora, a former acrobat, plays irma vep, cinema's first femme fatale, slinking around in a body stocking like catwoman. comic relief is provided by guérande's friend mazamette, who often appears to address the camera. yes it took awhile to get through, but for the most part it was highly entertaining :)
Matthew Y

Holy crap. That was an excruciating 6 hours. Les Vampires is another excellent example of early groundbreaking technical creations (Like Birth of the Nation or The Jazz Singer) back when the art form of cinema was still developing. That alone does not a good film make. At an… More
Holy crap. That was an excruciating 6 hours. Les Vampires is another excellent example of early groundbreaking technical creations (Like Birth of the Nation or The Jazz Singer) back when the art form of cinema was still developing. That alone does not a good film make. At an exhausting length I cannot see an audience for this film in this day and age. The only reason I watched it was basically to be able to say I did, and because as a film buff it's somewhat required viewing (kinda like homework). I can only imagine that anyone who's seen this since a working copy was found did so for similar reason's.

Les Vampires (1915)

Critic Reviews

Featured Audience Ratings

Stella D

Matthew Y

Cast