Afterthetremendouspopularsuccessofthe Fant?masnovels,bothofthemajorFrench filmstudios—PathéandGaumont— viedfortherightstoproducefilmsbased ontheseries.Gaumontwon,andfrom April1913toMay1914LouisFeuillade directedfiveFant?masfilmswhichcritic DavidThomsonhasdescribedas"thefirst greatmovieexperience."ccc
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