Les Vampires: Episode 2 - The Ring That Kills (Les vampires: La bague qui tue)

Maybe you’ve never heard of Louis Feuillade, but there’s no doubt you have seen something that has been influenced by his cinematically masterful ten episode serial, some of which was so controversial upon its initial release that it was banned in France. After getting a tip about the decapitated body of a high-ranking crime investigator, newspaper reporter Philippe Guérande digs into the dealings of an underground criminal organization known as The Vampires. They don’t suck actual blood—instead, they feed off the fear of Parisian citizens. Both Fritz Lang and Alfred Hitchcock borrowed from the series’ thriller conventions; echoes of its gangsters can be seen in Coppola’s “Godfather” trilogy; and the iconic femme fatale character Irma Vep has been recreated time and again. It’s an incredible legacy for a film made 100 years ago. We are showcasing the first three films in the serial.