Arsene lupin

[Jeffbert]

I started reading this last week because I have seen an old film by this title starring the Barrymore brothers, John in the title role & Lionel as the detective. It takes place in a country estate & a Paris home of a millionaire. Anyway, I was visualizing the setting based upon the descriptions & my own assumptions of what a millionaire's home would be like, but was taken aback when I read that the Paris home adjoined another residence. My entire visualization was in need of serious revision!

It seems that Lupin & co. had taken the stolen goods out of the home via a wall that adjoined the other home, & had left misleading clues at the window, so the police would assume the trail was out through the back yard. The house had a very large fireplace, & the thieves broke through the walls in the chimney just above the part visible through the fireplace.

Anyway I found at least 4 additional Lupin novels & am eager to read them all, as I am a fan of the LUPIN III anime.

 

[GOLLUM]

Arsene Lupin is indeed a classic in the annals of crime fiction not just in Europe but across the globe and should be read by anyone interested in the development of crime fiction.

It just so happens that on the weekend I'm picking up the Wordsworth Arsene Lupin omnibus that features "Arsene Lupin Versus Holmlock Shears". "The Confessions Of Arsene Lupin", "The Golden Triangle" & "The Eight Strokes of the Clock". Don't know if that is the one you are referring to?

If you enjoy classic crime fiction you should also look into other titles in the excellent Wordsworth Tales of Mystery and Supernatural series.

Have you seen the classic 1979 The Castle of Cagliostro featuring Arsene Lupin III? It's one of my all time favourite animation films that also happened to be the directional debut of the now legendary Hayao Miyazaki, co-founder of Studio Ghibli.

I also have in my collection another seminal (French) thief Fantomas. He appeared not long after Lupine made his debut in French crime fiction in the 1910s. Fantomas has also had comic adaptions etc made. He however is a far more dark and sinister character than Lupine as he has no reservations with killing people and in fact is seen as being one of the ignition points in the rise of the serial killer in fiction during the 20th century and beyond, characters from Macbeth to the 19th Century including Gothic or Gothic-inspired fiction notwithstanding.

 

[Jeffbert]

The book is Arsene Lupin; as I understand it, it is the 1st in the series. Yes, I have seen CASTLE; also the TV series on both CN & DVD. It is one of the few cases in which I prefer the dubbed English audio over the Japanese, likely because the jokes & puns make sense to me.

I never heard of Fantomas until now. I think I prefer the more light-hearted crime novels, though. I just read THE BENSON MURDER CASE, the 1st in a series of PHILO VANCE mysteries. I have seen a bunch of them on TCM, made in the 30s or 40s. I liked it, but the main character uses too many French & Latin phrases! I spent almost as much time looking for meanings on google, as I did reading the story!

 

[anivid]

I haven't really read what you both wrote - as of yet
I'm just so happy to be able to tell, that I am the proud owner of 3 (three) seasons DVD of Arsène Lupin, Gentleman Cambrioleur - a total of 26 episodes - all with the best Arsène ever: Georges Descrières.

Of course I could write all the titel of the episodes, but as they're in French, I'm not sure my efforts will bear fruit with all of you
But 'Les anneaux de Cagliostro" surely it there too.

 

[Jeffbert]

I recently viewed the wikipedia page for Lupin, but took no interest in any French TV versions, anivid.

I just the other day finished the 1st Lupin novel, & am about to start what I believe is the second, in which Lupin take on Sherlock Holmes. I found it amusing that ACDoyle sued for the use of the name of his detective, & that LeBlanc changed the name in the title & in his novel to Herlock Sholmes, as though that really obfuscated anything!

About #1, I will say that, having seen the film version a few times, did give away a certain detail that I will not mention for fear of spoiling it for others. But, as I read, I began to anticipate the thing which would soon be revealed, & chuckled in that anticipation. Thus, for me, it had a different sort of amusement than it would for one who had not seen the film.

 

[anivid]

Got the impression thart everything worth reading has found its way to Gollum’s shelves
The story about Cagliostro/Castafiori, isn’t that the same as is in the Tintin BD (bande dessinnée) too ??
It’s an honour for an œuvre to be paraphrased/re-interpreted later on, as also is the case with the James Bond stories, am I right ??
It seems that Arsène III is a BD too ?? – I better look into that

Fantômas, here he is …. lots of further reading, Jeffbert - almost 40 novels

 

[GOLLUM]

That cover you posted Anivid, as you would be aware, was the cover for the first Fantomas book/story and is the same cover they have used for the book I have...

Not sure that quite everything that's found it's way into my personal library is worth reading but I have been lucky with most of my choices so far. Thanks for those kinds words....I think...

Your DVD collection of Arsene Lupin stories looks awesome!

Cheers.

 

[GOLLUM]

Of course I could write all the titel of the episodes, but as they're in French, I'm not sure my efforts will bear fruit with all of you
But 'Les anneaux de Cagliostro" surely it there too.

Speaking of which I'm sure you would be aware of a quite famous fictional detective in George Simenon's Maigret. My father is French (Swiss) and so I recall growing up in one sense with the presence of Maigret. Tintin was the other we grew up with.

In fact I recently purchased an excellent English adaptation of Simenon's Maigret for my farther. Michael Gambon is the actor who stars as Maigret and for a non-French adaptation/production it's very good! As much as like Maigret I have found Simenon's so-called romans durs (referred to as 'physiological' novels by English speakers) novels to be his best writing.

I have all of the Tintin comics that have been translated into English as well as an excellent Canadian animation series as well as several of the French films made in the 1960/70s (I think it was). Herge's Tintin was and still is one of my faovurite characters/series!!

Good night.

 

[Connavar]

I have heard vaguely about Lupin,Fantomas in pulp era characters in crime fiction when articles discuss the famous characters of those days.

I need to read more french fiction and i like the sound of these characters. Hope they are easy to find in english or swedish translation.

 

[anivid]

Jeffbert, here’s your Herlock Sholmes, as he appears in the French DVDs

He of course is made the underdog to Arsène, who is playing on home ground

 

[anivid]

Speaking of which I'm sure you would be aware of a quite famous fictional detective in George Simenon's Maigret. My father is French (Swiss) and so I recall growing up in one sense with the presence of Maigret. Tintin was the other we grew up with.

In fact I recently purchased an excellent English adaptation of Simenon's Maigret for my farther. Michael Gambon is the actor who stars as Maigret and for a non-French adaptation/production it's very good! As much as like Maigret I have found Simenon's so-called romans durs (referred to as 'physiological' novels by English speakers) novels to be his best writing.

I have all of the Tintin comics that have been translated into English as well as an excellent Canadian animation series as well as several of the French films made in the 1960/70s (I think it was). Herge's Tintin was and still is one of my faovurite characters/series!!

Good night.

With a Swiss father you at least understand French, eh ?? - may be even talk it ??
You’re bound to have a h-u-g-e house with all those books – a computerized index, and may be even notes from their contents ??
(I’ll not ask whether you’ve read them all by now )
I’ve been reading & studying all my life from I was a young child, as a full-time student and as a part-time student besides working – but now as retired I’m more inclined to read the big book of nature, leaving the man-made ones to themselves
Did I read them all ?? – more than my share
Maigret & Tintin are both friends of mine – we grew up together
Turning in now, got an early day tomorrow - the mountains are calling - the season's first day on ski.
Have a good evening read

 

[Jeffbert]

Jeffbert, here’s your Herlock Sholmes, as he appears in the French DVDs

He of course is made the underdog to Arsène, who is playing on home ground

I take it, you meant to say he is the protagonist Lupin's antagonist. I hope to start #2 tonight.

 

[DarkYami]

I've never read any Arsene Lupin books though I would like to at some point; I just have to find them first.

I am a fan of Lupin the Third that said; Castle of Cagliostro is one of my favorite animated films.

 

[Jeffbert]

I am in the midst of Lupin Vs. Sherlock/ Herlock, & I have observed that Lupin is really a shadowy background character in both these books. They are more about other people's lives as they are affected by Lupin's activity, than about Lupin himself. For instance, in #2, Herlock Sholmes' hunt for clues is detailed such that, I almost forgot that the book is about Lupin.

In #1, Lupin does not appear until the 3rd or 4th chapter, & the reader only learns later that that character even was Lupin! Regardless, I thoroughly enjoy these, though #1 did start out detailing the conversations of wealthy young ladies, & I found that rather tedious.

 

[anivid]

I am in the midst of Lupin Vs. Sherlock/ Herlock, & I have observed that Lupin is really a shadowy background character in both these books. They are more about other people's lives as they are affected by Lupin's activity, than about Lupin himself. For instance, in #2, Herlock Sholmes' hunt for clues is detailed such that, I almost forgot that the book is about Lupin.

In #1, Lupin does not appear until the 3rd or 4th chapter, & the reader only learns later that that character even was Lupin! Regardless, I thoroughly enjoy these, though #1 did start out detailing the conversations of wealthy young ladies, & I found that rather tedious.

Yeah, well, the author Maurice Leblanc didn’t actually write his novels as books.
They were more or less commisioned work for the magazines.
In those years (too ??) they copyed each other when finding a successful author.
There was Conan Doyle with his Sherlock Holmes, but also a E.W. Hornung with his hero Arthur C. Raffles.
The editors demanded confrontations of the different heroes, and/or « me too » products.
Back to Leblanc - it was just later he constructed his shorter works to books.
What many authors did there at the turn of the century (second last turn ) can seem a little confusing/un-orderly/not thought through to modern authors.
But nevertheless entertaining

 

[GOLLUM]

Interesting, I have the E.W. Hornung Raffles stories as well. The BBC did an excellent adaptation of some of those stories. I have the DVD.

@Ainvid: No I don't speak much French unfortunately, although it is my father's mother tongue. I do however speak German as a second language, which is also useful in the field of European literature.

 

[anivid]

Gollum, You’re incredible
Old superheroes – does that mirror your own interest - or that of your father's ?? (assuming your father's books are included in your library )
I never read Hornung, but you say there’s a dvd with Raffles ? – that should make the « reading » work easier
(well, when I get my win media to read dvds again – or find another dvd reader …).
German surely is important in literature – the whole middle field of EUR was into that language - but whether they had some light figures as superheroes I do not seem to recall

 

[Jeffbert]

I recall seeing a film about Raffles, anivid, but no details come to mind.

As soon as I finish reading email, I will resume Lupin #2 with ch. 8.