Arsene Lupin (Lupin III's Great Grandpappy)

[Shonokin]

I always knew that Lupin III was based on a series of French, turn of the century novels, but had no idea until recently that there are a lot of media incarnations outside of the Japanese anime tv series and movies.

What piqued my curiosity about this fact was that I ran across a trailer for a French made movie called simply ARSENE LUPIN that came out in 2004. It's based on the original 1924 novel THE COUNTESS OF CAGLIOSTRO. Though taking place in the proper time period, it looks to have a bit of that BROTHERHOOD OF THE WOLF look to it, being filmed in a very "modern" style and using a lot of martial arts that seem to me to be anachronistic of the time. Ah well, it still looks pretty moody and fun. I have it but haven't had a chance to watch it yet.

So this got me wondering about other versions, and upon searching around it looks like there's quite a few. Of live action, there seems to be about 20-something movies from several different countries, starting from 1907 to a new one that is an adaptation of the anime slated to come out in 2008. There was an earlier adaptation from the anime from 1974 called "Lupin III: Strange Psychokinetic Strategy" which is currently available on R1. (trailer here it looks more like what a classic Showa kaiju fan would be into) Also in the 1930s was an American made movie that starred John Barrymore as Lupin and his brother Lionel as the Inspector. Two more American made Lupin movies came after the Barrymore one but I guess didn't do so well.

There's two (maybe more) live action series from France circa 1960-70. And a Canadian made cartoon called "Night Hood". The first episode of which, Lupin is confronted and bested by Sherlock Holmes.

"Whaaat?" you might wonder. As it happens in the original line of books by Leblanc, Lupin did indeed come up against Sherlock Holmes on several occasions. Though for copywrite reasons he is called "Herlock Sholmes" or "Hemlock Shears".

The first several books are in public domain and are available through project gutenbergorg.. This is the first book, which is supposed to be a collection of short stories that first appeared in magazine form and this one, The Hollow Needle is also known as Lupin vs Sherlock Holmes.

[Xenorama ™]

excellent, now i have something to read when work is ever so boring this summer! i've never cared for the cartoon versions i've seen, but i want to see the live action Japanese one.

[Shonokin]

I love the 70s cartoons but the newer ones are too current, mainstream glossy anime looking. Which a part of the appeal to me of the cartoon in the first place was that it was very much in the Monkey Punch style, and I thought his stuff was not in a typical manga style. As someone else put it, it's almost like a Japanese Sergio Aragones.

So I saw the ARSENE LUPIN movie and thought it was absolutely brilliant. One of the better movies I've seen in a long time. It's very much like last years THE ILLUSIONIST with the beautiful cinematography and exquisite period settings and costumes, plus some fantastical adventure settings and fun action sequences thrown in to boot. I've never really been a Kristin Scott Thomas fan, but she was really amazing in this.

[August]

I love the first two LUPIN III anime series—especially the first series and the later episodes of the second series—always have. The first film, LUPIN III: MYSTERY OF MAMO is the closest thing to Monkey Punch's original manga. (I wish I still had pictures of them, but a group of my friends and I did the Lupin Gang at the San Diego Comic Con in 1981—and Monkey Punch got a real kick out of that!)

So, since I was a big LUPIN III fan, I recorded both MGM-produced (?) ARSENE LUPIN movies back in 1981/82 off air (broadcast on our local CBS affiliate). Originally, I thought that they would be curios, me being young and all, and thinking that while I liked older movies, these might be slow going. I was floored, at the time, when I found them to fast-paced, witty and racy (the first film was made before the Hayes Code). From what I remember thinking at the time, they were so similar to the LUPIN III situations and characters (Lupin even drives a Mercedes Benz SSK!). Good stuff—I wish I had those still to share them...

I'll have to keep an eye out of the recent film...

[Shonokin]

I probably have the movies you're talking about on DVD (recorded off of TCM or something) Auggie. I can make a dub if you'd like. Same with the new movie.

[August]

That would be awesome. Thanks in advance! Just let me know what I can do in return...

[octoman]

dan, i do not know what time period it takes place in but the french have been doing defense dans la rue [ a combo of jiu jitsu, boxing, savate , wrestling, canefighting, apache street tricks] since the late 1800's---so it is possible to have a system at that time--in england, bartitsu existed since 1899 [ barton wright's combo of jiu jitsu, savate, boxing , wrestling, canefighting]--ralph g

[Shonokin]

Sure thing Auggie, I'll get those out to you soon.. probably will take a week or two because our office is moving (to Hamilton Field where they film some of the Mythbusters stuff) and things will be topsy turvy for a bit.

I want to try and make it down to da City before the Tezuka and Yoshi-toshi exhibits leave town, so maybe we can hook up then.

Ralph, you are definately correct. After I made that initial post, I read several of the original LeBlanc books and he mentions studying Jiu Jitsu a couple of times. So it is indeed with keeping in the period and also appropriate to the adaptation!

[August]

Thanks, Shonokin!

BTW, the next LUPIN III telemovie has been announced by Tokyo Movie Shinsha: "Lupin Sansei: Kiri-no Elusive" (Lupin III: The Elusive Fog) will air in Japan on July 27th.