After the tremendous popular success of the　　Fantômas novels, both of the @欢乐颂2下载@major French　　film studios — Pathé and Gaumont —　　vied for the rights to produce films based　　on the series. Gaumont won, and from&l@空中蛇灾下载@t;br />　　April 1913 to May 1914 Louis Feuillade　　di@午夜幽灵车@rected five Fantômas films which critic　　David Thomson has described as "the first　　great movie experience."