Landru

Paris, World War I and Henri Landru, like most of his fellow countrymen, is broke and with no hope to feed his ever-growing family. When he stumbles upon a scheme, with the offers of vast sums of cash, he grabs it, literally with two hands, sometimes a knife…

If the story of one France’s most notorious serial-killers sounds a little absurdist, almost slapstick, it is a testament to director Claude Chabrol who turns in a deft piece of film-making that, despite its obviously ominous subject tone, sails as close to the comic wind that ‘black comedy’ permits. Anchored by performances from Charles Denner, almost unrecognisable under the beard and make-up as the manic but well intentioned Landru, and Michéle Morgan as Célestine, their assured turns make sure the film never veers towards a simplistic, comedy no-brainer.

Chabrol’s work inspired an entire generation of filmmakers to take stock of the untapped potential of a horror genre, post hammer-horror; films such as Henry: Portrait of A Serial Killer, The Last Picture Show and Reservoir Dogs, paving the way for such scenes as Mr Blonde calmly hacking an ear off mid-dance. Whilst Michael Powell was having his solo career ravaged before it had begun with the censorship of Peeping Tom, Chabrol was flexing his artistic flair in a country that championed the absurdist and it’s auteurs.