Calling Dr. Mabuse

The Seductive Appeal of Fantomas and Dr. Mabuse

Honestly, I genuinely want to be Fantomas or, at the very least, Dr. Mabuse. A figure that may appear human but is more spirit than man captivates my sensuality. It is awe-inspiring, much like nature, which unleashes storms, rainfall, and fire upon the world, causing immense destruction. However, I dislike witnessing my fellow humans suffer at the hands of nature's forces. Still, there are individuals I wouldn’t hesitate to eliminate from this planet, even in Hell or Heaven. Calling Dr. Mabuse.

I should explain Dr. Mabuse. Norbert Jacques created him in his 1921 novel Dr. Mabuse, der Spieler (Dr. Mabuse, the Gambler). He commits terrible acts purely for the sake of evil, delighting in witnessing society’s collapse and relishing the chaos. I admit that I am drawn to this. Destruction for its own sake intrigues me, and I wonder why I feel this way. Dr. Mabuse is a master of psychological manipulation, using hypnotic suggestion to control his subjects. He embodies the horror one experiences when closing their eyes to sleep. 

Some real-life figures seem to have supernatural abilities that allow them to escape death while causing relentless suffering. One sees Justice as a house with a sturdy foundation, yet unleashed chaos can undermine the supports that maintain the structure's stability. In fiction, we meet Dr. Mabuse and Fantomas (a series of novels by Marcel Allain and Pierre Souvestre), who dismantle the systems that uphold society. I’m fascinated by these two villains—or liberators—because they embody control and mystery. The unknown always exerts a captivating force that can pull us into the depths of despair or raise us to the heights of the stars. The goal is to outsmart and outmaneuver authority in a creatively satisfying and politically acceptable way. 

Fantomas and Dr. Mabuse embody a mystique that transcends humanity. They shed their identities as needed and penetrate our psyche at will, entering and exiting whenever they choose. For most of my life, I have feared structure. I have never felt comfortable with the notion that a puzzle piece fits perfectly with the others. I am drawn to the idea that something slightly off can be appealing, especially since perfection crafted by others can crumble. I believe the images of Dr. Mabuse and Fantomas dismantle structures or wield them as tools to control and spread chaos. I want to embrace a system, but I don’t trust how they are organized and constructed. In that sense, and perhaps from a Jungian perspective, the shadow self, the darker version of our psyche, is at work. The impulse to destroy is as strong as the desire to love and create. 

Juve contre Fantomas by Louis Feuillade

The Testiment of Dr. Mabuse by Fritz Lang