Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #21849 in VHS
• Released on: 1998-09-01
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Formats: Black & White, Closed-captioned, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of tapes: 1
• Running time: 68 minutes

Customer Reviews

Love this piece of exotica!
"The Mask of Fu Manchu" would have to be one of the unfairly maligned cinema efforts of the 30's. Myrna Loy in her great autobiography while referring to it as pure hokum also had the good sense (something you would expect from Nora Charles!!) to point out how alot of effort went into the production and it was peopled by wonderful actors ideally cast.

I have always loved the sheer exotica of this film and the lavish production and look of the piece will keep you entranced from start to finish.

Towering over all is Boris Karloff as the nefarious Dr. Fu Manchu... everyones favourite villian. It was a role Boris was born to play and he employs the right combination of sheer evil, cruelty and even wry humour to bring the part the right conviction. Karloff was a fine actor who too often was trapped in poor material in his Hollywood years. He does have a role of a life time here in Fu Manchu and, despite loving Christopher Lee is his interpretation of the evil doctor, I feel he has never been equalled in this role .

Special mention must also be made of Myrna Loy as Fu's "ugly daughter!" She is terrific in the role of the evil daughter who has designs on the young white explorer Charles Stratton. Only one year off real stardom in "The Barbarian" with Ramon Novarro and "The Thin Man" of course with William Powell, here she is playing the last of her exotic roles before she became in the next evolution of her illustrious film career the "perfect wife" ( a title she hated). She is pure evil here and is quite startling in the controversial whipping sequence which was cut out of many prints for years . Lewis Stone lends his always excellent support as the head of the expedition to the Gobi desert in search of the fabled tomb of Genghis Khan.

Full attention was lavished on the look of the film from the exotic art deco/Chinese palace interiors by Cedric Gibbons to the out of this world creations by Adrian for Karloff and Loy which will take your breath away. The film has the definite MGM feel to it so you know great care was taken in every area in mounting this production.

All of the evils associated with the "good doctor" are here to be relished by the viewer.Pits of hungry crocodiles, bell tortures, the "room of a thousand fingers" which is in reality a wall of spikes and assorted creepy crawlies in glass jars. Totally engrossing stuff!!!. No one need ever take this film seriously but it is terrific fun and as a lover of films of the 30's I can't help but admire the work that went into it.
One note though, it appears that the film was edited for release onto video as I always feel that Myrna Loy's character seems to simply disappear before the finale and no explanation is ever given. The jacket cover mentions that someone betrays Fu Manchu to help release the men but that doesn't occur in the version on video. Just a little mystery that needs to be cleared up.

Enjoy "The Mask of Fu Manchu" As a piece of first class froth it has no equals

Camp Classic!
Wow, this l932 camp classic squeezes so much into its running time--S&M, near-nudity, drugs, racism,sex, sex--you're left gasping. Boris Karloff turns in a delightful turn as the menacing Fu Manchu. Myrna Loy, in her pre-superstar days, is his "horribly ugly" daughter, who delights in capturing gorgeous hunk, Charles Starrett, and playing with him like a toy. His nearly nude scenes--when he wears a loose, constantly shifting diaper--while she runs her long talons over her glistening torso--must've have accelerated pulses of all sexes back in this pre-Code extravaganza. Fay Wray should have played Karen Morley's squealing heroine. Silver-haired and elegant Lewis Stone makes an off-beat hero-adventurer. Gorgeous photography by Tony Gaudio, comic book costumes by Adrian, art deco settings by Cedric Gibbons make this a smash-hit from the first frame to the last. Lots of flesh baring by Charles and the dark slaves. It's fun to watch Myrna lash her whip over Starrett and her "Nubian" slaves. Great quote: "Will we ever understand this Eastern race?"

Amusing camp classic
They most certainly do not make them like they used to. This 1932 film is probably the best Fu Manchu adaption and a strangely enjoyable film in its own right. One note, this film has been rated G according to the box. I do not agree with this rating for, thoughit is not as risque as it is made out to be, it still would not be proper viewing for very young children. I would give it a low PG.

The plot (if indeed it can be called that) involves everyone's favorite evil doctor plotting to gain the mask and sword of Genghis Kahn in order to rule the world. To gain that end, he and his equally wicked daughter abduct an archaelogical team one by one and come up with "only in the movies" methods of torture.

Now, a note on political correctness. It is a very risky proposition to judge a movie from a different era by modern standards. I don't agree with it. That said, some of the inaccuracies are very amusing. A few things I never knew before I saw The Mask of Fu Manchu:

Buddhists apparently loved human sacrifices (and worship Shiva)
Boas have poisonous bites
Scientists and archaeologists are terrified of tomb curses (like they've never seen them before)

Someone didn't do their research. (in all fairness, the books also play fast and loose with the facts, they are also great candy reading.)

The main reason to watch this film is to see Myrna Loy (pre-fame) and Boris Karloff chewing scenery with apparent relish as a wicked father/daughter duo. Who could have known in 1932 that Loy would enjoy a long career as a comedienne?

This movie is wonderful for lovers of camp. Also, movies buffs will enjoy seeing how this movie influenced many later serials. (I could see traces of Fu Manchu in Flash Gordan and G-Men vs. the Black Dragon) If you wish to compare pre and post Code movies, I suggest the old Tarzan series as a better indicator. (The pre and post study is not my cup of tea so that's the best I can offer by way of suggestions)

This movie can be great cornball fun if you relax and try not to judge it by modern standards.