Drums of Fu Manchu
by John English, William Witney
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Gloria Franklin, Henry Brandon, Olaf Hytten, Robert Kellard, William RoyleDirector: John English, William Witney
Writer: Barney A. Sarecky
Writer: Franklin Adreon
Writer: Morgan Cox
Writer: Norman S. Hall
Writer: Ronald Davidson
Writer: Sax Rohmer
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: Black & White, DVD-Video, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 269 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2003-01-28
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Vci Video
Movie Reviews of Drums of Fu Manchu
Movie Review: One of the best old serials of all time -- details follow
Summary: 5 Stars
Fu Manchu (played by Henry Brandon), of course, wishes to take over the world, (well, at least Asia), like all mad dictators. To pull this off, he must acquire the fabled scepter of Genghis Kahn, which is in a secret tomb. He is aided in his evil quest by his sinister daughter, Fah Lo Suee, played by Gloria Franklin. Manchu also has a pack of fanged minions on board called "Dacoits," lobotomized zombies of a sort who mindlessly obey Fu Manchu's every command.
The nefarious Fu Manchu is opposed by Sir Nayland Smith (William Royle) and Allen Parker (Robert Kellard). The never-ending action runs the face of the planet from the United States to Asia. The actual filming location was the Ray Corrigan Ranch at Simi Valley, California. All the sets and locations in this serial work are nostalgically terrific.
Republic studios put together a fine black-and-white serial here in 15 chapters. It was filmed in 1940 and runs a total of 269 minutes, presented on 2 nicely-packaged discs. The quality of the print is very good.
You can garner quite a lot from the title of each segment -- here they are:
1. Fu Manchu Strikes
2. The Monster
3. Ransom in the Sky
4. The Pendulum of Doom
5. The House of Terror
6. Death Dials a Number
7. Vengeance of the Si Fan
8. Danger Trail
9. The Crystal of Death
10. Drums of Doom
11. The Tomb of Genghis Kahn
12. Fire of Vengeance
13. The Devil's Tatoo
14. Satan's Surgeon
15. Revolt
There is also a menu pull-up photo gallery with cast biographies as well as a commentary by Richard Valley.
This series never lacks for action, mostly due to its serial format. These episodes were shown along with feature films in theaters back in the 40s to get patrons to return to see what would happen next, ergo, the term "Cliffhanger". "The Drums of Fu Manchu" was directed by William Witney and John English. The film is based upon stories by Sax Rohmer.
Highly recommended for fans of older black-and-white action-adventures!
Summary of Drums of Fu Manchu
In order to gain complete control of the barbaric bond of Asia, the nefarious Fu Manchu (Henry Brandon) must acquire the fabled scepter of Genghis Khan. To find the lost tomb housing the scepter, he must first locate and assemble the Cardack segment, which will disclose the location of the tomb. Opposing him is his old nemesis, Sir Nayland Smith (William Royle) and Allen Parker (Robert Kellard). The adventures range from the United States to Asia, and contain some of the most fiendish cliffhangers ever put on film. "William Witney, the greatest director of movie serials considered this to be his and Republic's best work. A gem from the golden age of movie serials: slick direction, the look of a big budget production, a diabolical villain, and lots of imaginative cliffhangers." - Hank Davis, BIG REEL Magazine. Bonus Features: Video Commentary by Scarlet Street Publisher, Richard Valley| "History of Fu Manchu" Booklet Insert by Eric Hoffman| Photo Gallery| Bios| Chapter Menu. Specs: 2-DVD9s; Dolby Digital Mono; 269 minutes; B&W; 1.33:1 Aspect Ratio; MPAA - NR; Year - 1940; SRP - $19.99.Action & Adventure DVD Video
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