Wow, they really knew how to make 'em back in the grand old days of Hollywood. This is the sort of film - step up Kingdom of The Crystal Skull, I mean you - that would be ruined by CGI and uninventive action these days. But if you leave your cynical side at home Chandu will astonish and delight you.
And that's in spite of a leaden performance from Edmund Lowe in the title role. Lowe plays Frank Chandler - alias Chandu The Magician, a Caucasian learner of the mystic secrets of Tibetan Yogis. I can't help thinking he proved the inspiration for Marvel Comics' Doctor Strange; Chandu even has some sort of Astral Self that comes in handy during his adventure. An evil scientist named Roxor, played in OPERATIC villain mode by Bela Lugosi, is determined to wrest the secret of a death ray from Chandu's brother, attempting to kidnap his family to force the silly soul (who on Earth would want to invent a death ray in the first place?) into revealing the secret of its operation.
At times this film is almost a lesson for modern-day superhero movies in the imaginative use of powers. In a pre-Hayes Code sequence Chandler's niece is about to be sold into slavery in Cairo (not exactly politically correct these days) when our mystic hero stages a brilliantly inventive rescue. There's a touch of Sherlock Holmes, Robin Hood and Steven Strange about it all. All I know is that it works beautifully.
Some lavish sets, pleasing miniatures and glossy cinematography only add to the effect. There's a few poor back projection process shots near the end, but this doesn't spoil things. In all this is a terrific adventure movie, with more old-time thrills and serial escapes than many a current blockbuster.
And that's in spite of a leaden performance from Edmund Lowe in the title role. Lowe plays Frank Chandler - alias Chandu The Magician, a Caucasian learner of the mystic secrets of Tibetan Yogis. I can't help thinking he proved the inspiration for Marvel Comics' Doctor Strange; Chandu even has some sort of Astral Self that comes in handy during his adventure. An evil scientist named Roxor, played in OPERATIC villain mode by Bela Lugosi, is determined to wrest the secret of a death ray from Chandu's brother, attempting to kidnap his family to force the silly soul (who on Earth would want to invent a death ray in the first place?) into revealing the secret of its operation.
At times this film is almost a lesson for modern-day superhero movies in the imaginative use of powers. In a pre-Hayes Code sequence Chandler's niece is about to be sold into slavery in Cairo (not exactly politically correct these days) when our mystic hero stages a brilliantly inventive rescue. There's a touch of Sherlock Holmes, Robin Hood and Steven Strange about it all. All I know is that it works beautifully.
Some lavish sets, pleasing miniatures and glossy cinematography only add to the effect. There's a few poor back projection process shots near the end, but this doesn't spoil things. In all this is a terrific adventure movie, with more old-time thrills and serial escapes than many a current blockbuster.