Christopher Lee is/was reason enough to see anything, with his imposingly commanding presence in everything he featured in (even in the lesser ones) and one of the most immediately distinctive voices for any actor to exist. Widely considered a legend and justly so. Also appreciate horror, especially the older ones (am fond for example of Hammer House of Horror), and there are a fair number of classics in the genre.
The first of five Fu Manchu films featuring Lee in the late 60s, 'The Face of Fu Manchu' is by quite some way from personal opinion, and the opinion of many others it seems, the best of that series. Am saying by quite some way, due to not caring all that much for the following four sequels 'The Brides of Fu Manchu', 'The Vengeance of Fu Manchu', 'The Blood of Fu Manchu' and 'The Castle of Fu Manchu'. Not a great or flawless film, but still good fun, suitably creepy, it knew what it wanted to be and do and had people involved that knew what they were doing and cared.
Did feel that the music score intruded too much in places and that the ending was rushed.
More suspense in the story wouldn't have gone amiss.
However, 'The Face of Fu Manchu' looks good and agreed looks more expensive than it actually was. It's stylishly and skilfully filmed and has suitably eerie sets. The script is fun without going too overboard on the daftness and the story moves crisply and has a good deal of atmosphere, especially apparent in the eerie opening scene and the shine-shivering English village sequence. It is silly at times, but nowhere near as daft as it sounds on paper and not in an intelligence insulting way. The action is slick, fun to watch and assembled well.
Regarding the direction, Don Sharp directs with great skill, ensuring that the momentum and atmosphere doesn't slip. Lee is a powerful and freakish presence in the title role, and Nigel Green is every bit his equal as Nayland Smith. Hard not to forget James Robertson-Justice either.
In conclusion, enjoyable enough and the best of a declining-with-each-film series. 7/10
The first of five Fu Manchu films featuring Lee in the late 60s, 'The Face of Fu Manchu' is by quite some way from personal opinion, and the opinion of many others it seems, the best of that series. Am saying by quite some way, due to not caring all that much for the following four sequels 'The Brides of Fu Manchu', 'The Vengeance of Fu Manchu', 'The Blood of Fu Manchu' and 'The Castle of Fu Manchu'. Not a great or flawless film, but still good fun, suitably creepy, it knew what it wanted to be and do and had people involved that knew what they were doing and cared.
Did feel that the music score intruded too much in places and that the ending was rushed.
More suspense in the story wouldn't have gone amiss.
However, 'The Face of Fu Manchu' looks good and agreed looks more expensive than it actually was. It's stylishly and skilfully filmed and has suitably eerie sets. The script is fun without going too overboard on the daftness and the story moves crisply and has a good deal of atmosphere, especially apparent in the eerie opening scene and the shine-shivering English village sequence. It is silly at times, but nowhere near as daft as it sounds on paper and not in an intelligence insulting way. The action is slick, fun to watch and assembled well.
Regarding the direction, Don Sharp directs with great skill, ensuring that the momentum and atmosphere doesn't slip. Lee is a powerful and freakish presence in the title role, and Nigel Green is every bit his equal as Nayland Smith. Hard not to forget James Robertson-Justice either.
In conclusion, enjoyable enough and the best of a declining-with-each-film series. 7/10