Every once in a while, a person has to look at herself and think, "Am I an apologist? Was this actually a' good movie,' or was I just hyp-mo-tized by the inclusion of certain bullet points that make me smile but don't necessarily add up to anything to an indifferent viewer?" If you're me, "every once in a while" translates to "seven or eight times a week." I'll cop to Viewing Between the Lines when it comes to certain kinds of movies made by certain directors. In fact, I'll come right out and tell you that there's pretty much NO FUCKING WAY I'm going to look askance at a Fu Manchu story (bullet point the first) directed by Jess Franco (bullet point the second) and starring Christopher EFFING Lee (bullet point the third) supported by Rosalba Neri (bullet point the fourth). So... if you want hard-nosed, objective reportage on the 1969 flick "The Castle of Fu Manchu," you're officially in the wrong place, cupcake.
The plot of this entry into the venerable Yellow Peril series concerns the attempts of eeeeevil Chinese Doctor Fu Manchu's to control THE WORLD as he repeatedly displays his power using an chemical derived from opium (natch) that radically alters the temperature of water, sinking ships and breaking dams in an orgy of reused disaster-movie footage. Fu Manchu has based his operations out of Turkey, allegedly because he can easily access several vital bodies of water, but mainly to provide opportunities for exotic Istanbul backdrops and lots and LOTS of fezzes. Bonus! Double-bonus for Jess Franco appearing as a police detective in a fez (sorry folks, there's no police kitten this time around like there was in the mad European doctor flicks). There's a fairly involved subplot involving a doctor that Fu Manchu has kidnapped in order to assist in his nefarious scheme and the other doctors that he kidnaps in order to perform a heart transplant on the ailing first doctor. Three doctor kidnappings--you read that right. And would it make it even better for you if I mentioned that the second set of docs are a lady and a gentleman, setting the scene for a budding romance...? I thought it would.
Hot on the trail of the wicked genius are Nayland Smith and Doctor Petrie, two hella-tweedy gents from England who are quite possibly the Englishiest characters ever committed to film. The roles are drawn in the familiar cinematic-Holmes-and-Watson mold and bear only a passing resemblance to the adventurers of the Rohmer novels. I'm not envisioning the rather Terry-Thomas-esque Petrie from this film (played by Howard Marion-Crawford) heroically saving any harem girls that he'll go on to marry. Just sayin'.
Having read a few of Sax Rohmer's Fu Manchu novels, I can attest to the fact that, in spite of Franco's divergant portrayal of the heroes, the krazee of this particular plot is spot-on. There's a delightfully breakneck pace to the Fu Manchu stories--they're crammed with fiendish traps, ghoulish tortures, and deadly animals. Plus, virtually every chapter ends on a white-knuckled cliffhanger. The clip-along speed and outrageous twists of the plot make up for the lack of eroticism I've come to expect from a Jess Franco movie. This is standard adventure stuff, with a look and spirit similar to the Edgar Wallace Krimis produced during the same period.
What the movie lacks in nudity, it makes up for in incredible fashion. Between Fu Manchu's icy daughter in her Asian-inspired frocks and Rosalba Neri looking UH-mazing in her uber-groovy menswear-inspired outfits, there's no shortage of outfit inspiration here. When Rosalba's Turkish hitwoman first appears in a striped suit and fez, I almost speed-dialed My People to get a matching outfit made for myself. And--seriously--who doesn't love Chris Lee all kitted out in Chinese togs? Dude is too cool for any room, no word of lie.
The movie is unrepentantly escapist, weaving its complicated tale of action and treachery using creaky models, rubber weapons, and shamelessly-snagged-from-elsewhere footage (the ship that gets sunk is pretty clearly from a movie based on the Titanic and the dam Fu Manchu destroys is from a movie set in America, not Turkey). However, Franco incorporates beautiful scenery, striking interiors, and gorgeously saturated colors along with the aforementioned awesome costumes. The titular castle that Fu Manchu occupies during the majority of the film is the Park Guell in Barcelona, Spain, designed by Modernist architect Antoni Gaudi. Franco makes the most of this exotic set, making a character of the curving, mosaic surfaces of the building.
There is an episode of "Mystery Science Theatre 3000" (link goes to the YouTube playlist for this episode) that lampoons this film--it's got some funny moments, but the print they're watching looks like it was dredged from the bottom of the ocean, harming the overall effect of the movie. In the extras on the gorgeous Blue Underground DVD of "Castle of Fu Manchu," producer Harry Allan Towers quips that Franco did the impossible and killed off the Fu Manchu franchise with this film, but I'm inclined to disagree--this movie is fun for fun's sake, an exercise in adventure serial nostalgia that has plenty to offer its audience.
Enjoy a Flickr gallery of stills from "Castle of Fu Manchu" here.
OH AND! This Fu Manchu-related post from Arbogast on Film makes me giggle like a schoolgirl.
The plot of this entry into the venerable Yellow Peril series concerns the attempts of eeeeevil Chinese Doctor Fu Manchu's to control THE WORLD as he repeatedly displays his power using an chemical derived from opium (natch) that radically alters the temperature of water, sinking ships and breaking dams in an orgy of reused disaster-movie footage. Fu Manchu has based his operations out of Turkey, allegedly because he can easily access several vital bodies of water, but mainly to provide opportunities for exotic Istanbul backdrops and lots and LOTS of fezzes. Bonus! Double-bonus for Jess Franco appearing as a police detective in a fez (sorry folks, there's no police kitten this time around like there was in the mad European doctor flicks). There's a fairly involved subplot involving a doctor that Fu Manchu has kidnapped in order to assist in his nefarious scheme and the other doctors that he kidnaps in order to perform a heart transplant on the ailing first doctor. Three doctor kidnappings--you read that right. And would it make it even better for you if I mentioned that the second set of docs are a lady and a gentleman, setting the scene for a budding romance...? I thought it would.
Hot on the trail of the wicked genius are Nayland Smith and Doctor Petrie, two hella-tweedy gents from England who are quite possibly the Englishiest characters ever committed to film. The roles are drawn in the familiar cinematic-Holmes-and-Watson mold and bear only a passing resemblance to the adventurers of the Rohmer novels. I'm not envisioning the rather Terry-Thomas-esque Petrie from this film (played by Howard Marion-Crawford) heroically saving any harem girls that he'll go on to marry. Just sayin'.
Having read a few of Sax Rohmer's Fu Manchu novels, I can attest to the fact that, in spite of Franco's divergant portrayal of the heroes, the krazee of this particular plot is spot-on. There's a delightfully breakneck pace to the Fu Manchu stories--they're crammed with fiendish traps, ghoulish tortures, and deadly animals. Plus, virtually every chapter ends on a white-knuckled cliffhanger. The clip-along speed and outrageous twists of the plot make up for the lack of eroticism I've come to expect from a Jess Franco movie. This is standard adventure stuff, with a look and spirit similar to the Edgar Wallace Krimis produced during the same period.
What the movie lacks in nudity, it makes up for in incredible fashion. Between Fu Manchu's icy daughter in her Asian-inspired frocks and Rosalba Neri looking UH-mazing in her uber-groovy menswear-inspired outfits, there's no shortage of outfit inspiration here. When Rosalba's Turkish hitwoman first appears in a striped suit and fez, I almost speed-dialed My People to get a matching outfit made for myself. And--seriously--who doesn't love Chris Lee all kitted out in Chinese togs? Dude is too cool for any room, no word of lie.
The movie is unrepentantly escapist, weaving its complicated tale of action and treachery using creaky models, rubber weapons, and shamelessly-snagged-from-elsewhere footage (the ship that gets sunk is pretty clearly from a movie based on the Titanic and the dam Fu Manchu destroys is from a movie set in America, not Turkey). However, Franco incorporates beautiful scenery, striking interiors, and gorgeously saturated colors along with the aforementioned awesome costumes. The titular castle that Fu Manchu occupies during the majority of the film is the Park Guell in Barcelona, Spain, designed by Modernist architect Antoni Gaudi. Franco makes the most of this exotic set, making a character of the curving, mosaic surfaces of the building.
There is an episode of "Mystery Science Theatre 3000" (link goes to the YouTube playlist for this episode) that lampoons this film--it's got some funny moments, but the print they're watching looks like it was dredged from the bottom of the ocean, harming the overall effect of the movie. In the extras on the gorgeous Blue Underground DVD of "Castle of Fu Manchu," producer Harry Allan Towers quips that Franco did the impossible and killed off the Fu Manchu franchise with this film, but I'm inclined to disagree--this movie is fun for fun's sake, an exercise in adventure serial nostalgia that has plenty to offer its audience.
OH AND! This Fu Manchu-related post from Arbogast on Film makes me giggle like a schoolgirl.
9 comments:
I've made no secret of my undying hopeless love for Ms. Neri, ever since she first rocked my world in Lady Frankenstein (STILL my fave Rosalba joint, though "Devil's Wedding Night" comes close). And judging from the stills of her gorgeosity you so generously provide here, I can name one Franco movie that's zooming up my queue.
I don't think I've ever sat through an entire Fu Manchu movie, though I have had the moustache in my time. ;) However, with all the horror heavy hitters who have played the evil overlord (Karloff is another, of course) I'm thinking I need to rectify this.
I'm also wondering whether the role of Fu Manchu has ever been played on film by an actor of Chinese descent? I can think of many reasons why the answer here would be "no," but still...
I forgot to mention that Chinese-inspired fashionwear is kind of a Costuminatrix specialty. Please to hand over your pocketbook accordingly.
Am off to add this to Netflix queue RIGHT NOW. And the Sax Rohmer novels to my library list.
The phrase "rather Terry-Thomas-esque" has made me unreasonably happy.
I think you are pretty kind to this flick although I must admit I enjoy it too. But I think Franco's other Fu-Manchu-er, "Kiss and Kill" (or whatever it's called on DVD - it has about 10 different titles), is even better because of it's more Franco-ish plot. That is: beautiful slave woman are turned into lethal poison-kissing assassins! Now THAT'S something to Chu on!
Vicar, I will confess that one of the reasons I dug the Rosalba Neri character in this flick so much is because she seemed like she was batting for my team IYKWIM. I *totally* need a tough, em-pants-suited, be-fezzed girlfriend. As to Fu Manchu being played by a genuine Chinese person, or an Asian of any flavor, I'm just not sure! Certainly it would be worth looking into (though I'm inclined to lean towards your "no" answer!).
Costuminatrix, come over for champagne cocktails and hook a sister up with some Chinoiserie!
Yay--Unreasonable Happiness is the best KIND of happiness, Neil :)
Brian, I really do need to just disclaimer everything I write about this kind of hokey stuff. Once a movie passes the "un-boring" test and then goes on to prove itself in the "weird" test, I'm already pleased! I'll definitely be seeking out more of these--"Kiss & Kill" sounds like it kicks some *serious* ass in the weird and un-boring departments.
love IS blind!
but that's coming from someone who has a love/hate relationship with Jess Franco...
Yes, Professor--it's true. Throw in some sassy fashion and good architecture and I'm willing to overlook a LOT of faults in a movie. "I love you not for what you are, but for what you COULD be, oh Movie My Love" :)
Is this the one with starts with the ending of the last Fu Manchu film (I think it was Brides of Fu Manchu, but I'm too lazy to check IMDB after a hard day of work) in which an unbilled Burt ("Kato") Kwuok appears as Fu Manchu's underling? As for the stock footage, the ship sinking was from "A Night to Remember" (good call on the Titanic) and the dam was from "The Dam Busters", a WWII potboiler about bomber pilots breaking Nazi dams (and no, there was no Helmut in it, so don't waste your time).
As for the pic of Rosalba: I'm not going to do it without my Fez on!
I've had people tell me that Castle of Fu Manchu is maybe not so good, but it never registers. It's like I know those words individually, but combined into the sentence 'Castle of Fu Manchu is maybe not so good' they don't make any damn sense.
Also, I'm pretty sure that Fu Manchu has never been played by an actor of Asian descent, and I'm honestly not sure if it would be more or less offensive if he was.
If you want to see a genuinely terrible Fu Manchu performance, watch Glenn Gordon in the 50s TV series The Adventures of Fu Manchu. Unlike Christopher Lee or Boris Karloff, he actually makes an attempt to speak in a very stereotypical Chinese style, which makes him impossible to take seriously. You half expect him to say 'me so solly' when Nayland Smith catches up to him.
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