The Return of Chandu (1934/I)

User Rating:

6.0/10   

Director:

Ray Taylor

Writers:

Barry Barringer (adaptation)
Harry A. Earnshaw (radio show)

Release Date:

1 October 1934 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Adventure | Fantasy

Tagline:

The Thrill of Thrills! The Master Magician is Back! You will thrill at his amazing new adventures in this latest and greatest mystery drama

Plot:

The Black Magic cult of Ubasti, based on the isle of Lemuria, believes that Nadji, a princess of Egypt...

Plot Keywords:

Magic | Lemuria | Cult | Black Magic | Suva

Cast

Bela Lugosi	...	Frank Chandler, aka Chandu the Magician
Maria Alba	...	Princess Nadji
Clara Kimball Young	...	Dorothy Regent
Lucien Prival	...	Vindhyan [Chs. 1-4]
Dean Benton	...	Bob Regent (as Deane Benton)
Phyllis Ludwig	...	Betty Regent
Cyril Armbrister	...	Henchman Sutra [Chs.1-4]
Murdock MacQuarrie	...	The "Voice" of Ubasti [Chs. 4-12]
Wilfred Lucas	...	Capt. Wilson [Chs. 4-12]
Josef Swickard	...	Tyba, the White Magician [Chs. 8-12]
Jack Clark	...	Vitras, High Priest of Ubasti [Chs. 4-12]

Also Known As:

Chandu's Return
The Return of Chandu the Magician (video title)

Runtime:

208 min (12 chapters) | USA:65 min (theatrical version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Sol Lesser Productions

Trivia:

Chapter Titles: - 1. The Chosen Victim - 2. The House in the Hills - 3. On the High Seas - 4. The Evil Eye - 5. The Invisible Circle - 6. Chandu's False Step - 7. Mysterious Magic - 8. The Edge of the Pit - 9. The Terror Invisible - 10.The Crushing Rock - 11.The Uplifted Knife - 12.The Knife Descends

Movie Connections:

Edited into Terror in the Pharaoh's Tomb (2007) (V)

Poverty Row Cheapie Serial

"The Return of Chandu" is notable, if one can say that, for the casting of Bela Lugosi as the hero rather than the villain. Why he even gets the girl.

The story as such, involves the Black Magic Cult of Ubasti trying to capture the last Egyptian princess Nadji (the delectable Maria Alba) and use her as a sacrifice as a means of reviving their ancient leader who just happens to look like Nadji. Lugosi as Chandu, who possesses magical powers, tries to thwart the villains.

Director Ray Taylor does his best with limited resources and extensive stock footage. Fans of King Kong (1933) will recognize the giant doors that were used to keep Kong at bay in several scenes. The acting is for the most part, awful. The actor who plays the high priest (I believe Lucien Prival) for example, uses that acting coach inspired pronunciation that was so common in the early talkies. The less said about the others the better.

It is a mystery why Lugosi accepted parts in independent quickies at this stage of his career, because he was still a bankable star at Universal at this time. Maybe it was because in this case he got to play the hero and get the girl, who knows. As his career started to spiral downwards in the late 30s, this kind of fare would become the norm for Lugosi rather than the exception.