Blu-ray Review The Mask of Fu Manchu Blu-ray Review (2 Viewers)

[Matt Hough]

MGM does pre-Code horror on a grand scale with The Mask of Fu Manchu.



The Mask of Fu Manchu (1932)



Released: 05 Nov 1932
Rated: G
Runtime: 68 min




Director: Charles Brabin, Charles Vidor
Genre: Adventure, Horror, Sci-Fi



Cast: Boris Karloff, Lewis Stone, Karen Morley
Writer(s): Irene Kuhn, Edgar Allan Woolf, John Willard



Plot: Englishmen race to find the tomb of Genghis Khan before the sinister Fu Manchu does.



IMDB rating: 6.2
MetaScore: N/A





Disc Information



Studio: MGM
Distributed By: Warner Archive
Video Resolution: 1080P/AVC



Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1
Audio: English 2.0 DTS-HDMA



Subtitles: English SDH
Rating: Not Rated...

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[Will Krupp]

Thanks for another stellar review, Matt! I can't wait to own this one!

 

[aPhil]

Is the Greg Mank commentary the same one as for the old DVD?
It was very good, but wondering if this is a newer one with Mr Mank.

 

[Garysb]

Looking forward to this one. Thanks for the insightful review.

 

[Camps]

Would love to know just how big an upgrade this is from my DVD. Anyone here in a position to compare the two, please weigh in.....

 

[lark144]

Would love to know just how big an upgrade this is from my DVD. Anyone here in a position to compare the two, please weigh in.....

My WB/MGM HORROR set, which includes MASK OF FU MANCHU, suffers from DVD rot. FU MANCHU plays ok, but the other one, MARK OF THE VAMPIRE, gets stuck, and sooner or later, the same will happen to FU MANCH. In addition, I'm not crazy about the visual quality. It's pretty soft and somewhat dupey, and you don't really get a sense of MGM glamor. In fact, I thought it looked tawdry, the last time I watched it, due to the graininess. This Blu sounds so much better. The lushness of the lighting in MGM films of the 1930's that have been recently released by Warmer Archive--THE GREAT ZIEGFELD, for instance--have totally wowed me, and Matt's great review got me to order this right away, though I wasn't intending to.

 

[Matt Hough]

Is the Greg Mank commentary the same one as for the old DVD?
It was very good, but wondering if this is a newer one with Mr Mank.

I'm certain they've merely ported over the old commentary, but I don't have the DVD in order to make any kind of comparison.

 

[Wayne Klein]

Fu Manchu is a camp fest. It’s also racist but it is of its time. Karloff is terrific chewing scenery at every turn.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Fu Manchu is a camp fest. It’s also racist but it is of its time. Karloff is terrific chewing scenery at every turn.

Hell, the list of such films in that category is rather long.

 

[Wayne Klein]

Hell, the list of such films in that category is rather long.

I don’t disagree.

 

[Wayne Klein]

Hell, the list of such films in that category is rather long.

I don’t disagree. One can’t judge films today by contemporary beliefs otherwise we wouldn’t be able to watch anything. Just noting it. Much of that went over my head when I saw it as a kid.

 

[lark144]

I don’t disagree. One can’t judge films today by contemporary beliefs otherwise we wouldn’t be able to watch anything. Just noting it. Much of that went over my head when I saw it as a kid.

I think Karloff said that the film was completely absurd, and to take the film seriously would be equally absurd.

 

[Will Krupp]

I think Karloff said that the film was completely absurd, and to take the film seriously would be equally absurd.

His exact quote was even worse than that. Mank quotes him as saying, "It was shambles, it really was. It was simply ridiculous."

For her part, Myrna is quoted (again by Mank) as telling the powers that be, ""I can't do this! I've done a lot of terrible things in film, but this girl's a sadistic nymphomaniac!"

I think there's also a rumor of her telling Lawrence Quirk that the film was so ridiculous that she and Boris decided at the time that the only way to play it was with tongue firmly in cheek!

 

[lark144]

I think there's also a rumor of her telling Lawrence Quirk that the film was so ridiculous that she and Boris decided at the time that the only way to play it was with tongue firmly in cheek!

Which is why the film is still so entertaining 90+ years later.

 

[Will Krupp]

Which is why the film is still so entertaining 90+ years later.

Oh, yes!! (I didn't mean to leave that part out!!)

 

[mackjay]

Great review. I didn't find the old DVD to be bad at all, but can't wait to see how this super entertaining movie looks on the blu-ray. A Karloff essential.

 

[[email protected]]

Mine is pre-ordered.

 

[dana martin]

For her part, Myrna is quoted (again by Mank) as telling the powers that be, ""I can't do this! I've done a lot of terrible things in film, but this girl's a sadistic nymphomaniac!"

I for one am happy that a 26-27 year old Myrna Loy decided to just jump into the role full force , embellishing every bit of it as a sadistic....nymphomaniac...movie magic!
Pre ordered with a sly smile.

 

[Broomy]

Just had the pleasure to spend the evening watching this delightfully batty movie. Boris Karloff chews the scenery brilliantly. I had to pause the movie at various points just to marvel at some of the shots, they’re a work of art!
Excellent restoration as always from WAC. My biggest thanks all involved for bringing this to disc!