Chandu the Magician (1932)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Directors:

William Cameron Menzies
Marcel Varnel

Writers:

Harry A. Earnshaw (radio serial) &
Vera M. Oldham (radio serial) ...
(more)

Release Date:

18 September 1932 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Fantasy | Sci-Fi

Plot:

When delusional madman Roxor kidnaps a scientist in hopes of using his death ray to achieve world dominance, he is opposed by Chandu, a powerful hypnotist and yogi.

Plot Keywords:

Yogi | Death Ray | Magician | Brother In Law | Megalomaniac

Cast

Edmund Lowe	...	Chandu / Frank Chandler
Irene Ware	...	Princess Nadji
Bela Lugosi	...	Roxor
Herbert Mundin	...	Albert Miggles
Henry B. Walthall	...	Robert Regent
Weldon Heyburn	...	Abdullah
June Lang	...	Betty Lou Regent (as June Vlasek)
Michael Stuart	...	Bobby Regent (as Nestor Aber)
Virginia Hammond	...	Dorothy Regent
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Nigel De Brulier	...	Yogi Teacher (uncredited)
John George	...	Third Man Bidding on Betty Lou (uncredited)
Charles Stevens	...	Ali - Nadji's Servant (uncredited)
Dick Sutherland	...	Henchman (uncredited)

Directed by
William Cameron Menzies		(as Wiliam C. Menzies)
Marcel Varnel

Writing credits
Harry A. Earnshaw		(radio serial) &
Vera M. Oldham		(radio serial) and
R.R. Morgan		(radio serial)
Barry Conners		(screenplay) and
Philip Klein		(screenplay)
Guy Bolton		script and additional dialogue (uncredited)
Bradley King		script and additional dialogue (uncredited)
Harry Segall		script and additional dialogue (uncredited)

Original Music by
R.H. Bassett		(uncredited)
Peter Brunelli		(uncredited)
Louis De Francesco		(uncredited)
Glen Knight		(uncredited)
Felix Mills		(uncredited)
J.S. Zamecnik		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
James Wong Howe		(photographed by) (as James Howe)

Film Editing by
Harold D. Schuster		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Max Parker

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Walter Mayo	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Joseph E. Aiken	....	sound recordist

Camera and Electrical Department
Jack Epstein	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Paul Lockwood	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Irving Rosenberg	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Anthony Ugrin	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Earl Luick	....	wardrobe

Music Department
Louis De Francesco	....	musical director
Val Burton	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Alfred Dalby	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Heinrich Kiehl	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Edmond Lavagne	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
André Petiot	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Léo Pouget	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Henri Poussigue	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
J.S. Zamecnik	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• Fox Film Corporation (1932) (USA) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Rex Miller Video (video)

Runtime:

71 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric System)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #4786-R, 11 October 1938 for re-release) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | USA:TV-G (TV rating) | USA:Unrated

Company:

Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

In the subsequent Chandu serial, producers promoted Lugosi to the role of the magician-yogi.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the scene where Chandu sneaks into the slave auction by luring the guard away with an astral projection. The guard chases the illusion, corner it, only to see it disappear before him. Shot over his shoulder we see him raise his hands in amazement and drop his rifle. There is a cut and the new angle shows the guard from the front with a look of stupefaction on his face - but still holding the gun.

Quotes:

Roxor: [to Abdullah] If Nadji opposes me, and you serve me well, there shall be a new slave in your harem.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Grave Danger (2009)

Soundtrack:

How Dry I Am

A popular radio serial brought vividly to life on the screen.

Bela Lugosi steals the show of course, but, oddly the lovely Irene Ware (Miss America of 1929) gives the villainous Bela surprisingly vibrant opposition, considering this was one of her first films. The rest of the players (aside from merely adequate hero, Edmund Lowe) are likewise first-rate. One of my favorite comics, Herbert Mundin, has a wonderfully meaty part, while gorgeous June Vlasek is just wonderful.

The directors use an inventively roving camera to glide the audience through many a fabulously exotic set. The special effects rate as A-1.