Chandu the Magician (1932)

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 | Horror | 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:

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

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)

Cinematography by
James Wong Howe		(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:

Yogi Teacher: Thou has done well, my son. To few, indeed, of thy race have the secrets of the yogi been revealed.
Chandu - aka Frank Chandler: To you, my teacher, I express my thanks. What more can I learn?
Yogi Teacher: Nothing now. The world needs thee. Go forth in the youth and strength and conquer the evil that threatens Mankind.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Grave Danger (2009)

Soundtrack:

How Dry I Am

Unremarkable oldie

From his secret lair beneath an Egyptian tomb, Madman Roxor(Bela Lugosi) plans world domination. He kidnaps a scientist who is working on a deadly death ray that can destroy a whole city. Chandu the Magician(Edmund Lowe) with his magic powers newly in his possession is sent to stop him by using his Yogi supernatural powers. Roxor does his best to deny him by finding out his power is in his eyes. Not terrible, but not enough to keep you awake if you're tired, Lugosi is fine, the rest of the cast are unremarkable, the production values are pretty good,if a little hokey by todays standards, they were state of the art at the time. There's plenty of wandering through Egyptian bazaars,listening to the locals with their Brooklyn accents, all to the backdrop of generic arab music. Disappointing