The Return of Chandu (1934)
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77% of users liked it
(175 ratings)
Return of Chandu is a 65-minute feature version of the 12-chapter Principal Pictures serial, based on the radio program Chandu the Magician. Bela Lugosi, who played the villain in a previous 1932 adaptation of Chandu, here portrays the famed magician himself, better known to friends and family as… More Return of Chandu is a 65-minute feature version of the 12-chapter Principal Pictures serial, based on the radio program Chandu the Magician. Bela Lugosi, who played the villain in a previous 1932 adaptation of Chandu, here portrays the famed magician himself, better known to friends and family as kindly Frank Chandler. When Egyptian princess Nadji (Maria Alba) is slated for sacrifice by members of the cat-worshipping Ubasti cult, she is shielded from harm by her fiancé Chandu. Cult leader Vinhyan (Lucien Prival) retaliates by targeting Chandu's sister Dorothy (Clara Kimball Young) and her children Betty (Phyllis Ludwig) and Bob (Deane Benton) for abduction and/or extermination. The ongoing battle between Chandu and Vinhyan culminates in a final showdown on the island of Lemuria (actually the Skull Island set from RKO's King Kong). To avoid the "jerkiness" prevalent in most feature-length serial abridgements, producer Sol Lesser reshot several of the cliff-hanger chapter endings, permitting Chandu and his friends to segue smoothly from one peril to the next. Another feature version of Return of Chandu, Chandu on the Magic Island, was edited from chapters 5 through 8, and runs 60 minutes. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Directed By
- Ray Taylor
- Genres
- Action & Adventure, Horror, Classics, Science Fiction & Fantasy
Unrated,
- In Theaters
- Jan 1, 1934 Wide
- Studio
- Independent International Pictures Corp.
Critic Reviews
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John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
...although it's blasphemous for me to say, I don't think I'd like watching this old serial any other way than with its attendant ticks and scratches.
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John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
Its unique blend of the supernatural and the exotic, its decent production values, and Bela Lugosi in one of his only heroic roles, help it stand out among its competition.
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Cast
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Bela Lugosi
as Chandu
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Maria Alba
as Princess Elaine
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Clara Kimball Young
as Mrs. Chandler
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Dean Benton
as Robert
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Josef Swickard
as Chief Yogi
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Wilfred Lucas
as His aide
- Lucien Prival
- Bryant Washburn
