Christopher Lee stars in director Jess Franco’s insane The Blood of Fu Manchu. Newly minted in glorious 4K UHD, unrated and uncut thanks to Blue Underground.
The Film
It does have to be stated before anything that this was made well before cultural norms deemed it unacceptable to have someone portray someone who isn’t his/her race.
The Blood of Fu Manchu isn’t the first of the Christopher Lee film series, but it is the first that had director Jess Franco taking over as director. The film has all the earmarks of the director’s style and penchant for sexuality and violence. It does make for a rather interesting film experience to watch Franco head into the pulpy world of the Super Villain bent on world domination.
Fu Manchu (Lee) is now in the depths of the Brazilian rainforests, where he has mastered the ability to control the minds of the weaker-willed. His plan is simple. Take these forced into his service and give them the kiss of death. Those anointed souls will go to the far corners of the civilized world to exact Fu Manchu’s revenge on his enemies, including his arch nemesis, Nyland Smith (Richard Greene). Though the world’s imminent collapse may be thwarted by a select few.
One can very much tell this is a Harry Alan Towers production by the focus on the lurid and bawdy. Towers and Franco were a match made in heaven as the two’s tastes melded perfectly, especially here with scenes of buxom women in chains and tawdry men doing nefarious deeds all shot with an eye for striking visual compositions and production design. Moments of torture play out with the sort of slow burn that one expects from a late 60’s production, pushing the censors as far as they can.
There is little to no time for Lee’s Fu Manchu with all of this going on. The star who shows up for no more than maybe fifteen to twenty minutes of screentime seems to be an afterthought. Though those precious minutes do elevate this C-grade piece of pulpy adventure much higher than one would think. Lee’s Fu Manchu, like his Saruman and Count Dooku, is an exercise in the physical imposing nature of Lee as a presence. Also, like his Dracula, Fu Manchu needs only a look to conjure the understanding that he is intelligence and evil personified.
One does wish that Towers had given Lee and actress Tsai Chin, who plays Fu Manchu’s daughter Lin Tang, more to do, as they are the centerpiece of this film. Any time spent away from them feels like the film is running in circles. When they and Greene finally do meet up or their stories begin to converge, The Blood of Fu Manchu because an utter delight.
The Transfer
The all-new 4K restoration from its uncut original camera negative, complete with additional scenes of nudity and violence in Dolby Vision HDR is another massive win for Blue Underground. The image is a healthy, sharp affair throughout. There isn’t a scratch or blemish present throughout the runtime. The transfer is gorgeously luminous, showcasing the beautiful photography. The image has a patina of active grain throughout, giving the transfer a look of a beautifully archived 35mm print. The Dolby Vision allows for retaining all the beautiful black and contrast levels without a hint of artifacting or crushing of the blacks, making the 35mm shot film look beautifully representative of its origins.
The Extras
They include the following;
NEW! Audio Commentary with Film Historians Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson
The Rise of Fu Manchu – Interviews with Director Jess Franco, Producer Harry Alan Towers, and Stars Christopher Lee, Tsai Chin, & Shirley Eaton
NEW! Sanguine-Stained Celluloid – Interview with Stephen Thrower, Author of “Murderous Passions: The Delirious Cinema of Jesus Franco”
Trailers
NEWLY EXPANDED! Poster & Still Gallery
NEW! RiffTrax Edition – THE BLOOD OF FU MANCHU Riffed by Mike Nelson, Bill Corbett & Kevin Murphy (77 Mins.)
The all-new Audio Commentary with Film Historians Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson begins with their discussion of the various titles of this “adaptation” of Sax Rhomer’s character has gone under. Some of the other details include the origins of Xenophobic cultural norms at the time and how the reprinting of Rhomer’s novels in the 60s led producer Harry Alan Towers to purchase the 13-novel series; Towers’ adaptations, which had nothing to do with the novels; a larger discussion of the novels themselves; the huge issue of a white actor playing an Asian character; the credit sequences and discrepancies in the English language versions as opposed to the other languages that reveal more accurate credits; the production schedule and shot on location in Brazil; the character of Nyland Smith who is the ‘hero’ of the series and was played here by Nigel Greene but was played by a number of actors throughout the series; how complex nature of these films and how it was being protested by the Asian community; the performance of Christopher Lee and the way he brings power and dignity to the role, which leads to the other actors played the character; the premiere of the uncut version of the film in 4K which leads to the various Jess Franco films with Harry Alan Towers and their dealing with censorship, including the original UK release that was cut by 30 minutes (which was a little over an hour long); a discussion of their first interaction with this film and the series in general; the connections to James Bond series; a larger discussion of the various films of Fu Manchu but also a discussion of the Charlie Chan and Mr. Moto series all of which were at the time done with non-Asian actors; the reasons that Jess Franco was brought onto the series and the films that were directed by Franco at the time – which begins his collaboration with Harry Alan Towers; the complicated rights reasons why they have never had a box set in the US but the UK has had a Blu-ray; a larger discussion of the series of Fu Manchu films that Harry Alan Towers produced – including their favorites of the series and a discussion of all the series; a larger discussion of the context of the career of Christopher Lee at the time, including his thoughts on this series of films (he was not pleased or proud of any of it); a larger discussion of Jess Franco’s visual style and how it works for the pulpy nature of the material; a larger discussion of the various actors and dubbed actors that appear in the film; and much more.
The Rise of Fu Manchu (15:05) – archival interviews with Director Jess Franco, Producer Harry Alan Towers, and Stars Christopher Lee, Tsai Chin, & Shirley Eaton. The interviews discuss the subject of making these films, specifically but not limited to The Blood of Fu Manchu, but also the cultural impact and the historical context in which these films were made. There are some interesting back-and-forth with the cast and crew that are interviewed with what is fact and what is legend (Eaton talking about Towers stealing shots while filming another project). Lee and Chin are both wonderfully articulate in their discussion of their roles, the reasons why they did them, and the controversy at the time.
Sanguine-Stained Celluloid (27:34) – the all-new interview with Stephen Thrower, Author of “Murderous Passions: The Delirious Cinema of Jesus Franco”, is as much a visual essay or possibly could be called a visual accompaniment as Thrower discusses the making of the two Fu Manchu films that Jess Franco filmed for producer Harry Alan Towers. The historian discusses the very complex production; the collaboration of Franco and Towers – beyond the two Fu Manchu films; the nine films they made during their three-year association; the way that Towers got high-caliber talent attached and starring in their productions; the various particulars of the films themselves like themes, production troubles, cultural norms, and more. This dissection of the Franco-directed Fu Manchu films is as detailed as anything that Thrower produces on any of his various interests in film.
International Trailer (3:00)
US Trailer (1:41) – the film is titled Kiss and Kill on the trailer.
Poster & Still Gallery – a staggering 170+ posters, Press materials/write-ups, lobby cards, both color and black and white production stills, and home video art.
RiffTrax Edition – THE BLOOD OF FU MANCHU Riffed by Mike Nelson, Bill Corbett & Kevin Murphy (1:16:37) – is an all-new special feature. For those who love RiffTrax, this is definitely your jam. I’ve never been sold on this or MST3K or RiffTrax (which is slightly different a format than MST3K) as a venture into film fandom. I don’t bemoan it for anyone who loves them. But my love comes from a less snarky area of fandom, so these do not work for me. I did watch, and yes, for those that love what Nelson and Co. and what they do, this is going to be your jam. It wasn’t memorable to me, but none of these are (though I will say that for all my complaints about these that make fun of films, MST3K and their Time of the Apes episode may be one of the funnier things I’ve ever seen). I commend Blue Underground for including this, as I know many who will be purchasing these titles specifically for this, as their love of certain films comes from Nelson and Co. taking them on and lampooning them in this way.
The Final Thought
Blue Underground has given this title a truly marvelous upgrade in picture, adding new special features, making this a HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATIONS for the cult loving film fan.
Christopher Lee stars in director Jess Franco’s insane The Blood of Fu Manchu. Newly minted in glorious 4K UHD, unrated and uncut thanks to Blue Underground.
The Film
It does have to be stated before anything that this was made well before cultural norms deemed it unacceptable to have someone portray someone who isn’t his/her race.
The Blood of Fu Manchu isn’t the first of the Christopher Lee film series, but it is the first that had director Jess Franco taking over as director. The film has all the earmarks of the director’s style and penchant for sexuality and violence. It does make for a rather interesting film experience to watch Franco head into the pulpy world of the Super Villain bent on world domination.
Fu Manchu (Lee) is now in the depths of the Brazilian rainforests, where he has mastered the ability to control the minds of the weaker-willed. His plan is simple. Take these forced into his service and give them the kiss of death. Those anointed souls will go to the far corners of the civilized world to exact Fu Manchu’s revenge on his enemies, including his arch nemesis, Nyland Smith (Richard Greene). Though the world’s imminent collapse may be thwarted by a select few.
One can very much tell this is a Harry Alan Towers production by the focus on the lurid and bawdy. Towers and Franco were a match made in heaven as the two’s tastes melded perfectly, especially here with scenes of buxom women in chains and tawdry men doing nefarious deeds all shot with an eye for striking visual compositions and production design. Moments of torture play out with the sort of slow burn that one expects from a late 60’s production, pushing the censors as far as they can.
There is little to no time for Lee’s Fu Manchu with all of this going on. The star who shows up for no more than maybe fifteen to twenty minutes of screentime seems to be an afterthought. Though those precious minutes do elevate this C-grade piece of pulpy adventure much higher than one would think. Lee’s Fu Manchu, like his Saruman and Count Dooku, is an exercise in the physical imposing nature of Lee as a presence. Also, like his Dracula, Fu Manchu needs only a look to conjure the understanding that he is intelligence and evil personified.
One does wish that Towers had given Lee and actress Tsai Chin, who plays Fu Manchu’s daughter Lin Tang, more to do, as they are the centerpiece of this film. Any time spent away from them feels like the film is running in circles. When they and Greene finally do meet up or their stories begin to converge, The Blood of Fu Manchu because an utter delight.
The Transfer
The all-new 4K restoration from its uncut original camera negative, complete with additional scenes of nudity and violence in Dolby Vision HDR is another massive win for Blue Underground. The image is a healthy, sharp affair throughout. There isn’t a scratch or blemish present throughout the runtime. The transfer is gorgeously luminous, showcasing the beautiful photography. The image has a patina of active grain throughout, giving the transfer a look of a beautifully archived 35mm print. The Dolby Vision allows for retaining all the beautiful black and contrast levels without a hint of artifacting or crushing of the blacks, making the 35mm shot film look beautifully representative of its origins.
The Extras
They include the following;
The all-new Audio Commentary with Film Historians Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson begins with their discussion of the various titles of this “adaptation” of Sax Rhomer’s character has gone under. Some of the other details include the origins of Xenophobic cultural norms at the time and how the reprinting of Rhomer’s novels in the 60s led producer Harry Alan Towers to purchase the 13-novel series; Towers’ adaptations, which had nothing to do with the novels; a larger discussion of the novels themselves; the huge issue of a white actor playing an Asian character; the credit sequences and discrepancies in the English language versions as opposed to the other languages that reveal more accurate credits; the production schedule and shot on location in Brazil; the character of Nyland Smith who is the ‘hero’ of the series and was played here by Nigel Greene but was played by a number of actors throughout the series; how complex nature of these films and how it was being protested by the Asian community; the performance of Christopher Lee and the way he brings power and dignity to the role, which leads to the other actors played the character; the premiere of the uncut version of the film in 4K which leads to the various Jess Franco films with Harry Alan Towers and their dealing with censorship, including the original UK release that was cut by 30 minutes (which was a little over an hour long); a discussion of their first interaction with this film and the series in general; the connections to James Bond series; a larger discussion of the various films of Fu Manchu but also a discussion of the Charlie Chan and Mr. Moto series all of which were at the time done with non-Asian actors; the reasons that Jess Franco was brought onto the series and the films that were directed by Franco at the time – which begins his collaboration with Harry Alan Towers; the complicated rights reasons why they have never had a box set in the US but the UK has had a Blu-ray; a larger discussion of the series of Fu Manchu films that Harry Alan Towers produced – including their favorites of the series and a discussion of all the series; a larger discussion of the context of the career of Christopher Lee at the time, including his thoughts on this series of films (he was not pleased or proud of any of it); a larger discussion of Jess Franco’s visual style and how it works for the pulpy nature of the material; a larger discussion of the various actors and dubbed actors that appear in the film; and much more.
The Rise of Fu Manchu (15:05) – archival interviews with Director Jess Franco, Producer Harry Alan Towers, and Stars Christopher Lee, Tsai Chin, & Shirley Eaton. The interviews discuss the subject of making these films, specifically but not limited to The Blood of Fu Manchu, but also the cultural impact and the historical context in which these films were made. There are some interesting back-and-forth with the cast and crew that are interviewed with what is fact and what is legend (Eaton talking about Towers stealing shots while filming another project). Lee and Chin are both wonderfully articulate in their discussion of their roles, the reasons why they did them, and the controversy at the time.
Sanguine-Stained Celluloid (27:34) – the all-new interview with Stephen Thrower, Author of “Murderous Passions: The Delirious Cinema of Jesus Franco”, is as much a visual essay or possibly could be called a visual accompaniment as Thrower discusses the making of the two Fu Manchu films that Jess Franco filmed for producer Harry Alan Towers. The historian discusses the very complex production; the collaboration of Franco and Towers – beyond the two Fu Manchu films; the nine films they made during their three-year association; the way that Towers got high-caliber talent attached and starring in their productions; the various particulars of the films themselves like themes, production troubles, cultural norms, and more. This dissection of the Franco-directed Fu Manchu films is as detailed as anything that Thrower produces on any of his various interests in film.
International Trailer (3:00)
US Trailer (1:41) – the film is titled Kiss and Kill on the trailer.
Poster & Still Gallery – a staggering 170+ posters, Press materials/write-ups, lobby cards, both color and black and white production stills, and home video art.
RiffTrax Edition – THE BLOOD OF FU MANCHU Riffed by Mike Nelson, Bill Corbett & Kevin Murphy (1:16:37) – is an all-new special feature. For those who love RiffTrax, this is definitely your jam. I’ve never been sold on this or MST3K or RiffTrax (which is slightly different a format than MST3K) as a venture into film fandom. I don’t bemoan it for anyone who loves them. But my love comes from a less snarky area of fandom, so these do not work for me. I did watch, and yes, for those that love what Nelson and Co. and what they do, this is going to be your jam. It wasn’t memorable to me, but none of these are (though I will say that for all my complaints about these that make fun of films, MST3K and their Time of the Apes episode may be one of the funnier things I’ve ever seen). I commend Blue Underground for including this, as I know many who will be purchasing these titles specifically for this, as their love of certain films comes from Nelson and Co. taking them on and lampooning them in this way.
The Final Thought
Blue Underground has given this title a truly marvelous upgrade in picture, adding new special features, making this a HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATIONS for the cult loving film fan.
Blue Underground’s 4K UHD Edition of The Blood of Fu Manchu is out now.
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