GamerTab
That was an excellent one.
Noutions
Good movie, but best of all time? Hardly . . .
Maidexpl
Entertaining from beginning to end, it maintains the spirit of the franchise while establishing it's own seal with a fun cast
Leofwine_draca
THE DRUMS OF FU MANCHU is a classic Republic-era serial in which Nayland Smith and his co-horts do battle with the ever-fiendish Dr Fu Manchu and his endless 'dacoit' army. This overlong serial clocks in at no less than fifteen chapters (with the first chapter being particularly lengthy), meaning that it has a sluggish pace. The slow and repetitive nature of the production sees it pale in comparison to the likes of RADAR MEN FROM THE MOON, for example.Still, fans of the era will find much to enjoy here, not least the endless fisticuff action between the good guys and the bad guys. Lengthy fist-fights are the order of the day here, along with shoot-outs and knife-throwing. At least a couple of henchmen are bumped off every chapter, while the action roves around the globe and takes place in planes, trains, cars, clifftops, and hidden underground temples.The simplistic storyline sees Fu Manchu in search of the tomb of Genghis Khan, which is said to contain a magical artifact allowing him to control the whole of Asia. A white actor, Henry Brandon, plays the villain, and he looks very sinister; the rest of the cast are a little dull, though, aside from an ever-fun Dwight Frye in a minor villainous role. Come chapter seven or eight, I couldn't help but feel this was all very repetitive and dragged out; there are only so many times you can put up with Fu Manchu being captured and escaping, for example. Still, the cliffhanger scenes are ever fun, and it's still worthwhile escapism.
bobbloom
One of the best serials ever made because of superior acting, especially Henry Brandon as Fu Manchu, the atmospheric photography and the script, which is superior than the usual simplistic scripts associated with cliffhangers. Some great special effects, especially the chapter one cliffhanger, as well as the sinister ending to chapter 5, which raises goosebumps. This movie is available on VHS and DVD, and is well worth the time.
tomwal
Without a doubt,this is one of the top three serials from Republic.Along with "Adventures of Captain Marvel" and "Adventures of Red Ryder"[my top three],this is one of the few serials where the villian is more dynamic than the hero.Henry Brandon IS FU Manchu.William Royle and Bob Kellard are adequate as the heroes,but Brandon draws the most attention.Chapter endings are believable,same for the resolutions.Photography by William Nobles,Music by Cy Feuer,and direction by Whitney and English,all add up to 15 chapters of great serial action.
paul panzer
Atmospheric, exciting, and with a sequential storyline (no!), this serial, IMHO, edges out Flash Gordon (Space Soldiers) and Hawk of the Wilderness as best serial of all time. Some prefer caped comic book heroes, but we have here a coherent plot, a hugely sinister villain (not to mention his dreadful daughter, Fah Lo Suee), and unforgettable cliffhangers, one after another. If you haven't seen this, you don't know what a serial can be.
