THE BLOOD OF FU MANCHU (1968)
4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray
Label: Blue Underground
Region Code: Region-Free
Rating: Unrated
Duration: 93 Minutes 36 Seconds
Audio: English 1.0 DTS-HD MA with Optional Subtitles (English SDH, Français, Español)
Video: Dolby Vision HDR 2160p Ultra HD Widescreen (1.66:1), 1080p HD Widescreen (1.66:1)
Director: Jess Franco
Cast: Christopher Lee, Tsai Chin, Richard Greene, Maria Rohm
In the 60's notorious producer Harry Alan Towers bought the rights to British author Sax Rohmer's series of yellow-peril novels about a maniacal Asian supervillain bent on world domination, Fu Manchu, the character had appeared in numerous TV, movie and novel incarnations, but it was nefarious producer Towers who would go onto revive the character in the 60's after three decades of inactivity, with a series of five film starring horror icon Christopher Lee (The Creeping Flesh) as the titular villain. The criminal "yellow-peril" character is patently offensive to Asians, make no mistake, and Lee's makeup appliances which give him the Asian-styled eyelids was surely poorly advised, but apparently cinema goers went for it in the 60s, and the franchise was a huge success... that is until Towers decided to forgo the first two films director Don Sharp (Psychomania) and instead brought on Spanish Eurosleaze auteur Jess Franco (She Killed In Ecstasy), for what would turn out to be the last two entries in the 60's series, The Blood of Fu Manchu (1968) and The Castle of Fu Manchu (1969), the latter of which effectively killed off the character for quite some time, with only one revival I'm aware of, the send-up The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu (1980) by comedy-legend Peter Sellers (The Pink Panther), which I've actually never seen. Towers must have liked Franco though, these were the first of several team-ups the pair collaborated on.
The Blood of Fu Manchu (1968) opens deep in the Amazon jungle, we find the nefarious Fu Manchu and his loyal daughter/assassin Lin Tang (Tsai Chin, You Only Live Twice), in their cave lair where they have rediscovered an ancient poison secreted by a particular snake, a venom that is only deadly to men, first causing blindness and then a painful death a few weeks later. He devises a evil plan for world domination, to infuse ten women he has kidnapped with the venom by having the snake bite them, and since the poison only works on men, he will send them out into the world laced with his "kiss of death", under some form of mind control apparently, to spread his poisonous kiss of death to his intended enemies and world leaders, and if his ransom demands are not met, they will all die - oh how devious!
His first intended victim is his longtime arch nemesis, Scotland Yard Detective Nayland Smith (Richard Greene, Tales from the Crypt). A young woman shows up on his doorstep, forces herself on him with a deep kiss, and while at first he seems slightly amused by the intrusion he is quickly stricken by blindness. His longtime sidekick, the older Dr. Petrie (Howard Marion Crawford, The Face of Fu Manchu), the Watson to his Holmes, jumps into action and runs after the girl, but she is struck down by a passing motorist. With little other choice, Petrie and the blind Smith head for the Amazon jungle in search of a cure and to apprehend the diabolical Fu Manchu, with the aid of a guide/adventurer Carl Jansen (Götz George, The Cat), plus a pretty nurse named Ursula (Maria Rohm, 99 Women).
They face many perils in the jungle, including capture and torture at the hands of Fu Manchu and his diabolical daughter Lin Tang, but the mighty Manchu also enlists the aid of a Mexican bandit named Sancho (Ricardo Palacios, The People Who Own the Dark), who himself is mistaken for an agent of Nayland Smith early on my Fu manchu, his group of bandits are slaughtered by Lin tang, he is then tortured by Fu Manchu on the iron maiden before proving his loyalty, and aiding the Asian menace in his diabolical plans.
It all comes to a head in Fu Manchu's jungle lair, there's a shit ton of goofy, somewhat poorly coordinated but still quite entertaining with pulpy comic book flavored violence, kitschy bloodshed, women in peril, and a weird cameo from Shirley Eaton (Goldfinger) apparently lifted straight from Franco's The Girl from Rio!
The movie is a bit of a hot mess to be honest, but par for the course for one of Harry Alan Towers action-adventure movies, loaded with low-budget jungle action and the racist trappings of yellow peril exploitation, and overstuffed with subplots that don't pay off. Lee is a stoic menace for sure, the role is beneath him, but ever the consummate professional he always did his best, living his mantra that “Every actor has to make terrible films from time to time, but the trick is never to be terrible in them”, and sure enough he soldiers on in his Asian-eye makeup doing his damndest. However, it's actor Palacios who steals all the scenes, the guy is comedic and fun, and a welcome relief, giving his scenes a sort of spaghetti western-comedy feel, good stuff.
The movie is a bit reigned in by the usual Jess Franco standards of sleaze, though we still get some topless women in chains being tortured, it's just toned down a notch, but it is still a blast in a weird 60's action-adventure sort of way with some great looking exotic jungle locations and a slightly kitschy lair with carved stone walls. This is entertaining stuff for Lee and Franco fans looking for some good, cheesy fun, plus we get a swanky score from composer Daniel White (The Hot Nights of Linda).
Audio/Video: The Blood of Fu Manchu (1968) arrives n region-free 4K Ultra HD in 2160p UHD with "brand-new 4K restoration from its uncut original camera negative, complete with additional scenes of nudity and violence in Dolby Vision HDR!". The fim was previously issued on Blu-ray from Blue Underground as a double-feature with the sequel The Castle of Fu Manchu, and that release was less than stellar, it had been DNR'd and look smeary, thankfully BU have saw fit to give it the 4K upgrade, this new release look gorgeous. The source looks marvelous, not a blemish to distract the eye, grain is lush and well-managed, and there's plenty of filmic detail and textures in the close-ups. The Dolby Vision HDR color-grade look marvelous, warm colors, accurate looking skin tones, primaries, especially the red, greens and yellows really look terrific, with deep blacks and depth and clarity that far exceed the previous Blu-ray in all respects. The accompanying Blu-ray also features the new restoration without the benefit f the Dolby Vision HDR, it too is also quite a leap over the previous release. The sole audio option is a newly restored English DTS-HD MA 1.0 mono track, it sounds great as well, everything is nicely balanced, dialogue is clear ad precise, and the Daniel White score hits all the right pulpy notes.
Not only do we get an A/V upgrade for this release but an upgraded set of extras. On the 4K UHD we get a new Audio Commentary with Film Historians Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson, they cover a lot of ground, getting into the various titles of the film, it's home video release throught he years, how the story strays far from the Sax Rohmer source materials, and plenty more, including conversation about other Fu Manchu entries, and nortes about he cast. The UHD also features a 3-min U.S. Blood of Fu Manchu Trailer and the 2-min International Kiss and Kill Trailer.
The accompanying Blu-ray carries the complete set of extras, we get the same commentary and trailers, plus
the 28-min Sanguine-Stained Celluloid – Interview with Stephen Thrower, Author of “Murderous Passions: The Delirious Cinema of Jesus Franco”, which is always one of my favorite parts of a new Jess Franco release, Thrower offers an insightful look at the film, dissecting the "yellow peril" stereotypes, Lee's performance, getting into Franco and Towers numerous collaborations, and plenty more.
We also get a 3-min Expanded Poster & Still Gallery with still, lobby cards, movie posters and press books, and
the RiffTrax Edition of The Blood of Fu Manchu - Riffed by Mike Nelson, Bill Corbett & Kevin Murphy, offering a truncated version of the film in HD with lossy audio. I am not always a fan of the MST3K/Rifftrax comedy viewing of flicks to be honest, but I found this one pretty delightful as they lampoon it and point out how ridiculous it can get. BU also carry over the archival 15-min The Rise of Fu Manchu - Interviews with Director Jess Franco, Producer Harry Alan Towers, and Stars Christopher Lee, Tsai Chin, & Shirley Eaton, also tucked away is a brief 1-min Easter Egg that is an appreciation of Maria Rohm by Franco and Christopher Lee.
The 2-disc UHD/Blu-ray release arrives in an oversized dual-hubbed, black keepcase with a Reversible Wrap featuring both a fantastic new illustration as well as original illustrated movie poster artwork. The first pressing also includes a Slipcover with the new artwork that has embossed elements on logo on the front, back and spine.
Special Features:
Disc 1 (4K UHD Blu-ray) Feature Film + Extras:
- NEW! Audio Commentary with Film Historians Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson
- Trailer 1 - Blood of Fu Manchu (3:00)
- Trailer 2 - Kiss and Kill (1:42)
Disc 2 (Blu-ray) Feature Film + Extras:
- 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 (15:05)
- NEW! Sanguine-Stained Celluloid – Interview with Stephen Thrower, Author of “Murderous Passions: The Delirious Cinema of Jesus Franco” (27:34)
- Trailer 1 - Blood of Fu Manchu (3:00)
- Trailer 2 - Kiss and Kill (1:42)
- NEWLY EXPANDED! Poster & Still Gallery (3:21)
- NEW! RiffTrax Edition – THE BLOOD OF FU MANCHU Riffed by Mike Nelson, Bill Corbett & Kevin Murphy (76:38)
Screenshots from the Blue Underground 2025 Blu-ray:
Extras:
Buy it!
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