NOTE: The Blood of Fu Manchu is coming to 4K UHD by Blue Underground in July 2025 HERE as is The Castle of Fu Manchu HERE

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Indicator Blu-ray (October 2020): Indicator have transferred 5 Fu Manchu films in their The Fu Manchu Cycle 1965-1969 Blu-ray Boxset. It is a Limited edition box set of 6,000 numbered units with five dual-layered Blu-rays each housing one film of the collection and a multitude of supplements. All five films (The Face of Fu Manchu, The Brides of Fu Manchu, The Vengeance of Fu Manchu, The Blood of Fu Manchu, and The Castle of Fu Manchu) are "New restoration from a 4K scan of the original negative". Being Indicator - they all have max'ed out bitrates. As well as the first three films being far more engaging than I was expecting - they also looked exceptionally good. The Brides of Fu Manchu really shines with vibrant deep colors, well-establish detail and fine grain textures. The Face of Fu Manchu and The Vengeance of Fu Manchu are similarly strong - looking fabulous in 1080P. The final two entries in this 60's cycle; both directed by Jesús Franco; The Blood of Fu Manchu, and The Castle of Fu Manchu are not of the same quality, although no fault of the transfers - which handily advance on the Blue Underground double-feature Blu-ray reviewed HERE. We have compared three frames captures for each film below - the disparity is most notable in The Castle of Fu Manchu. Those last two production seems slipshod, borrowing scenes from the previous films and have an overall lower technical value.

ADDITIONAL: During the process of restoring The Face of Fu Manchu, it was discovered that reel three of the original negative suffered from extensive damage down the left-hand edge of the frame. Cross-referencing with original theatrical prints highlighted that this damage had been removed by zooming into the frame. The above options afford the opportunity to either watch the film with reel three zoomed, as it would have been seen in cinemas, or to experience the full frame with the damage visible. Essentially, that Blu-ray allows you to play the film with 'original reel three framing' or with 'complete reel three picture area' (both in 2.35:1).

The US version of The Brides of Fu Manchu includes a prologue that essentially duplicates the finale (about 1-minute) of The Face of Fu Manchu.  However, it is of much inferior quality and actually seems to have been shot with a different cameras at a different angle (see samples below.)

All alternate versions available in this set are seamlessly branched and share the same quality as the opposing feature. Often these are opening credit and title differences. 

NOTE: We have added 93 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-rays, for four films in the set Indicator use a DTS-HD Master 1.0 channel mono option (24-bit) while The Vengeance of Fu Manchu utilizes a linear PCM - also 1.0 channel mono (and 24-bit) - and all films are in the original English language. Shrieks and screams plus a few impacting (violence, laboratory and echoey underground labyrinth caves) effects come through flat but carrying surprising depth. Scores are by Christopher Whelen for The Face of Fu Manchu, Bruce Montgomery (a half dozen Carry On films as part of his credits) on The Brides of Fu Manchu and for The Vengeance of Fu Manchu Malcolm Lockyer (Deadlier Than the Male, Doctor Who and the Daleks, Island of Terror, Night of the Big Heat, Bang Bang, You're Dead, Ten Little Indians.) The score on The Blood of Fu Manchu is credited to veteran Daniel White (Zombie Lake, The Erotic Rites of Frankenstein, The Sadistic Baron Von Klaus, The Man with the Severed Head) and for The Castle of Fu Manchu, has a less-remarkable score, by Charles Camilleri (House of 1,000 Dolls) and Malcomb Shelby (his only film composition credit.) These are supportive is not defining the film with their impact. Indicator offer optional English (SDH) subtitles on their Region 'B' Blu-rays.

The Indicator Blu-rays offers an array of impressive extras. I may not be able to go through them all in a week. Notable inclusions are the new audio commentary with critics Kim Newman and Stephen Jones on The Face of Fu Manchu - great enthusiasm and fun sharing stories and details of the production. Plus there are two BEHP audio interviews on this disc; part one of a 1993 recording with Don Sharp (director of both The Face of Fu Manchu and The Brides of Fu Manchu as well as Curse of the Fly and Hammer studio's Kiss of the Vampire and Rasputin the Mad Monk) It lasts over 1.5 hours to the film playing and a second with cinematographer Ernest Steward running a similar length. All films seems to have wonderful introductions by BFI's Vic Pratt and I liked Underneath the Skin a new 50-minute piece with broadcaster, educationalist and author of The Yellow Peril: Dr Fu Manchu & The Rise of Chinaphobia, Christopher Frayling examining the origin, history and reputation of Sax Rohmer’s works. Quite interesting. As with many of the films there are alternate titles sequences, trailers and image galleries. The Brides of Fu Manchu Blu-ray has a new audio commentary with film historians Kevin Lyons and Jonathan Rigby, parts 2 of the BEHP Sharp and Steward audio interviews (each running another 1.5 hours). I have not indulged yet. There is also a length Guardian Interview with Christopher Lee a wide-ranging onstage interview with the legendary actor, conducted by the film critic David Robinson and I loved Kim Newman's 20-minute Pages of Peril discussing Sax Rohmer and the Fu Manchu novels. On The Vengeance of Fu Manchu Blu-ray disc, there is another new audio commentary with film historians Kevin Lyons and Jonathan Rigby and a 72-minute BEHP audio interview with Jeremy Summers in conversation with Darrol Blake. I was impressed with the detail of Jonathan Rigby's Tall, Lean and Feline - a new video piece on the early career of Christopher Lee. Indicator curiously include Jeremy Summers' 1966 The Ghost of Monk’s Island, which was originally released by the Children's Film Foundation in serial form, consisting of seven parts. These were later compiled by the CFF into a feature-length presentation, removing individual credits and episode summaries. This 1.5 hour latter version is presented on this Blu-ray. The Cheque’s in the Post is new and spends 5-minutes with first assistant director Anthony Waye as he recalls Harry Alan Towers and Fu Manchu. The Blood of Fu Manchu disc offers a new audio commentary with critics and authors David Flint and Adrian J. Smith. The Men Who Killed Fu Manchu? is a new 40-minute video piece with author and musician Stephen Thrower on Jesús Franco and Harry Alan Towers. Any Way to Save Money spends 11-minute with clapper loader Ray Andrew as he remembers Harry Alan Towers and Fu Manchu. I love that Indicator have included The Mystery of Dr. Fu-Manchu: ‘The Fiery Hand’ a 36-minute 1936 chilling episode from the original silent serial starring Harry Agar Lyons, presented with an optional new score by the band Peninsula. This new score for The Mystery of Dr. Fu-Manchu: 'The Fiery Hand' by the band Peninsula was recorded 1-2 August 2020 at Karma Studios, Stoke Newington, London. It was arranged, produced and mixed by Tom Blackford. Peninsula is: David Boothby Guitar and guitar effects James Blackford Guitar Tom Blackford Bass, guitar and synths George Robertson Drums and percussion. Some may be interested in the 45-seconds of Colour tests - previously unseen production footage of Christopher Lee and Tsai Chin. On the last Blu-ray disc, The Castle of Fu Manchu, we get From Alicante to Istanbul a new 1/4 interview with actor and fan favorite Rosalba Neri (Two Males for Alexa, Lady Frankenstein) as she remembers Jesús Franco, Maria Rohm and the making of The Castle of Fu Manchu. There is a 3/4 hour interview with Harry Alan Towers from 2008. It amounts to a far-reaching personal account of the intrepid producer’s life in radio, TV and film. We get another 1924 episode - The Further Mysteries of Dr. Fu-Manchu: ‘The Coughing Horror’ runs 1/2 hour where Fu Manchu torments Nayland Smith with a terrifying creature in this silent serial sequel, presented with an optional new score by the band Peninsula, recorded 1-2 August 2020 at Karma Studios, Stoke Newington, London. The incredible Blu-ray package has a limited edition exclusive 120-page book with a new essay on the Fu Manchu cycle by Tim Lucas, a look at the career of producer/screenwriter Harry Alan Towers, an examination of the work of Fu Manchu creator Sax Rohmer, new writing on The Ghost of Monk's Island and the Stoll Pictures' Fu Manchu silent serials, archival newspaper articles on the films, extracts from the films' pressbooks, an overview of contemporary critical responses, and film credits. Lastly, are limited edition exclusive double-sided poster and five replica production stills. 

Indicator's The Fu Manchu Cycle 1965-1969 Blu-ray Boxset is a big winner despite the modest acclaim for the film. Blue Underground didn't do the reputation any favors releasing the admitted stinkers The Blood of Fu Manchu, and The Castle of Fu Manchu on Blu-ray in the US. You can trust me that the first three in this cycle are a night and day improvement (film-wise) over the scattered Jesús Franco hodge-podge messes. The Brides of Fu Manchu has a pretty cool genre appeal as do the other two; The Face of Fu Manchu and The Vengeance of Fu Manchu. But this set will be sure to turn any negative opinions around. There are hours and hours of supplements from commentaries, Fu Manchu silent serials, appreciations, interviews and much more (Kim Newman!). It's one of the most thoroughly complete sets of the year. Just Indicator doing their usual amazing job. These Christopher Lee / Fu Manchu films have their own cache - unique with the misogyny by a relentless super-villain bent on ruthless world domination with his icy, evil, daughter. I mean, where are you gonna get that? To those curious we encourage and investment in this monumental package.  

Gary Tooze