Chandu on the Magic Island *** (1935, Bela Lugosi, Maria Alba, Clara Kimball Young) – Classic Movie Review 9137

In 1935, the last eight episodes of the 1934 American 12-episode fantasy film serial The Return of Chandu were edited into a second feature film of 65 minutes, released as Chandu on the Magic Island.

Written by Barry Barringer, and based on the radio series Chandu the Magician by Harry A Earnshaw, R R Morgan and Vera M Oldham, it is produced by Sol Lesser and directed by Ray Taylor, and stars Béla Lugosi in a rare heroic role as the protagonist Frank Chandler, aka Chandu the Magician.

This follows a 60-minute feature film version The Return of Chandu comprised of the first four episodes, with an apparent resolution to the story. Lugosi played the villain Roxor in the original 1932 film Chandu the Magician.

Chandu is on the mystical island of Lemuria, trying to help his family escape the island but finds his white magic strengths are useless on the island powered by black magic and run by a cult of sorcerers, the Sect of Ubasti.

Also in the cast are Maria Alba as Princess Nadji, Clara Kimball Young as Dorothy Regent, Dean Benton as Bob Regent, Phyllis Ludwig as Betty Regent, Wilfred Lucas as Captain Wilson, Jack J. Clark as Vitras, High Priest of Ubasti, and Josef Swickard as Tyba the White Magician.

The running time of the whole serial is 208 minutes (12 chapters) and this cutdown of the last eight episodes is 65 minutes (theatrical version).

It is made by Sol Lesser Productions and released by Principal Distributing Corp.

Several small companies specialising in public domain movies have released it on DVD, but some may have poor picture and sound.

The Return of Chandu is available for free download at the Internet Archive:

https://archive.org/details/the_return_of_chandu_chapter_1

The Return of Chandu, Chapter 1, The Chosen Victim:

The_Return_of_Chandu,_Chapter_1.ogv

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 9137

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