ActionFantasyRomanceAdventureHorror

The Return of Chandu

Chandu consults his crystal ball and sees that Nadji, Princess of Egypt, is in danger. She is about to be sacrificed by the black magic cult of Ubasti. Headed for the magic island of Lemuria, he is shipwrecked , washed ashore and captured. He becomes invisible, escapes and after numerous detours is able to rescue the princess.

Release Date : 1934-10-01

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Sol Lesser Productions

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Frank Chandler (Chandu)

Original Name : Bela Lugosi

Gender : Male

Character Name : Nadji - Princess of Egypt

Original Name : Maria Alba

Gender : Female

Character Name : The Supreme Voice of Ubasti [Chs. 4-12]

Original Name : Murdock MacQuarrie

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dorothy Regent

Original Name : Clara Kimball Young

Gender : Female

Character Name : Bob Regent (as Deane Benton)

Original Name : Dean Benton

Gender : Male

Character Name : Betty Regent

Original Name : Phyllis Ludwig

Gender : Male

Character Name : Vindhyan, High Priest [Chs. 1-4]

Original Name : Lucien Prival

Gender : Male

Character Name : Henchman Sutra [Chs.1-4]

Original Name : Cyril Armbrister

Gender : Male

Character Name : Capt. Wilson [Chs. 4-12]

Original Name : Wilfred Lucas

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tyba, The White Magician [Chs. 8-12]

Original Name : Josef Swickard

Gender : Male

Character Name : Judy Allen

Original Name : Baby Peggy

Gender : Female

Character Name : Morta

Original Name : Dick Botiller

Gender : Male

Character Name : Cat Man

Original Name : Iron Eyes Cody

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sisaba

Original Name : Louise Emmons

Gender : Female

Character Name : Mr. James

Original Name : John Ince

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mrs. James

Original Name : Isabel La Mal

Gender : Female

Character Name : Prince Andra

Original Name : Bryant Washburn

Gender : Male

Character Name : Vitras

Original Name : J.J. Clark

Gender : Male

Reviews

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2024-12-26

This might have worked better as a silent feature as it mixes up it's mythologies to allow Bela Lugosi's eponymous character (aka. "Chandler") to race to the rescue of the imperilled Egyptian princess "Nadji"(Maria Alba). Why? Well it seems that some Pharaonic cult from ages past has decided that she's the reincarnation of a goddess. What's slightly confusing is that they seem to want to sacrifice her so the goddess ("Ossana") can, well, reincarnate! Anyway, never let the plot get in the way of a rather pointlessly abridged version of the serialisation as it takes us through approximately one third of the story before we run out of reels and must search for him on his "Magic Island" film which doesn't come along til next year. To be fair, I like the genre and they do try a little with the score to create some sense of mystical peril and hypnotics, but Lugosi is at his most wooden here as he fears "grave danger" for the princess as if he were buttering his toast and Alba goes into dramatic overdrive as the damsel in distress. The "Yogi" says have faith, but somehow I fear this ought to have just stayed as a weekly serial with the odd cliffhanger and the slightest sense of jeopardy which is distinctly lacking here.