Directed by Jess Franco
Starring Christopher Lee, Richard Greene
The Blood Of Fu Manchu (1968, AKA Kiss And Kill) and The Castle Of Fu Manchu (1969) — the last two pictures in producer Harry Alan Towers’ series based on Sax Rohmer’s Fu Manchu, star Christopher Lee, Richard Greene and the Law Of Diminishing Returns.
Directed by the Spanish cult director Jess Franco, they have their fans — and they’ll be happy to know that Blue Underground is bringing them to Blu-Ray some time this year. The previous DVD release had a lot of extras, which will make their way to the Blu-Ray set.
The first and third Lee/Fu Manchu pictures, The Face Of Fu Manchu (1965, directed by Don Sharp) and The Vengeance Of Fu Manchu (1967) are available from Warner Archive. (I really like Face.) The second, The Brides Of Fu Manchu (1966), was released several years ago from Warners, paired with Chamber Of Horrors (also 1966). How deep you want to go in this series is a personal thing, but Lee makes a terrific Fu Manchu — and let’s not forget him as Chung King in Hammer’s Terror Of The Tongs (1961).
The Hannibal 8 
So Blue Underground continue to release films from the
Harry Alan Towers vault.
OK these are not the best films in the Universe but the
Blue Underground restorations are magnificent and often make these “camp classics” look better than they deserve to.
Add to all this nice graphics and the fact that their discs
are region free it’s certainly an offer I cannot refuse.
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I resist temptation with things like this.
To me, the Franco Fu’s have always been garbage. So I wonder: will the gorgeous transfers (Blue Underground’s work is among the best around) and extras lift these films up a notch or two — or just put lipstick on a couple of pigs?
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I thought the earlier Fu films were pretty good.
You are right these Frano’s do seem to be universally loathed.
I thought the other Blu Underground Towers double bills were great
despite the varying quality…perhaps time to approach with caution,.
BTW have you noticed Shout Factory preparing THE 4 SKULLS OF
JONATHAN DRAKE and THE BAT PEOPLE.
I’d love to see a “Roan Commentary” tackle Edward L Cahn,.
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I’m really stoked about Jonathan Drake — and they’ve announced Man From Planet X, too!
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