The Return of Chandu Volume 1 (Chapters 1-6)

“Anything is possible where Black Magic is concerned!”

The only serials I was familiar with prior to this were Republic Pictures’ and Columbia’s. This one, at least for the first six chapters, is quite a bit different. First of all, don’t expect edge-of-your-seat thrills and fisticuffs; this series is much more about atmosphere and magical shenanigans. The pace is decidedly laidback for a good portion of each chapter. The most exciting scene comes at the climax of part four, when Chandu and an evil priest fight to the death.

It’s cool to see Bela Lugosi cast against type as a hero, though his Hungarian accent is always a bit difficult to reconcile with any character other than Dracula. The rest of the players range from atrocious to merely acceptable, though one of the Ubasti (evil) priests is OK; he even reminded me of Anton LaVey!

This DVD is pretty good. For a film of its age, the picture quality isn’t bad. The audio occasionally drops out for a second, but never to the detriment of the narrative. Also, each chapter has its own chapter-stop, a most welcome feature.

So, if you think you can extricate yourself from pre-conceived notions about Bela, and you don’t mind the occasional languid pacing, you will have a good time with this atmospheric serial.