The Return of Chandu (1934)

★★★★ · Enjoyable 30s serial · blue1967 · 2010-06-10

A little slow at times but this is still a very enjoyable serial from 1934. I disagree with the other reviewer, Maria Alba is one of the highlights of this serial. She is excellent and very beautiful as the Egyptian Princess. Another highlight are the underground cave sets in the second half of the serial. You don't have to be a Lugosi fan to enjoy this serial but if you prefer a super fast pace you might want to look elsewere.

★★★ · A Good Serial · billbarstad · 2008-12-07

This is one of the best serials I've watched at IA. The plot and story are coherent throughout - a first. There are almost no meaningless scenes. Aside from a solid performance from Bela Lugosi, the acting is average for one of these. And Lugosi plays the hero! That's a first for me. The production looked good too. The sets are believable. I think they used the Skull Island gates that contained King Kong in scenes on the mythical island Lemuria. The serial follows form: each episode ends in some terrible danger; each begins with a recap for the previous episode. The recaps get longer and the…

★★ · Not So Magical · picfixer · 2010-01-31

I'm a big fan of matinee serials and in particular, Bela Lugosi. So I dislike panning either, but as a follow up to the outstanding fantasy adventure "Chandu the Magician," this is a major disappointment. Contrary to one reviewer's comment about its high production values, they are only slightly above average, and this only applies to the last six chapters. Prior to then they're well below average for a major studio serial. (Don't be fooled by the constantly reused giant doors leftover from "King Kong.") The pacing is extremely uneven - at times painfully slow moving, then all the action is…