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Michael Elliott	Charlie Chan	Lead	[-]
Apr 10 05 12:59 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I just ordered 42 Charlie Chan films even though I've only seen CHARLIE CHAN AT THE OPERA. Can anyone comment on the best of the bunch? I'm going to watch them all in order but I'm rather curious to know which ones are considered the best/worst.
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Laughing Gravy	Re: Charlie Chan	#1	[-]
Apr 10 05 2:11 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	In addition to any responses you get here (don't look at me, the darn things are the Sominex of films as far as I'm concerned), be sure to check out www.charliechan.net.
Tim Lucas VW	Re:	#2	[-]
Apr 10 05 2:20 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	My favorites include CHARLIE CHAN AT THE CIRCUS, CHARLIE CHAN AT TREASURE ISLAND and THE SHANGHAI COBRA.
DrPaulArmstrong	Re: Re:	#3	[-]
Apr 10 05 2:26 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	OPERA and TREASURE ISLAND are great, though my personal favorite is without a doubt DEAD MEN TELL, followed by CASTLE IN THE DESERT. My favorite of the really later ones is THE TRAP (though I stop short of Roland Winters).
Chesterbelloc	Re: Re:	#4	[-]
Apr 10 05 3:18 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	My favorites are AT THE OPERA and CC IN EGYPT; BLACK CAMEL is also good, but I need to see it in a really nice copy to appreciate it more.
bosko52	re: Charlie Chan	#5	[-]
Apr 10 05 5:29 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I'll second DEAD MEN TELL---it's probably my favorite Chan. Seen in a good print, the stark b/w photography is a knockout. AND there's a good part for George Reeves!
DrPaulArmstrong	re: Charlie Chan	#6	[-]
Apr 10 05 5:55 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	<<Seen in a good print, the stark b/w photography is a knockout.>> And the closeups are extraordinary, in both quality and quantity
Rapfred	Re: re: Charlie Chan	#7	[-]
Apr 10 05 6:17 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	AT THE CIRCUS has an embarrassment of riches: Our Gang fidgets George and Olive Brasno, Lee Chan's sexiest heartthrob (the hotcha Shia Jung), a sober, austere Francis Ford (before becoming the grinning, drunken laughingstock of his brother John's movies), and a glimpse of the entire Chan brood (save No. 2 son Jimmy). AT THE OLYMPICS has the series' most endearing moment -- a shipboard reunion between Charlie and Lee that's a joy to behold. ON BROADWAY pits Charlie against the Mindy's cheesecake crowd, as scene-stealing slang-tossers Douglas Fowley, Marc Lawrence and comely Toshia Mori spout some of the snappiest Runyonesque patter this side of LADY FOR A DAY. With J. Edward "Prof. Laszlo" Bromberg, Donald "Cyrus Zorba" Woods, Leon "Aww Camille, I love you" Ames, and the ubiquitous Harold Huber as (what else?) a flatfoot.
Michael Elliott	Re: Charlie Chan	#8	[-]
Apr 10 05 8:11 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Thanks for the replies. I just noticed that Boris Karloff is in the first Chan movie BEHIND THE CURTAIN. :) One of the movies in this set includes the Spanish version of one of the Fox films that's lost. Looking through the IMDB it appears there are several of the Chan films lost, which is a shame. Anyone know how long these have been lost?
LesDaniels	Re: Charlie Chan	#9	[-]
Apr 11 05 1:43 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Chan was discussed earlier in a thread below called "Chanthology." THE BLACK CAMEL (with Lugosi) and AT THE OPERA (with Karloff) are fan favorites for obvious reasons, but the series also included appearances by veteran villains George Zucco (IN HONOLULU), Lionel Atwill (IN PANAMA and MURDER CRUISE) and Henry Daniell (CASTLE IN THE DESERT). Purists endorse Warner Oland, but by general consensus the best of the series is TREASURE ISLAND, which stars Sidney Toler. That has considerable horrror content, as do the later Tolers DEAD MEN TELL and CASTLE IN THE DESERT, both directed by artist-turned-director Harry Lachman.When Fox dropped the series after CASTLE, Toler acquired the rights and made a deal with Monogram, but there was a terrible drop in quality. It's tough to know just when films get lost--they aren't usually left on a bus or anything like that! Generally, the earliest ones are the hardest to find. One that was considered missing but turned up was CHARLIE CHAN IN PARIS. I seem to recall thaat Fox had found another oldie, but they ended up suppressing it last year along with the rest of the series. I can't remember the title.
Laughing Gravy	Re: Charlie Chan	#10	[-]
Apr 11 05 12:44 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	By the way, CHARLIE CHAN IN LONDON and CHARLIE CHAN IN PARIS are available on DVD in England (Region 2), but by all reports the transfers are no great shakes.
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evilskippy	Re: Charlie Chan	#11	[-]
Apr 11 05 1:17 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I've been watching a lot of Chans lately and some of the better ones IMHO: Castle In The Desert The Black Camel Charlie Chan In Shanghai Charlie Chan At The Wax Museum Charlie Chan At The Opera Docks Of New Orleans Still have quite a few more to watch. "Permit me to introduce myself.My name is Mabuse.Dr Mabuse".
sthorntn	Re: Charlie Chan	#12	[-]
Apr 11 05 2:50 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	<< One of the movies in this set includes the Spanish version of one of the Fox films that's lost. Looking through the IMDB it appears there are several of the Chan films lost, which is a shame. Anyone know how long these have been lost? >> Fox had a major vault fire shortly after their merger with 20th Century in the mid 1930s. It is believed that many of their silents and early talkies bit the dust at the time.
Michael Elliott	Fire	#13	[-]
Apr 11 05 10:05 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	*Quote:* Fox had a major vault fire shortly after their merger with 20th Century in the mid 1930s. It is believed that many of their silents and early talkies bit the dust at the time. Thanks, that's what I was wondering.
mmoaks	Re: Charlie Chan	#14	[-]
Apr 12 05 4:57 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I know it's not PC to admit it, but I find Stepin Fetchit a surreal, hilarious delight in CC IN EGYPT. The guy's in his own world. The last Fox entry, CASTLE IN THE DESERT, also rates pretty high in my book. Mike O'Connor * * * * * The Cubs made me a criminal, sent me down a wayward path, they stole my youth from me -Steve Goodman
davlghry	Re:Charlie Chan	#15	[-]
Apr 13 05 8:53 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	CASTLE IN THE DESERT is one of my favorite Chans as well. My all time favorite is probably CHARLIE CHAN AT TREASURE ISLAND, mainly for spooky Dr. Zodiac.
BrianDesmond	Chan Chan Chan	#16	[-]
Apr 15 05 1:06 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I hope you got good prints of the Chan films. THE BLACK CAMEL is my favorite then CHAN IN PARIS CHAN AT TREASURE ISLAND CHAN IN SHANGHAI but they are all good. hope you recall how the FOX MOVIE CHANNEL pulled the series suddenly two summers ago.
BrianDesmond	Re: Charlie Chan	#17	[-]
Apr 15 05 1:13 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I cannot recommend highly enough THE CHARLIE CHAN FILM ENCYCLOPEDIA by Howard Berlin. priceless.
Chesterbelloc	Re: Charlie Chan	#18	[-]
Apr 16 05 8:13 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I'm still hoping for a DVD release of CHARLIE CHAN AND THE GALLOPING GHOST OF MYSTERY GULCH. ;)
Joe Karlosi	Re: Charlie Chan	#19	[-]
Apr 17 05 5:23 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	*Quote:* I'm still hoping for a DVD release of CHARLIE CHAN AND THE GALLOPING GHOST OF MYSTERY GULCH. ;) They used to play that one on THE LATE, LATE LATE SHOW. ------------------------------------ "It's MORE ... than a hobby!"
Michael Elliott	Thanks	#20	[-]
Apr 17 05 10:35 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	*Quote:* I hope you got good prints of the Chan films. I'm really not sure how good the prints will be. I got all of them on 14 DVDs (3 films to a disc). I went in favor of the price since I haven't seen any of these but one. Here's the package I ordered: thevintagetheatre.com/charliechanle.html *Quote:* I cannot recommend highly enough THE CHARLIE CHAN FILM ENCYCLOPEDIA by Howard Berlin. priceless Thanks. I'll check the book out if I end up enjoying the films. As for Fox, screw them. Peter told me prior to the protest that two Chan's would be released that winter and if they sold well more would follow, ala their Studio Classics line. Of course, the controversy broke and now he says they won't be released because they won't sell.
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