O Diabólico Dr. Fu Manchu

Jeez... come on, you guys! Whew!

This movie's always been a childhood favorite. And what about Helen Mirren? Or about that crazy plant getting shot? That always freaked me out! That little gasp, and then it starts dying...? Or how about that mechanical spider? Those electric shocks Fu Manchu had to do? And the end! You don't see sort of win/lose endings like that.

No, this movie's always had a special place in my heart. Mainly, it's a film best approached with a childlike perspective. No, it's not a Great Film, nor Masterpiece Cinema, but there is something about it....

OK! Maybe it is not the best film making but it is fun, and is the last hurrah for one of the great comic actors of all time. A gentle spoof of all of those Fu Manchu films over the years,(and frankly better than many of them) It contained many of the hallmarks of Sellers films such as playing multiple roles (Fu Manchu and nemesis Nayland Smith) Using comic actors of similar stripe (Sid Caesar) re-uniting with Bert Kwouk (his man-servant in many of the Pink Panther movies.) This was also the farewell film of actor David Tomlinson and John Le Messeur both of whom retired from films after this. The movie is a fun romp with a mix of the absurd slapstick and the witty dialog of the characters. One of my favorite lines happens after a line of dacoit assassins appear in front of Fu Manchu and he says "you can't fool me with a cheap cinematic trick." This was very fitting farewell to a great comic genius.

Admittedly this movie is unusual, for a start, and may not Sellers' great exit as many had hoped, but there are still incontrovertible facts that remain:

It is one of the few movies I've seen to ever ATTEMPT a throwaway trompe l'oiel, and it achieves it so smoothly and incidentally that I had to rewind it just to make sure I wasn't seeing things. (Clue: Lawnmower, Door, Bust)

The incongruity of dialogue with context was delicious! I mean how can you say a movie where "Queen Elizabeth" languorously - almost ludicrously - prepares to play her sax for Fu Manchu is a loss?

Three Words: My Chinese Buffet.

Three More Words: Japanese Elvis Show.

And the beauty is that I've told you all of this, and I've spoiled absolutely none. Try not to bash it for what it is not, because there is a GREAT deal to what it is.

Whilst not a Sellers classic I still feel this film did have a certain touch of Sellers genius about it. Alas it appears the majority of the reviewers here have never watched the Christopher Lee Fu Manchu films. It was such a wonderful parody that even now it has me laughing. Maybe it is because you really need to get some of the "in jokes". It also explains why this film was set in the Thirties as well ('cos the Christopher Lee ones were). So guys before criticising something try and find out why it is there. As a lover of horrors and comedies I found this a joyous blend of my favourite baddie suffering the humour of my favourite comedian. If you ever enjoyed a Christopher Lee baddie (and who didn't?) then don't miss this as a marvelous mickey taking. In fact I think it is about time to watch it again! Oh and DON'T eat Chinese food whilst watching this unless you like laughing noodles out through your nose!!!!!!

Well, it's not a masterpiece, of course, but it's far from the worst film ever made, as some of the more OTT reviewers claim. For those of us for whom Sellers is forever the arch-Goon, there is much to delight here, and the spirit of Spike Milligan hovers over the script, whether or not he had anything to do with it. Accusations of racism are quite absurd. If you really want to see a gold plated 100% cringeworthy stinker, I suggest you look no further than The Spy Who Shagged Me, beside which Fu Manchu is a real work of genius.