The Mask of Fu Manchu (1932)

Those who are calling this film racist - remember that Boris Karloff played the brilliant Chinese detective Mr. Wong (who could give Sherlock Holmes a run for his money any day). Back during this time era, it was common for Caucasians to play Asian races. BUT stop to think about how they got the viewing audiences during that time era to (slowly) accept watching Asians on screen with Caucasians. Mr. Wong brought us the good and Fu Manchu the bad. There are many other films show us good and bad Caucasians during the same time era.During a time of mostly racist America, films like Fu Manchu and Mr. Wong did familiarize the 1930s American audiences with Asians on screen... yes it took awhile but a break-though was finally made and Asians soon had lead roles in American films. I love that the world is slowly coming together and that ALL races can share equal screen time in the modern cinema and stage today. Films like this are reflections of the past.Now that I have that out of the way I will say I find this an average film. It's mostly a crime adventure and does have quite a bit of sci-fi but only a few elements of horror. It's not a great film, but it's not awful either - just average.I have the fully restored movie on DVD - this is not the cut and sugar coated version that was around for a long time - this is the original film in it's entirety. Karloff's "Kill the white man" speech fully intact along with the once deleted scenes of Myrna Loy in joy over a torture whipping. It's all extremely tame and mild by today's standards.One final note: Frankenstein's Monster (played by Karloff) was chained an whipped by Fritz (played by Dwight Frye) and Fritz fully enjoyed it -- no one cared about that. A whipping on film is a whipping on film, torture is torture. It doesn't matter their race or who or what they are - those being treated cruelly are being treated cruelly.All races have good people, all races have bad people. Just enjoy the crazy sci-fi crime adventure and realize this is the past, not the present or future.7/10

The most absurdly racist movie I think I've ever seen. As such, it's kind of fascinating. It's too silly to take at all seriously, and it also helps that it's a pretty entertaining little horror flick. A group of British archaeologists led by Lewis Stone must find the grave of Genghis Khan before evil Chinese genius Fu Manchu (Boris Karloff) gets to it. The archaeologists will put it safely in a museum, but Fu Manchu will use the infamous sword and mask of Khan to inspire all Asians to rise up and destroy the West. This was more or less Karloff's first speaking role in the movies, and he gives some deliciously evil speeches. Myrna Loy also co-stars as Karloff's daughter. The film definitely goes for the trope that the brown people want to kill white men and rape their women - Hell, Fu Manchu literally implores his followers to do so at one point - but perhaps more interestingly Loy lusts after the handsome white man (Charles Starret). Jean Hersholt and Karen Morley also co-star.

This movie was awesome. I thought the heinously racist depictions of every non-white character in it were absolutely awesome. The absurdly ominous gong sounds every single time a Chinese character appeared? Awesome. China being portrayed as a land of whore houses and opium dens? Awesome. The impossible to understand "Eastern Races" being portrayed as half-naked, barbaric idiots who worship skeletons? Awesome. The fact that the only educated Chinese character was the source of seemingly every evil in the world? Awesome. The romantic face off between the dragon lady dominatrix China woman and the virginal white woman (who wins by the pure force of her unadulterated love)? Awesome. The way all the China men were struck down by the just and powerful white men wielding the electric powers of Zeus? Awesome. And how the Chinese servant (also made out to be a thoughtless, servile idiot) in the last scene is congratulated for being uneducated? Awesome! The list just goes on and on and on...

Hollywood often has the ability to produce such terrible movies wrought with insidious stereotypes and racial undertones, and this movie is no different. From the racist dynamic between the British and those of the elusive East, it's hard to understand the appeal to this movie. The use of yellow face is virulent, as well as the movies invocations of yellow peril. The notion of the West versus the East has historical implications, so is rather foolish for Hollywood to produce such a film, but hey, they did it anyway. Overall, as a film, it serves its purpose - to purport an unchecked fear of those on the East looking to take over. Watch at your own peril, unless you're looking for some comical propaganda.