Bela Lugosi as a good guy? The Return of Chandu is weird but fun

Is it worth watching?

If you have a soft spot for 1930s pulp and can handle very slow pacing, yes. It is definitely for people who love Bela Lugosi when he isn't playing a monster.

If you hate old movies where nothing much happens for twenty minutes at a time, you will probably be bored out of your mind. It’s a specific kind of vibe for a specific kind of night.

The first thing you notice is Bela Lugosi’s face. He plays Frank Chandler, also known as Chandu the Magician, and he is actually the hero this time. 🧙‍♂️

It is honestly kind of sweet to see him being the 'good guy' for once. He uses his 'magic' which is mostly just him staring really hard at people until they do what he wants.

The plot is about a cult called the Ubasti on the island of Lemuria. They think Princess Nadji is a reincarnation of their dead goddess, Ossana.

They want to sacrifice her, obviously. Because that is what cults in 1934 movies do best.

The princess is played by Maria Alba. She spends almost the entire movie looking like she just woke up from a nap and is very confused about where her shoes are.

She gets kidnapped. Then she escapes. Then she gets kidnapped again about five minutes later.

It gets a bit repetitive because this was originally a serial. You can tell where the cliffhangers were supposed to be because the music gets really loud and then nothing happens for a bit.

The sets on the island of Lemuria are... well, they are definitely made of wood and paint. You can almost see the brush strokes on the 'stone' walls. 🎨

I kind of love that though. It feels like watching a high school play with a massive budget and one world-famous actor.

There is this one scene where Chandu is looking into a crystal ball and the lighting is just... weird. It’s like they had one lamp and they weren't sure where to put it.

Lugosi’s hands are doing a lot of work here. He has these long, thin fingers that he waves around whenever he’s doing a spell.

It’s very theatrical. It reminds me a little bit of the strange energy in The Testament of Dr. Mabuse, but way less scary and much more goofy.

At one point, there is a giant cat. Or maybe it’s just a normal cat filmed to look big? I couldn't really tell, but it was hilarious.

The dialogue is very 1930s. Everyone talks like they are standing on a stage three miles away from the audience.

"I must save her!" Chandu says, while looking at a wall. It’s great.

There is also a lot of talk about 'astral planes' and 'white magic.' It’s all very mystical and doesn't make a lick of sense if you think about it for more than two seconds.

The bad guys wear these hats that look like upside-down flower pots. I spent about ten minutes just wondering who designed them and if they were comfortable.

The movie is a bit like A Harem Knight in that it leans heavily into that 'exotic' fantasy trope that was huge back then. It hasn't aged perfectly, but it's a product of its time.

I found myself getting a bit sleepy during the middle part. There is a lot of walking through hallways that all look the same.

But then Bela Lugosi will do a hypnotic stare and I’m right back in. He just has that presence, you know?

The ending is pretty abrupt. It just sort of... stops after the big showdown.

I wish there was more of a resolution, but I guess when you're editing twelve chapters into one movie, things get lost. ✂️

One thing that really stood out was the sound. Sometimes the music is so loud you can barely hear the actors whispering about the 'ancient prophecy.'

It adds to the charm, I think. It feels like finding an old dusty book in a basement that’s missing a few pages.

If you want to see a movie that feels like a weird dream you had after eating too much cheese, this is it. It’s not 'good' in a technical way, but it is fascinating to look at.

It’s definitely better than something like The Return of Peter Grimm if you want actual magic and cultists.

I think I liked it more than I should have. Just seeing Lugosi get to be the hero is worth the price of admission alone.

Don't expect special effects that will blow your mind. Expect jump cuts and people disappearing behind curtains very quickly.

Overall, it’s a clunky, slow, but strangely hypnotic piece of film history. Just bring coffee.