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| Charlie Chan Collection, Vol. 5 (Charlie Chan At The Wax Museum/Murder Over New York/Dead Men Tell/Charlie Chan In Rio/Charlie Chan In Panama/Murder Cruise/Castle in the Desert) | 
 enlarge | Actors: Sidney Toler, Victor Sen Young
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Category: DVD
List Price: $49.98
Buy New: $31.62
You Save: $18.36 (37%)
New (32) Used (7) from $31.62
Avg. Customer Rating:  34 reviews
Sales Rank: 2626
Format: Color, Ntsc, Black & White, Full Screen
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), French (Dubbed), Spanish (Dubbed)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Number Of Items: 4
Running Time: 451
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 7.7 x 5.5 x 2.6
MPN: 2253197
UPC: 024543531975
EAN: 0024543531975
ASIN: B001ARDBXK
Release Date: September 16, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Five Star Seller!!! New, factory sealed US Region 1 DVD. Item is 100% guaranteed not to be a bootleg or import. Item is shipped directly from our warehouse. Easy exchange if item defective or damaged in shipped.
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Product Description
The last volume of the Charlie Chan series comes to DVD with Sidney Toler's fast-paced sleuthing skills.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY/CLASSICS UPC: 024543531975 Manufacturer No: 2253197
Amazon.com
The Charlie Chan Collection Volume 5 brings Fox's series of film mysteries based on Earl Derr Biggers' Chinese-Hawaiian detective to a conclusion with the studio's final seven features with Caucasian actor Sidney Toler in the lead. Budget restraints forced these latter Chan features to reduce the quality of their productions, and more often than not, the films took place on limited sets and without the scope or atmosphere of the earlier films. Plots were also reduced in running time and ambition; though hinged on a fun plot involving a plastic surgeon who creates new identities for crooks on the lam, Charlie Chan in the Wax Museum clocks in at barely over an hour, and suffers from bare sets and some highly predictable plot twists. Likewise, Dead Men Tell never leaves its claustrophobic pirate ship location, and Castle in the Desert, the final Chan film for Fox, is a confused hodgepodge of pulp thriller and horror tropes. Despite these drawbacks, there is still plenty of enjoyment to be had from Volume 5, especially in Charlie Chan in Rio, a remake of 1931's The Black Camel (with Warner Oland as Chan) that brims with an energy lacking from the later Toler efforts (there's also a nice bit involving Toler and Victor Sen Young's Number Two Son Jimmy conversing in Chinese with subtitles). Cinematography is also superlative in all of the Chan pictures included here, which lends a great deal of atmosphere to the modestly budgeted features. But the key pleasure of the Charlie Chan films is watching the detective unravel the case (no matter how convoluted) in his deliberate and patient manner, and Toler's performance (who would bring the character to Monogram and continue to play him until his death in 1947, after which Chan was essayed by Roland Winters) remains a distinct pleasure. Sen Young, though occasionally forced to mug furiously as Jimmy, lends likable support as Jimmy. There are also a host of Hollywood names on hand in supporting roles, including Lionel Atwill, Leo G. Carroll, Flash Gordon vets Jean Rogers and Frank Middleton, George Reeves, and even future Stooge Shemp Howard as a faux Hindu! Trailers for each film are included in the set, as well as still galleries and a 35-minute featurette which discusses, among other details, the impact of World War II on Fox's decision to bring the Chan series to a close. --Paul Gaita
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| Customer Reviews: Read 29 more reviews...
 Only One More Volume To Go (I Hope)... December 28, 2008
For fans of the detective/serial B-movies of the 1930s and 1940s (and for any old-time movie buff, actually), these films are wonderful. This latest collection of "Toler Chans" is especially good. The plots are interesting and fast-paced, and the film-to-DVD restoration is first-rate. I especially enjoyed "discovering" some of my favorite actors from other 1930s-1950s movie and TV roles popping up in this collection. These include: George Reeves (TV's "Superman") as a bad guy in "Dead Men Tell"; Jean Rogers ("Dale Arden" in the "Flash Gordon" serials "Space Soldiers" and "Trip to Mars") in "Charlie Chan in Panama"; C. Montague Shaw (the "Clay King" from "Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars") in "Charlie Chan's Murder Cruise"; Truman Bradley (Host and narrator of "Science Fiction Theater" from the mid-1950s) in "Dead Men Tell" and "Charlie Chan in Rio"; Robert Lowery (veteran of numerous movies and TV series, especially "Circus Boy" and "The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin" from the mid-1950s) in "Charlie Chan's Murder Cruise" and "Murder Over New York"; Harold Huber (veteran of several Mr. Moto and Oland Chan films) in "Charlie Chan in Rio"; and my all-time favorite: Charles Middleton (immortalized as the nefarious emperor "Ming the Merciless" in the Flash Gordon serials) in "Charlie Chan's Murder Cruise." All in all, these movies are great fun, and are "must see" for any Charlie Chan fan--to include any snobbish Oland Chan fans. I only hope somebody finishes off the Toler Chans by issuing a "Collection No. 6" with the five remaining Monogram Chan films that are not yet on DVD (to my knowledge): The Red Dragon, Dark Alibi, Shadows Over Chinatown, Dangerous Money, and The Trap. (Are you listening, MGM?) In any event, this latest collection is top-notch. Good stuff!
 What About Roland Winters??? December 13, 2008
Although I was looking forward to set 5 of the Chan movies, I was disappointed in the double discs. Also, what about the last 5 Chan movies Toler made? (Red dragon,Dark Alibi, Shadows Over Chinatown, Dangerous Money, The Trap. These are not in the Chanthology either.) So in my opinion, there should be a volumne 6 with these.
Now.....what about the Chans with Roland Winters?? There are 6 of those movies: The Chinese Ring, Docks of New Orleans, Shanghai Chest, The Golden Eye, The Feathered Serpent, Sky Dragon. These would comprise volumne 7. So the Chan movies are NOT complete. Roland Winters made an interesting Chan as well and should not be ignored.
Does anyone else out there know of anything about these mentioned movies and about any plans for Roland Winters???? Somebody seems to have dropped the ball on the Chans.
Fantastic Deal on solid Toler Thrills... December 8, 2008
Superior in every way. How do you make an improvement on a good thing? Give more of it. Absolutely fantastic transfers. 7 prime Toler chans on 4 disks is an ideal way to go... (IMHO) the best of the Chan re-issues. "Castle in the Desert" and "Dead Men Tell" are especially gripping for the "dangerous" flavored Toler-Chan stories.
I would echo the other voiced sentiments that these "classic" films require a certain amount of acclimation for the uninitiated. Any true-blue mystery or plot fan won't want to miss this fine collection.
 Good value. December 1, 2008
I have not actually watched all these movies (it's a Christmas gift for someone else), but if you are shopping for a Charlie Chan fan, buy your DVD set here. I shopped around but this (as well as the other volumes) were $10+ more expensive at comparable websites and stores in my area.
Charlie Chan Volume 5 December 1, 2008
i received the collection on time as promised. I have already watched all the videos. Great buy.
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