Since 1923, Sax Rohmer's arch-villain Fu Manchu had been brought from the novels to the screen again and again, the most famous interpretation probably created by Boris Karloff in 1932. Between 1965-68, Christopher Lee starred in 5 more Fu Manchu movies. The German co-producers often added stars from the Edgar Wallace series, such as Joachim Fuchsberger and Karin Dor when the new series opened with "The Face of Fu Manchu". Strangely enough, it begins as if it was a sequel to something, describing Fu Manchu faking his execution while Nayland Smith watches, although we are not told how they got into this situation. Anyway, Fu Manchu comes to London with a weapon of mass destruction, while Smith tries to stop him. Smith had a „feeling" from the beginning that he was cheated at the execution, but it was not completely reasonable for a man like him, since the first hints at new activities were vague. So I thought he might have been be a bit more surprised when he actually meets the criminal mastermind. The last third of the movie is a bit rushed, especially the scenes in Tibet. It is not a perfect movie because it has a few holes, but it was a good start for the new series. I voted 7/8/5/7/4 for the five movies.

The legendary Boris Karloff played the fiendish Dr. Fu Manchu back in 1932. Who else than Christopher Lee would be able to bring this notorious screen-villain back to life? Karloff and Lee both have an amazing charisma and disguised in many evil characters before…The Yellow Peril Dr. Fu Manchu surely is one that speaks most to the imagination. In this first film of the new series, Dr. Fu Manchu hypnotized a look-alike of his and this person was decapitated. While everybody initially believes Fu Manchu is dead, vicious events start to happen again. The clever archenemy of Fu Manchu, Scotland Yard's Nayland Smith, once again opens the hunt for this diabolical doctor.

The Face of Dr. Fu Manchu isn't a very suspenseful film and the script (written by the legendary producer Harry Alan Towers) hasn't got any compelling aspects to offer. Yet, it's enormous fun to see Lee act at his fiendish best and horror fans will enjoy watching all his terrific torturing-tricks! Director Don Sharp (also known for his brilliantly insane film `Psychomania') makes great use of the ominous locations and the scenery and all the rest is up to Lee and a surprisingly good performance by Nigel Green! The Face of Fu Manchu meant the start of a new series of film, all starring Lee as the abominable Dr. Four sequels followed, of which the last two were directed by Jess `Godfather of Sleaze' Franco. Every single film is worth watching only because they're so much fun! Don't ever expect a masterpiece, though! If you do desire to stumble upon a masterpiece, track down `The Mask of Fu Manchu' starring Boris Karloff.

Christopher Lee's first outing as the Oriental villain is probably the best of the bunch and serves as another memorable role for his huge CV. Taking over the mantle from Boris Karloff - who had played Manchu in the 1930s - Lee's Manchu films would always be cheaper, less entertaining affairs, but still served up enough action and twists in the plot to keep things moving along nicely.

All of the staples of the adventure genre are there: people being tied up to chairs and freeing themselves, people being whipped, glass tanks filling with water and drowning people, and most of all the heroes fighting off villains. I loved the fight scenes in these films. Nayland Smith attacks one of his friends and fights in a laboratory, for what seems like an eternity. After the little scrap neither men are bleeding!

Of course, Chinese people are the ones getting beaten up and stabbed (in a variety of PG certificate ways) along the way, which does make the film seem a little racist in today's society. Nigel Green is memorably stern-faced and proud in his one-off role as Manchu's chief adversary, Nayland Smith, while Tsai Chin is also wickedly evil as Manchu's daughter. She would return in later entries in the series. Lee, however carries the film on his shoulders and is excellent as the soft-spoken super villain with the long moustache and funny costume. Very typical of the FLASH GORDON-type serials of the '30s, with the emphasis on plot twists, explosions, kidnapping and escape, and fighting, THE FACE OF FU MANCHU is a hugely enjoyable yarn to be enjoyed by old and new alike. As Lee himself says "the world shall hear from me again".