SERIOUSLY. This is what the crap Hollywood still puts out?

A brilliant film that helped define a genre

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

Lively Sequel that is nothing if not Hyper. There is a Wild Fisticuffs Fight Scene every Few Minutes and becomes Exhausting Excitement after a while. When the Standard Action is not on Screen the Movie resorts to Minimal Sets with Flat Electronics with a lot of Wheels and Levers and a Colored Light Bulb or Two that Flash.The SFX are Weak and Obvious Models. All of this gives the Movie a Cheesy Appeal and the 1960's Style Hair and Clothes the "Brides" wear are a Distraction to the 1920's Setting. The Cars and Planes not so.There were Five Films in the "Fu" Series Produced in the Mid-Sixties each Trying to Install this "Yellow Peril" Menace from the 20's to Modern Audiences but the Success Waned Considerably after a Modest Profit from the First Entry "Face".It all seemed Forced and never quite Caught On. Viewed Today it has more Camp Appeal and is a "Pulpy" kind of Escapism. Christopher Lee walked through the Series with a Deadpan Desire to become Ruler of the World.In this one the "Brides" are really nothing but Prisoners Caged and Threatened with Horrible Painful Deaths (like a pit of snakes) to make Their Father Scientists Cooperate with "Fu". A Sadistic Tone is Ongoing Throughout the Series.The Movies are Interesting Flops with One-Note Stories holding back the Intrigue. Nothing Near Must Watch Stuff, but those willing to Enter the World of Fu Manchu for some Goofy Fun can Enjoy these Things. Others may find even the Best of the Series (#1 & 2) quite Tiresome and Clunky.

The diabolical Chinese architect of doom, Fu Manchu(Christopher Lee, imposing as ever) still carrying a devious desire to control mankind across the globe, has orchestrated a new plan to destroy the top military nations' generals and Commander-in-chiefs who are gathering together in London for a service dedication at St. Paul's church. Through a method using energy(..provided through the use of light, heat and power, transmitted by sound waves), Fu Manchu needs the cooperation and know-how of the top industrialists and scientists, and in getting that he kidnaps their wives and daughters(..they are the "brides" of the title), using hypnosis with his incredible mental powers, removing their will and in doing so can command them to do anything he so desires. Fu Manchu's arch nemesis and wily adversary, Scotland Yard Assistant Commissioner Sir Dennis Nayland Smith(Douglas Wilmer), along with pathologist Dr. Petrie(Howard Marion-Crawford;Smith's Dr. Watson, you could say)and Parisian Inspector Pierre Grimaldi(Roger Hanin), must discover his plans and stop him before the cunning mastermind is able to remove the great military leaders which help to keep our world's countries safe.The film has three basic settings. London where Fu Manchu has dacoit soldiers attempting to kidnap Marie Lentz(Marie Versini), the daughter of a great scientist needed to assist the madman in equipping his machines with the proper settings to bomb major cities. Marie's fiancé, German research chemist Franz Baumer(Heinz Drache), helps Smith and company in their efforts to find Fu Manchu's headquarters, buried underground in the foothills of a specific French mountainside. The film often shows the trapped women imprisoned in Fu Manchu's headquarters, and slave Abdul(Salmaan Peerzada)who plans to save them. A certain industrialist, Jules Merlin(Rupert Davies), is chosen for his expertise in building little wireless sets which enable Fu Manchu's henchman to set up their operations in small locations. The film shows Merlin's daughter Michel(Carole Gray)imprisoned which motivates him to do what Fu Manchu asks. When Marie is finally kidnapped in a well orchestrated siege in an opera house, she will coordinate an escape plan with Michel. Baumer will also infiltrate the headquarters posing as his fiancé's father. The film also has scenes in Paris where Merlin's business is centered. Marie doesn't know that her best friend, Nikki Sheldon(Harald Leipnitz)is actually working for Fu Manchu and assists in having her captured at the opera house. Fu Manchu's corrupt organization is under the disguise of Wireless International. Showing his capabilities, Fu Manchu destroys a cruise ship, The Windsor Castle, which will prompt Smith to move faster in stopping him before he's able to carry out his ultimate plan. Using Marie's father, Otto Lentz(Joseph Fürst)expertise, they will hatch a plan to use a stronger signal to counteract Manchu's with the lives of many important figures' lying in the balance.Plot-heavy, exciting, fast-paced fun with a great cast and dangerous situations creating an exhausting thrill-ride with Lee in great form even though he doesn't even attempt to sound Chinese. Wilmer is effective at portraying Fu Manchu's adversary;he presents the commissioner as fast-thinking, wise, and courageous. Smith has to have certain attributes if he's able to somehow defeat a villain such as Fu Manchu, with lives at stake. I think Wilmer is convincing, selling his Smith as someone we can count on to catch the terrorists out to cause chaos and global mischief. There are some thrilling set-pieces, such as the opera house kidnapping, the fight that breaks out between the "brides" and Fu Manchu's dacoit soldiers, and an attempt at hi-jacking Marie in her hospital of employment. We get to see Baumer beat the hell out of Fu Manchu's men and the destruction of the Windsor Castle ship as Smith and his men failed in saving those killed is quite a stunner. Unfortunately, Fu Manchu's headquarters inside the foothills look like cheap sets(..it's clear, I believe, that producer Towers desires to mimic Hammer), but that did very little to distract me from the perilous situation the madman was creating for our heroes. There's so much going on, you have little time to catch your breath. Director Don Sharp once again shows his skills at creating a lot with little, crafting a nice adventure out of the money producer Harry Allan Towers was able to give him. Rounding out a solid cast includes Tsai Chin as Fu Manchu's daughter Lin Tang, ever supportive and willing to obey. Burt Kwouk(the Pink Panther movies)is Feng, Fu Manchu's top scientist who is leader over the mechanical operations functioning the energy sent to destroy targets at his boss' command. It's great to actually see Asians portraying Fu Manchu's Chinese soldiers.

Evil Oriental mastermind Fu Manchu (CHRISTOPHER LEE) abducts ten beautiful girls from around the world whose fathers are distinguished scientists and engineers. He then forces them to construct a "death ray", which generates phenomenal energy through radio waves. First he uses his new weapon to destroy "The Windsor Castle", an ocean liner, which was carrying several VIP's in order to show the world the extent of the damage he could do unless his demands are met. His next intended target is London's "St Paul's Cathedral" where an international arms conference is to take place. Nayland Smith (DOUGLAS WILMER) must locate his arch enemy's new installation and destroy the weapon, but in such a way that the lives of the girls will not be threatened.THE BRIDES OF FU MANCHU was the first sequel to the popular FACE OF... (1965), which went into production at the legendary Bray studios (once the home of the Hammer horror factory) on 12 January 1966 while its predecessor had barely completed its run of the UK's cinemas. The film also came with a huge publicity stunt, in which Lee would travel around different countries in Europe and select ten suitable girls (not necessarily an actress) to be Fu Manchu's brides in the film.THE BRIDES OF FU MANCHU is in no way as stylish as its predecessor, but its not bad as sequels go with the James Bond style plot carrying a little more weight than any of its subsequent successors. Director Don Sharp was wisely retained in the director's chair along with Cinematographer Ernest Steward whose lighting did so much for the first film. Between them they still brilliantly recreate the period atmosphere of 1920's London giving it a Conan Doyleish edge. The main problem with the film is that the script places more emphasis on torture and sadism here (one of the faults in subsequent entries) like when Fu Manchu forces one of the girls (in a state of trance) to throw another into his snake pit so the light-heartedness of the original is gone. A more explicit version filmed for overseas audiences apparently exists and Douglas Wilmer who was very popular on British television at the time as Sherlock Holmes is a disappointing substitute for Nigel Green as Nayland Smith.In summary, though by no means a perfect film, The Brides Of Fu Manchu is still the last of the good Fu Manchu's. From this point on the series was to sadly degenerate into shambling nonsense with lacklustre scripts, lower budgets and poor overall execution.

I love these old movies that were made when the words 'politically' and 'correct' were never used in the same sentence together. It is a bygone age of cinema where it was as simple as 'he's the good guy, that's the bad guy, sit back and be entertained'. Once again Christopher Lee absolutely owns the film whenever he's on the screen, such is the attention the man commands. Fu is a diabolical genius, he would probably be branded a terrorist in today's times. He has abducted the beautiful daughters of some of the world's prominent political figures and is using them to manipulate world politics. It's up to the equally nutty British cop Nayland Smith to cross swords with Fu (once again) and stop the yellow peril!! Not as good as 'The Face of Fu Manchu' but enjoyable nonetheless.