The Blood of Fu Manchu (Region B)

(Jess Franco, 1968)
Release date: 30 May 2022
Standard Edition Blu-ray

Things take a decidedly weird turn inThe Blood of Fu Manchu, the fourth entry in the five-film cycle reviving Sax Rohmers Chinese super-villain, Fu Manchu, from maverick British producer and writer Harry Alan Towers (Circus of Fear).

Directed by the prolific Spaniard Jess Franco (The Awful Dr. Orloff,Oasis of the Zombies),The Blood of Fu Manchusees the Oriental overlord operating from a laboratory deep within the South American jungle. With the help of his sadistic daughter Lin Tang (Tsai Chin,The Virgin Soldiers), Fu Manchu connives to create a deadly pandemic by deploying ten beautiful women whose lips are laced with killer venom Nayland Smith (Richard Greene,The Adventures of Robin Hood) becomes infected, but his ever-loyal Man Friday Dr Petrie (Howard Marion-Crawford,Gideons Day) leads the international efforts to find an antidote, and bring down Fu Manchu.

INDICATOR STANDARD EDITION SPECIAL FEATURES

• Restoration from a 4K scan of the original negative
• Two presentations of the film: with the originalThe Blood of Fu Manchutitle sequence, and the alternativeKiss Me to Deathtitles
• Original mono audio
• Audio commentary with critics and authors David Flint and Adrian J Smith (2020)
• Vic Pratt Introduces The Blood of Fu Manchu(2020, 7 mins): appreciation by the BFI curator
• The Men Who Killed Fu Manchu?(2020, 41 mins): author and musician Stephen Thrower on Jess Franco and Harry Alan Towers
• Any Way to Save Money(2020, 11 mins): clapper loader Ray Andrew remembers Harry Alan Towers and Fu Manchu
• The Mystery of Dr. Fu-Manchu: The Fiery Hand(1923, 37 mins): chilling episode from the original silent serial starring Harry Agar Lyons, presented with an optional new score by the band Peninsula
• Alternative title sequences
• Colour tests: previously unseen production footage of Christopher Lee and Tsai Chin
• Original UK theatrical trailer
• USKiss and Killtheatrical trailer
• Image gallery: promotional and publicity material
• New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing