Charlie Chan Collection (Shadows Over Chinatown / Docks of New Orleans / Shanghai Chest / The Golden Eye)

PHOTO 1 = E.L. Park in "Behind that Curtain" (1929) PHOTO 2 = Warner Oland (1931-1937) PHOTO 3 = Manuel Arbó in "Eran trece" (1931) PHOTO 4 = Sidney Toler (1938-1946) PHOTO 5 = Roland Winters (1947-1949), with Keye Luke (right) and Victor Sen Yung as sons Lee and Tommy in "The Feathered Serpent" (the only time they appeared together) 45 CHARLIE CHAN FILMS: 1929 = E.L. PARK (one film) 1931-1937 = WARNER OLAND (16 films - 4 lost films + 3 "found" films) 1938-1946 = SIDNEY TOLER (22 films) 1947-1949 = ROLAND WINTERS (6 films) Fox issued the Park, Oland, and first eleven Toler films in five volumes. Deluxe treatment, with subtitles, documentaries and even some commentaries. - designated VOLUMES 1-5 in the checklist Monogram (now owned by Warner) picked up the series and made 17 films with Sidney Toler or Roland Winters between 1942 and 1949. Released in four collections (the first three have subtitles) - CHANTHOLOGY (6 films) - TCM SPOTLIGHT COLLECTION (4 films) - CHARLIE CHAN COLLECTION (4 films) REVIEWED ON THIS PAGE - THREE FILM COLLECTION (3 films, no subtitles) For Amazon links to all nine boxes, see the end of this review E.L. PARK (photo 1) 1929 - Behind That Curtain - VOLUME 3 Korean-American actor E.L. Park was the first to play Charlie Chan in the talkies: He only appears in the last twelve minutes of the film WARNER OLAND (photo 2) 1931 - Charlie Chan Carries On - LOST FILM RESURRECTED* (VOLUME 1) 1931 - The Black Camel - VOLUME 3 - with commentary 1932 - Charlie Chan's Chance - LOST FILM RESURRECTED* (VOLUME 3) 1933 - Charlie Chan's Greatest Case - LOST FILM * 1934 - Charlie Chan's Courage - LOST FILM RESURRECTED* (VOLUME 5) 1935 - Charlie Chan in London - VOLUME 1 1935 - Charlie Chan in Paris - VOLUME 1 (debut of Number One Son) 1935 - Charlie Chan in Egypt - VOLUME 1 1935 - Charlie Chan in Shanghai - VOLUME 1 1936 - Charlie Chan's Secret - VOLUME 3 - with commentary 1936 - Charlie Chan at the Circus - VOLUME 2 1936 - Charlie Chan at the Race Track - VOLUME 2 1936 - Charlie Chan at the Opera - VOLUME 2 1937 - Charlie Chan at the Olympics - VOLUME 2 1937 - Charlie Chan on Broadway - VOLUME 3 1937 - Charlie Chan at Monte Carlo - VOLUME 3 SIDNEY TOLER (photo 4) 1938 - Charlie Chan in Honolulu - VOLUME 4 1939 - Charlie Chan in Reno - VOLUME 4 1939 - Charlie Chan at Treasure Island - VOLUME 4 - with commentary 1939 - City in Darkness - VOLUME 4 1940 - Charlie Chan in Panama - VOLUME 5 1940 - Charlie Chan's Murder Cruise - VOLUME 5 1940 - Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum - VOLUME 5 1940 - Murder Over New York - VOLUME 5 1941 - Dead Men Tell - VOLUME 5 1941 - Charlie Chan in Rio - VOLUME 5 1942 - Castle in the Desert - VOLUME 5 1944 - Charlie Chan in the Secret Service - CHANTHOLOGY (debut of Birmingham Brown) 1944 - Charlie Chan in the Chinese Cat - CHANTHOLOGY 1944 - Black Magic (Meeting at Midnight) - CHANTHOLOGY 1945 - The Jade Mask - CHANTHOLOGY 1945 - The Scarlet Clue - CHANTHOLOGY 1945 - The Shanghai Cobra - CHANTHOLOGY 1945 - The Red Dragon - 3 FILM COLLECTION, no subtitles 1946 - Dark Alibi - TCM SPOTLIGHT COLLECTION 1946 - Shadows Over Chinatown - CHARLIE CHAN COLLECTION 1946 - Dangerous Money - TCM SPOTLIGHT COLLECTION 1946 - The Trap - TCM SPOTLIGHT COLLECTION ROLAND WINTERS (photo 5) 1947 - The Chinese Ring - TCM SPOTLIGHT COLLECTION 1948 - Docks of New Orleans - CHARLIE CHAN COLLECTION 1948 - Shanghai Chest - CHARLIE CHAN COLLECTION 1948 - The Golden Eye - CHARLIE CHAN COLLECTION 1948 - The Feathered Serpent - 3 FILM COLLECTION, no subtitles 1949 - The Sky Dragon - 3 FILM COLLECTION, no subtitles * THE LOST WARNER OLAND FILMS: Apparently all prints and negatives of four films were destroyed in a warehouse fire in 1937. Through some fancy footwork, Warner Video has been able to bring three of them back to life: --- "Charlie Chan Carries On" (1931) Simultaneously with this lost film, a Spanish-language version was filmed using the same sets and costumes: "Eran trece" ("There Were Thirteen") starring MANUEL ARBO (photo 3) as Charlie Chan. It's in VOLUME 1 with English subtitles (coupled with "Charlie Chan in Shanghai") --- "Charlie Chan's Chance" (1932) and "Charlie Chan's Courage" (1934) Warner Video cleverly reproduced these lost films using voice actors, the original screenplay, still photos and music. Sort of like a one hour radio show with illustrations: "Charlie Chan's Chance" is in VOLUME 3 (coupled with "The Black Camel") "Charlie Chan's Courage" is in VOLUME 4 (coupled with "Charlie Chan in Honolulu") Too bad they didn't do the same with "Charlie Chan's Greatest Case" (1933) CHARLIE CHAN'S ASSISTANTS Beginning with the eighth film ("Charlie Chan in Paris"), the series introduced various family members to assist their father in crime-solving. Over the next fifteen years, four sons and two daughters fulfilled this role, all played by Chinese-American actors: 1) Lee = ten films (Keye Luke) 2) Jimmy = thirteen films (Sen Yung - later billed as Victor Sen Yung) 3) Tommy = eleven films (Benson Fong or Sen Yung) 4) Eddie = one film (Edwin Luke) 5) Iris = one film (Marianne Quon ) 6) Frances = one film (Frances Chan - her actual name) For a breakdown of the films that each family member was in (also details about Birmingham Brown) see the first Comment (dated June 26, 2016) following this review. PART 1: TRIVIA PART 2: CHARLIE CHAN'S ASSISTANTS PART 3: SPOILERS PART 4: SILENT CHARLIE CHAN FILMS PART 5: CHINESE REACTION TO THE CHARLIE CHAN FILMS PART 6: MODERN CHARLIE CHAN FILMS AMAZON LINKS: VOLUME 1 = Charlie Chan Collection, Vol. 1 (Charlie Chan in London / Charlie Chan in Paris / Charlie Chan in Egypt / Charlie Chan in Shanghai / Eran Trece) VOLUME 2 = Charlie Chan Collection, Vol. 2 (Charlie Chan at the Circus / Charlie Chan at the Olympics / Charlie Chan at the Opera / Charlie Chan at the Race Track) VOLUME 3 = Charlie Chan Collection, Volume 3 (Charlie Chan's Secret / Charlie Chan at Monte Carlo / Charlie Chan on Broadway / The Black Camel) VOLUME 4 = Charlie Chan Collection, Vol. 4 (Charlie Chan in Honolulu / Charlie Chan in Reno / Charlie Chan at Treasure Island / City in Darkness) VOLUME 5 = 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) OR VOLUMES 1-5 COLLECTED = Charlie Chan Collection, Vol. 1 - 5 CHANTHOLOGY = The Charlie Chan Chanthology (The Secret Service / The Chinese Cat / The Jade Mask / Meeting at Midnight / The Scarlet Clue / The Shanghai Cobra) TCM SPOTLIGHT COLLECTION = TCM Spotlight: Charlie Chan Collection (Dark Alibi / Dangerous Money / The Trap / The Chinese Ring) CHARLIE CHAN COLLECTION = Charlie Chan Collection (Shadows Over Chinatown / Docks of New Orleans / Shanghai Chest / The Golden Eye) = REVIEWED ON THIS PAGE 3 FILM COLLECTION = Charlie Chan 3 Film Collection (Red Dragon / The Feathered Serpent / Sky Dragon), no subtitles

Havent watched the fourth movie yet, but the first three were great. The quality of the film was excellent and I thoroughly enjoyed the mysteries. Charlie Chan represents a logic based movie watching and while some would argue that the main character is not played by an Asian actor the portrayers do a good job. My favorite Charlie is Sidney Toler, but Roland is quite good also. I've enjoyed keye Luke and Mantan Moreland. Stereotypes don't hurt here because these actors received exposure and made the movies fun.

The "Charlie Chan Collection" 4-DVD box set release from Warner Brothers is the follow-up to their 2010 compilation of four other Chan adventures. Since the previous release, WB has worked hard to bring the films in the current collection up to release quality, and their labors have certainly paid off. Fans of the honorable detective will be amazed at the vivid clarity of all for films contained in this very worthy offering. This brings a sense of newness to these movies certainly not present since their original releases decades ago. "Shadows Over Chinatown" stars Sidney Toler who had first taken on the role of Charlie Chan at 20th Century-Fox. When the Chan series ended at Fox, Toler brought the detective to Monogram Pictures, a "poverty row" film production company, where he went on to make 11 Chan movies until his passing in 1947. The role of Charlie Chan was then assumed by Roland Winters whose efforts are seen in three films from this set, "The Shanghai Chest," "Docks of New Orleans," and "The Golden Eye," as he brought with him his own take on the character. In all four pictures in the collection, viewers are treated to the carryings-on and interplay between Victor Sen Yung and Mantan Moreland who add their own comedic spice to the mix. I give the "Charlie Chan Collection" my highest recommendation. For those who may have seen these movies on late night television or perhaps on the big screen in their youth, or for those who have yet to experience for themselves some of the magic that resulted in iconic detective Charlie Chan's lasting grip on our culture, the Charlie Chan Collection" is a must have!

I just ordered this DVD set last week and am enjoying all four films from this newest collection as I write. The transfers and sound quality are super and the films are highly enjoyable and recommended for all. There seem to be only 3 remaining films from this Chan series: The Chinese Ring (1945), The Feathered Serpent (1948), and The Sky Dragon (1949), so I hope the last volume of this collection will NOT take another tow years to complete. It's too bad that WARNER BROS could not have offered a larger 7-Disc collection (in a slim flip pack casing) to round out this series. I was entirely pleased, HOWEVER (like almost all of the Chan collections ... with the exception of the previous set) ... WHY WHY WHY do they not use slim-line, small book-bound or flip-pack casings/packaging as do most other DVDs! Absolutely nothing is more annoying than trying to shelve (if you are a collector) all of these oversized 'concrete blocks' and maintain spacing for your collections. I just can't fathom as to 'why not'??!! It saves, space, plastic and would make any collection more enjoyable and easier to store and enjoy. As per this item (judging from the last collection packaging and current 'misleading' photo) ... I had expected a slim-case version for this set. NOT!! Back to the old ways and habits. Overall, a GREAT collection of high-quality films ... BUT the packaging is inexcusable! So, as CONFUCIUS said, "He who will not economize will have to agonize."

Roland Winters is almost as good as Warner Oland. The one Sidney Toller movie wasn't as good as the others. The comic relief from No. 2 son and the chauffeur are a little over the top, but overall the movies had good plots and typical acting from the time period. None of the hyper-action you see in current movies.

Good quality picture & clear sound Value for money recommend to anyone who enjoys black & white detective stories previously shown on TV

De la serie de películas de Charlie Chaplin son las más flojas y muestra de su declive. Bien imagen e edición

We love the Docks of New Orleans, very funny.

I watched Charlie Chan with my mother on the late shows when I was a kid. I had copies from another source but these films were much better.