5.7 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Famous detective Charlie Chan (Peter Ustinov) is called out of retirement to help a San Francisco detective solve a mysterious series of murders. With his bumbling grandson (Richard Hatch) as his sidekick, Chan also encounters an old nemesis known as the Dragon Queen (Angie Dickinson) who is the prime suspect..
Starring: Peter Ustinov, Lee Grant, Angie Dickinson, Richard Hatch, Brian KeithComedy | 100% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
None
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 3.0 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Controversy tends to follow any discussion of Charlie Chan, but it’s hard to deny the extensive media history the character has enjoyed, bringing his crime-solving ways to books, television, radio, and movies. It’s easy to see why some would be offended, finding the Asian detective often played by white men in yellowface, struggling cartoonishly with the English language, but it’s also interesting to watch the sleuth always emerge as the smartest person in the room, with little slipping past him. However, for 1981’s “Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen,” outrage is generally challenged by silliness, with director Clive Donner (“What’s New Pussycat?”) favoring slapstick for this mystery, playing up physical humor and witty exchanges to act as a rodeo clown while the production returns to a few bad habits. Sure, Peter Ustinov portraying Chan isn’t the most sensitive casting, but he’s solid in the role, while the rest of the picture is too busy slipping and sliding along to truly engage in hate.
The AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation delivers a straightforward viewing experience for "Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen," providing satisfactory detail for the picture's backlot decoration and make-up achievements, though cinematographic interests tend to follow a softer, period look. Costuming also finds interesting textures. Colors are secure, emphasizing a naturalistic palette that periodically favors reds and greens. Skintones are comfortable. Whites are a bit bloomy. Delineation handles evening sequences and distances without disruption. Source is in good shape, with mild speckling detected.
The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix isn't fresh, but it gets the job done, setting an early musical mood with the main titles, which supply adequate instrumentation, carrying throughout the picture. Dialogue exchanges aren't pronounced, but intelligibility isn't an issue with strange accents and comedic speeds. Atmospherics are generally thick, but city visits detail group activity satisfactorily. Damage isn't detected.
"Dragon Queen" doesn't sit still for long, exploding with horse chases and infiltration sequences, and antagonistic banter keeps matters restless enough. It's not a laugh riot, with Donner a bit too permissive with shenanigans, but he handles his cast superbly, with Hatch a real surprise as he digs into his role as a Jewish/Chinese detective who can't get his act together. While Ustinov dominates with stillness and sniper-like line readings, Hatch carries the broadness quite well, matched comfortably with Pfeiffer, who's willing to dive headfirst into craziness as well. "Charlie Chan and the Dragon Queen" may seem like an offensive resurrection of a dated character and woeful casting practices, but it doesn't unfold angrily, maintaining significant spirit as it fiddles around with the detective genre and Chan's legacy. It's not a feature worth getting upset over, as the movie's biggest offenses are found with missed opportunities for laughs, not racial stereotyping.
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