The wardrobe of Fu Manchu


I thoroughly enjoyed both Fu Manchu films, The Face of Fu Manchu and The Brides of Fu Manchu. I believe both of them are meant to take place in the 1920s. However, I think the clothes the characters wear look rather too modern for 1920s Britain. I think the costume department got it wrong.

Does anyone else agree or disagree with me?

Paul.

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Well, these films are a rather odd mix of the 20s and 60s. They try for the 20s with the men's costumes; but, the women's are pure 1960s. I guess the budget wouldn't quite stretch that far and male fashions don't change as drastically.

Fortunately, Ah keep mah feathers numbered for just such an emergency!

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That's typical of that era. Look at all the 1960s ladies' hairdos in "Dr. Zhivago."

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All these movies do not take place in the 1920s.

The Face & The Brides - Brides happens right after Face, and they are indeed in the 1920s. Probably around 1924.
The Vengeance - Nayland Smith is joining Interpol, and Interpol did not form until the 1930s. Nayland Smith's hair has also turned [Douglas Wilmer's hair dyed] grey because he's aging.
The Blood - Fu Manchu has electronics in his Incan hideout that could not possibly have existed earlier than the mid-1950s.
The Castle - Fu's hair has turned grey and he behaves like a doddering old man and Lin Tang is visibly aging (after still looking like a smoke show in "The Blood" shot only months before). Appears to take place in 1968.

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'The Castle' was confusing with the production design. Some of the costumes looked contemporary while others appeared more old-timey. Like it was still set in the twenties.

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Yeah, it's all over the place.

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