For your consideration. Should we add additional Charlie Chan movies to our Monday night viewings?

At the present, we are watching the 42 Chan films which are currently available on DVD. We are watching them in chronologically order, which is a great way to watch the series. By going in order, we see the development of characters, plot & story structure, development of the film-making process, i.e. on location in Hawaii, etc.

For 2010, I propose that we add three new Charlie Chan titles to our family Monday viewings. My choices are the following films:

1. "Mr. Moto's Gamble" (1938) This film will act as a transition film between Oland and Toler. It features Keye Luke as Lee Chan. I recommend that we watch this film after "CC at Monte Carlo" (1937), but before "CC in Honolulu" (1938). This film brings an end to the Oland years. There are some great Chan stories associated with this film. Watching this film between "Monte Carlo" and "in Honolulu," may lessen the jarring effect between Oland and Toler pictures.

2. "The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan" (1972) For the first time, available on DVD: "Saturday Morning Cartoons-Vol. One." This animated series features the voice of Keye Luke as Charlie Chan. I would place this film after the Monogram series. It would follow "Sky Dragon" (1949).

3. "Hollywood Chinese" (2007) I would place this insightful documentary after Chan Clan, at the very end. This title would be our "educational film" in our movie line-up. This is the documentary that explains how Charlie Chan changed the image of Oriental movie characters from negative to positive. By including this title in our Monday viewings, we would be opening our site to interesting discussions about race in the movies.

Based on my research of Charlie Chan in the movies, I see the addition of these three titles as a positive move. By adding these films, we do not take away any of the fun we are currently having during our Monday night viewings.

What do you think? I'd like to know what other Chan family members think. Let's kick this idea around. Please let me hear from you.

Thank you.

Steve

Dear Steve,

As usual, you have presented your case in excellent fashion! You make some very good points, I think. We can put your question out to those who frequent this humble Message Board, as well as during out upcoming evenings together, perhaps?

In my opinion, for what it's worth, I think that "Mr. Moto's Gamble" will be the easiest to include, as many of our participants have a personal copy through the Fox releases. It's also a very natural choice, as it was originally to be "Charlie Chan at the Ringside" with Oland as Chan. Much of the original footage from "Ringside" was included in the film. In fact, during the movie, Mr. Moto states many of the aphorisms that were meant for Mr. Chan! Lee (Keye Luke), who is in this movie, makes mention of his Pop while the younger Chan is studying crime-solving techniques from Moto. Yes, a very worthy choice, in my humble opinion.

The others may be a different story, however, at least for the immediate future. Those we might work into the "mix" over time, as many of us who lack them can add them to our personal collections. Additions to our line-up are not unheard of, of course, as "Behind That Curtain" was added as a suggestion this time around, and will certainly remain for the next go round.

Let's see what our fellow members think about this...yes?

Sincerely,
Rush

There are two Mr Wong film plots that were later re-worked into Charlie Chan films. We could add them.

I believe these were:

“Mr Wong, Detective”, the first of the Wong series (five in all),later reworked into the Charlie Chan film, “Docks of New York".

1939 – “Mr Wong in Chinatown” was reworked into “The Chinese Ring” with Roland Winters.

GS

Thanks to everybody who commented on adding addition Chan films to the Monday night family screenings.

Based on our group's response, I put together our comments. I hope that I remembered what people said correctly.

1. "Mr. Moto's Gamble" (1938) co-starring Peter Loore and Keye Luke (as Lee Chan). It appears that everybody has Volume 2 of the Mr. Moto DVD Collection. This title had a positive response from everybody. This title would be an easy add to Monday nights lineup.

2. "The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan" (1972) featuring the voice of Keye Luke, received positive responses from everybody. This is one episode in a DVD compilation collection entitled "Saturday Morning Cartoons 1970s, Vol. One." Because this is a new release, each of us would have to purchase this DVD. On Monday, I bought my copy at Costco. Price: $18.99 + tax.

3. "The New Adventures of Charlie Chan (1957) with J. Carrol Naish. This is a hard-to-find title, which is available thru a seller of the web. There were only a couple people that had one or two titles from this TV series. Again, this would be an investment for everybody to purchase.

4. "Mr. Wong" movies: "Mr. Wong, Detective" (1938) later remade as Chan film "Docks of New Orleans" (1948); and "Mr. Wong in Chinatown" (1939) later remade as Chan film "The Chinese Ring" (1947). The "Wong" films star Boris Karloff, which a favorite to members of the Chan family.

Godwin Shelly suggested that we play the Mr. Wong titles that were later remade as Charlie Chan films. This is an interesting idea. The "Wong" films are all in public domain, meaning that we can purchase DVD copies at very reasonable prices. For price examples, please see www.deepdiscount.com or www.oldies.com.

For my two-cents, I say we add "Mr. Moto's Gamble" (1938), "Mr. Wong, Detective" (1938) and "Mr. Wong in Chinatown" (1939).

So what do you think? Before we make investments in additional DVDs, let's hear from the Chan family members.

Steve,
I'm all right withe the Wongs (if you'll forgive the pun!) plus Mr. Moto's Gamble.

Plus . . . I have an small assortment of vintage cartoons for those who want to get a head start on an evening of movies at http://tommenterprises.tripod.com/id131.html.

Virginia