MAJESTIC THEATRE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 558, 15 June 1933, Page 7

MAJESTIC THEATRE

TO-DAY AND TONIGHT. Boris Karloff appears in what is probahly his strangest role as Dr. Fu Manehu in the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer filmisation of the Sax Rohmer mystery, "The Mask of Fu Manehu," which opens to-might at the Majestic Theatre. In weird make-up as the Ch'inese superman, he foys with artificial lightning volts in his fantastie laboratOry, inflicts uncanny tortures and heads ari amazing intrigue whose purpose is to establish domindon over the entire world. Karloff proves himself a past master in the -art of creating terror and mystery in a characterisation. His remarkable make-up not only depicts him as a sinister and cunning Oriental but also gives hirii the unique appear- ■' • anee of being almost seven feet in height. Lewis Stone . off e rsa skilful portrayal of the Scotland Yard detective ' ' who is trapped by the clever Fu Manehu, is made the victim of horrible tortures but comes jout the winner in ! the end. Karen Mjorley and Charles Starrett win sympathy in the romantic leads and th'e Oriental looking Myrna ^ Loyis eff ective as thiesErirasiaii dauglri- j ; ter of the wily Fu, Manehu. Other ' _ roles are • well played hy Jean Her- ;~ sholt, Lawrence Grant and Davtd Torrence. The intelligerit direction of Charles ' J Brahin does much to make "The Mask of Fu Manehu" ari outstanding pie- j j ture, as.do also the spectacular and j I artistic settirigs. Such hrilliant scenes j 1 as th'e -Feast of the Mongols and the Hall ox the Buddhas are remarkable ; examples of what can be done Oii the ! sereen 'in the way of picturesque back_ •grounds. .. Those who are* looking for super-thriHs-.will. find plenty to exoite them in this weird story, particularly hairrais'ing being the, spike and bell torture m'achines,' the uncanny labora- . tory ,with;-its • death-ray, and the operatbn of "the-mechaftcal rohot. . j;r : , ' • 5 fe