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Summary: Excellent, informative book
Review: A Guide to Charlie Chan Films is the perfect book for those who are interested in the old Charlie Chan movies. I only recently became interested in these films, and I find the film guide helpful, enjoyable to read and very entertaining. It is literate and intelligently written, and, for me, it was a very worthwhile purchase.
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Summary: The Only Definitive Chan Text Available
Review: A positive, well written text, done with style and facts is a simple way to say... Charles Mitchell has the definitive character of Charlie Chan analyzed to perfection. Given the change of stars, the diversity of plots (writers), directorial changes, and so on, Mr. Mitchell has created the quintessential reference source for all Chan fans. One need not check the Appendix A section if one does not care to, but it sure makes for a very accurate lists of "who dunnit! ". We are proud owners of Mr. Mitchell's text, personalized for us by Charles himself. No other Chan author to date has offered such personalization to over 300,000 buyers (have they? No Chan movie buff should be without Mr. Mitchell's book.
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Summary: Charlie Chan in Trouble
Review: Charles Mitchell's "Guide to Charlie Chan Films" is a poorly constructed book that does little to enhance the honorable reputation of Honolulu's great detective. Stick with the vastly superior "Charlie Chan at the Movies" by the vastly superior writer, Ken Hanke. It's the real stuff! Skip this Guide; you'll only make a wrong turn.
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Summary: Ultimate Charlie Chan book
Review: Charles Mitchell's A GUIDE TO CHARLIE CHAN FILMS is the ultimate Chan book. It is a very clever book, and it is wrtten with a wonderful sense of fun and humor. He really brings these films to life. It is far superior to the old Ken Henke book. The best part is the complete Chan quotes included after each film. The indexes in the end are great, especially the rogue's gallery of Chan film criminals and the one on Chan's offspring. If you are interested in Charlie Chan, this is the book to buy.
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Summary: Fannishness and Bean-Counting
Review: For readers interested in a poorly written random collection of facts, this is probably THE Charlie Chan film book to have. If you want to ruin the films' mystery elements, this is definitely the book to have, since the author has bizarrely decided to tell the reader the identity of the killer in a wrong-headed appendix. But in all this something is missing. What could it be? The true sense of the films themselves perhaps? A degree of style? Yes, that's what I'm missing here. This is the well-intentioned work of a fan who seems to think that amassing enough facts is an adequate substitute for understanding the films themselves. It isn't. Thank you so much, but no thank you.
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Summary: It has all the answers!
Review: For years I have been searching for any answers to questions about the Charlie Chan films, and this book has them all! I was most impressed to find the person behind the singing voice for Boris Karloff in "Charlie Chan at the Opera!" All other books and sources were unable to come through, but this book provided the answers. Bravo to Charles Mitchell for this wonderful film book
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Summary: A few comments on the layout and content of the book.
Review: Greetings. First a slight correction, please. My name is Charles P. Mitchell (not Charles D. Mitchell, as it is posted). I fell in love with the character and films of Charlie Chan while growing up in the Fifties, and was encouraged to write this book when my articles on Chan from CLASSIC IMAGES that were so well received. The book is in three parts. The opening overview covers the history of the character, from author Earl Derr Biggers inspiration from the real life detective Chang Apana to the early silent films and finally to the ajor series with Warner Oland and Sidney Toler. I cover in detail the source of Chan's colorful sayings, from Confucius to Li Po. I also cover the later hostile reaction of some Asian Americans who felt Chan was somehow demeaning. I also cover the legacy of Chan, who in some ways was the inspiration for Yoda. The main section of my book is an alphabetical analysis of each of the films, including an annotated cast list, plot synopsis and a critique on the performers. Each film is given an actual rating, and all of Chan's colorful sayings from each film is compied. The final section is series of appendices, including a Rogue's Gallery of guilty parties, a guide to Chan's offspring, a guide to the lost films, etc. Chan's appearances on television are also covered with every episode listed. Charlie's 1954 Mexican film is also reviewed. The bookends with a who's who of the sixteen different actors who played Chan, and a thorough index. A unique photo essay is also included. All in all, ths book should provide a full measure of delights for each and every Chan film enthusiast. I hope everyone will enjou it. And let me conclude by saying "Thank you so much" to any readers who have reviewed my comments.
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Summary: Wonderful book
Review: I am a big film fan, and this is a wonderful book, the best film review book I ever purchased from Amazon. I fully recommend it to everyone
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Summary: Perfect guide book
Review: I enjoyed using A GUIDE TO CHARLIE CHAN FILMS while watching the recent AMC Chan festival. It was a pure delight to note each and every Chan quote listed as I followed along with the film. Another good feature is Mitchell's annotated cast lists which clearly spells out the relationships of all the characters. What a great idea. It would be good if other films books aopted this idea. The clear organization makes the book valuable especially if you need to look something up or check a fact quickly. The appndices are also chock full of interestng details such as Chan on television and the foreign language Chan films in Mexico and Cuba. The full chapter on the Spanish language version of the lost CHARLIE CHAN CARRIES ON. What a revelation. All in all, the perfect guide book.
Rating:
Summary: A neat book
Review: I got this book as an aide for the Chan festival on AMC, and it is a pure delight for any Chan enthusiast. I recommend it highly
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