Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen
Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen
PG | 13 February 1981 (USA)
Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen Trailers

Famous detective Charlie Chan is called out of retirement to help a San Francisco detective solve a mysterious series of murders. With his bumbling grandson as his sidekick, Chan also encounters an old nemesis known as the Dragon Queen who is the prime suspect.

Reviews
Jacomedi A Surprisingly Unforgettable Movie!
Fairaher The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.
Tymon Sutton The acting is good, and the firecracker script has some excellent ideas.
Payno I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.
Danny Blankenship I just recently watched this film mainly I checked it out to see some early work of beauty Michelle Pfeiffer, yet aside from that this film has a pretty good connected plot and story true it's funny and a little far out still it blended suspense and feel good fun to make it an interesting watch. Plus "Charlie Chan: And the Curse of the Dragon Queen" has appearances from legends Angie Dickinson and Roddy McDowall.The theme and plot of the story is connected to the past it involves the curse and work of an evil mysterious Dragon Queen(Angie Dickinson)who brought about a murder on the Chan family. Only this curse has never died she and the curse has followed the Chan family to the city of San Francisco, California. Never fear enter the great detective himself Charlie Chan(Peter Ustinov)who arrives to match skill and wits with his old rival the Dragon Queen. It's critical the protection must be given to Chan's klutzy grandson Lee Chan Jr.(Richard Hatch)and his beautiful wife to be Cordelia(the beautiful Michelle Pfeiffer)as these two young lovers must be safe.Overall this film is full of laughs and along the way the chase is a feel good time and the beautiful Michelle even has a damsel in distress scene as she's tied up and gagged. Thru it all a secret murder mystery is revealed so the film has both style and substance. Nice little B movie film to watch it's fun and interesting.
MartinHafer This film begins with an awful introduction--with a song that just sucks. Little did I know that after this it only got worse!! I am not exaggerating when I say this film is 100% bad--with absolutely nothing to recommend it--nothing! And, if it were possible, I'd give a score lower than 1 because unlike the average bad movie, this one is so gosh-darn annoying! The film is supposed to be a parody of the Charlie Chan films. Now this idea COULD have worked--after all "Murder By Death" was all silly low-brow fun. But, unfortunately, the film never works thanks to ineptitude in every way. The director was apparently a chimp--who loved to instruct the 'actors' to over-act, fall down a lot and do pratfalls. The writer did not appear to have even watched any of the Charlie Chan film--as it never had any inside jokes or laughs. The producer was not even stupid (that would be an improvement), as they cast Richard Hatch (from "Battlestar Gallactica") as a half-Chinese grandson of Charlie Chan!!! And as far as the acting goes, I expected nothing form Hatch (and got it) and Michelle Pfeiffer is young so she can't be blamed. But, Lee Grant, Roddy McDowell and Peter Ustinov (an Oscar-winner!!) are just awful and should have known better. What possessed them?! All of the 'actors' behaved broadly--falling down, bumping things and just appearing like amateurs in bad community theater.I notice one reviewer gave this film a 10. I just don't know what to say about this...all I know is I wouldn't even show this film to my worst enemy!! If karma and reincarnation are true, those who made this movie should all come back in their next lives as dung beetles.By the way, although it didn't change my opinion about the movie overall (it couldn't be any worse), I was irritated to no end about the character played by Brian Keith. All he seemed to do was curse--and in ways that are bound to offend anyone who is the least bit religious. Is this supposed to be funny?! I am sure this would offend many out there and shows a complete lack of sensitivity towards the audience and their values. Now I am NOT saying that films must be sanitized--but this was ALL that Keith's character did and as a 'joke' it was of very questionable value and taste.
whpratt1 Taped this film years ago and never watched it and decided to see how young all these veteran actors were in 1981. Brian Keith played the role of a Police Chief Baxter who managed to have a car chase with a horse and buggy driven by the sexy and over dressed Dragon Queen, Angie Dickinson,"Dressed to Kill"; who over played her role and acted real nuts, but after all she had to make a living and live up to her contracts. Peter Ustinov,(Charlie Chan), looked like he was straining himself trying to speak with a Chinese accent and could never compare to the old classic B Movie Charlie Chan films of the 1930's and 40's. The entire picture gave me a headache and I wonder why it was ever made in the first place. Decide for yourself, after all, it was made in the 80's.
caspian1978 If the A.F.I. decides to vote on the 100 best kisses in American Film, they have to put Richard Hatch's and Michelle Pfeiffer's kiss in the top ten. Not only are we talking tung, but a 45 second smooch that makes the viewers laugh as well as cry. Fast forward to this scene first, the rest of the film can wait.
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