June 9, 2010 THE VILLADOM TIMES II, III & IV • Page 27 ‘Charlie Chan Collection’ heads June releases by Dennis Seuling One of the longest detective series of feature films showcased the exploits of Chinese sleuth Charlie Chan, a character created by Earl Derr Biggers in 1923. More than four dozen Chan films have been made since 1926. In 1931, the Fox Film Corporation (later 20th Century-Fox) cast Swedish actor Warner Oland as the detective in “Charlie Chan Carries On.” With the success of that picture, Fox went on to produce 15 more Chan films with Oland in the title role. Following Oland’s death, Scottish-American actor Sidney Toler was cast as Chan. Toler made 22 Chan films, first at Fox and then for Monogram Studios. After Toler’s death, six more films were made starring Roland Winters. The “TCM Spotlight: Charlie Chan Collection” (Warner Home Video) is a four-disc box set containing four Monogram films. “Dark Alibi” (1946) is about a man condemned to death who insists he wasn’t at the scene of the crime, but his fingerprints are. Chan believes him and thinks the prints were forged, but how can anyone replicate fingerprints? The wise detective is in a race against time to solve the mystery before the state executes the innocent man. Benson Fong stars as Chan’s Number Three Son, Tommy, and Mantan Moreland stars as Birmingham Brown, joining his vaudeville partner Ben Carter in a comic routine in which neither man completes a sentence. In “Dangerous Money” (1946), a voyage to exotic Samoa becomes the scene of a murder. The death of a U.S. agent searching for money and art stolen during World War II results in a boatload of suspects and flawed help. Number Two Son (Victor Sen Young) and chauffeur Chattanooga Sidney Toler can be seen as detective Charlie Chan in a new box set. Brown (Willie Best) attempt to help wrap up the case quickly with their ideas of modern criminology. The other two films in the collection are “The Trap” (1946), which involves dead showgirls in Malibu and marks Toler’s last appearance as Chan, and “The Chinese Ring” (1947), with Roland Winters making his screen debut in the role. Both films feature Victor Sen Young and Mantan Moreland reprising their roles as Number Two Son and Birmingham Brown, respectively. In “Alice in Wonderland” (Disney), director Tim Burton has retained much of the Lewis Carroll novel while shifting the tale about 12 years later. Alice (Mia Wasikowska) is now 19 and under pressure to marry a man she does not love. Just as he is about to propose, Alice spots the White Rabbit and follows him down a hole at the base of a huge tree. The Wonderland she finds is far different from the one she visited as a child. The place is in a state of depression, ruled by the big-headed Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter). Alice meets up with the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp), now loonier than ever but having a decidedly warm Scarecrow/Dorothy relationship with Alice. The two become companions as they traverse the landscape on a quest to free Wonderland, encountering the White Queen (Anne Hathaway), Cheshire Cat (Stephen Fry), Tweedledum and Tweedledee (Matt Lucas), the Blue Caterpillar (Alan Rickman), and March Hare (Paul Whitehouse) along the way. Visually, “Alice in Wonderland” is stunning. There is one terrific image after another, and the combination of live actors and computer generated creations is seamless. The (continued on Crossword page) ��������������������������������������������� C • O • R •T• I • N • A R I S T O R A N T E “A HIDDEN GEM” Fine Dining For Lunch & Dinner Lunch Starts at $7.00 • Monday-Friday 11:30AM–2:30PM Dinner Starts at $12.00 • Monday-Thursday 5:00PM–9:30PM Friday & Saturday 5:00PM–10:00PM ��� ������� ������� ��� ���� ������������������ �������������� �������� ������������ Dine & Dance - Live Entertainment Wednesdays: Ray La Rovere - Piano, Emil Rizzo - Mandolin Saturdays: Mike Constantino, Piano ������ ������������� Private Party Room For Up To 60 People Call for Reservations - 973-942-1750 118 Berkshire Ave., Paterson, NJ (Totowa Section) • www.cortinarestaurant.com Join us for �������������� ��������� ���������� ������������������������ ���������� HAPPY HOUR �������������������� K IRK E RS INN TOP GERMAN AMERICAN 3-31-10 ester/janine RESTAURANT IN CortinaRestaurant3x3A(3-31-10) BERGEN & PASSAIC COUNTIES 3 x 3” BEERS ON TAP Plus Our Regular Menu • Reservations Suggested �������������������������������� �������� ������ �������������� ���������� �������������� ��������� ������� ������������������ ������������������� �������������� � �� Sauerbrauten • Schnitzels • Bavarian Sausages Goulash • Potato Pancakes • Dumplings Spaetzel and more. GERMAN FULL BAR ������������������������������������������������ ������������������������������������������� ���������������������� Open Monday-Saturday – Noon-Midnight • Closed Sunday www.kirkers.com • All Major Credit Cards Accepted 237 Diamond Bridge Ave, Hawthorne • 973-427-7700