Chandu on the Magic Island

Maria Alba

Chandu on the Magic Island (1935)
In this fictional depiction, Egyptian Princess Nadji, played by Maria Alba, is kidnapped to Lemuria by the cult of Ubasti to be to sacrificed to their goddess Ossana.

The lost continent of Lemuria was first proposed by English lawyer and zoölogist Philip Lutley Sclater (1829/11/04 - 1913/06/27) in 1864 as a hypothetical land-bridge between India, Africa and Madagascar. Influenced by Louis Jacolliot and others, the name was taken up later by Madame Blavatsky as the home of the 'Third Root-Race' and used by her as part of her rescue of humanity from 'the ignomity of simian descent.' This is not to be confused with Mu, the invention of antiquarian Augustus Le Plongeon (1825-1908), and later popularised by Colonel James M. Churchward (1851-1936)¹ in a series of books. His brother, Dr. Albert Churchward, was the author of the long out of print Origin and Antiquity of Freemasonry (London : 1898).

Chandu on the Magic Island (1935). Directed by Ray Taylor, written by Barry Barringer. Bela Lugosi, Maria Alba, Clara Kimball Young, Dean Benton, Phyllis Ludwig, Black and White, Mono.

1. Joan T. Griffith, James Churchward's god-daughter, and daughter of Percy Tate Griffith, his patent attorney and lifelong friend, claimed that the Colonel was a "33rd degree Mason". "James Churchward and his lost Pacific Continent" 2002, World Explorer, v. 3, no.1, (1995?) ed. David Hatcher Childress (co-author of Inside the Gemstone File). pp. 16-25.

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