PANTHER GIRL OF THE KONGO -- DVD Review by Porfle

 

Originally posted on 1/19/22

 

Serials are a wonderful phenomenon unto themselves. They aren't self-contained units like movies or TV show episodes.  They're something that we watch in a different way entirely, with each open-ended chapter gradually adding up to a cumulative whole. 

And since the usually rather uncomplicated overall story must be sustained throughout these multiple chapters, it must necessarily be rambling, padded, stretched-out, repetitive, and filled with dead ends and shaggy-dog subplots.  (This is why so many serials have so easily been edited down into regular-length feature films.)

Because of this, serials seem to take place in their own unique, utterly unreal universe where actions are rash, dialogue is corny, the laws of physics don't apply, and logic as we know it simply doesn't exist.

Regarding the serial-like Saturday morning TV series "Jason of Star Command" I once said: "There's nothing like a show that's both stupid and cool at the same time to bring out the kid in me." This is, to me, a perfect summation of the appeal of the serial.  Since it's resolutely unlike anything else, it offers a whole different appeal and a refreshingly naive and uncomplicated kind of fun that's simply indescribable. 

Which brings us to PANTHER GIRL OF THE KONGO (1954), the latest classic serial to be released on Blu-ray and DVD by Olive Films.  The penultimate chapter play from Republic Pictures, who gave us THE ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN MARVEL, it came near the end of the glorious serial era but still serves as a fun and exciting example of it.

The lovely and talented Phyllis Coates, who first played Lois Lane opposite George Reeves in the TV series "The Adventures of Superman", stars as Jean Evans, known as "The Panther Girl" by the local natives due to an earlier incident which has become legend.  Jean's profession as a fearless wildlife photographer makes her a bit of a female Carl Denham, who once boasted that he would've gotten "a swell shot of a charging rhino" if his assistant hadn't run away with the camera.

 

Here, however, the charging rhino is replaced by a "claw monster" created by Dr. Morgan (Arthur Space, THE SHAKIEST GUN IN THE WEST, THE RED HOUSE), a shady scientist operating in the area.  Morgan and his burly henchmen Cass (John Day, THE RELUCTANT ASTRONAUT, SILVER STREAK) and Rand (Mike Ragan, EARTH VS. THE FLYING SAUCERS, THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL) have an illicit diamond mine but can't work it until the natives and other snooping interlopers have been run out of the area. 

To this end, Morgan has created a growth formula to turn crawdads--yes, crawdads!--into giant lobsters known as "claw monsters" which Cass and Rand then herd toward the village to wreak fear and havoc.  (And, potentially, one hell of a seafood dinner.) 

The whole thing's too much for even the intrepid Jean to handle by herself, so she calls upon the aid of her pal, big-game hunter Larry Sanders (Myron Healey, THE SHAKIEST GUN IN THE WEST, THE UNEARTHLY, RIO BRAVO) to come join in the hunt for the claw monsters and to help deal with Cass and Rand, who make quite a nuisance of themselves at the behest of Dr. Morgan.

Thus, we have the groundwork for 12 entire chapters filled with furious fistfights, blazing shootouts, jungle perils, and an ample serving of giant lobsters.  Sanders handles the frequent fisticuffs, with Jean usually falling and conveniently getting knocked out at the onset of each fight.  The shootouts are a different matter, as Jean wields a rifle or a pistol with equal skill. 

Each chapter ends, of course, with a cliffhanger, with Healey's character being the subject of a surprising number of them.  Most aren't all that imaginative, involving falling trees, exploding dynamite, quicksand, etc. but some end on a more exciting note with Jean being menaced by a giant lobster claw or an advancing gorilla-suit suitor. 

Phyllis Coates, who somehow looked appealingly MILF-y even in her 20s, makes for a fetching heroine when Healey isn't hogging the action limelight himself.  Many viewers used to seeing her in the prim 50s fashions Lois Lane wore in "Superman" will delight at the sight of Phyllis running around in her jungle miniskirt and boots for 12 chapters.  (She also sports a robust, chest-heaving scream that rivals that of the great Fay Wray herself.)

While much of the action consists of stock footage from the 1941 Frances Gifford serial JUNGLE GIRL, Phyllis gets ample opportunity to show off her character's derring-do when the usually self-reliant Sanders stumbles into a few sticky situations that require rescue by the Panther Girl.

In one scene she executes a thrilling high dive off a cliff to save the drowning hunter.  In another, she does a backflip off a swinging vine just in time to wrestle a crocodile that's about to eat him. 

Since this is a budget-conscious jungle adventure, the Republic backlot is pressed into service to stand in for darkest Africa, along with a standing town set, a simple native village, and a limited number of interior sets including the doctor's lab, the diamond mine, a saloon, and Jean's rustic jungle bungalow.

Special effects by the ubiquitous Howard and Theodore Lydecker (COMMANDO CODY: SKY MARSHAL OF THE UNIVERSE, JOHNNY GUITAR) include some cool rear-projection shots of those wonderfully hokey-looking claw monsters with Jean and Sanders blasting away at them in the foreground. 

The DVD from Olive Films has an aspect ratio of 1.37:1 with mono sound and optional English subtitles.  No extras.  The transfer is from a near-pristine print with beautiful black and white photography that's just a joy to look at.  (Note to subtitle writers: in 1954 it was "Miss", not "Ms.")

PANTHER GIRL OF THE KONGO probably wouldn't rank among the best serials of all time, but darn if it isn't one of the most downright fun and enjoyable ones that I've seen.  There's just something about these things--stupid, yes, but totally cool--that I find utterly irresistible.

PANTHER GIRL OF THE KONGO -- DVD Review by Porfle

THE HARDY BOYS: THE MYSTERY OF THE APPLEGATE TREASURE -- Serial Review by Porfle

 

Originally posted on 8/26/21

 

Currently watching: THE HARDY BOYS: THE MYSTERY OF THE APPLEGATE TREASURE (1956), a 19-part serial produced by Disney to be shown in daily installments (approx. 11 minutes each) during consecutive episodes of "The Mickey Mouse Club."

This adaptation of Leslie McFarlane's book "The Hardy Boys: The Tower Treasure" should appeal to fans of the Hardy Boys detective stories by Franklin W. Dixon (a pen name for a stable of largely uncredited writers hired by the Stratemeyer Syndicate publishing company), which debuted in 1927 and remained popular for several decades.

Those who are nostalgic for the kind of clean, wholesome family entertainment created by Disney in the 50s and 60s should also derive great satisfaction from this modest but appealing preteen-oriented serial, filmed mostly on elaborately-rendered soundstage sets depicting the Hardys' entire neighborhood, the Applegate estate, and other Bayport locations.

 

It's just the sort of thing to feed into the adventure fantasies of young boys of the era: Frank and Joe Hardy, sons of famous private detective Fenton Hardy, live in the picket-fence suburbs of the small, mostly quiet town of Bayport, but yearn to be detectives like their father and join him in solving mysteries.

But their father, who's often away from home because of his job, doesn't approve of such dangerous doings, and neither does their spinster Aunt Gertrude, who lives with them and keeps a tight rein on the boys.

Despite this, however, Frank and Joe manage to sneak away from the house often enough to get involved in the mystery of eccentric old Silas Applegate and the fortune in pirate gold that's said to be hidden somewhere on his property, perhaps even behind the wall of a crumbling old tower that looms over his estate, and is sought after by a range of unsavory types.

 

 

In order to appeal to young viewers of "The Mickey Mouse Club", Frank and Joe are a year or so younger here than in the books, their ages ranging from about 12-14. The older Frank is played by Tim Considine, already popular from Disney's "Spin and Marty" series, and the role of younger, more impetuous Joe is the official debut of new Disney star Tommy Kirk, whose considerable acting skills are apparent in his often intense and frenetic performance.

Frank and Joe are typical, identifiable boys for that era, with their flattop haircuts, T-shirts, jeans with the cuffs rolled up, and sneakers--ideal role models to stimulate the vivid imaginations and wish fulfillment fantasies of Disney's young audience.

For female viewers, there's the Hardys' friend Iola Morton, who has a desperate crush on the girl-hating Joe and manages to get herself involved in all the boys' adventures.  Iola is brought to vivid life by the cute-as-a-button Carole Ann Campbell, who had a regrettably brief film and TV career before losing interest in Hollywood and moving on. 

 

Fenton Hardy's character is somewhat changed from the books. To me, he was always a distinguished, quietly dependable and capable Hugh Beaumont type. Here, Russ Conway brings him to the screen as a rather frumpy, almost seedy private detective who lacks empathy with his boys and fails to realize their potential as his successors until it is demonstrated to him.

Oddly, the TV show omits Mrs. Hardy and gives us their Aunt Gertrude (Sarah Selby) as a sort of surrogate mother, considerably softening her literary image as a nagging harridan (I always pictured her as a stern Edna Mae Oliver type). This was done with the belief that it was more acceptable for the boys to disobey their aunt than their mother when sneaking out to pursue their detective work.

The story itself takes its own sweet time unfolding over the series' 19 chapters, as the Hardys deal with crotchety old Mr. Applegate (Florenz Ames), his burly caretaker and plumber Jackley (Robert Foulk), wrongly-accused reform school refugee Perry Robinson (Donald McDonald), and slippery, mischievous ex-convict Boles (Arthur Shields, brother of actor Barry Fitzgerald who appeared with him in John Ford's THE QUIET MAN).

 

Boles may have knowledge of the treasure's whereabouts, Jackley may be crookeder than he seems, cutlass-wielding old Applegate is possibly quite mad, and the whole affair stretches out in unremarkable but quite pleasant fashion until finally Frank and Joe cut through the murky mystery with their burgeoning detective skills and solve the whole thing in a moodily-photographed final chapter that puts them in a modest amount of actual danger.

I don't know if today's kids would have the patience, the desire, or even the ability to get carried along by this kind of low-key, unsensationalistic entertainment. I hope they do, lest they miss something that's actually quite rare and wonderful in its own way. For me, "The Hardy Boys: The Mystery of the Applegate Treasure" is sweet, soulful nostalgia in its purest and most potent form.

 

THE HARDY BOYS: THE MYSTERY OF THE APPLEGATE TREASURE -- Serial Review by Porfle

COMMANDO CODY: SKY MARSHAL OF THE UNIVERSE -- DVD Review by Porfle

 Originally posted on 9/13/16

 

You already know whether or not you love the old movie serials.  And if you do, then chances are the words COMMANDO CODY: SKY MARSHAL OF THE UNIVERSE should already have you salivating like a geek incarnation of Pavlov's Dog. 

I know that's how I reacted when I scarfed an eyeload of this new 2-disc DVD from Olive Films, which contains all 12 episodes of the 1953 serial.  That cool cover pic of Cody in his gadget-bedecked leather jacket, quasi-military cap, and Lone Ranger mask just seems to say "You know you love me." 

I call them "episodes" instead of "chapters" because this isn't your usual serial.  In fact, many fans would argue that it isn't a serial at all, being that it consists of 12 half-hour adventures which, while being parts of an overall story arc, each have a beginning, middle, and end without the usual cliffhanger.

Without going into the technical reasons for this, suffice it to say that the series was first shown in theaters in 1953 as a serial, and then showed up two years later as the television series it was intended to be all along.  And while I do miss the nail-biting cliffhanger endings, I got used to the self-contained stories after awhile.

At any rate, this has all the elements I love in serials--a cool hero with both capable and comical sidekicks, a hokey villain with an evil master plan and plenty of goofy, inept henchmen to carry it out, lots of fantasy sci-fi that doesn't make much sense and consistently defies the laws of physics, cheap production values, and a general air of hokiness with plenty of corn. 

The main gist of the story concerns the efforts of a secret government organization to thwart an evil madman who calls himself The Ruler, who wants to conquer Earth so he can use it as a base to take over all the other planets in the solar system.  (The Ruler is played by Gregory Gaye, who can be seen in CASABLANCA as the irate customer whom Rick won't allow into the back room of the casino.)

Our hero, Commando Cody (Judd Holdren), wears a mask to protect his identity and flies around by means of a cool rocket pack on his back.  Not only is he one of those rigidly upstanding paragons of virtue, but with his ever-present mask he even resembles Clayton Moore in both looks and voice.  Which, as a big "Lone Ranger" fan, I found to be a definite plus.

His boss, Commissioner Henderson (Craig Kelly, who appeared in the first two DIRTY HARRY movies), gives him two assistants--loyal but comical Ted Richards (the great character actor William Schallert) and the lovely and capable Joan Gilbert (winsome Aline Towne), who eventually becomes Cody's spaceship co-pilot.  Ted will be replaced after a few episodes by equally comical Dick Preston (Richard Crane, who would go on to star as "Rocky Jones, Space Ranger" the following year.)

Over the course of the show's 12 episodes The Ruler pulls all manner of devious schemes to either enslave the Earth or wipe it out--he never can seem to decide which--and each of these results in as much widespread calamity and destruction that the copious amounts of stock footage can depict.  In his employ are traitorous humans such as Lyle Talbot, Fred Graham, and Lane Bradford, and various aliens played by the likes of Denver Pyle, John Crawford, and Rick Vallin.

Time after time, Earth comes close to destruction via tidal waves, shifting of its axis, blocking out the sun, duplicate suns roasting the planet, deadly storms, a near-miss with our own moon, and meteor attacks.  The latter are repelled by Cody's creation of a cosmic dust barrier around the Earth which makes any foreign object from the sky explode, including enemy space ships not equipped with a special "dispersal beam."

Cody's own spaceship, while primitive by modern SPFX standards, is still very cool.  An impressive full-size mockup was constructed on the Republic Pictures backlot which is seen in conjunction with a fairly large working model suspended by wires.  It's a real step above the wobbly, rinky-dink spaceships of the old "Flash Gordon" serials and is almost always used to good effect. 

Sets range from the usual 50s backdrops to sometimes impressive otherworldly settings where The Ruler carries out his dastardly plans on various planets such as Saturn and Mercury. The costumes are gloriously tacky (The Ruler seems to be wearing his mom's kimono) and the dialogue is both arch and delightfully corny.  Ray guns sound like car horns.  Each episode offers a couple of furious fistfights and several appearances by our main man in flight.

This is accomplished using the same remarkable technique seen in perhaps the greatest serial of all time, 1941's "The Adventures of Captain Marvel" (also from Republic Pictures), with a realistic mannequin suspended on wires combined with nice springboard take-off and landing shots with actor Holdren.  The effect is stunningly good and well worth waiting for in each episode.

The 2-disc DVD from Olive Films is in the original full-screen ratio with mono sound and English subtitles.  No extras.  Picture quality is very good.  

Just as much fun as the title sounds, COMMANDO CODY: SKY MARSHAL OF THE UNIVERSE is one of the most consistently entertaining and well-produced serials I've seen.  It easily transcends the "so bad it's good" quality of many cheaply-produced serials, especially if viewed with the same giddy, childlike enthusiasm with which both kids and adults greeted these films on theater and TV screens back in the 50s.

COMMANDO CODY: SKY MARSHAL OF THE UNIVERSE -- DVD Review by Porfle

Q: Where Did The "STAR WARS" Slanted Titles Concept Come From? A: Serials... (video)

 

Just as "Star Wars" was inspired by the "Flash Gordon" serials of the 30s and 40s...

...so was its distinctive slanted-font opening plot synopsis.

Several of the classic serials pioneered the use of this device.

Here are some of them...

Flash Gordon Conquers The Universe (1940)
Buck Rogers (1939)
The Green Hornet (1940)
The Phantom Creeps (1939)


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it. Thanks for watching!

Q: Where Did The "STAR WARS" Slanted Titles Concept Come From? A: Serials... (video)

"Everything That I Watched In 2020" by Porfle

 

Here are all the movies, TV episodes, serials, etc. that I watched in 2020. With very few exceptions, all of it was on DVD because I love DVDs and have no interest in streaming, cable, or going to the movies.

1/01--"Star Trek:The Original Series"
1/02--DARK ENCOUNTER, "Star Trek:The Original Series"
1/03--STAR TREK (2009)
1/04--STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS
1/05--STAR TREK BEYOND
1/06--THE VAMPIRE'S GHOST, "Hurrican Express" (John Wayne serial)
1/07--"Hurricane Express" (John Wayne serial)
1/08--"Hurricane Express" (John Wayne serial)
1/09--IN HARM'S WAY, RETURN OF THE APE MAN
1/10--"Star Trek:The Original Series"
1/11--"Star Trek:The Original Series"
1/12--"Krypton:The Complete Second and Final Season"
1/13--"Krypton:The Complete Second and Final Season"
1/14--"Star Trek:The Original Series"
1/15--GREGORY'S GIRL
1/16--BATMAN BEGINS
1/17--THE DARK KNIGHT, THE DARK KNIGHT RISES
1/18--THE MONSTER OF PIEDRAS BLANCAS, HORROR OF PARTY BEACH
1/19--12 TO THE MOON
1/20--BATTLE IN OUTER SPACE
1/21--"I Got You Babe: The Best of the Sonny & Cher", "Star Trek:The Original Series"
1/22--"I Got You Babe: The Best of the Sonny & Cher", "Star Trek:The Original Series"
1/23--"Deep Space Nine" ("Trials and Tribble-ations")

 

1/24--"I Got You Babe: The Best of the Sonny & Cher", "Star Trek:The Original Series"
1/25--"Star Trek: The Original Series"
1/26--"FLCL: PROGRESSIVE AND ALTERNATIVE COMBO PACK""FLCL: PROGRESSIVE AND ALTERNATIVE COMBO PACK"
1/27--"FLCL: PROGRESSIVE AND ALTERNATIVE COMBO PACK"
1/28--"Star Trek: The Original Series"
1/29--FIVE MILLION YEARS TO EARTH
1/30--"Star Trek: The Original Series"
1/31--INVASION PLANET EARTH, BURN WITCH BURN!
2/01--MR. AVERAGE, RETURN OF DRACULA
2/02--STRAIGHT OUTTA TOMPKINS, THE VAMPIRE
2/03--RETURN OF THE VAMPIRE, PANIC IN YEAR ZERO!
2/04--LAST MAN ON EARTH
2/05--THE GIANT GILA MONSTER, THE KILLER SHREWS
2/06--SIN IN THE SUBURBS
2/07--HOT NIGHTS WARM PLEASURES
2/08--CONFESSIONS OF A YOUNG AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE
2/09--FIRST SPACESHIP TO VENUS, ALL THE SINS OF SODOM
2/10--SNATCHERS
2/11--UNKNOWN WORLD
2/12--THE INCREDIBLE PETRIFIED WORLD, VOYAGE TO THE PREHISTORIC PLANET
2/13--"THE GREEN HORNET" Serial, Our Gang
2/14--"THE GREEN HORNET" Serial
2/15--HELLFIGHTERS
2/16--THE LONE RANGER (1956 feature)
2/17--"THE GREEN HORNET STRIKES AGAIN" Serial  
2/18--"THE GREEN HORNET STRIKES AGAIN" Serial
2/19--CRIES OF PLEASURE, "THE GREEN HORNET STRIKES AGAIN" Serial
2/20--THE ASTROLOGER, "THE GREEN HORNET STRIKES AGAIN" Serial
2/21--NIGHTS OF OPEN SEX, "THE GREEN HORNET STRIKES AGAIN" Serial
2/22--THE LONE RANGER AND THE LOST CITY OF GOLD
2/23--HELLFIGHTERS, THE BIG STAMPEDE 

 

2/24--HAUNTED GOLD, "The Lone Ranger" episodes
2/25--THE MUMMY (Hammer), THE TELEGRAPH TRAIL, "Rifleman" episodes
2/26--WORLD WITHOUT END, SATELLITE IN SPACE,"Rifleman" episodes
2/27--BRIDES OF DRACULA, "Lightning Warrior" (Rin-Tin-Tin serial)
2/28--"Lightning Warrior" (Rin-Tin-Tin serial)
2/29--THE EVIL OF FRANKENSTEIN, "Superman" (serial)
3/01--BRANNIGAN, SANDS OF IWO JIMA, "Superman" (serial)
3/02--ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE, THE MOLE PEOPLE
3/03--LILIES OF THE FIELD, "Lightning Warrior" (Rin-Tin-Tin serial)
3/04--SOMEWHERE IN SONORA, SILENT SCREAM, "Superman" (serial)
3/05--WHISKY GALORE!, THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN
3/06--THE MAGGIE, "Lightning Warrior" (Rin-Tin-Tin serial)
3/07--THE MONOLITH MONSTERS, THE BLACK CAT (1934), "Lightning Warrior" (Rin-Tin-Tin serial)
3/08--CURSE OF THE WEREWOLF, "Lightning Warrior" (Rin-Tin-Tin serial)
3/09--MIDWAY, "Atom Man vs. Superman" serial
3/10--WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE, "Mr. Show" episodes
3/11--A VIEW TO A KILL, "Mr. Show" episodes
3/12--TARANTULA, "Atom Man vs. Superman" serial
3/13--KISS OF THE VAMPIRE, "Mr. Show" episodes  
3/14--PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (Herbert Lom), "Mr. Show" episodes  
3/15--THEM!, TOMORROW NEVER DIES, "Atom Man vs. Superman" serial
3/16--THE MAN FROM MONTEREY, "Mr. Show" episodes
3/17--THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD, "Mr. Show" episodes
3/18--THE FIGHTING KENTUCKIAN, "Atom Man vs. Superman" serial
3/19--LICENSE TO KILL, "Atom Man vs. Superman" serial
3/20--"The Outer Limits" ("Galaxy Being", "The Hundred Days of the Dragon", "The Architects of Fear"), "Mr. Show" episodes 

 

3/21--HOP-ALONG CASSIDY (original movie), "The Outer Limits" ("The Man With The Power")
3/22--SCREAM QUEEN (2003), "The Outer Limits" ("The Sixth Finger", "The Man Who Was Never Born")
3/23--DUNKIRK (1958), "The Outer Limits" ("OBIT", "The Human Factor")
3/24--THE DAM BUSTERS, "The Outer Limits" ("Corpus Earthling", "Nightmare")  
3/25--ICE COLD IN ALEX "The Outer Limits" ("It Crawled Out of the Woodwork")
3/26--THE COLDITZ STORY, "The Outer Limits" ("The Borderland")
3/27--WENT THE DAY WELL?, Hopalong Cassidy, The Rifleman
3/28--THE TIME MACHINE, Hopalong Cassidy
3/29--THE BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS, The Rifleman
3/30--THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN, Mary Hartman
3/31--MIGHTY JOE YOUNG, Mary Hartman
4/01--PIPPI LONGSTOCKING, Mary Hartman
4/02--NIGHT CREATURES, PIPPI GOES ON BOARD
4/03--NIGHTMARE (Hammer), Mary Hartman
4/04--PARANOIAC, Mary Hartman
4/05--PIPPI IN THE SOUTH SEAS
4/06--BORDERLAND (Hopalong Cassidy), THE RETURN OF DRAW EGAN
4/07--PIPPI ON THE RUN, Mary Hartman
4/08--Hopalong Cassidy, Mary Hartman
4/09--MONSTER ON THE CAMPUS, Mary Hartman
4/10--MARTY, THE LAST BEYOND
4/11--"The Phantom Empire" serial, Mary Hartman
4/12--"The Phantom Empire" serial, "The Outer Limits" ("Tourist Attraction")
4/13--"Radar Men From The Moon" serial
4/14--"Radar Men From The Moon" serial
4/15--"Undersea Kingdom" serial
4/16--"Undersea Kingdom" serial, "Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe" serial
4/17--"Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe" serial
4/18--THE BELLES OF ST. TRINIAN'S
4/19--SCHOOL FOR SCOUNDRELS
4/20--LAUGHTER IN PARADISE
4/21--HUE AND CRY, THE CYCLOPS
4/22--BLOOD & FLESH: THE REEL LIFE & GHASTLY DEATH OF AL ADAMSON, THE FEMALE BUNCH
4/23--CARNIVAL MAGIC, LOST (Al Adamson)
4/24--WHEN THE WIND BLOWS
4/25--FIST OF FEAR, TOUCH OF DEATH
4/26--Hopalong Cassidy
4/27--Hopalong Cassidy, "Outer Limits" ("The Zanti Misfits")
4/28--REVENGE OF FRANKENSTEIN
4/29--THE TWO FACES OF DR. JEKYLL
4/30--NIGHT WARNING (aka "Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker"), THE GORGON
5/01--CURSE OF THE MUMMY'S TOMB, Mary Hartman
5/02--"The Outer Limits" ("The Mice"), Mary Hartman
5/03--Hopalong Cassidy, "The Rifleman" episodes
5/04--Hopalong Cassidy, "The Rifleman" episodes 

 

 

 
5/05--DIE! DIE! MY DARLING, "Flash Gordon" serial
5/06--7th VOYAGE OF SINBAD, NEVADA SMITH
5/07--JACK THE GIANT KILLER, "Flash Gordon" serial
5/08--THE BLACK HOLE, RUN LOLA RUN, "Little Rascals"
5/09--THE GOLDEN VOYAGE OF SINBAD
5/10--SINBAD AND THE EYE OF THE TIGER
5/11--ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD, "Flash Gordon" serial
5/12--ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD, "The Outer Limits" ("Controlled Experiment")
5/13--ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD
5/14--MYSTERIOUS ISLAND
5/15--"Flash Gordon" serial, Mary Hartman
5/16--ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD
5/17--JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS
5/18--"Flash Gordon" serial
5/19--"The Rifleman" episodes
5/20--BLACK FRIDAY
5/21--THE RAVEN, "Flash Gordon" serial
5/22--"The Three Musketeers" serial (John Wayne)
5/23--"The Three Musketeers" serial (John Wayne)  
5/24--"The Three Musketeers" serial (John Wayne),
5/25--BAD BUCK OF SANTA YNEZ, Little Rascals, Mary Hartman
5/26--Little Rascals
5/27--FEAR PHARM, Davey & Goliath
5/28--CAPTIVE WILD WOMAN
5/29--JUNGLE WOMAN, Davey & Goliath
5/30--HIGH ON THE HOG, "Batman" season 2
5/31--Little Rascals, Davey & Goliath
6/01--THEATER OF BLOOD, Davey & Goliath  
6/02--MADHOUSE
6/03--Davey & Goliath
6/04--"Flash Gordon's Trip To Mars" serial
6/05--THE MASK OF FU MANCHU, Davey & Goliath
6/06--MARK OF THE VAMPIRE
6/07--DOCTOR X, "Batman" season 2
6/08--FRANKENSTEIN AND THE MONSTER FROM HELL
6/09--THE TRANSCENDENTS, "Jonny Quest" episodes
6/10--"Jonny Quest" episodes, Davey & Goliath
6/11--THE DEVIL DOLL, Little Rascals
6/12--HORRORS OF SPIDER ISLAND, Little Rascals
6/13--THE STRANGE VICE OF MRS. WARDH, "Batman" episodes
6/14--MAD LOVE
6/15--"Batman" season 2
6/16--"Jonny Quest" episodes
6/17--ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD
6/18--"Flash Gordon" serial, Little Rascals, "Batman" season 2
6/19--"Flash Gordon" serial, Little Rascals, "Batman" season 2
6/20--ERASERHEAD
6/21--"Batman" season 2
6/22--Little Rascals
6/23--PAPER MOON
6/24--SHINING SEX, WHAT'S UP DOC?
6/25--AENIGMA
6/26--BAHIA BLANCA
6/27--FRANKY AND HIS PALS
6/28--FULCI FOR FAKE, PAPER MOON
6/29--HAIR, THE BEAST MUST DIE
6/30--WHAT'S UP DOC?
7/01--KING'S GAMBIT
7/02--JUST ONE MORE KISS
7/03--SILENT SCREAM, Mary Hartman
7/04--NIGHT WARNING, Mary Hartman
7/05--THE BLACK HOLE, Mary Hartman
7/06--RUN LOLA RUN, Mary Hartman
7/07--Mary Hartman
7/08--THE WILD, WILD WORLD OF JAYNE MANSFIELD
7/09--MONDO BALORDO
7/10--"Blackhawk" serial  
7/11--REVENGE OF THE LIVING DEAD GIRLS, "Blackhawk" serial  

 

7/12--"Blackhawk" serial, Little Rascals
7/13--"Blackhawk" serial, Little Rascals
7/14--"Zombies of the Stratosphere" serial, A NEW LEAF
7/15--"Zombies of the Stratosphere" serial
7/16--"Zombies of the Stratosphere" serial, "Jonny Quest"
7/17--"The Outsider: The Complete First Season", "Zombies of the Stratosphere" serial
7/18--"The Outsider: The Complete First Season", "King of the Rocket Men" serial  
7/19--THE SHADE SHEPHERD, "King of the Rocket Men" serial, "Jonny Quest"  
7/20--"King of the Rocket Men" serial  
7/21--ORGASMO, "King of the Rocket Men" serial
7/22--SO SWEET...SO PERVERSE
7/23--A QUIET PLACE TO KILL
7/24--KNIFE OF ICE
7/25--CANNIBAL CORPSE KILLERS
7/26--KILLER RACCOONS 2: DARK CHRISTMAS IN THE DARK
7/27--SEX AND THE FUTURE
7/28--MONTE WALSH (Tom Selleck)
7/29--CONAGHER
7/30--"The Phantom Rider" serial, Mary Hartman
7/31--"The Phantom Rider" serial
8/01--"The Phantom Rider" serial  
8/02--Outer Limits ("Don't Open Till Doomsday", "Zzzz")
8/03--THE LAST PICTURE SHOW, Outer Limits ("The Invisibles", "The Bellero Shield")
8/04--THE LAST PICTURE SHOW, Outer Limtis ("The Children of Spider County")
8/05--THE LAST PICTURE SHOW, Mary Hartman
8/06--"The Shadow" serial, Outer Limits ("Second Chance", "Specimen Unknown")
8/07--Outer Limits ("Moonstone")
8/08--THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN
8/09--THEN CAME BRONSON, THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN
8/10--"The Shadow" serial, THEN CAME BRONSON
8/11--"The Shadow" serial
8/12--1917, NEVADA SMITH
8/13--ROAD TO SALINA, Mary Hartman
8/14--ROAD TO SALINA
8/15--KISS ME DEADLY
8/16--SPARROWS
8/17--KISS ME DEADLY, "Batman" season 2
8/18--THE RETURN OF DR. X, "Batman" season 2
8/19--DR. X, WORLD WITHOUT END
8/20--BLADE RUNNER (FINAL CUT)
8/21--SATELLITE IN THE SKY, KISS ME DEADLY
8/22--WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE, "Batman" season 2 

 

 

 

 
8/23--Little Rascals
8/24--ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE, Space Ghost Coast-To-Coast
8/25--"Gordon Of Ghost City" serial, Space Ghost Coast-To-Coast
8/26--"Gordon Of Ghost City" serial
8/27--DEAR HEART, "Gordon Of Ghost City" serial
8/28--"Gordon Of Ghost City" serial
8/29--SONG OF THE SOUTH, DEAR HEART
8/30--BRIDES OF DRACULA, "Batman" season 2
8/31--DEATH WISH (2018), DEAR HEART
9/01--SCARFACE (1932), CHINATOWN
9/02--Hopalong Cassidy
9/03--Hopalong Cassidy, Mr. Show
9/04--Hopalong Cassidy, Jonny Quest
9/05--BRANNIGAN!, Jonny Quest
9/06--Mr. Show
9/07--ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD, SPECTRE
9/08--HELLFIGHTERS, Mr. Show
9/09--Jonny Quest, Mr. Show
9/10--"Batman" season 3
9/11--THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN, "Batman" season 3
9/12--THE ANGRY RED PLANET
9/13--ICE STATION ZEBRA
9/14--THE HAUNTING (1963), THE MAN FROM PLANET X
9/15--DRAGNET (1954), BEYOND THE TIME BARRIER
9/16--THE TOWERING INFERNO, FANTASTIC VOYAGE
9/17--THE TIME TRAVELERS, THE LOST WORLD (Irwin Allen)
9/18--VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA, REVENGE OF FRANKENSTEIN
9/19--PIPPI LONGSTOCKING
9/20--"The Outer Limits" ("The Mutant", "The Guests")
9/21--"The Outer Limits" ("Fun and Games"), "Space Ghost Coast-To-Coast" season 2
9/22--CRUEL JAWS, "Space Ghost Coast-To-Coast" season 2
9/23--MASSACRE IN DINOSAUR VALLEY, Hop-a-long Cassidy
9/24--PRIMITIVES, Hop-a-long Cassidy
9/25--PIPPI LONGSTOCKING, "Police Squad!" episodes
9/26--PIPPI GOES ON BOARD, "Police Squad!" episodes
9/27--PIPPI IN THE SOUTH SEAS, "Batman" season 3
9/28--ICE STATION ZEBRA, PIPPI ON THE RUN
9/29--FANTASTIC VOYAGE, "Batman" season 3
9/30--THE ANGRY RED PLANET, VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA
10/01--"Police Squad!" episodes
10/02--FRANKENSTEIN AND THE MONSTER FROM HELL
10/03--THE MOLE PEOPLE, TARANTULA
10/04--THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN, THE MONOLITH MONSTERS
10/05--MONSTER ON THE CAMPUS, CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON
10/06--REVENGE OF THE CREATURE, "Batman" season 3
10/07--POINT BLANK, THE CREATURE WALKS AMONG US
10/08--THE LAND UNKNOWN, THE DEADLY MANTIS   
10/09--THE LEECH WOMAN, DR. CYCLOPS
10/10--CULT OF THE COBRA, POINT BLANK    
10/11--ROAD TO SALINA
10/12--A NEW LEAF
10/13--Hopalong Cassidy
10/14--DRAGNET (1954)  
10/15--DRACULA'S DAUGHTER
10/16--HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN
10/17--HOUSE OF DRACULA
10/18--ABBOTT & COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN
10/19--THE SANDS OF IWO JIMA
10/20--THE TELEGRAPH TRAIL, GENTLEMEN BRONCOS
10/21--SOMEWHERE IN SONORA
10/22--THE MAN FROM MONTEREY
10/23--THEM!, "The Rifleman" episodes
10/24--IF EVER I SEE YOU AGAIN, "The Rifleman" episodes
10/25--IF EVER I SEE YOU AGAIN, "The Rifleman" episodes
10/26--A VIEW TO A KILL
10/27--LICENCE TO KILL
10/28--TOMORROW NEVER DIES
10/29--THE MUMMY (Karloff), THE MUMMY'S HAND
10/30--THE MUMMY'S TOMB, THE MUMMY'S GHOST
10/31--DR. NO, THE MUMMY'S CURSE
11/01--FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE
11/02--GOLDFINGER
11/03--THUNDERBALL
11/04--YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE, DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER
11/05--"Mary Hartman", "The Avengers" ("Town of No Return", "The Grave Diggers")
11/06--"The Avengers" ("The Cybernauts", "Death at Bargain Prices", "Castle De'Ath")
11/07--"The Avengers" ("The Master Minds", "The Murder Market", "A Surfeit of H2O")
11/08--"The Avengers" ("The Hour That Never Was", "Dial a Deadly Number", "Maneater of Surrey Green")
11/09--"The Avengers" ("Two's a Crowd", "Too Many Christmas Trees")
11/10--"The Avengers" ("Silent Dust", "Room Without A View")
11/11--"The Avengers" ("Big Game For Small Hunters", "The Man From Auntie", "The 13th Hole")
11/12--"The Avengers" ("The Quick-Quick Slow Death", "The Danger Makers", "A Touch of Brimstone")
11/13--"The Avengers" ("What the Butler Saw", "A Sense of History")
11/14--"The Avengers" ("How To Succeed In Murder", "Honey For The Prince", "From Venus With Love")
11/15--"The Avengers" ("The Fear Merchants", "Escape In Time", "The See Through Man")
11/16--"The Avengers" ("The Bird Who Knew Too Much", "The Winged Avenger", "The Living Dead")

 

 

11/17--"The Avengers" ("The Hidden Tiger", "Never Never Say Die", "The Correct Way To Kill")
11/18--"The Avengers" ("Epic", "The Superlative Seven")
11/19--"The Avengers" ("A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Station", "Something Nasty In The Nursery", "The Joker")
11/20--"The Avengers" ("Who's Who??", "Death's Door")
11/21--"The Avengers" ("The 50,000 Pound Breakfast", "Dead Man's Treasure")
11/22--"The Avengers" ("You Have Just Been Murdered", "The Positive-Negative Man")
11/23--"The Avengers" ("Murdersville", "Mission...Highly Improbable")
11/24--"The Avengers" ("The Forget-Me-Knot"), "Zombies of the Stratosphere" serial  
11/25--"Zombies of the Stratosphere" serial
11/26--"Zombies of the Stratosphere" serial  
11/27--THE LEECH WOMAN
11/28--THE LAND UNKNOWN, THE DEADLY MANTIS
11/29--DR. CYCLOPS, CULT OF THE COBRA
11/30--NOW YOU SEE HIM, NOW YOU DON'T
12/01--THE STRONGEST MAN IN THE WORLD, UPONDO & NKINSELA
12/02--THE COMPUTER WORE TENNIS SHOES, THE HORSE IN THE GREY FLANNEL SUIT
12/03--"King of the Rocket Men" serial
12/04--RIO GRANDE, "King of the Rocket Men" serial
12/05--RIO GRANDE, "King of the Rocket Men" serial
12/06--"King of the Rocket Men" serial, "Radar Men Of the Moon" serial
12/07--"Radar Men Of the Moon" serial, "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" (Rankin-Bass)
12/08--"The Green Hornet" serial
12/09--"The Green Hornet" serial, "The Phantom Empire" serial
12/10--"The Phantom Empire" serial
12/11--"Superman" serial
12/12--"Superman" serial
12/13--"The Little Drummer Boy" (Rankin-Bass), "Blackhawk" serial
12/14--GIANT FROM THE UNKNOWN, "Blackhawk" serial
12/15--DEAR HEART, "Blackhawk" serial
12/16--JACK THE GIANT KILLER

 

 

 
12/17--HORRORS OF SPIDER ISLAND
12/18--"The Shadow" serial, Jonny Quest, Mary Hartman
12/19--Mary Hartman
12/20--POINT BLANK, Jonny Quest
12/21--NOW YOU SEE HIM NOW YOU DON'T, Jonny Quest
12/22--ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD
12/23--THE STRONGEST MAN IN THE WORLD
12/24--THE COMPUTER WORE TENNIS SHOES
12/25--Mary Hartman
12/26--SINBAD AND THE EYE OF THE TIGER
12/27--THE MUMMY (Hammer), "Batman" season 3 episodes
12/28--Space Ghost Coast-To-Coast, "Batman" season 3 episodes
12/29--DEEP IMPACT, Space Ghost Coast-To-Coast
12/30--Space Ghost Coast-To-Coast
12/31--LIVE AND LET DIE, The Outer Limits ("Feasability Study", "Production and Decay of Strange Particles")

"Everything That I Watched In 2020" by Porfle

Blackhawk Bails Out Of Airplane Without A Parachute! ("BLACKHAWK" Serial, 1952)(video)

 

In Chapter 6 of the 1952 serial "Blackhawk"...

...the title hero (Kirk Alyn) finds himself in a deadly freefall.

The cliffhanger is resolved at the start of Chapter 7, when...


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

Blackhawk Bails Out Of Airplane Without A Parachute! ("BLACKHAWK" Serial, 1952)(video)

Hey, Isn't That Mr. Drysdale? ("THE GREEN HORNET" Serial, 1940)(video)

 

While watching the 1940 serial "The Green Hornet"...

...we see an actor who looks very familiar.

Isn't that Mr. Drysdale from "The Beverly Hillbillies"?

Sure enough, it is.

Over two decades later, Raymond Bailey would be a television icon.

But here, he's a young, uncredited bit player.


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

 

Hey, Isn't That Mr. Drysdale? ("THE GREEN HORNET" Serial, 1940)(video)

"PANTHER GIRL OF THE KONGO" (1954) -- Olive Films Continues Record of Releasing Great Classic Serials

Olive Films highlights another under-appreciated serial with release of Panther Girl of the Kongo (1954)

Chicago, IL – Olive Films, a boutique theatrical and home entertainment distribution label dedicated to bringing independent, foreign, and classic films to DVD and Blu-ray, has announced that February 21st will be the release date of six new titles, including Republic’s under-appreciated penultimate serial, Panther Girl of the Kongo (1954).

“Panther Girl of the Kongo might not be as well remembered as other serials,” said Alex Kopecky of Olive Films, “but we feel it’s deserving of a place alongside our favorites, because it epitomizes a lot of the elements that we love about classic serials.”

Olive Films will release Panther Girl of the Kongo to DVD and Blu-ray on February 21st.  The second-to-last serial made by Republic Pictures, it came during the dusk of the film-going habits of the 1940s and early 1950s.

Still, serial fans will recognize many of their favorite classic tropes: a fiendish land grab plot, exotic jungle locations (by way of the Republic backlot), a near-comical mad scientist character, resourceful repurposing of old footage, and a no-nonsense absence of any dialogue not explicitly driving the plot forward. In addition to that, it echoes popular mutant monster elements of 1950s films by focusing on a giant “claw monster” created by a mad scientist.

Even audiences unfamiliar with serials can find plenty to enjoy in Panther Girl of the Kongo, namely the strong performance from Phyllis Coates, best known for her portrayal of Lois Lane several years earlier. In 1951, she played opposite George Reeves in his first Superman performance in the film Superman and the Mole-Men. She then reprised her role for the first season of the television series, Adventures of Superman. Today, she is the last surviving cast member of the iconic series.

It is also possible that audiences may recognize Panther Girl of the Kongo from its 1966 television run, in which twenty-six Republic serials aired as television movies.

Other Olive Films February Titles

Blu-ray debut of King Solomon's Mines (1985); directed by J. Lee Thompson; starring Richard Chamberlain, Sharon Stone, Herbert Lom, and John Rhys-Davies.

Blu-ray debut of Evelyn (2002); directed by Bruce Beresford; starring Pierce Brosnan, Julianna Margulies, Alan Bates, Stephen Rea, Aidan Quinn, and Sophie Vavasseur.

Blu-ray debut of The Klansman (1974); directed by Terence Young; starring Lee Marvin, Richard Burton, Cameron Mitchell, Lola Falana, Luciana Paluzzi, David Huddleston, Linda Evans, and O.J. Simpson.

DVD debut of The Last Best Year (1990); directed by John Erman; starring Mary Tyler Moore, Bernadette Peters, Brian Bedford, and Kate Reid.

Blu-ray debut of Police (1985); directed by Maurice Pialat; starring Gerard Depardieu, Sophie Marceau, and Sandrine Bonnaire.

About Olive Films
Olive Films is a Chicago-based boutique theatrical and home entertainment distribution label dedicated to bringing independent, foreign, documentary, and classic films to life. Its catalog boasts over 500 titles ranging from Hollywood classics to contemporary titles. More information about Olive Films may be found at olivefilms.com.

"PANTHER GIRL OF THE KONGO" (1954) -- Olive Films Continues Record of Releasing Great Classic Serials

Canadian Mounties vs Atomic Invaders....aka Republic vs No Budget by Ian Friedman

It's been a while since I've done a review for my site, with porfle at the helm, it's not really a concern, but I figured no better time to get back into the thick of things like now. So I'll be doing a series of reviews on random things I've watched, for the moment my attention is on serials/cliffhangers/chapter plays. So without further adieu...

SPOILERS

Catchy title, great ideas, godawful cheap execution. Canadian Mounties vs Atomic Invaders is a clear example of what filming with no budget was like at the tail end of Republic's serial production days. The plot itself is actually a great idea, a foreign power is seeking to setup hidden missile bases in Canada to bombard American cities in 90 days as part of a plan to force the unconditional surrender of the US! The stakes are high and failure will lead to the total devastation of the United States (not that the heroes ever seem to be aware of this!). The only problem is due to a low budget these evil plans are carried out by onlu three main villains and maybe two or three other "extras." Our hero is only one person helped out by an undercover operative for the RCMP and a Commissioner and one other officer who pops up. It feels so empty and devoid of a real threat or counter to the threat.

To save on money the base will never be built (and no missiles will be seen), denying us a Lydecker Brothers secret missile base model set. The serial can be broken into two parts, the first with the two assistant villains trying to stop homesteaders from setting up near their first planned missile base with the RCMP agent and the undercover operative going along. This part is actually pretty fun since it's a mix of Western and Northern adventure. However, once we get to the second part back home (the villains now need to setup the base somewhere else) it becomes a pretty cheap and dull affair of numerous failed attempts to either kill the RCMP officer (who kind of reminds me of John Agar) and/or move concrete and explosives. It's so small scale, that it becomes annoying when the idea of a missile base is being teased. I was at least hoping for one last chapter where the base has to be destroyed...but that wasn't going to happen. The fights are okay, nothing near Manhunt in the African Jungle or Masked Marvel, but not totally bad either. They suffer from having to little variety and the fights generally being between the same three people. The few car and boat stunts are rather nice, including a jump onto a moving open bed truck from a hill, but too little to change the tide of a dull and cheap serial. My copy came from the old Republic 2 Tape VHS Set. I haven't seen any of the other Mountie titles, but I have to assume they are fair better than A Canadian Mountie vs Three Guys.

Canadian Mounties vs Atomic Invaders....aka Republic vs No Budget by Ian Friedman

VCI Entertainment Announces Classic DVD Sets On The Way

HONEY WEST THE COMPLETE SERIES

FIRST TIME ON VIDEO!

Honey West (Anne Francis), sensual and glamorous female private eye, was something of a trendsetter, she was one of television’s first liberated females. In an era when actresses were restrained to sedate housewives and girlfriend roles, this series marked an exceptional and original departure. In 1965 the character was introduced to television audiences in a Burke’s Law episode, "Who Killed the Jackpot?" and true to form, Honey outwitted the suave detective played by Gene Barry. Producer Aaron Spelling spun the character off into a separate thirty-minute series which premiered in the fall of 1965. Honey West was the first dramatic TV show with a female star in an action-adventure role.

In the show, Honey inherited her spying business from her late father, a top private eye. She also got his partner in the deal, rough and handsome Sam Bolt, played by John Ericson. In addition to being television’s first modern, independent, self-sufficient woman, Honey frequently engaged in fight scenes and shootouts. She was expert at judo and held a black belt in karate. She is also the first character, male or female, on U.S. television to use martial arts as self-defense.

900 minutes, B&W, 1.33:1, NR,1965-1966

OVER 15 HOURS OF PROGRAMMING
4 DISCS – WITH A TOTLA OF 30 EPISODES
EACH EPISODE IS COMPLETE WITH NO COMMERCIAL INTERRUPTIONS
BOTH PICATUE AND SOUND HAVE BEEN DIGITALLY RESTORED FROM
THE ORIGINAL 35MM FINE GRAINS

EACH EPISODE IS LOADED WITH A CAST OF SPECIAL GUESTS:
James Best
Bert Parks
Maureen McCormick
Herschel Bernardi
Kevin McCarthy
PLUS MANY MORE…

Format: DVD
DVD # 8515
UPC: 089859851520
SRP: $39.99
Product Specs: 4-DVD9/Dolby Digital/NTSC/All Region/English Language
Special DVD Features: Photo Galleries, Vintage Commercials
Street: 09/02/08



SPACE ANGEL COLLECTION VOLUME 1

9 EXCITING EPISODED ON DVD!

Director: Dick Brown
Cast: Ned Lefebver, Margaret Kerry, Hal Smith

Scott McCloud is the Space Angel, a secret agent for EBI (Earth Bureau of Investigation), who together with his friends, Taurus, Crystal, and Professor Mace, travel far and wide from their base on the space station Evening Star, on board the spaceship Starduster. Whether it’s battling a mass exile, or stopping a brainwashing mad scientist, it’s all in a day’s work to secure the welfare of the solar system. Space Angel was an animated science fiction television series produced from early 1962 through 1964. It used the same Synchro-Vox (live-action moving lips over the mouths of the animated characters lips) technique as Clutch Cargo, the first cartoon produced by the same studio, Cambria Productions. The science fiction stories were serialized with five episodes comprising each adventure. Voices included Ned Lefebver as Scott McCloud, with Margaret Kerry and Hal Smith providing other incidental voices. This DVD has 9 complete episodes and each episode is 25 minutes and in 5 segments.

TRIVIA FACT: Margaret Kerry stated that Gene Roddenberry’s character "Scotty" from Star Trek was inspired by Space Angel’s Scottish engineer.

225 minutes, Color, 1.33:1, NR, 1962

Format: DVD
DVD # 8533
UPC: 089859853326
SRP: $14.99
Street Date: 7/29/2008
Product Specs: DVD9/Dolby Digital/NTSC/All Region/English Language
Special DVD Features: An Interview with "Tinker Bell" – An exclusive one on one interview with actress Margaret Kerry, the voice actress for Space Angel & Clutch Cargo and the original alter-ego, actor and reference model for the famous pixie from Walt Disney’s "Peter Pan."



DICK TRACY’S G-MEN

CAN DICK TRACY STOP A MASTER CRIMMINAL THAT EVEN DEATH COULDN’T KEEP?

Directors: William Witney, John English
Cast: Ralph Byrd, Phylis Isley (Jennifer Jones), Irving Pichel, Ted Pearson,
Walter Miller, George Douglas

Nicholas Zarnoff, master spy and the most hated man on Earth, is sentenced to die in the gas chamber. By using a secret drug, which does not permit the gas to enter his lungs, Zarnoff cheats death and escapes. Dick Tracy, the government’s ace investigator, is assigned the task of tracking down Zarnoff and bringing him to justice. For 15 episodes Dick Tracy and Zarnoff battle it out on land, on sea and in the air. Jennifer Jones, seen at the outset of her distinguished career, plays Gwen, Dick Tracy’s loyal secretary.

263 minutes, B&W, 1.33:1, NR, 1939

FIRST TIME ON DVD! INTRO BY MAX COLLINS!
Digitally restored and re-mastered from the 35mm fine grains.
15 Pulse-pounding chapters!

Format: DVD
DVD #8504
UPC: 089859850424
SRP: $29.99
Street: 07/29/08
Product Specs: 1-DVD9 & 1-DVD5/Dolby Digital/NTSC/All Region/English Language
Special DVD Features: Scene Selection, Trailer, Intro by Max Allan Collins, Adlets

VCI Entertainment Announces Classic DVD Sets On The Way