Reviews (10)

A Major disappointment
I'm a longstanding, die-hard PHANTOM fan and collector; so I was praying that this would be a lost gem. Turns out to be more of a lost zircon. Tom Tyler is pretty darn AWFUL as the Phantom--not a single aspect of this film identifies it as a Phantom story, except for the presence of Devil -- who's supposed to be a wolf, not a German shepherd (although I'll admit it's one gorgeous animal they have cast here) -- and the Phantom's father. The bad guys consistently and successfully get the drop on Tyler's Phantom, which is not at all typical of the comic strip character. I mean, the thing about the strip version of the character that's so remarkable is his consistency--he's always smarter, faster, stronger, and cagier than the bad guys. Not Tyler's Phantom. And Tyler's Phantom is a terrible shot to boot; the strip Phantom could hit the sweat off a dung beetle on the back of a rampaging bandicoot at 20 yards.

Could they have possibly found a better actor to play the Phantom? Easily. Tyler should have stuck with the 'oaters' and said thanks a heap but heck no to this serial.

One of Columbia's best, fun for serial fans, great print
Most Columbia cliffhangers were made by independent producers, but in 1938-39 and 1943-44 Columbia made its own serials, using the studio's many sets, facilities, and contract players. Columbia's home-grown serials are very efficient, and THE PHANTOM is no exception.

It's a jungle serial, so this writer expected a lot of pedestrian dialogue scenes embellished with old wild-animal footage. It's true that the first chapter falls into this pattern while the story is being set up, but from there it's a lot of fun, almost all of it staged for this production, with Tom Tyler an ideal Phantom. For some reason the supporting cast was not credited, but fans of Columbia will easily recognize Kenneth MacDonald (terrific as the suave villain), Dick Curtis (great to see him play a benign role, for once), Ernie Adams (in a bigger-than-usual role as the Phantom's pal), and some familiar faces in the goon squad (George Chesebro, Wade Crosby, Kermit Maynard, I. Stanford Jolley, Al Hill). Good stuntwork and brisk direction (by B. Reeves Eason) keep this one moving, with Tom Tyler in there punching through 15 chapters. Ace, the Phantom's handsome dog, later became "Rusty" the German shepherd in Columbia's family series.

THE PHANTOM has two pleasant surprises for the Columbia serial fan. The recap narration is exceptionally brief (even though the recap footage is lengthy). And each closing "teaser" of next week's episode does NOT spoil the suspense by showing the imperiled hero out of danger. Every cliffhanger in THE PHANTOM keeps the viewer guessing, for a welcome change.

The print is excellent, with fine picture and sound. Only Chapter 11 has soundtrack trouble for a few minutes, and the video producers have remedied it as best they could. The DVD release also includes commentary by Max Allan Collins of "Dick Tracy" fame. Definitely of interest to serial collectors, and fans of Columbia's "B" movies and short subjects will especially enjoy this.

Long lost Phantom 1940's serial found & restored now on DVD!
...These Saturday morning matinee serials are great fun (before television).

Well "The Phantom" 1943 serial was once one of these long lost films rediscovered, digitally remastered and thanks to VCI Entertainment is now on DVD. This 2 DVD set gives us 15 action packed chapters introduces us to this mysterious character. This is fun stuff.

Summary: Tom Tyler plays "The Phantom" and this serial introduces us to this mysterious family who for generations has played "The Phantom" the man who never dies. It seems that a descendent male member must perpetuate the "Phantoms" existence. Why, because the "Phantom" is the law of the African jungle & keeps the peace among more than 50 native tribes. In 15 chapters the Phantom is poisoned to death,(because he knows of the Lost city of Zolov). His son replaces him before he actually dies. (therefore keeping the legend of the man who never dies going.) Privateers want the hidden treasure of Zolov. Mysterious nation wants to build secret air field at Zolov. Phantom is in the middle. Everyone tries to kill the man who never dies. For 15 exciting chapters we see how the "Phantom" eludes death and escapes periless traps.

The extras include; a One Chapter commentary by famous comic strip writer Max Allan Collins, Biographies, and comic book art.

This is a great secret serial rediscovered for us to watch once again. Enjoy.

can't even watch the tape
My tape was so bad that I can't even watch it to decide if I like the movie or not. Constant scrolling of film that we just cannot adjust. Makes the film unwatchable. Probably too late to return for replacement or credit.

One of Columbia's Better Serials
Columbia Pictures never produced a movie serial comparable to the best Republic cliffhangers. However, "The Phantom" (1943) survives as one of the studio's better efforts, thanks to Tom Tyler's memorable presence in the title role and the assured direction of B. Reeves Eason. Unlike Republic, the Columbia serials were more faithful in terms of comic-strip adaptations. "The Phantom" is no exception. Unfortunately, Columbia lacked the solid production values and crisp pacing of the Republic serials -- further hindered by the studio's excessive 15-chapter length. Still, "The Phantom" makes the most of Columbia's low-budget shortcomings with its effective jungle setting and above-average cliffhanging exploits. As "The Ghost Who Walks," Tyler is a terrific action hero and does not rely on a stunt double during the fight scenes. Fans of Lee Falk's comic-strip creation will not be disappointed. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Worthwhile just to enjoy seeing the legendary Tom Mix
Tom Mix is probably the best known of the early western heroes. Besides his roles, he's also credited for being an early mentor for a hopeful young actor by the name of John Wayne.

This Mascot serial was made at the end of Tom Mix's career. He was one who suffered from the advent of sound.

One interesting facet of the serial is its foreshadowing of events in Europe. The bad guy is mining a powerful explosive for an unnamed European country which is preparing for war. I don't think I'm spoiling the ending by letting you know that Tom Mix, aided by his horse Tony, successfully thwarts the scheme by the final chapter.

Quite recommended for those who enjoy vintage western action.

TOM MIX'S ONLY SERIAL AND HIS LAST MOVIE
One reviewer must've gotten the wrong video, because this is definitely Tom Mix, and Rin Tin Tin is nowhere to be seen in it! Besides Tom Mix, you get Charles Middleton as the villian. He's not nearly as menacing as he is in the Flash Gordon serials, but he's still a notable villian.

This is truly a contemporary western, taking place in 1935 when the movie was made. The bad guy is bent on chasing the indian tribe off their reservation so he can mine it for a secret explosive that he plans to sell to an unnamed European country. In one scene, he mentions the added power this powerful explosive would give a dictator, so if you know enough history to know what was happening in Europe in 1935, you can guess what country was being suggested here.

Tom Mix and Middleton together make this one of the better western serials, and I quite recommend it. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Great, Beef-cake Extravangza!
I'll shamefully confess that although I've always been an addict of Republic's fabulous serials, I brought this one primarily because of its exploitation of the macho male hero. Ray "Crash" Corrigan is simply fascinating to watch in all of his virile glory. This Adonis should have been one of the great stars but Samuel Goldwyn turned him down as the lead in his big-budget production of "The Hurricane" because he was too muscular! So, we got Jon Hall instead--who wasn't bad looking at all--but Crash was bigger and more muscular and moved with stunning beauty. Some of the other warriors in this serial are very easy on the eye, too, especially the one that Crash saves from death. If Crash had only come along when Italian muscle men epics were in vogue, he would have been the biggest of them all. So would Buster Crabbe, another stunning male beauty who was relegated to the backwaters of Poverty Row because he was considered a "physical" star--as adverse to the skinny types who prevailed through the 30s and 40s.

Whips Flash Gordon any day.
My favourite Republic serial - it's way over-the-top, bordering on camp in places and loads of fun! Superb stunts and effects for the time, non-stop action and a huge supporting cast of extras playing soldiers in chariots. What must the budget have been like for these things?
Also first class music. Listen closely and there's a bit of Liszt thrown in!

A little cheating, but spectacular.
Special effects and set decorations make this definitely one of the best serials of all time. I do give it 4 stars rather than 5, because of the cheating in a couple of chapters. Especially one of the great chapter endings ever, Chapter 8, only to discover the cheating at the beginning of Chapter 9. Also a little more than usual carelessness...Corrigan is bare headed at the beginning of one sequence and is suddenly wearing the cumbersome helmet...A chariot and team of horses unexplainably is waiting right by where they need it... But hey, don't you expect a bit of that in serials?

It's the spectacle, developing plot, good acting that make this an important serial for your collection. Lots of familiar names in this one including Lon Chaney Jr., William Farnum, Monte Blue (as the villain), Smiley Burnette as the comic relief, Lee Van Atta as the feisty kid.

This definitely should be in your basic serial collection.

Crash Corrigan vs. Unga Khan
While it is true that there are better serials, this one is a fine sampling of early Republic chapter-plays.

Professor Norton has discovered the lost city of Atlantis, and learns that it is the source of mysterious deadly earthquakes. Naval hero Ray "Crash" Corrigan and his reporter girlfriend Diana join Norton in his rocket powered submarine to investigate the mystery at the bottom of the sea.

Along for the ride is young Billy, Norton's son, who idolizes the dashing and heroic Crash.

When they arrive in the undersea city, Norton and Diana are quickly captured by Unga Khan, evil ruler of Atlantis. Khan uses his Transforming Ray to weaken Norton's mind and make him Khan's slave! His plan is to have Norton build rockets powerful enough to lift his war tower to the surface of the sea, so Khan can capture the world with his atom guns.

Corrigan eventually earns the trust of the Atlaneans in the Sacred City, and tries to rescue Norton and his sweetheart.

The co-director of the serial, 'Breezy' Reeves Eason, served as second unit director on the silent epic "Ben-Hur" (1925), most notibly on the famous chariot sequence. No wonder this serial is full of chariot chases and races!

Lon Chaney plays one of Unga Khan's henchmen, as Captain of the Black Robes. Smiley Burnette is along as unecessary and annoying comedy relief. The youngster who plays Billy also played Junior in some of the Dick Tracy movies.

There is some silliness with the costumes; Sharad, the leader of the Sacred City, looks like a low-rent Bishop, and Crash's helmet looks like it came from a hood ornament. Crash's costume is kind of silly-looking, too, with fish-scale shorts. The bad guys wear lightning bolts on their heads, which actually look pretty good for soldiers in an atom-powered army.

The Volkites are the coolest thing about the serial. They are the original walking trash can robots, similar to the ones that appear in the Captain Proton segments of Star Trek Voyager.

The real question is why Unga Khan has all of the technology, while the Sacred City has none. And why does Khan attack with horses and archers, when he has technology like the Volkites, atom guns, and aircraft. And let's not even ask why a domed city under the sea can have day and night.

The Roan print is great, as usual. They include lobby art and the serial's history with production notes. The interactive menus are nice, too. Each chapter is shown in a "reflecting plate" (what the bad guys call their TV communicator screens).

Atlantis or Bust!
A worthy competitor to Universal's "Flash Gordon", which
preceded it in theatres by about two months, "Undersea
Kingdom" begins with strange earthquakes on the ocean floor that
draw the attention of kindly but doddering old Professor
Norton. Norton finds a statue down there and immediately decides that
the long-lost continent of Atlantis is to blame for the trouble. He
puts together an expedition that consists of himself, a naval officer
named "Crash" Corrigan portrayed, interestingly enough, by
"Crash" Corrigan in a role he was evidently born to play, and a
handsome crew of sailors, misfits, stowaways and ...a liberated
lady-type reporter.

Well, to make 12 episodes short, Atlantis is
indeed to blame for the seaquakes, as the nefarious Unga Khan seeks to
overthrow Sharad, High Priest of the Sacred City. Or something. They
all look alike and the only real way to tell the difference between
any of them is that (a) they all wear different silly hats, and (b)
one of 'em looks just like Lon Chaney, Jr. In fact, it IS Lon
Chaney, Jr., who, the narrative would've told us if it had been
pertinent, was hiding out at the bottom of the ocean because there's
no full moon down there. Although, believe it or not, there's clouds
and dust and horses. Don't ask.

Unga Khan is ready for the outside
interlopers, however. He unleashes a plethora of perilous devices to
entrap/enslave/murder our heroes (depending on the chapter), including
a giant magnet to capture the submarine, an army of Volkites,
mechanical men who resemble port-o-potties with legs, and a death-ray
gun that looks like a vacuum cleaner and probably is. Best of all is a
particularly nasty-looking tank, to which Crash finds himself chained
and helpless as the machine is about to ram the wall of the Sacred
City. In the chapterplay's best moment, Crash stoically shouts, "Go
ahead and ram!" rather than divulge whatever bit of information
Khan is after... I kind of fell asleep in that chapter.

Well, lots
more really exciting stuff happens, although I can't remember what
just now. Suffice to say that virtue triumphs in the end. As it always
does. Except in politics.

The supporting cast is fine, particularly
Monte Blue as Khan and C. Montague Shaw as Norton. As mentioned, the
silly hats are delightful; really, no kidding, you are going to come
away from this serial remembering the hats which adorn virtually every
head. Unless you were admiring all the really muscular guys wearing
short skirts, but that's none of my business. Oh, and the shoes are
really stylish and snazzy, too.


... Read more

Description

218 minute feature film DVD. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

A classic John Wayne
It is great to see John Wayne in the early years . It was both funny and action packed and comsidering it was 70 years ago it was of a great quality .

A collecter of John Wayne films on VHS ( PAL )
This 1932 12 chapter film is a very good for the year it was made.The thing that appeals to me is that these types of films never had to put up with sensorship.

private collector of all john wayne filme on VHS ( PAL )
This 1932 12 chapter film is very good for its time.The thing that appeals to to me is there was no sensorship in those days.That means (in my view ) they are more entertaining to watch.

Not the serial
If you are a true serial fanatic you won't like this DVD. It's the feature version. I was surprised because there is a full 12 chapter VHS version.

some second thoughts
After getting in touch with Marengo they explained to me that more viewers prefer the featurized-versions. That's why they've done it that way. But by mistake they forgot to mention it on the cover. A correct serial-version is in consideration for sometimes in the future. So my anger is calmed down - especially after checking my old tape of this serial - it has all the cliffhangers but picture and sound are far below that of the Marengo-DVD. So until a definitive versions turns up let's say: better than nothing. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

DVD set 2 stars lousey xfer - VHS set 4 stars good copy!!!
This review is strickly comparing this newly released 2 DVD set from ALPHA VIDEO to the 2 VHS set from VCI Home Video.

First "The Phantom Empire" (1935) starring Gene Autry the singing cowboy was the first Western/Sci-fi Saturday matinee action serial. A very elaborate and fun story of an underground hidden empire of "Murania" lying 12000 feet below Gene Autry's ranch. This is some fun stuff. 12 cliffhanging chapters originally produced by Mascot Pictures. This preceded the later serials like Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers. The Phantom Empire runs for 216 minutes total is Black and White and is presented in Standard Format.

Compared:

Alpha Video 2 DVD set - This is a non-restored direct transfer DVD. The results are horrible, grainy, dark and some times blurry picture. The sound is erractic and sometimes difficult to understand the dialog. The worst thing is the chapters are incomplete. Each serial ending or beginning are chopped resulting in the absense of the cliffhanger thrill of the story. If you must see this classic on DVD, Rent only!!!!!

VCI 2 VHS set - This is "The Phantom Empire" as it was ment to be seen. It is only VHS quality but so much better than the DVD set. The sound is much better and ALL 12 CHAPTERS are complete and the cliffhanging thrill is there to drive you on to next chapter. This is a fun experience and maybe a purchase but definitely a rental!!!!

This 1935 serial is a one of a kind and if you are a Gene Autry fan this could be for you. Enjoy.

terrible transfer to DVD
I agree with the first reviewer. I was looking forward to watching this serial but the transfer to DVD is so poor that I gave up after the 2nd chapter.

Gene Autry sings to defeat evil!
I mistakenly purchased this DVD (PHANTOM EMPIRE: Part 2) thinking I'd get the entire serial, but all in all, this is a pretty fun viewing. Gene Autry falls into a subterranian city named Murania, and must fight to stay alive against the wicked queen that rules there. Very silly robots about in this story, with short-brimmed cowboy hats on top of their box-like features. A rebellion is being planned, as on the surface of the earth evil scientists plot to steal radium from the Radio Ranch. On top of all this, Radio Ranch is endangered by Gene Autry's inability to make it to perform on his radio show!
Complete with horse chases, sword fights, and deadly technology, this is a fun serial to watch. The print isn't great, but it is watchable and costs little for the entire collection. A very rare entry into the science fiction/western genre and a lot of fun!

great serial lousy copy
Yes, I too have fond memories of this serial,but this is a poor quality transfer, inferior even to vhs copies I have come across in the past. 'Nuff said.

First Western Science Fiction
This is the first film that Gene Autry made after his guest star role in Old Santa Fe with Ken Maynard. By all accounts his guest appearance wound up taking star billing over Maynard. He was then offered the role playing himself in this first western science fiction serial cliffhanger. You will see a young radio singer who he himself felt that he could not act, make a movie that set his career on fire. He is a radio star on Radio Ranch, which is a dude ranch as well. Evil scientist visit there and Gene find there is an entire world beneath the surface of the earth, called the City Of Murania. Great action and great cliff hangers. I can imagine the suspense theater goers experienced years ago as they waited from week to week to see how Gene got out of each and every dangerous ending. Autry was just learning how to act but did a terrific job of wowing the audience inspite of it all!!! He was on the way to the Top of the B western ratings and once he got there he stayed there!!! What a cowboy!!! ... Read more

Reviews (6)

DVD set 2 stars lousey xfer - VHS set 4 stars good copy!!!
This review is strickly comparing this newly released 2 DVD set from ALPHA VIDEO to the 2 VHS set from VCI Home Video.

First "The Phantom Empire" (1935) starring Gene Autry the singing cowboy was the first Western/Sci-fi Saturday matinee action serial. A very elaborate and fun story of an underground hidden empire of "Murania" lying 12000 feet below Gene Autry's ranch. This is some fun stuff. 12 cliffhanging chapters originally produced by Mascot Pictures. This preceded the later serials like Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers. The Phantom Empire runs for 216 minutes total is Black and White and is presented in Standard Format.

Compared:

Alpha Video 2 DVD set - This is a non-restored direct transfer DVD. The results are horrible, grainy, dark and some times blurry picture. The sound is erractic and sometimes difficult to understand the dialog. The worst thing is the chapters are incomplete. Each serial ending or beginning are chopped resulting in the absense of the cliffhanger thrill of the story. If you must see this classic on DVD, Rent only!!!!!

VCI 2 VHS set - This is "The Phantom Empire" as it was ment to be seen. It is only VHS quality but so much better than the DVD set. The sound is much better and ALL 12 CHAPTERS are complete and the cliffhanging thrill is there to drive you on to next chapter. This is a fun experience and maybe a purchase but definitely a rental!!!!

This 1935 serial is a one of a kind and if you are a Gene Autry fan this could be for you. Enjoy.

terrible transfer to DVD
I agree with the first reviewer. I was looking forward to watching this serial but the transfer to DVD is so poor that I gave up after the 2nd chapter.

Gene Autry sings to defeat evil!
I mistakenly purchased this DVD (PHANTOM EMPIRE: Part 2) thinking I'd get the entire serial, but all in all, this is a pretty fun viewing. Gene Autry falls into a subterranian city named Murania, and must fight to stay alive against the wicked queen that rules there. Very silly robots about in this story, with short-brimmed cowboy hats on top of their box-like features. A rebellion is being planned, as on the surface of the earth evil scientists plot to steal radium from the Radio Ranch. On top of all this, Radio Ranch is endangered by Gene Autry's inability to make it to perform on his radio show!
Complete with horse chases, sword fights, and deadly technology, this is a fun serial to watch. The print isn't great, but it is watchable and costs little for the entire collection. A very rare entry into the science fiction/western genre and a lot of fun!

great serial lousy copy
Yes, I too have fond memories of this serial,but this is a poor quality transfer, inferior even to vhs copies I have come across in the past. 'Nuff said.

First Western Science Fiction
This is the first film that Gene Autry made after his guest star role in Old Santa Fe with Ken Maynard. By all accounts his guest appearance wound up taking star billing over Maynard. He was then offered the role playing himself in this first western science fiction serial cliffhanger. You will see a young radio singer who he himself felt that he could not act, make a movie that set his career on fire. He is a radio star on Radio Ranch, which is a dude ranch as well. Evil scientist visit there and Gene find there is an entire world beneath the surface of the earth, called the City Of Murania. Great action and great cliff hangers. I can imagine the suspense theater goers experienced years ago as they waited from week to week to see how Gene got out of each and every dangerous ending. Autry was just learning how to act but did a terrific job of wowing the audience inspite of it all!!! He was on the way to the Top of the B western ratings and once he got there he stayed there!!! What a cowboy!!! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Great, Beef-cake Extravangza!
I'll shamefully confess that although I've always been an addict of Republic's fabulous serials, I brought this one primarily because of its exploitation of the macho male hero. Ray "Crash" Corrigan is simply fascinating to watch in all of his virile glory. This Adonis should have been one of the great stars but Samuel Goldwyn turned him down as the lead in his big-budget production of "The Hurricane" because he was too muscular! So, we got Jon Hall instead--who wasn't bad looking at all--but Crash was bigger and more muscular and moved with stunning beauty. Some of the other warriors in this serial are very easy on the eye, too, especially the one that Crash saves from death. If Crash had only come along when Italian muscle men epics were in vogue, he would have been the biggest of them all. So would Buster Crabbe, another stunning male beauty who was relegated to the backwaters of Poverty Row because he was considered a "physical" star--as adverse to the skinny types who prevailed through the 30s and 40s.

Whips Flash Gordon any day.
My favourite Republic serial - it's way over-the-top, bordering on camp in places and loads of fun! Superb stunts and effects for the time, non-stop action and a huge supporting cast of extras playing soldiers in chariots. What must the budget have been like for these things?
Also first class music. Listen closely and there's a bit of Liszt thrown in!

A little cheating, but spectacular.
Special effects and set decorations make this definitely one of the best serials of all time. I do give it 4 stars rather than 5, because of the cheating in a couple of chapters. Especially one of the great chapter endings ever, Chapter 8, only to discover the cheating at the beginning of Chapter 9. Also a little more than usual carelessness...Corrigan is bare headed at the beginning of one sequence and is suddenly wearing the cumbersome helmet...A chariot and team of horses unexplainably is waiting right by where they need it... But hey, don't you expect a bit of that in serials?

It's the spectacle, developing plot, good acting that make this an important serial for your collection. Lots of familiar names in this one including Lon Chaney Jr., William Farnum, Monte Blue (as the villain), Smiley Burnette as the comic relief, Lee Van Atta as the feisty kid.

This definitely should be in your basic serial collection.

Crash Corrigan vs. Unga Khan
While it is true that there are better serials, this one is a fine sampling of early Republic chapter-plays.

Professor Norton has discovered the lost city of Atlantis, and learns that it is the source of mysterious deadly earthquakes. Naval hero Ray "Crash" Corrigan and his reporter girlfriend Diana join Norton in his rocket powered submarine to investigate the mystery at the bottom of the sea.

Along for the ride is young Billy, Norton's son, who idolizes the dashing and heroic Crash.

When they arrive in the undersea city, Norton and Diana are quickly captured by Unga Khan, evil ruler of Atlantis. Khan uses his Transforming Ray to weaken Norton's mind and make him Khan's slave! His plan is to have Norton build rockets powerful enough to lift his war tower to the surface of the sea, so Khan can capture the world with his atom guns.

Corrigan eventually earns the trust of the Atlaneans in the Sacred City, and tries to rescue Norton and his sweetheart.

The co-director of the serial, 'Breezy' Reeves Eason, served as second unit director on the silent epic "Ben-Hur" (1925), most notibly on the famous chariot sequence. No wonder this serial is full of chariot chases and races!

Lon Chaney plays one of Unga Khan's henchmen, as Captain of the Black Robes. Smiley Burnette is along as unecessary and annoying comedy relief. The youngster who plays Billy also played Junior in some of the Dick Tracy movies.

There is some silliness with the costumes; Sharad, the leader of the Sacred City, looks like a low-rent Bishop, and Crash's helmet looks like it came from a hood ornament. Crash's costume is kind of silly-looking, too, with fish-scale shorts. The bad guys wear lightning bolts on their heads, which actually look pretty good for soldiers in an atom-powered army.

The Volkites are the coolest thing about the serial. They are the original walking trash can robots, similar to the ones that appear in the Captain Proton segments of Star Trek Voyager.

The real question is why Unga Khan has all of the technology, while the Sacred City has none. And why does Khan attack with horses and archers, when he has technology like the Volkites, atom guns, and aircraft. And let's not even ask why a domed city under the sea can have day and night.

The Roan print is great, as usual. They include lobby art and the serial's history with production notes. The interactive menus are nice, too. Each chapter is shown in a "reflecting plate" (what the bad guys call their TV communicator screens).

Atlantis or Bust!
A worthy competitor to Universal's "Flash Gordon", which
preceded it in theatres by about two months, "Undersea
Kingdom" begins with strange earthquakes on the ocean floor that
draw the attention of kindly but doddering old Professor
Norton. Norton finds a statue down there and immediately decides that
the long-lost continent of Atlantis is to blame for the trouble. He
puts together an expedition that consists of himself, a naval officer
named "Crash" Corrigan portrayed, interestingly enough, by
"Crash" Corrigan in a role he was evidently born to play, and a
handsome crew of sailors, misfits, stowaways and ...a liberated
lady-type reporter.

Well, to make 12 episodes short, Atlantis is
indeed to blame for the seaquakes, as the nefarious Unga Khan seeks to
overthrow Sharad, High Priest of the Sacred City. Or something. They
all look alike and the only real way to tell the difference between
any of them is that (a) they all wear different silly hats, and (b)
one of 'em looks just like Lon Chaney, Jr. In fact, it IS Lon
Chaney, Jr., who, the narrative would've told us if it had been
pertinent, was hiding out at the bottom of the ocean because there's
no full moon down there. Although, believe it or not, there's clouds
and dust and horses. Don't ask.

Unga Khan is ready for the outside
interlopers, however. He unleashes a plethora of perilous devices to
entrap/enslave/murder our heroes (depending on the chapter), including
a giant magnet to capture the submarine, an army of Volkites,
mechanical men who resemble port-o-potties with legs, and a death-ray
gun that looks like a vacuum cleaner and probably is. Best of all is a
particularly nasty-looking tank, to which Crash finds himself chained
and helpless as the machine is about to ram the wall of the Sacred
City. In the chapterplay's best moment, Crash stoically shouts, "Go
ahead and ram!" rather than divulge whatever bit of information
Khan is after... I kind of fell asleep in that chapter.

Well, lots
more really exciting stuff happens, although I can't remember what
just now. Suffice to say that virtue triumphs in the end. As it always
does. Except in politics.

The supporting cast is fine, particularly
Monte Blue as Khan and C. Montague Shaw as Norton. As mentioned, the
silly hats are delightful; really, no kidding, you are going to come
away from this serial remembering the hats which adorn virtually every
head. Unless you were admiring all the really muscular guys wearing
short skirts, but that's none of my business. Oh, and the shoes are
really stylish and snazzy, too.


... Read more

Reviews (5)

Great, Beef-cake Extravangza!
I'll shamefully confess that although I've always been an addict of Republic's fabulous serials, I brought this one primarily because of its exploitation of the macho male hero. Ray "Crash" Corrigan is simply fascinating to watch in all of his virile glory. This Adonis should have been one of the great stars but Samuel Goldwyn turned him down as the lead in his big-budget production of "The Hurricane" because he was too muscular! So, we got Jon Hall instead--who wasn't bad looking at all--but Crash was bigger and more muscular and moved with stunning beauty. Some of the other warriors in this serial are very easy on the eye, too, especially the one that Crash saves from death. If Crash had only come along when Italian muscle men epics were in vogue, he would have been the biggest of them all. So would Buster Crabbe, another stunning male beauty who was relegated to the backwaters of Poverty Row because he was considered a "physical" star--as adverse to the skinny types who prevailed through the 30s and 40s.

Whips Flash Gordon any day.
My favourite Republic serial - it's way over-the-top, bordering on camp in places and loads of fun! Superb stunts and effects for the time, non-stop action and a huge supporting cast of extras playing soldiers in chariots. What must the budget have been like for these things?
Also first class music. Listen closely and there's a bit of Liszt thrown in!

A little cheating, but spectacular.
Special effects and set decorations make this definitely one of the best serials of all time. I do give it 4 stars rather than 5, because of the cheating in a couple of chapters. Especially one of the great chapter endings ever, Chapter 8, only to discover the cheating at the beginning of Chapter 9. Also a little more than usual carelessness...Corrigan is bare headed at the beginning of one sequence and is suddenly wearing the cumbersome helmet...A chariot and team of horses unexplainably is waiting right by where they need it... But hey, don't you expect a bit of that in serials?

It's the spectacle, developing plot, good acting that make this an important serial for your collection. Lots of familiar names in this one including Lon Chaney Jr., William Farnum, Monte Blue (as the villain), Smiley Burnette as the comic relief, Lee Van Atta as the feisty kid.

This definitely should be in your basic serial collection.

Crash Corrigan vs. Unga Khan
While it is true that there are better serials, this one is a fine sampling of early Republic chapter-plays.

Professor Norton has discovered the lost city of Atlantis, and learns that it is the source of mysterious deadly earthquakes. Naval hero Ray "Crash" Corrigan and his reporter girlfriend Diana join Norton in his rocket powered submarine to investigate the mystery at the bottom of the sea.

Along for the ride is young Billy, Norton's son, who idolizes the dashing and heroic Crash.

When they arrive in the undersea city, Norton and Diana are quickly captured by Unga Khan, evil ruler of Atlantis. Khan uses his Transforming Ray to weaken Norton's mind and make him Khan's slave! His plan is to have Norton build rockets powerful enough to lift his war tower to the surface of the sea, so Khan can capture the world with his atom guns.

Corrigan eventually earns the trust of the Atlaneans in the Sacred City, and tries to rescue Norton and his sweetheart.

The co-director of the serial, 'Breezy' Reeves Eason, served as second unit director on the silent epic "Ben-Hur" (1925), most notibly on the famous chariot sequence. No wonder this serial is full of chariot chases and races!

Lon Chaney plays one of Unga Khan's henchmen, as Captain of the Black Robes. Smiley Burnette is along as unecessary and annoying comedy relief. The youngster who plays Billy also played Junior in some of the Dick Tracy movies.

There is some silliness with the costumes; Sharad, the leader of the Sacred City, looks like a low-rent Bishop, and Crash's helmet looks like it came from a hood ornament. Crash's costume is kind of silly-looking, too, with fish-scale shorts. The bad guys wear lightning bolts on their heads, which actually look pretty good for soldiers in an atom-powered army.

The Volkites are the coolest thing about the serial. They are the original walking trash can robots, similar to the ones that appear in the Captain Proton segments of Star Trek Voyager.

The real question is why Unga Khan has all of the technology, while the Sacred City has none. And why does Khan attack with horses and archers, when he has technology like the Volkites, atom guns, and aircraft. And let's not even ask why a domed city under the sea can have day and night.

The Roan print is great, as usual. They include lobby art and the serial's history with production notes. The interactive menus are nice, too. Each chapter is shown in a "reflecting plate" (what the bad guys call their TV communicator screens).

Atlantis or Bust!
A worthy competitor to Universal's "Flash Gordon", which
preceded it in theatres by about two months, "Undersea
Kingdom" begins with strange earthquakes on the ocean floor that
draw the attention of kindly but doddering old Professor
Norton. Norton finds a statue down there and immediately decides that
the long-lost continent of Atlantis is to blame for the trouble. He
puts together an expedition that consists of himself, a naval officer
named "Crash" Corrigan portrayed, interestingly enough, by
"Crash" Corrigan in a role he was evidently born to play, and a
handsome crew of sailors, misfits, stowaways and ...a liberated
lady-type reporter.

Well, to make 12 episodes short, Atlantis is
indeed to blame for the seaquakes, as the nefarious Unga Khan seeks to
overthrow Sharad, High Priest of the Sacred City. Or something. They
all look alike and the only real way to tell the difference between
any of them is that (a) they all wear different silly hats, and (b)
one of 'em looks just like Lon Chaney, Jr. In fact, it IS Lon
Chaney, Jr., who, the narrative would've told us if it had been
pertinent, was hiding out at the bottom of the ocean because there's
no full moon down there. Although, believe it or not, there's clouds
and dust and horses. Don't ask.

Unga Khan is ready for the outside
interlopers, however. He unleashes a plethora of perilous devices to
entrap/enslave/murder our heroes (depending on the chapter), including
a giant magnet to capture the submarine, an army of Volkites,
mechanical men who resemble port-o-potties with legs, and a death-ray
gun that looks like a vacuum cleaner and probably is. Best of all is a
particularly nasty-looking tank, to which Crash finds himself chained
and helpless as the machine is about to ram the wall of the Sacred
City. In the chapterplay's best moment, Crash stoically shouts, "Go
ahead and ram!" rather than divulge whatever bit of information
Khan is after... I kind of fell asleep in that chapter.

Well, lots
more really exciting stuff happens, although I can't remember what
just now. Suffice to say that virtue triumphs in the end. As it always
does. Except in politics.

The supporting cast is fine, particularly
Monte Blue as Khan and C. Montague Shaw as Norton. As mentioned, the
silly hats are delightful; really, no kidding, you are going to come
away from this serial remembering the hats which adorn virtually every
head. Unless you were admiring all the really muscular guys wearing
short skirts, but that's none of my business. Oh, and the shoes are
really stylish and snazzy, too.


... Read more

Reviews (2)

Not up to par - DVD wise.
This movie is the original of the re-released version known as Red River Valley, a VHS copy of which I have. This DVD is of medium quality as it appears to have been made not from a film print but from a VHS tape. The double shadows and ghost effects are obvious. MY Goodtimes EP mode VHS copy was far better than this.

Man Of The Frontier
Another title for this movie was Man Of The Frontier. Gene delivers cattle to a small town which is having a struggle keeping swindlers from shutting down the dam that supplied water to the valley...Smiley Burnette is his sidekick and at his funniest best! Lot's of action from this early movie made in the late 1930's. You will see a rising star really doing a dangerous stunt himself. Autry did alot of his own stunts and in this one almost got sweep down the river because of slippery moss as he was wading across the dam according his film biography. So watch this and see him progressing on his way to the top!! What can you say!! He was a HERO!! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Great, Beef-cake Extravangza!
I'll shamefully confess that although I've always been an addict of Republic's fabulous serials, I brought this one primarily because of its exploitation of the macho male hero. Ray "Crash" Corrigan is simply fascinating to watch in all of his virile glory. This Adonis should have been one of the great stars but Samuel Goldwyn turned him down as the lead in his big-budget production of "The Hurricane" because he was too muscular! So, we got Jon Hall instead--who wasn't bad looking at all--but Crash was bigger and more muscular and moved with stunning beauty. Some of the other warriors in this serial are very easy on the eye, too, especially the one that Crash saves from death. If Crash had only come along when Italian muscle men epics were in vogue, he would have been the biggest of them all. So would Buster Crabbe, another stunning male beauty who was relegated to the backwaters of Poverty Row because he was considered a "physical" star--as adverse to the skinny types who prevailed through the 30s and 40s.

Whips Flash Gordon any day.
My favourite Republic serial - it's way over-the-top, bordering on camp in places and loads of fun! Superb stunts and effects for the time, non-stop action and a huge supporting cast of extras playing soldiers in chariots. What must the budget have been like for these things?
Also first class music. Listen closely and there's a bit of Liszt thrown in!

A little cheating, but spectacular.
Special effects and set decorations make this definitely one of the best serials of all time. I do give it 4 stars rather than 5, because of the cheating in a couple of chapters. Especially one of the great chapter endings ever, Chapter 8, only to discover the cheating at the beginning of Chapter 9. Also a little more than usual carelessness...Corrigan is bare headed at the beginning of one sequence and is suddenly wearing the cumbersome helmet...A chariot and team of horses unexplainably is waiting right by where they need it... But hey, don't you expect a bit of that in serials?

It's the spectacle, developing plot, good acting that make this an important serial for your collection. Lots of familiar names in this one including Lon Chaney Jr., William Farnum, Monte Blue (as the villain), Smiley Burnette as the comic relief, Lee Van Atta as the feisty kid.

This definitely should be in your basic serial collection.

Crash Corrigan vs. Unga Khan
While it is true that there are better serials, this one is a fine sampling of early Republic chapter-plays.

Professor Norton has discovered the lost city of Atlantis, and learns that it is the source of mysterious deadly earthquakes. Naval hero Ray "Crash" Corrigan and his reporter girlfriend Diana join Norton in his rocket powered submarine to investigate the mystery at the bottom of the sea.

Along for the ride is young Billy, Norton's son, who idolizes the dashing and heroic Crash.

When they arrive in the undersea city, Norton and Diana are quickly captured by Unga Khan, evil ruler of Atlantis. Khan uses his Transforming Ray to weaken Norton's mind and make him Khan's slave! His plan is to have Norton build rockets powerful enough to lift his war tower to the surface of the sea, so Khan can capture the world with his atom guns.

Corrigan eventually earns the trust of the Atlaneans in the Sacred City, and tries to rescue Norton and his sweetheart.

The co-director of the serial, 'Breezy' Reeves Eason, served as second unit director on the silent epic "Ben-Hur" (1925), most notibly on the famous chariot sequence. No wonder this serial is full of chariot chases and races!

Lon Chaney plays one of Unga Khan's henchmen, as Captain of the Black Robes. Smiley Burnette is along as unecessary and annoying comedy relief. The youngster who plays Billy also played Junior in some of the Dick Tracy movies.

There is some silliness with the costumes; Sharad, the leader of the Sacred City, looks like a low-rent Bishop, and Crash's helmet looks like it came from a hood ornament. Crash's costume is kind of silly-looking, too, with fish-scale shorts. The bad guys wear lightning bolts on their heads, which actually look pretty good for soldiers in an atom-powered army.

The Volkites are the coolest thing about the serial. They are the original walking trash can robots, similar to the ones that appear in the Captain Proton segments of Star Trek Voyager.

The real question is why Unga Khan has all of the technology, while the Sacred City has none. And why does Khan attack with horses and archers, when he has technology like the Volkites, atom guns, and aircraft. And let's not even ask why a domed city under the sea can have day and night.

The Roan print is great, as usual. They include lobby art and the serial's history with production notes. The interactive menus are nice, too. Each chapter is shown in a "reflecting plate" (what the bad guys call their TV communicator screens).

Atlantis or Bust!
A worthy competitor to Universal's "Flash Gordon", which
preceded it in theatres by about two months, "Undersea
Kingdom" begins with strange earthquakes on the ocean floor that
draw the attention of kindly but doddering old Professor
Norton. Norton finds a statue down there and immediately decides that
the long-lost continent of Atlantis is to blame for the trouble. He
puts together an expedition that consists of himself, a naval officer
named "Crash" Corrigan portrayed, interestingly enough, by
"Crash" Corrigan in a role he was evidently born to play, and a
handsome crew of sailors, misfits, stowaways and ...a liberated
lady-type reporter.

Well, to make 12 episodes short, Atlantis is
indeed to blame for the seaquakes, as the nefarious Unga Khan seeks to
overthrow Sharad, High Priest of the Sacred City. Or something. They
all look alike and the only real way to tell the difference between
any of them is that (a) they all wear different silly hats, and (b)
one of 'em looks just like Lon Chaney, Jr. In fact, it IS Lon
Chaney, Jr., who, the narrative would've told us if it had been
pertinent, was hiding out at the bottom of the ocean because there's
no full moon down there. Although, believe it or not, there's clouds
and dust and horses. Don't ask.

Unga Khan is ready for the outside
interlopers, however. He unleashes a plethora of perilous devices to
entrap/enslave/murder our heroes (depending on the chapter), including
a giant magnet to capture the submarine, an army of Volkites,
mechanical men who resemble port-o-potties with legs, and a death-ray
gun that looks like a vacuum cleaner and probably is. Best of all is a
particularly nasty-looking tank, to which Crash finds himself chained
and helpless as the machine is about to ram the wall of the Sacred
City. In the chapterplay's best moment, Crash stoically shouts, "Go
ahead and ram!" rather than divulge whatever bit of information
Khan is after... I kind of fell asleep in that chapter.

Well, lots
more really exciting stuff happens, although I can't remember what
just now. Suffice to say that virtue triumphs in the end. As it always
does. Except in politics.

The supporting cast is fine, particularly
Monte Blue as Khan and C. Montague Shaw as Norton. As mentioned, the
silly hats are delightful; really, no kidding, you are going to come
away from this serial remembering the hats which adorn virtually every
head. Unless you were admiring all the really muscular guys wearing
short skirts, but that's none of my business. Oh, and the shoes are
really stylish and snazzy, too.


... Read more