Reviews (2)

Above average Roy Rogers, below average DVD transfer . . .
. . . but if you pay under [dollar amount] for a DVD, you can't really complain. Unfortunately, all of Roy's movies will probably be shuffled off to DVD with just as little care. The sound crackles sometimes, and some of Dale's delightful solos are a bit distorted; the picture is fuzzier sometimes than others (even "jumps" once, as though it were a tape), and you have to turn the volume up pretty high compared to typical DVD.

Though the quality leaves at least as much to be desired as one would expect considering the price, "Yellow Rose of Texas" is above average Roy Rogers fare. Included are the classic framed man with a beautiful daughter (Dale, of course), Roy's undercover identity as insurance agent, a stunt with Trigger to save a boy in a runaway wagon, a multi-fisted fight featuring the Sons of the Pioneers (minus Pat Brady, since this is 1944), the classic shot of black "blood" dripping through two ceiling boards to give away the winged fugitive (at a rate that says he must have hit an artery and is in serious need of a transfusion!), and lots more great nostalgia inducers. One number by the Sons of the Pioneers, "Timber," is musically even better than usual. It's also interesting to see Dale Evans before that "Queen of the West" persona, which she was originally so against, was firmly established; you'll hear her sing and see her pout those pretty lips, but she won't be riding a horse. (This is partially due, of course, to the fact that much of this setting has to do with riverboats and shows rather than ranches and the frontier.) Even her hair is different than the typical "Cowgirl Dale" look that we fans take for granted.

All in all, if you want to see Roy and Dale in restored glory, don't bother with the Alpha Video releases. But if you want to see them on DVD at all, you may have to settle for these, and "Yellow Rose of Texas" is a perfect place to start.

Good sing-along title song.
Roy Rogers portrays a singing cowboy insurance investigator on a showboat. I know it sounds too weird, but just go with it. Life will be easier. Five years ago Dale Evans' father was framed for an express robbery, and he is still on the run. Roy and the sheriff are both hot on Dad's trail while the real crooks make more mischief. This is a lesser effort by RR and crew. This is one of those "modern" Westerns that feature autos as well as horses. From the complaint department, the emphasis on elaborate song-and-dance numbers detracts from the B Western fun. There is some blazing six-gun action, but not enough to give one time to use up an entire roll of caps. It's always good to see Bob Nolan and The Sons of the Pioneers. Gabby Hayes is not in this one. This movie is of moderate interest to staunch RR fans and those who relish the nostalgia of Saturday matinees. Remember the days when every kid on the block wanted to be a cowboy? From that perspective, viewing and ownership is of value. ;-) ... Read more

Reviews (2)

BADMEN OF DEADWOOD
Don't waste your money on this piece of garbage. This is a DVD made from a VHS transfer, made from a VHS transfer. The picture quality is so bad it gave me a headache after just 15 minutes of watching fuzzy images and dark scenes. And the sound is even worse. I have no idea why companies like this who spend money making attractive box covers and disc lables can have no regard for the quality of the movie they are transferring. There is no excuse....if they worked with a decent 16 MM print there is no way it could be this bad. This company has bought a bad VHS tape and made a copy from that bad tape to offer an even worse quality copy.

Durn-tootin' Saturday matinee fun.
Sturdy Republic Western that emphasizes action over music. The Sons of the Pioneers are nowhere in sight. Roy Rogers is a reformed gunfighter working for Gabby Hayes' snake oil medicine show. In Deadwood, the members of the civic league are in cahoots with a gang of killers. This includes the sheriff and the newspaper editor, who has been waging a bogus war against crime on the editorial page. Villains abound. The honest townspeople enlist Roy's help, and the stage is set for excitement. This B Western is true to its budget restraints. The running time of 53 minutes is a virtue that doesn't let the plot go awry. With the bad guys posing as good citizens and the good guys reduced to social castoffs, the story requires close attention to keep the players straight. Even RR initially wears a black hat. The conflict of warring factions builds to a climactic shoot-out of Hopalong Cassidy proportions. This film is an entertaining blend of Western action and light humor. We are happy to report there is more shootin' and ridin' than in most of RR's later Western musicals. Nobody made Westerns as Republic. ;-) ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Roy Rogers Fan
I have recently received a copy on DVD of this film and for the first few minutes I was not impressed by the films quality, however as time wears on you do not notice it too much. Overall for the price you can't expect too much, but the film is worth buying and watching. Hopefully more titles will be released.
From what I have in my collection so far, this budget series are unlike more expensive labels, uncut versions
and you do a decent DVD cover. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Be Forewarned
Be forewarned....the very opening of the movie on this DVD has been truncated. The source for these transfers is evidently a program hosted by Roy and Dale in their later years. While I have no problem with the DVD's containing the intros, I did not pay for a movie that is not in its entirety...COMPLETE opening credits and all.

Secondly, the source is not good either. Roan Group did a much better job with their Roy Roger movie transfers.

In spite of being "Authorized by the Roy Rogers Estate"...which made me assume this a safe purchase....these Happy Trails Theatre DVD's are anything BUT high quality. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Be forewarned
Be forewarned....the very opening of the movie on this DVD has been truncated. The source for these transfers is evidently a program hosted by Roy and Dale in their later years. While I have no problem with the DVD's containing the intros, I did not pay for a movie that is not in its entirety...COMPLETE opening credits and all.

Secondly, the source is not good either. Roan Group did a much better job with their Roy Roger movie transfers.

In spite of being "Authorized by the Roy Rogers Estate"...which made me this a safe purchase....these Happy Trails Theatre DVD's are anything BUT high quality. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Be forewarned
Be forewarned....the very opening of the movie on this DVD has been truncated. The source for these transfers is evidently a program hosted by Roy and Dale in their later years. While I have no problem with the DVD's containing the intros, I did not pay for a movie that is not in its entirety...COMPLETE opening credits and all.

Secondly, the source is not good either. Roan Group did a much better job with their Roy Roger movie transfers.

In spite of being "Authorized by the Roy Rogers Estate"...which made me this a safe purchase....these Happy Trails Theatre DVD's are anything BUT high quality. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Interesting as a cultural history of the 1930's
A Great Depression morality tale, wherein the outlaws are really good boys who love their mother, and the capitalists and banker are really black-hearted crooks who prey on the innocent. I'd give it one star for its sheer tedium but a very youthful Roy and Trigger look terrific and who doesn't like Gabby Hayes? As usual in these old oaters, the horseriding is spectacular. Roy has one love song, while playing the pump organ. The movie inspired me to look up the history of the James gang to find out what they were actually like. ... 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 (1)

Gene Autry western introducing Leonard Sly (Roy Rogers)
This is one of my favorites to watch over and over. Gene plays a local sheriff who arrests the Okeff brothers for robbing a bus. Many people I know point to this movie as Gene giving Roy Rogers his start. Roy is listed as Leonard Sly, his real name. He appears with Bob Nolan, the song writer for the Sons of The Pioneers, and the rest of the group as the O'keff brothers. The real plot involves Eastern crooks that are looking for a girl who witnessed a shooting. It is a must have for a Roy Rogers or Gene Autry collector. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Be Forewarned
Be forewarned....the very opening of the movie on this DVD has been truncated. The source for these transfers is evidently a program hosted by Roy and Dale in their later years. While I have no problem with the DVD's containing the intros, I did not pay for a movie that is not in its entirety...COMPLETE opening credits and all.

Secondly, the source is not good either. Roan Group did a much better job with their Roy Roger movie transfers.

In spite of being "Authorized by the Roy Rogers Estate"...which made me assume this a safe purchase....these Happy Trails Theatre DVD's are anything BUT high quality. ... Read more