Description

Buster Crabbe stars as Flash Gordon in this classic 1930s serialpresented for the first time on DVD. Humanity is doomed todestruction! A distant planet has broken its orbit and is headedstraight toward the Earth. While Dr. Hans Zarkov works feverishly tofinish a rocket ship of his own design, internationally renowned poloplayer and Yale graduate Flash Gordon is a passenger on a smallplane where he meets fellow passenger Dale Arden. When a meteorstorm destroys their aircraft, Flash and Dale bail out and land nearZarkov's ship. The great scientist enlists them to join him on his questto save Earth, and the heroic trio blasts off into space to rendezvouswith the runaway planet Mongo. ... Read more

Description

Dick Tracy serials from Republic Pictures in 1937. In this super thriller, a clubfooted criminal, known only as the Lame One, masterminds a war on G-men. One of his villainous plans is to destroy the new Bay Bridge (which lookssuspiciously like the Golden Gate) by bombarding it with high-frequency sound waves from his stratospheric aircraft, "The Wing." In the meantime, Dick Tracy's brother is kidnapped and forced to aid the notorious Lame One, who turns out to be...? This serial features fistfights, car chases and aerial stunts as only Republic Pictures could stage them. For lovers of serial thrills and action, "Dick Tracy" really delivers the goods. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

CALLING ALL CARS
IF YOU ARE A SERIAL FAN... THEN THIS IS A GREAT DVD FOR YOU. THERE ARE ENOUGH CLIFF-HANGERS TO SATISIFY ANY BUFF AND IT IS WONDERFUL TO SEE THESE OLD MOVIES MAKING A COMEBACK ON DVD. MARENGO FILMS HAS DONE A GREAT JOB OF RESTORING THIS OLD FILM THE VIDEO PORTION IS NEARLY PERFECT AND THE SOUND QUALITY IS EXCELLENT... I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT TO ANYONE WHO LOVES SERIALS.

The Flying Wing Was Ahead Of Its Time
DICK TRACY was a serial produced by Republic only six years after the popular comic strip hero made his first appearance in the Chicago Tribune- New York News Syndicate Newspapers. Throughout fifteen chapters the detective dueled with the Spider Gang whose leader was known as the Lame One. DICK TRACY was one of the better serials made during the 1930's.

Ralph Byrd had the role of Dick Tracy and the supporting cast included Kay Hughes, Smiley Burnette, Lee Van Atta and Francis X. Bushman. My favorite movie prop in this serial had to be the Flying Wing.

Chester Gould's 1937 "Dick Tracy serial" comes to DVD!!
This is a great treat for Dick Tracy fans. Before television we had to go to the Saturday morning movie matinees to see our action heros.

Cartoonist Chester Gould created this action hero in the early 1930's and by the middle 30's the FBI and gangsters were in all the newspaper & radio headlines. So Gould countered with Dick Tracy G-man (in the movie serials) & Dick Tracy cop hero in the comic strip.

The "Dick Tracy" (1937) Republic Pictures 15 episode action serial launched Ralph Byrds career as the super crime solving G-man/Sherlock Holmes sleuth. The movie version was always the international view while the comic strip was the local city crime storyline.

Thanks to VCI Entertainment for a great restoration job & super loaded 2 DVD package.

This 15 episode action packed serial is over 290 mins long and is presented with great picture & sound.

Extra features include: a background Commentary by famous Dick Tracy writer Max Allan Collins who penned the comic strip for 15 years after Goulds retirement. Special photo montage & Photo Gallery. Bonus 1945 Radio Show: Dick Tracy in B-Flat - a musical rendition of Dick Tracy with the voice of Bing Crosby as Tracy, Dinah Shore as Tesh Trueheart, Bob Hope as Flathead and many more big radio stars of the 40's. This is fun stuff.

Summary: Action serials are always more about the action packed journey & how our hero escapes the bad guys at the cliff hanging ending chapters than the actual story. We need to have a thrill filled 20 minutes each week and then painfully wait until next week for the continuing saga to take us to more excitement until the finale on chapter/week 15.

Dick Tracy delivers all we expect in an action hero and this being one of the first serials gives us a taste of the world of 1937. Enjoy.

Great adaptation of the comic strip
There are lots of familiar faces in this one, such as Smiley Brunette, Lee Van Atta, Carleton Young (who was Ellery Queen on radio), Francis X. Bushman. But part of the charm of this serial comes from the sprinkling of rather bizarre characters such as the clown, the demented scientist, the miner, and of course the principal bad guy, the Lame One.

Anyone who has seen FIGHTING DEVIL DOGS will notice lots of similarities and for this reason, I suggest getting DICK TRACY first. The other serial used a lot of footage from this one. The flying wing, the hunchback scientist, Carleton Young, the crushing ship chapter ending are all in the later serial.

Ralph Byrd is the definitive Dick Tracy. I didn't remember his being a G man, but the serial does predate my acquaintance with the comic strip.

All in all, this is definitely one of the better serials. As an earlier Republic serial, you won't see as much stunt action, choreographed fights and telegraphed chapter endings as in the later ones, but the elements are still there. This is one of the times I wish there was a 4 and a half star designation.

Byrd a believable Tracy
Ralph Byrd and the supporting cast do a fine job of bringing Dick Tracy to the screen. There's plenty of action, of course, and the well-known "stealth bomber" plane that is indeed worth seeing. Lee van Atta does a fine job as the kid (equally good in Crash Corrigan's Undersea Kingdom serial too) helping Tracy, while the villains are smart and sinister. John Piccori, as a mad scientist assisting the ringleader hams it up splendidly, and Carleton Young, as Tracy's brother who is turned into a villain by the mad doctor, is wonderfully cold and unscrupulous. Personally, I like the Dick Tracy vs Crime, Inc. serial that came a little later better. It has a more intimate story with a more convoluted mystery as the suspects are eliminated one by one by the real killer. That is the only reason I rate this a 4 instead of a 5. I hope the other Tracy serials turn up on DVD soon. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A strange purple dust is killing off the population of Earth, leaving atelltale purple smudge on the foreheads of its victims! Together, Flash Gordon, Dale Arden, and Dr. Zarkov trace the plague to the planet Mongo andarchfiend Ming the Merciless! There's hope for the Earth, though, when theintrepid team discovers Polarite, the antidote to the pandemic, found only inthe barren, cold reaches of Frigia. This collection of Flash Gordonserials finds Buster Crabbe teamed up with a different Dale Arden, but facingthe usual array of strange creatures and spellbinding thrills. It's worth notingthat Mongo looks a lot like Sherwood Forest, with its natives toting bows andarrows and wearing Robin Hood outfits. These installments of the series areunusually inventive, such as the scenes when Flash and company travel to thefrozen wastelands of Frigia. The encounters with the Rock People and the"walking bombs" are also rather bizarre, even by today's standards. There's evena topical note to the story line, with a madman bent on genocide; the real-lifepeople of Earth would face just such a threat a few short years later. It's theslam-bang pace and two-fisted action of Flash Gordon's adventures that keptaudiences spellbound in the '30s, though, and Flash Gordon Conquers theUniverse certainly gave them their money's worth. --Jerry Renshaw ... Read more

Reviews (13)

This is the best of the Flash Gordon serials
"Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe" was the third and best of the serials starring Buster Grabbe. This 12-part serial finds Alex Raymond's science-fiction hero battling Ming the Merciless (Charles Middleton). Flash has to save the earth from a mysterious plague known as the Purple Death. When Dr. Zarkov (Frank Shannon) finds one a spaceship from planet Mongo seeding the atmosphere it is clear that Ming the Merciless is back to his old tricks. Flash is aided by old friend Prince Barin of Arboria (Roland Drew) as they head to Frigia, where our heroes will find polarite, the antidote to the plague, and some really interesting locking rock people. Of course, Ming is going to go out of his way to stop Flash and his friends. My only real complaints are that the costumes look like leftovers from "Robin Hood" and that Carol Hughes replaced Jean Rogers as Dale Arden. Oh, well, life is full of disappointments. This DVD not only includes an interview with Crabbe, but footage of him winning the 1932 Olympic Gold Medal in the 400 meter swim event and three of his later TV commercials. Ideally you want to watch the three Flash Gordon serials in order, but if you start with this one you will certainly be able to follow the fun without any problems.

Go get 'em Flash
Flash Gordon is certainly the true precursor to "Star Wars." Image Entertainment is distributing four feature length titles edited down to about 90 minutes from the original four hour serial length. Zippy plots, lots of action, clever sets and surprisingly strong scripts do justice to "THE PERIL FROM OUTER SPACE," "THE PURPLE DEATH FROM OUTER SPACE," "SPACE SHIP TO THE UNKNOWN" and "THE DEADLY RAY FROM MARS."

Good stuff that looks even better when cut down to the central plot. The action does not let up. See the whole series in order.

Larry "Buster" Crabbe is charismatic and strangely beautiful as the lead in this beguiling comic book space opera from the late 30s.

For die hard fans of this series, the full length, uncut serial "FLASH GORDON CONQUERS THE UNIVERSE" is also available.

Nice for the Price
This DVD is nice for the price. The description says Region 1, but its region 0. The video and audio are about the same as others on the market, but the menus are well designed (very retro!) All 12 chapters are on one dual layered disc and the layer change doesn't interfere with the movie. There are no extras, but hey for the price, what do you expect?

Excellent for the price
This DVD is great for the price. The video and audio are comparable to other copies that I've seen (for over double the price). It's, also, nice to see all 12 episodes on one disc.

Save your money!!
I bought this on DVD and expected a professional package I expect of any DVD package. Here's the news...terrible packaging, no extra features, no cinemascope so you can't even read the credits, the poorest quality I have seen and overall unwatchable product. I feel as if I was robbed of my money. The people that made this product wanted to sell you something but you will never buy anything else. I say wait for someone who cares to release these great serials. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Good war espionage thriller
Smilin' Jack was a leading comic strip hero during the 40's and 50's, and Tom Brown does a very good job in bringing him to life. The time frame is the year 1941, beginning before the U. S. officially entered the war, and including the attack on Pearl Harbor. There is quite a bit of stock war movie footage here, which is not detriment. It helps tell the story.

This serial could be offensive to those of Japanese or German heritage, because being made during World War II, both races are depicted as inherently evil. That's unfortunate, but it is part of war. Although there are lots of Japanese characters portrayed, there were of course no Japanese actors...they were all in camps (euphanism for prison) at the time.

Among the grand old names of B movies in this serial are Sidney Toler giving a Charley Chan characterization to a Chinese general, Turhan Bey as one of the two principal villains, Keye Luke, Phillip Ahn, and Jay Novello.

One distinguishing element in this serial is the preface to each chapter, quite different from the standard synopsis.

All in all, this is a fast moving and quite enjoyable serial which, once you have the major serials in your collection, will be a welcome adition.

Surprisingly good Universal serial from the forties
This is that rarity of rarities--a good Universal serial from the forties. Along with Gang Busters (also 1942) this is Universal's best serial effort from the 1940-46 years. Minimal use of stock footage, an inventive screenplay, a music background that relates to the action going on are some of the assets. An interesting cast also helps particularly Rose Hobart as an icy cold ruthless German agent and the ultra suave Turhan Bey as her Japanese counterpart.

A good Universal serial from the forties.
Adventures of Smilin' Jack is that rarity of rarities--a good forties Universal serial. Along with Gang Busters (also 1942) this represents Universal's best serial effort for the 1940-46 time period. A thoughtful script that helps convey a good action-adventure romp; minimal use of stock shots; good musical background that relates to the action going on; and good casting bolster this serial considerably. Rose Hobart is very good as a coldly efficient and ruthless Axis agent. Also very good is the ultra suave, Turhan Bey as her Japanese counterpart. And Tom Brown is well cast as the hero. Oh sure, it's Rover Boy stuff but its well done and very entertaining. If you collect serials this will be a very nice addition.

Espionage in Pre World War II China
One of the better Universal serials. Ranks high with Flash Gordon (1936) and Tim Tyler's Luck(c.1938) for the best serials made at Universal. Selection of Tom Brown to play Zach Moseley's Smilin' Jack was great casting. Brown plays Jack to perfection. As one who read the comic strip during the 40's and 50's I pictured Jack as closely as possible to Brown's portrayal. Jack is in China trying to prevent an Axis agent Fraulein Von Teufel from taking over the island of Mandon. With the help of two friends, Janet and Tommy, Jack is able to destroy the Axis plans. The highlight of this serial is the ending to Chapter 12. To prove that he is an honorable person, Jack has to walk barefoot over a bed of hot coals. He is taught by a Chinese friend how to do this without harm. This serial is full of action and adventure. There is also a mystery as Jack tries to find out who Frauline Von Teufel is. Look for Sidney Tolar (Charlie Chan) playing a Chinese general. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Good war espionage thriller
Smilin' Jack was a leading comic strip hero during the 40's and 50's, and Tom Brown does a very good job in bringing him to life. The time frame is the year 1941, beginning before the U. S. officially entered the war, and including the attack on Pearl Harbor. There is quite a bit of stock war movie footage here, which is not detriment. It helps tell the story.

This serial could be offensive to those of Japanese or German heritage, because being made during World War II, both races are depicted as inherently evil. That's unfortunate, but it is part of war. Although there are lots of Japanese characters portrayed, there were of course no Japanese actors...they were all in camps (euphanism for prison) at the time.

Among the grand old names of B movies in this serial are Sidney Toler giving a Charley Chan characterization to a Chinese general, Turhan Bey as one of the two principal villains, Keye Luke, Phillip Ahn, and Jay Novello.

One distinguishing element in this serial is the preface to each chapter, quite different from the standard synopsis.

All in all, this is a fast moving and quite enjoyable serial which, once you have the major serials in your collection, will be a welcome adition.

Surprisingly good Universal serial from the forties
This is that rarity of rarities--a good Universal serial from the forties. Along with Gang Busters (also 1942) this is Universal's best serial effort from the 1940-46 years. Minimal use of stock footage, an inventive screenplay, a music background that relates to the action going on are some of the assets. An interesting cast also helps particularly Rose Hobart as an icy cold ruthless German agent and the ultra suave Turhan Bey as her Japanese counterpart.

A good Universal serial from the forties.
Adventures of Smilin' Jack is that rarity of rarities--a good forties Universal serial. Along with Gang Busters (also 1942) this represents Universal's best serial effort for the 1940-46 time period. A thoughtful script that helps convey a good action-adventure romp; minimal use of stock shots; good musical background that relates to the action going on; and good casting bolster this serial considerably. Rose Hobart is very good as a coldly efficient and ruthless Axis agent. Also very good is the ultra suave, Turhan Bey as her Japanese counterpart. And Tom Brown is well cast as the hero. Oh sure, it's Rover Boy stuff but its well done and very entertaining. If you collect serials this will be a very nice addition.

Espionage in Pre World War II China
One of the better Universal serials. Ranks high with Flash Gordon (1936) and Tim Tyler's Luck(c.1938) for the best serials made at Universal. Selection of Tom Brown to play Zach Moseley's Smilin' Jack was great casting. Brown plays Jack to perfection. As one who read the comic strip during the 40's and 50's I pictured Jack as closely as possible to Brown's portrayal. Jack is in China trying to prevent an Axis agent Fraulein Von Teufel from taking over the island of Mandon. With the help of two friends, Janet and Tommy, Jack is able to destroy the Axis plans. The highlight of this serial is the ending to Chapter 12. To prove that he is an honorable person, Jack has to walk barefoot over a bed of hot coals. He is taught by a Chinese friend how to do this without harm. This serial is full of action and adventure. There is also a mystery as Jack tries to find out who Frauline Von Teufel is. Look for Sidney Tolar (Charlie Chan) playing a Chinese general. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Early Republic Western Serial
There is no other product available for this early Republic serial. Thus, one has to live with this one. But this transfer to DVD is NOT that bad. The picture quality is not pristine. But the copy which Madacy worked on to put to DVD is not deteriorated, as is the case on other "economical" serials hastily put on the market for a fast profit. It is the sound which is bad. It cracks and and appears muffled. The actors spoke as if they were eating their words. Sometimes it's difficult trying to understand what is being said. But then, this is a 1937 serial and we should count ourselves lucky that Madacy put this on the market. The story is typical serial, simple and long drawn out with preposterous premises. But that is what make these features enjoyable, vain attempts to project reality resulting in absurdity. Note the sound of the gunfire. It does not have the characteristic "Republic serial gunfire sound" heard in later productions. Again, this is because it was a 1937 feature. Get one and enjoy.

A great introduction to the great serials of the past..
My father was a western film collector and I grew up watching this serial on film. The cliffhangers were always amazing to a 9 year old and I had a big crush on Ray "Crash " Corrigan. When I had the opportunity to get this on tape it reminded me of those nights watching the movie with my dad and wanting to be a cowboy when I grew up. There are great action sequences consisting of betrayals, Indian attacks and more as this wagon train makes its way west. The title refers to the mysterious rider of the Painted Stallion who comes to aid of the wagon train when it is in trouble. I highly recommend this serial as a starting point to anyone who wants to sample a taste of early western film. Anyone who enjoyed watching cliffhangers at the movies every week will surely enjoy this. ... Read more

Description

The planet Mongo is on a collision course with Earth! Flash Gordon and Dale Arden join Dr. Zarkov and blast off in his rocket ship to Mongo, trying to avert worldwide destruction. As soon as they land, Flash, Dale and Zarkov are taken prisoner by Ming the Merciless, the evil Emperor of Mongo. In a last ditch effort to save Earth from interplanetary peril, Flash Gordon matches wits with Ming. The outcome is in doubt as it appears Flash and his friends will never see Earth again. Don't cover your eyes or look away. You won't want to miss one thrilling moment in the death-defying adventures of everyone's favorite space hero, Flash Gordon! This is a feature-length edited version of the 1936 serial "Flash Gordon: Space Soldiers." ... Read more

Description

Hollywood leading man Buster Crabbe, "The King of the Serials", stars as blond space hero, Flash Gordon, in one of the most action-packed serials ever filmed.

In "Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe", a mysterious plague known as the "Purple Death" ravages the earth. Dr. Zarkov, investigating in his spaceship, finds a ship from planet Mongo seeding the atmosphere with dust. Sure enough, Ming the Merciless is up to his old tricks. So, it's back to Mongo for Flash, Dale, and Zarkov. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

This is the best of the Flash Gordon serials
"Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe" was the third and best of the serials starring Buster Grabbe. This 12-part serial finds Alex Raymond's science-fiction hero battling Ming the Merciless (Charles Middleton). Flash has to save the earth from a mysterious plague known as the Purple Death. When Dr. Zarkov (Frank Shannon) finds one a spaceship from planet Mongo seeding the atmosphere it is clear that Ming the Merciless is back to his old tricks. Flash is aided by old friend Prince Barin of Arboria (Roland Drew) as they head to Frigia, where our heroes will find polarite, the antidote to the plague, and some really interesting locking rock people. Of course, Ming is going to go out of his way to stop Flash and his friends. My only real complaints are that the costumes look like leftovers from "Robin Hood" and that Carol Hughes replaced Jean Rogers as Dale Arden. Oh, well, life is full of disappointments. This DVD not only includes an interview with Crabbe, but footage of him winning the 1932 Olympic Gold Medal in the 400 meter swim event and three of his later TV commercials. Ideally you want to watch the three Flash Gordon serials in order, but if you start with this one you will certainly be able to follow the fun without any problems.

Go get 'em Flash
Flash Gordon is certainly the true precursor to "Star Wars." Image Entertainment is distributing four feature length titles edited down to about 90 minutes from the original four hour serial length. Zippy plots, lots of action, clever sets and surprisingly strong scripts do justice to "THE PERIL FROM OUTER SPACE," "THE PURPLE DEATH FROM OUTER SPACE," "SPACE SHIP TO THE UNKNOWN" and "THE DEADLY RAY FROM MARS."

Good stuff that looks even better when cut down to the central plot. The action does not let up. See the whole series in order.

Larry "Buster" Crabbe is charismatic and strangely beautiful as the lead in this beguiling comic book space opera from the late 30s.

For die hard fans of this series, the full length, uncut serial "FLASH GORDON CONQUERS THE UNIVERSE" is also available.

Nice for the Price
This DVD is nice for the price. The description says Region 1, but its region 0. The video and audio are about the same as others on the market, but the menus are well designed (very retro!) All 12 chapters are on one dual layered disc and the layer change doesn't interfere with the movie. There are no extras, but hey for the price, what do you expect?

Excellent for the price
This DVD is great for the price. The video and audio are comparable to other copies that I've seen (for over double the price). It's, also, nice to see all 12 episodes on one disc.

Save your money!!
I bought this on DVD and expected a professional package I expect of any DVD package. Here's the news...terrible packaging, no extra features, no cinemascope so you can't even read the credits, the poorest quality I have seen and overall unwatchable product. I feel as if I was robbed of my money. The people that made this product wanted to sell you something but you will never buy anything else. I say wait for someone who cares to release these great serials. ... Read more

Description

Flash Gordon, Dale Arden and Dr. Zarkov return to Mongo on a special mission at the request of Barin, their friend from Arboria. His kingdom is being threatened by Emperor Ming's heat projectiles. Once on Mongo, Flash is able to extinguish the heat projectiles by using one of Dr. Zarkov's contra-thermal units. But Ming the Merciless has plans far more devastating for Arboria and even threatens to send a rocketship full of explosives to Earth. Soon Flash is faced with trying to save both Arboria and Earth! It looks like it's curtains for all decent humans everywhere. Climb aboard and join Flash, Dale and Dr. Zarkov in the struggle to preserve justice and freedom in our universe! This is a feature-length edited version of Chapters 7-12 of the 1940 serial "Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe." ... Read more

Reviews (13)

This is the best of the Flash Gordon serials
"Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe" was the third and best of the serials starring Buster Grabbe. This 12-part serial finds Alex Raymond's science-fiction hero battling Ming the Merciless (Charles Middleton). Flash has to save the earth from a mysterious plague known as the Purple Death. When Dr. Zarkov (Frank Shannon) finds one a spaceship from planet Mongo seeding the atmosphere it is clear that Ming the Merciless is back to his old tricks. Flash is aided by old friend Prince Barin of Arboria (Roland Drew) as they head to Frigia, where our heroes will find polarite, the antidote to the plague, and some really interesting locking rock people. Of course, Ming is going to go out of his way to stop Flash and his friends. My only real complaints are that the costumes look like leftovers from "Robin Hood" and that Carol Hughes replaced Jean Rogers as Dale Arden. Oh, well, life is full of disappointments. This DVD not only includes an interview with Crabbe, but footage of him winning the 1932 Olympic Gold Medal in the 400 meter swim event and three of his later TV commercials. Ideally you want to watch the three Flash Gordon serials in order, but if you start with this one you will certainly be able to follow the fun without any problems.

Go get 'em Flash
Flash Gordon is certainly the true precursor to "Star Wars." Image Entertainment is distributing four feature length titles edited down to about 90 minutes from the original four hour serial length. Zippy plots, lots of action, clever sets and surprisingly strong scripts do justice to "THE PERIL FROM OUTER SPACE," "THE PURPLE DEATH FROM OUTER SPACE," "SPACE SHIP TO THE UNKNOWN" and "THE DEADLY RAY FROM MARS."

Good stuff that looks even better when cut down to the central plot. The action does not let up. See the whole series in order.

Larry "Buster" Crabbe is charismatic and strangely beautiful as the lead in this beguiling comic book space opera from the late 30s.

For die hard fans of this series, the full length, uncut serial "FLASH GORDON CONQUERS THE UNIVERSE" is also available.

Nice for the Price
This DVD is nice for the price. The description says Region 1, but its region 0. The video and audio are about the same as others on the market, but the menus are well designed (very retro!) All 12 chapters are on one dual layered disc and the layer change doesn't interfere with the movie. There are no extras, but hey for the price, what do you expect?

Excellent for the price
This DVD is great for the price. The video and audio are comparable to other copies that I've seen (for over double the price). It's, also, nice to see all 12 episodes on one disc.

Save your money!!
I bought this on DVD and expected a professional package I expect of any DVD package. Here's the news...terrible packaging, no extra features, no cinemascope so you can't even read the credits, the poorest quality I have seen and overall unwatchable product. I feel as if I was robbed of my money. The people that made this product wanted to sell you something but you will never buy anything else. I say wait for someone who cares to release these great serials. ... Read more

Description

The earth is dying! A rocket hovering over the planet is dropping purple dust into the atmosphere, causing instant death! Blasting off to save humanity are Flash Gordon ("Buster" Crabbe), Dale Arden (Carol Hughes) and Dr. Hans Zarkov (Frank Shannon), three interplanetary adventurers who head back to Mongo, the source of the plague. Upon landing, Flash discovers that none other than their arch enemy, Ming the Merciless (Charles Middleton), is the madman behind the carnage. He also learns of Polarite--the antidote to the death dust--which can only be found in the mountainous wastelands of frozen Frigia. Eluding imminent capture, Flash and his comrades head north, closely pursued by Ming's soldiers who have been ordered to stop the heroic earthman, no matter what the cost. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

This is the best of the Flash Gordon serials
"Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe" was the third and best of the serials starring Buster Grabbe. This 12-part serial finds Alex Raymond's science-fiction hero battling Ming the Merciless (Charles Middleton). Flash has to save the earth from a mysterious plague known as the Purple Death. When Dr. Zarkov (Frank Shannon) finds one a spaceship from planet Mongo seeding the atmosphere it is clear that Ming the Merciless is back to his old tricks. Flash is aided by old friend Prince Barin of Arboria (Roland Drew) as they head to Frigia, where our heroes will find polarite, the antidote to the plague, and some really interesting locking rock people. Of course, Ming is going to go out of his way to stop Flash and his friends. My only real complaints are that the costumes look like leftovers from "Robin Hood" and that Carol Hughes replaced Jean Rogers as Dale Arden. Oh, well, life is full of disappointments. This DVD not only includes an interview with Crabbe, but footage of him winning the 1932 Olympic Gold Medal in the 400 meter swim event and three of his later TV commercials. Ideally you want to watch the three Flash Gordon serials in order, but if you start with this one you will certainly be able to follow the fun without any problems.

Go get 'em Flash
Flash Gordon is certainly the true precursor to "Star Wars." Image Entertainment is distributing four feature length titles edited down to about 90 minutes from the original four hour serial length. Zippy plots, lots of action, clever sets and surprisingly strong scripts do justice to "THE PERIL FROM OUTER SPACE," "THE PURPLE DEATH FROM OUTER SPACE," "SPACE SHIP TO THE UNKNOWN" and "THE DEADLY RAY FROM MARS."

Good stuff that looks even better when cut down to the central plot. The action does not let up. See the whole series in order.

Larry "Buster" Crabbe is charismatic and strangely beautiful as the lead in this beguiling comic book space opera from the late 30s.

For die hard fans of this series, the full length, uncut serial "FLASH GORDON CONQUERS THE UNIVERSE" is also available.

Nice for the Price
This DVD is nice for the price. The description says Region 1, but its region 0. The video and audio are about the same as others on the market, but the menus are well designed (very retro!) All 12 chapters are on one dual layered disc and the layer change doesn't interfere with the movie. There are no extras, but hey for the price, what do you expect?

Excellent for the price
This DVD is great for the price. The video and audio are comparable to other copies that I've seen (for over double the price). It's, also, nice to see all 12 episodes on one disc.

Save your money!!
I bought this on DVD and expected a professional package I expect of any DVD package. Here's the news...terrible packaging, no extra features, no cinemascope so you can't even read the credits, the poorest quality I have seen and overall unwatchable product. I feel as if I was robbed of my money. The people that made this product wanted to sell you something but you will never buy anything else. I say wait for someone who cares to release these great serials. ... Read more

Description

Shot in exotic locations, this big-budget, 14-part serial follows the adventures of government agent Mala, who investigates a disastrous dirigible crash in the Pacific. Spies, an erupting volcano, hostile natives, an evil priest, and the beautiful Princess Melani await him (and animal stars Buck and Rex) await him as he explores the exciting mysteries of Clipper Island! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

NOT REGIONALLY ENCODED
This latest Hal Roach Studios restoration of the classic Republic Serials is NOT regionally encoded as it states in the Amazon notes. This and ALL releases in this Hal Roach Studios series are "Region Zero" and are playable anywhere in the world. And the quality is stunning--almost as good as their releases of original Laurel and Hardy material or their other Serials (ZORRO'S FIGHTING LEGION, RADAR MEN FROM THE MOON, ZORRO RIDES AGAIN, ZORRO'S BLACK WHIP, etc.)

I love this serial...
I took a chance after reading reviews of others which were pretty much all negative and bought this serial anyway. It is goofy, corny, off the hook silly. Get it, it's ...totally worth it....

The "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes" of the Chapterplay Genre
I love the old Republic serials, saw many of them on Saturday morning as a youth in the pre TV era. & have a decent VHS collection. So my cutiosity was aroused when I saw that Robinson Crusoe of Clipper Island had never been reviewed and was usually available at a bargain price. I bought a copy and here'c my opinion.
In Summary, this is easily the worst chapterplay I have ever watched. A more detailed report follows:
RC of CI has a fairly standard plot. First of all, it has nothing to do with the classic novel "Robinson Crusoe". An espionage ring is causing trouble for a large Corporation who calls in an intrepid government agent ( Ray Mala) to investigate. The head of the ring is not unmasked until the last segment , but it's made clear early on that the head "bad guy" is one of the key executives of the Corporation. Mala is assisted by the princess of a native island culture. Her people are being framed for the troubles by the nefarious spies. The chapterplay is 14 chapters and takes place in San Francisco and the South Pacific.
The lead actor is Ray Mala, who gives new meaning to the word inept. I suspect that English was his second language and he does not have the physical skills to pull of the action scenes. The second lead, Rex (a horse) and the third lead, Buck (a dog) were clearly superior actors as compared to Mr. Mala - although the Dog probably didn't do it's best work being a St. Bernard stuck with a gig in the South Pacific. The remainder of the cast were the usual stable of Republic character actors who turned in an honest few weeks work.
The production values were about what you would expect for a low budget 1936 chapterplay. I gave read that this was the only the 4th chapterplay made by Republic. Obviously, they got a lot better. Unfortunately, the cliffhangers were quite bad. The cliffhanger at the end of chapter 7 is very possibly the worst cliffhanger I have ever seen. Also, Cliffhanger cheating was rampant.
Finally, there were two instances where about 2-3 minutes of fight action was cut into a new chapter. This was not a review chapter, just frugality.
In closing, It's always been accepted by chapterplay fans that one chapterplay had to be the best - so it makes sense that one has to be the worst as well. THIS IS IT. ... Read more

Description

The people of Earth are succumbing to a mysterious and lethal disease which leaves a curious purple spot on the victims' foreheads. Acting on a hunch, Flash Gordon, Dale Arden and Dr. Zarkov blast off in a rocketship in search of answers and discover a spaceship spraying purple dust into Earth's atmosphere. Commanding the spaceship is none other than Ming the Merciless, ruler of the planet Mongo! From a thrilling aerial duel, Flash and his friends are catapulted into high adventure, battling monstrous mechanical men in the frozen wastes on the planet Frigia. They must find the antidote to the deadly dust and stop the devious designs of the power-mad Ming while there is still an Earth left to save! This is a feature-length edited version of Chapters 1-6 of the 1940 serial "Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe." ... Read more

Reviews (13)

This is the best of the Flash Gordon serials
"Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe" was the third and best of the serials starring Buster Grabbe. This 12-part serial finds Alex Raymond's science-fiction hero battling Ming the Merciless (Charles Middleton). Flash has to save the earth from a mysterious plague known as the Purple Death. When Dr. Zarkov (Frank Shannon) finds one a spaceship from planet Mongo seeding the atmosphere it is clear that Ming the Merciless is back to his old tricks. Flash is aided by old friend Prince Barin of Arboria (Roland Drew) as they head to Frigia, where our heroes will find polarite, the antidote to the plague, and some really interesting locking rock people. Of course, Ming is going to go out of his way to stop Flash and his friends. My only real complaints are that the costumes look like leftovers from "Robin Hood" and that Carol Hughes replaced Jean Rogers as Dale Arden. Oh, well, life is full of disappointments. This DVD not only includes an interview with Crabbe, but footage of him winning the 1932 Olympic Gold Medal in the 400 meter swim event and three of his later TV commercials. Ideally you want to watch the three Flash Gordon serials in order, but if you start with this one you will certainly be able to follow the fun without any problems.

Go get 'em Flash
Flash Gordon is certainly the true precursor to "Star Wars." Image Entertainment is distributing four feature length titles edited down to about 90 minutes from the original four hour serial length. Zippy plots, lots of action, clever sets and surprisingly strong scripts do justice to "THE PERIL FROM OUTER SPACE," "THE PURPLE DEATH FROM OUTER SPACE," "SPACE SHIP TO THE UNKNOWN" and "THE DEADLY RAY FROM MARS."

Good stuff that looks even better when cut down to the central plot. The action does not let up. See the whole series in order.

Larry "Buster" Crabbe is charismatic and strangely beautiful as the lead in this beguiling comic book space opera from the late 30s.

For die hard fans of this series, the full length, uncut serial "FLASH GORDON CONQUERS THE UNIVERSE" is also available.

Nice for the Price
This DVD is nice for the price. The description says Region 1, but its region 0. The video and audio are about the same as others on the market, but the menus are well designed (very retro!) All 12 chapters are on one dual layered disc and the layer change doesn't interfere with the movie. There are no extras, but hey for the price, what do you expect?

Excellent for the price
This DVD is great for the price. The video and audio are comparable to other copies that I've seen (for over double the price). It's, also, nice to see all 12 episodes on one disc.

Save your money!!
I bought this on DVD and expected a professional package I expect of any DVD package. Here's the news...terrible packaging, no extra features, no cinemascope so you can't even read the credits, the poorest quality I have seen and overall unwatchable product. I feel as if I was robbed of my money. The people that made this product wanted to sell you something but you will never buy anything else. I say wait for someone who cares to release these great serials. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

CALLING ALL CARS
IF YOU ARE A SERIAL FAN... THEN THIS IS A GREAT DVD FOR YOU. THERE ARE ENOUGH CLIFF-HANGERS TO SATISIFY ANY BUFF AND IT IS WONDERFUL TO SEE THESE OLD MOVIES MAKING A COMEBACK ON DVD. MARENGO FILMS HAS DONE A GREAT JOB OF RESTORING THIS OLD FILM THE VIDEO PORTION IS NEARLY PERFECT AND THE SOUND QUALITY IS EXCELLENT... I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT TO ANYONE WHO LOVES SERIALS.

The Flying Wing Was Ahead Of Its Time
DICK TRACY was a serial produced by Republic only six years after the popular comic strip hero made his first appearance in the Chicago Tribune- New York News Syndicate Newspapers. Throughout fifteen chapters the detective dueled with the Spider Gang whose leader was known as the Lame One. DICK TRACY was one of the better serials made during the 1930's.

Ralph Byrd had the role of Dick Tracy and the supporting cast included Kay Hughes, Smiley Burnette, Lee Van Atta and Francis X. Bushman. My favorite movie prop in this serial had to be the Flying Wing.

Chester Gould's 1937 "Dick Tracy serial" comes to DVD!!
This is a great treat for Dick Tracy fans. Before television we had to go to the Saturday morning movie matinees to see our action heros.

Cartoonist Chester Gould created this action hero in the early 1930's and by the middle 30's the FBI and gangsters were in all the newspaper & radio headlines. So Gould countered with Dick Tracy G-man (in the movie serials) & Dick Tracy cop hero in the comic strip.

The "Dick Tracy" (1937) Republic Pictures 15 episode action serial launched Ralph Byrds career as the super crime solving G-man/Sherlock Holmes sleuth. The movie version was always the international view while the comic strip was the local city crime storyline.

Thanks to VCI Entertainment for a great restoration job & super loaded 2 DVD package.

This 15 episode action packed serial is over 290 mins long and is presented with great picture & sound.

Extra features include: a background Commentary by famous Dick Tracy writer Max Allan Collins who penned the comic strip for 15 years after Goulds retirement. Special photo montage & Photo Gallery. Bonus 1945 Radio Show: Dick Tracy in B-Flat - a musical rendition of Dick Tracy with the voice of Bing Crosby as Tracy, Dinah Shore as Tesh Trueheart, Bob Hope as Flathead and many more big radio stars of the 40's. This is fun stuff.

Summary: Action serials are always more about the action packed journey & how our hero escapes the bad guys at the cliff hanging ending chapters than the actual story. We need to have a thrill filled 20 minutes each week and then painfully wait until next week for the continuing saga to take us to more excitement until the finale on chapter/week 15.

Dick Tracy delivers all we expect in an action hero and this being one of the first serials gives us a taste of the world of 1937. Enjoy.

Great adaptation of the comic strip
There are lots of familiar faces in this one, such as Smiley Brunette, Lee Van Atta, Carleton Young (who was Ellery Queen on radio), Francis X. Bushman. But part of the charm of this serial comes from the sprinkling of rather bizarre characters such as the clown, the demented scientist, the miner, and of course the principal bad guy, the Lame One.

Anyone who has seen FIGHTING DEVIL DOGS will notice lots of similarities and for this reason, I suggest getting DICK TRACY first. The other serial used a lot of footage from this one. The flying wing, the hunchback scientist, Carleton Young, the crushing ship chapter ending are all in the later serial.

Ralph Byrd is the definitive Dick Tracy. I didn't remember his being a G man, but the serial does predate my acquaintance with the comic strip.

All in all, this is definitely one of the better serials. As an earlier Republic serial, you won't see as much stunt action, choreographed fights and telegraphed chapter endings as in the later ones, but the elements are still there. This is one of the times I wish there was a 4 and a half star designation.

Byrd a believable Tracy
Ralph Byrd and the supporting cast do a fine job of bringing Dick Tracy to the screen. There's plenty of action, of course, and the well-known "stealth bomber" plane that is indeed worth seeing. Lee van Atta does a fine job as the kid (equally good in Crash Corrigan's Undersea Kingdom serial too) helping Tracy, while the villains are smart and sinister. John Piccori, as a mad scientist assisting the ringleader hams it up splendidly, and Carleton Young, as Tracy's brother who is turned into a villain by the mad doctor, is wonderfully cold and unscrupulous. Personally, I like the Dick Tracy vs Crime, Inc. serial that came a little later better. It has a more intimate story with a more convoluted mystery as the suspects are eliminated one by one by the real killer. That is the only reason I rate this a 4 instead of a 5. I hope the other Tracy serials turn up on DVD soon. ... Read more