Reviews (4)

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.

A must have for the Roy Rogers fan and collector
This is a must have for the Roy Rogers fan and collector. It's very suspenseful. It's when Trigger is stolen by a gang of outlaws and Roy and Andy Devine and the Sons of the Pioneers come to Trigger's rescue.

Fame and Fortune vs. Trigger.
Nobody made Westerns like Republic. In "Under California Stars," Roy Rogers portrays a singing cowboy movie actor. Truly inspired casting. Roy discovers that evil horse hunters are trapping wild horses on his Double R Ranch. Roy frowns on this bad behavior. He beats up creepy bad guy House Peters, Jr. to stop him from abusing a captured horse. After Roy makes it plain that wild horse hunters are not welcome on his range, the outlaw gang kidnaps Trigger and holds the smartest horse in the movies for $100,000 ransom. The crooks in this little flick are dumber than usual. These B Westerns, filmed in TruColor, were Roy's last series of films before moving to TV in the 1950s. The Sons of the Pioneers pad the script with several musical numbers. Pre-Jingles Andy Devine is the comic relief ranch foreman, Cookie Bullfincher. He inflates the ranch payroll by hiring his lookalike, country bumpkin relatives. Triva Note: Michael Chapin is Lauren Chapin's brother. She was "Kathy" on the "Father Knows Best" TV show. Low-grade VHS editions do not help this film's technical qualities. Regardless, the movie is "G" rated fun for kids and nostalgia collectors. Saddle up and ride, pardner. ;-)

Good Plot - Poor Tecnical Quality
This release from UAV (United American Video) has very, very poor visual and sound quality. I suppose that is why the price is so low, but it's not worth watching. Find this good movie released by someone else like Republic Home Video or such. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great Roy Rogers DVD
This is an absolutely gorgeous Trucolor uncut version of Bells of Coronado. It is far superior to the 1990's VHS version released by Republic Home Video. Although I would not rate this movie as one of Roy's best, it is still a good one. The quality of this DVD makes it a must for collectors of Roy's films. Lionsgate/Fox is to be commended for the great job they did. Hopefully they will do more of Roy's Trucolor films on DVD (Republic Home Video had marketed 9 Trucolor titles on VHS).

A good Roy Rogers, but not the best
This is a good Roy Rogers video, but not the best b/c Dale had an immodest dress, and Pat had his shirt off a few times, but otherwise, this is another good movie for the Roy Rogers fan and collector. Just remove the bad parts and you're off.

The main thing I like about Roy Rogers was he was a Christian who was not ashamed to witness for the Lord. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

They say the Devil plays for men's souls!
So does Glen Gordon as 50's TV's deliciously nefarious incarnation of Sax Rohmer's icon of Evilll...Dr. Fu Manchu.
Ian Fleming's Dr. No was Fu-ster reborn to face-off against 007. Here Sir Denis Nayland Smith and his Yankee buddy,Dr.John Petrie, reprise Rohmer's reprise of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson to keep the never-ending battle between Good & Evil never-ending.The disc provides four outrageous Saturday matinee, serial-like adventures that demonstrate how Olden Days TV could do so much with so little. THE MASTER PLAN is best serving; and example of audacity no modern or PM director would dare: revival of Adolf Hitler himself.(Shades of Outer Limits/Twilight Zone & the FuMANCHURIAN CANDIDATE!)Are these ADVENTURES great? Is Elvis King & Little Richard Queen of Rock'n'Roll? The question is moot. THE ADVENTURES of FU MANCHU is cream of TV's corn on the cob. The Chess Game Opening ("Black & White...Life & Death"...Good's Pawn to Fu's Wicked King's 4...)is worth price of the disc as one of the all time teaser TEASERS. For fans of fiendish 50's TV,don't let them Fu you: this is(almost)classy stuff.

If you like cheese....
I thought this was a pretty good series from the waning days of Republic Pictures. I enjoyed Glen Gordon's portrayal of Fu. Somewhat over-the-top. I liked it.

This will have to do for now...
Here we are presented with several episodes revolving around the infamous Fu Manchu. Considering the age of the show the picture quality is quite good and the plots are serviceable, but as has been pointed out before, anyone expecting to recognize the Fu Manchu of literature will be sadly dissapointed.
Hopefully, one day soon we will see the series of Fu Manchu movies made in the 1960s find their way onto DVD, Based on the actual books and given a decent budget those features would easily find a way into my collection.

WHEN WILL FILM PRODUCER'S DO RIGHT BY FU???
First off, let me say this is a nice dvd. The picture is quite good considering the age of the show, there are a few rough spots to the prints used, but overall it's a pleasing picture. The sound is ok, too. There are no extras to speak of, except for a catalogue of other Alpha Video titles to look through. Now for the shows themselves. This is a terrible show! The acting is amateurish and the stories are dull and boring! Which is a pity. Sax Rohmer wrote some great novels featuring the devil doctor ("THE BRIDE OF FU MANCHU", "THE HAND OF FU MANCHU", "THE DRUMS OF FU MANCHU", "THE ISLAND OF FU MANCHU" and "SHADOW OF FU MANCHU" being the best) but no film producers have ever adapted his stories for the screen. With this series (produced by Republic Pictures) it appears the writers had never read the books and are only vaguely aware of what Fu Manchu is all about. For example, in one episode on this disc, Dr. Fu joins forces with Adolph Hitler to wreck vengeance on the world. Now anyone who has read the books knows that in "THE DRUMS OF FU MANCHU" (published in 1939) we find out that Fu hates war and has a plot to assassinate Hitler, which good old (or dumb old) Nayland Smith tries to stop! But the hack writers of this show, probably unable to read, were not aware of this fact and just figured, well heck, Fu is evil, Hitler was evil, let's have them join forces. DUMB! Still, if you enjoy Rohmer's work and Fu, you might enjoy this disc. It's good for a few laughs anyhow and it shows what a good writer ole Sax was and how lousy many of Hollywood writers were in the Golden Age of TV. - George Bauch.

Classic TV - The Fu Manchu Series from 1956
Four episodes from the original 1956 TV Series is in BW and unclear in certain frames, but overall a very good transfer with good story lines. Episodes include 1) The Golden Egg of Dr Fu Manchu (henchmen sent to kill wife), 2) The Master Plan (revives Hitler), 3) The Death Ships (deadly germ cultures), 4) The Prisoner of Dr Fu Manchu (deadly serum at the Conference of Nations). ... Read more

Reviews (3)

family fare
My 2year old horse lover can never get enough of this film. He loves not only the horses but Dale, Roy and Grandpa. Trigger, Jr. can outrace "Bert and Ernie" on any day.

Family film
Trigger, Jr. provides my two-year old horse lover with just enough action to keep him occupied through the entire film. He never tires of watching Trigger's mane, the birthday party and
he loves Roy, Dale and Grandpa. Trigger outraces Bert and Ernie
everytime!

Two Triggers in one movie
Roy and his sidekicks operate a circus and run afoul of a range patrol protection racket. Roy actually owned two Triggers, but this movie and "The Golden Stallion," to which this is a semi-sequel, were the only ones in which Little Trigger, a backup for "the smartest horse in the movies," actually got to play a separate horse, as Trigger Jr. This is not for viewers saddened by horses dying in movies; the plot involves the baddies setting a killer stallion loose on ranchers' stock. Trigger is temporarily blinded battling the white "phantom" horse (who is a pretty good actor himself), but their return match under Witney's direction is great. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Where are the last six chapters?
This is one of the first cliff hangers available on DVD, and (I truly hope), one of many future Republic Studios serials. It is quite good for the genre and evokes the pre-War atmosphere of America, as well as the old autos, fashions, argot and naive fears of things scientific in the late 1930's. However, try as I may, I cannot access the last six chapters. I have checked the case the DVD came in for another disk, tried the single disk on the other side, tried to scroll down after Chapter six on the single disk, but I cannot (or do not have)the last six chapters.

The VHS reviews do not mention any trouble with subsequent chapters. I cannot locate a website for Roan Group Archival Entertainment. Has Roan neglected to add the last chapters, or am I a dolt? Please send advice to me at jsmarr@javanet.com. Thanks, jsmarr

Non-stop action...really!
S.O.S. COAST GUARD is a flavorful 12-chapter serial featuring Ralph "Dick Tracy" Bird as eager Coast Guard Lieutenant Terry Kent and Bela Lugosi as his adversary Boroff. The nasty Boroff has invented a disintegration gas and is trying desperately to sell it to foreign powers. Boroff employs the services of Thorg (Richard Alexander), a burly henchman with a good talent for swimming. On Kent's side, ace reporter Jean Norman (Maxine Doyle in a spirited performance) and photographer Snapper McGee (Lee Ford providing comic relief) help move things along.

The plot may be simple, but it's perfect serial stuff. Boroff is a clever foe, but human (in other words, he's not "supervillain" material) and almost likeable. Kent is a live wire, like a butterfly he never settles in one place very long. Along the way we're treated to wall-to-wall action, and that's really no exaggeration. Boat crashes, car and motorcycle chases, underwater fights, gunboats firing, buildings disintegrating... it's all here, along with more male fistfights than FIGHT CLUB.

In comparison with FLASH GORDON, another serial with which I am very familiar, S.O.S. COAST GUARD's action and adventure is just as exciting, just far less sci-fi-fantastic thanks to its earthbound setting. Whereas a boy could only imagine himself to be on one of Ming's spaceships, he could actually find himself on a boat, dock or in the mountain valley in which once stood Lt. Kent fighting the evil Boroff. Nevertheless, there is a certain element of science fiction in Boroff's disintegrator gas and Lugosi himself fulfills this standard "evil scientist" role more than admirably. I very much enjoyed the special effects showing the gas doing its work - the scene with the mountains melting, for example, is quite simply but very effectively done.

The chapter lengths vary; Chapter One is about thirty minutes long while later chapters can be as short as fifteen minutes. The total running time is approximately 3 hours 40 minutes and each chapter is presented with full opening titles, recaps and end cards. Chapters are spread over both sides of the single-DVD release. Picture quality is good; not as sharp as the FLASH GORDON serials but clear and with good contrast. I did notice a bit of pixelation at times, but it certainly did not detract from my enjoyment. Chapter stops are a bit odd - they use multiple titles (for example, the serial's Chapter 3 might be coded as Title 2, Chapter 1) but you have the option of selecting any chapter individually or playing them all straight through.

S.O.S. COAST GUARD is one of the best examples of the world of movie serials, full of excitement and adventure. With this DVD and the excellent Image FLASH GORDON discs leading the way, I'm hoping we'll see many more of the classic chapterplay films released in the future.

Lugosi's Best Serial
"S.O.S. Coast Guard" is one of the finest Republic serials and a terrific showcase for Bela Lugosi. Most of Lugosi's serials were low-budget affairs -- except for this 1937 effort. In "S.O.S. Coast Guard," Lugosi plays the diabolical Boroff, who wants to control the world with his deadly disintegrating gas. He certainly gives the heroic Ralph Byrd a run for his money in 12 episodes of serial excitement. Lugosi is in his element as Boroff and the action scenes are first-rate. Bela never made a better chapterplay than this one. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

What Happened?
I was really enjoying this movie,then the dvd ended before the finish of the picture. The last eight minutes of the movie are missing from this dvd. Do not buy this dvd.

Not up to QA standards
This looks like a transfer to DVD from a blurry VHS EP mode source. The picture quality detracted from the total enjoyment of the feature. The sound was also flat. You can only improve the film quality a tiny notch inspite of all the adjustment you make on the TV set. But since this is the only one available on DVD for this Rex Allen film, I suggest you get it. Very atypical of Alpha to come up with a release of this quality.

Good Western from Rex and Slim
This is the best movie for people who love these old time westerns Slim Pickens always has the charm to please the audience.If you like the 50's westerns this is it BUY IT! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

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.

A must have for the Roy Rogers fan and collector
This is a must have for the Roy Rogers fan and collector. It's very suspenseful. It's when Trigger is stolen by a gang of outlaws and Roy and Andy Devine and the Sons of the Pioneers come to Trigger's rescue.

Fame and Fortune vs. Trigger.
Nobody made Westerns like Republic. In "Under California Stars," Roy Rogers portrays a singing cowboy movie actor. Truly inspired casting. Roy discovers that evil horse hunters are trapping wild horses on his Double R Ranch. Roy frowns on this bad behavior. He beats up creepy bad guy House Peters, Jr. to stop him from abusing a captured horse. After Roy makes it plain that wild horse hunters are not welcome on his range, the outlaw gang kidnaps Trigger and holds the smartest horse in the movies for $100,000 ransom. The crooks in this little flick are dumber than usual. These B Westerns, filmed in TruColor, were Roy's last series of films before moving to TV in the 1950s. The Sons of the Pioneers pad the script with several musical numbers. Pre-Jingles Andy Devine is the comic relief ranch foreman, Cookie Bullfincher. He inflates the ranch payroll by hiring his lookalike, country bumpkin relatives. Triva Note: Michael Chapin is Lauren Chapin's brother. She was "Kathy" on the "Father Knows Best" TV show. Low-grade VHS editions do not help this film's technical qualities. Regardless, the movie is "G" rated fun for kids and nostalgia collectors. Saddle up and ride, pardner. ;-)

Good Plot - Poor Tecnical Quality
This release from UAV (United American Video) has very, very poor visual and sound quality. I suppose that is why the price is so low, but it's not worth watching. Find this good movie released by someone else like Republic Home Video or such. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

The Original and BEST of the West!
Never mind 1999's theatrical version--this is the original we're talking about! Robert Conrad and Ross Martin set the standard for spies with spurs in the ABC action series which ran from 1965 to 1968. Brilliantly interweaving the 60's spy craze (including "Mission: Impossible", "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." and "Get Smart") with the equally-popular Western genre (ala "Bonanza", "Gunsmoke", and "Rawhide"), it was truly James Bond in the West. Conrad's well-tailored, silver-tongued James West, and Ross Martin's theatrical chameleon Artemus Gordon faced the most eccentric villains ever to grace the small screen (actually, I take that back--that accolade belongs to "Batman". But still....if you've seen the show, you know what I'm talking about). Appearing often was the short-statured Michael Dunn as Dr. Miguelito Loveless. Just classic stuff.

So, here's what we're calling for: 4 (four) season-by-season boxed sets containing all 104 episodes, as well as documentaries with any available living cast and/or crew members. Consider the other television series who've been digitally cast in DVD format: "Mary Tyler Moore", "M*A*S*H", "Star Trek"....lovers of this show will agree that "The Wild, Wild West" belongs amongst these classics.

Another vote for the release of the series on DVD!
The Wild Wild West, starring Robert Conrad and Ross Martin, was a truly unique blend of science fiction and western. The stories were especially dynamic during it's fourth and final season. With all the TV series being released on DVD (like Green Acres of all things) it stands to reason that Wild Wild West would be popular enough with the buying public to make it worth the studios while to produce the entire series, hopefully with some nice added features. The series was originally produced by Paramount. If they still have the rights, that's who we need to contact. Here's my vote.

More great things in Wild Wild West
Yes agree but there was even more to the show. At the beginning of each episode they would show four pictures, in fact a still view of the ending of each section of the each chapter of the episode.

You would start wandering what each still ment, but of course couldn't. Then when you watched the show you got the context.

I have never seen this method used since in any TV show; but it gave an even more mysterious feel to this great show this great work of art.

Sigmar, Iceland

(...)

A show Ahead of It's Time
Why this isn't being released in season sets is beyond me. Forget the fact that I love the show. From a purely business perspective this would make a killing in sales. Just go to the TV section in any Best Buy or Circuit City and you'd be shocked at some of the obscure older TV shows that are being released. The Wild Wild West has a huge fan following - not to mention the fact that it still holds up today and would probably hook a whole new generation. I'm hoping this one gets made soon.

It is impossible for a TV Show to be more fun than this!
One of the most creative, imaginative and purely fun shows in TV history stands waiting for DVD release, and I'm really hoping Paramount or whoever owns this series does the right thing. From the brilliant and resourceful production design and Heschong's inspired art direction (combining to realize a fantastic world of Victorian sci-fi wonder) to the colorful array of villains brilliantly portrayed by Michael Dunn, Carroll O'Connor, Lloyd Bochner and others, to the exciting music of Drasnin, Shores and Markowitz et al, to a long list of great directors and writers, WWW was a once-in-a-lifetime TV coup. And not least of all come the fight scenes: film students should be studying the perfectly-tuned editing, the use of wide and medium shots (minimal closeups) that pull you in to the precision choreography, creating the most visceral and supercharged blend of music and action ever on the tube, with the cool Conrad always at its center. Round it all off with the amazing Ross Martin's gallery of infinite rogues and you have as satisfying an escapist viewing experience as one could wish for. Bring it on! ... Read more

Description

The black-masked legend saddles up for two rip-roaring serial adventures! When no-good saboteurs try to stop a California railroad line, the owner calls in the great-grandson of the original Zorro for help. After a few unexpected snags, Zorro Rides Again and dispenses justice across the American West! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Early Zorro
Adapted from the serial or not this was an action serial and belongs to those days, Don't compare and you will enjoy. I didn't like Zorro singing, Yakima Canutt did all the stunt work and they cheated the kids on some the cliffhanger endings, but it was an enjoyable one with a good story line.

ZORRO LOVERS THIS MOVIE ROCKS
This action packed zorro movie is one of the best movies i ever saw.It has great stunts and lots of gun shooting.I hope you buy this film (you will love it). -Brad Sprentz ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The Original "Lone Ranger" Film
Considered by film historians to be one of Republic's finest chapterplays, "The Lone Ranger" (1938) also remains one of the great "lost" serials. Sadly, the original negative no longer exists and the only surviving prints feature Spanish subtitles and substandard quality. Republic's 1940 abridgment, "Hi-Yo Silver," remains the best opportunity to see this classic serial. Running 68 minutes, it moves at a swift pace with plenty of terrific stuntwork and six-gun action. However, Republic has altered the traditional Lone Ranger framework by presenting FIVE masked men -- a device later used in 1943's "The Masked Marvel." It's an intriguing concept, though fans of the radio and television series may be disappointed. The print quality of "Hi-Yo Silver" is quite good, which makes one hope that the original serial will surface in the same condition.

Loads of fun for Lone Ranger fans!
It's stuntman Yakima Canutt aboard Silver riding at breakneck speed to thwart the badguys. What we see here is what's left of the only available print of Republic Pictures' 1938 serial,"The Lone Ranger." It's still fun to watch. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

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.

A must have for the Roy Rogers fan and collector
This is a must have for the Roy Rogers fan and collector. It's very suspenseful. It's when Trigger is stolen by a gang of outlaws and Roy and Andy Devine and the Sons of the Pioneers come to Trigger's rescue.

Fame and Fortune vs. Trigger.
Nobody made Westerns like Republic. In "Under California Stars," Roy Rogers portrays a singing cowboy movie actor. Truly inspired casting. Roy discovers that evil horse hunters are trapping wild horses on his Double R Ranch. Roy frowns on this bad behavior. He beats up creepy bad guy House Peters, Jr. to stop him from abusing a captured horse. After Roy makes it plain that wild horse hunters are not welcome on his range, the outlaw gang kidnaps Trigger and holds the smartest horse in the movies for $100,000 ransom. The crooks in this little flick are dumber than usual. These B Westerns, filmed in TruColor, were Roy's last series of films before moving to TV in the 1950s. The Sons of the Pioneers pad the script with several musical numbers. Pre-Jingles Andy Devine is the comic relief ranch foreman, Cookie Bullfincher. He inflates the ranch payroll by hiring his lookalike, country bumpkin relatives. Triva Note: Michael Chapin is Lauren Chapin's brother. She was "Kathy" on the "Father Knows Best" TV show. Low-grade VHS editions do not help this film's technical qualities. Regardless, the movie is "G" rated fun for kids and nostalgia collectors. Saddle up and ride, pardner. ;-)

Good Plot - Poor Tecnical Quality
This release from UAV (United American Video) has very, very poor visual and sound quality. I suppose that is why the price is so low, but it's not worth watching. Find this good movie released by someone else like Republic Home Video or such. ... Read more