| Welcome to In The Balcony. We hope you enjoy your visit. You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free. Plus, you'll be eligible for the monthly $1 million prize. (Not really.) Join our community! If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features: |
| Watching Any Good Serials? | |
|---|---|
| Tweet Topic Started: Apr 12 2006, 09:28 AM (88,292 Views) | |
| Pa Stark | Jun 20 2010, 11:21 AM Post #1981 |
|
Charter Member
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
I also heard many years ago that THE LOST CITY was one of the worst serials ever, but after screening it the second time, I noticed I wasn't bored by it. Now I think it is one of the biggest hoots of all time. |
| Honest and Lovable Pa Stark | |
![]() |
|
| panzer the great & terrible | Jun 20 2010, 01:24 PM Post #1982 |
|
Mouth Breather
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
I'm with you, Pa, it's funny as hell, has the biggest cast of any serial ever, except maybe Flash Gordon, plus which it has Gabby Hayes. A perfect trifecta. |
| Life is just a bowl of cherries, it's too mysterious, don't take it serious... | |
![]() |
|
| The Batman | Jun 21 2010, 07:05 AM Post #1983 |
![]()
Charter Member
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
THE LOST CITY is a great serial, IMHO, it has all the elements one would want from a sci-fi serial. And natives, to boot! Mr P and Andy, you both owe it to yourselves to pick up the VCI release. The print and sound are far superior to the Alpha release. |
| Always be yourself! Unless you can be Batman...then always be Batman! | |
![]() |
|
| panzer the great & terrible | Jun 22 2010, 10:54 PM Post #1984 |
|
Mouth Breather
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
It's on order, Mr Bat. Gordon of Ghost City slid into the rotation tonight, replacing Jungle Jim (A-). So far, Gordon is a solid western serial with an iconic Buck Jones performance. The girl is screechy with a Noo York accent; not the most believable western heroine. We can only hope that Buck jumps off the runaway buckboard next episode, and leaves her on it, but that may be optimistic. The parts that don't have a music soundtrack benefit from not having it, and the image ain't tinted the color of baby poop. My copy, from Rodney, is of a second generation dupe, I'd say. Some ghosting and too much contrast, but watchable. It will do for now, but I hope somebody restores the Jones serials someday. |
| Life is just a bowl of cherries, it's too mysterious, don't take it serious... | |
![]() |
|
| The Batman | Jun 23 2010, 06:22 AM Post #1985 |
![]()
Charter Member
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
Good stuff, Mr P. GORDON OF GHOST CITY (which I just finished a couple of weeks ago) was a blast! And, IMHO, I thought the girl was OK. The interplay between her and Buck reminded me of the Thin Many-type comedic interaction between the male and female leads. Mr P, my copy came from Trev at DVD DownUnder and let me tell you that the quality is most impressive. None of that ghosting and contrast problem that you are experiencing with that other disc. If you are a fan of GoGC, this would be the upgrade to go for. |
| Always be yourself! Unless you can be Batman...then always be Batman! | |
![]() |
|
| AndyFish | Jun 24 2010, 06:56 AM Post #1986 |
|
Movie Watcha Foist Class
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
Hey Bats- After watching one chapter of the Alpha DVD of Lost City I enjoyed it enough that I jumped over and bought the VCI which is a very nice print-- and makes the serial all the better. |
| www.andytfish.com | |
![]() |
|
| The Batman | Jun 24 2010, 07:44 AM Post #1987 |
![]()
Charter Member
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
Good stuff, Andy. My first copy of THE LOST CITY was from Treeline and was of comparable quality to the Alpha release. I didn't enjoy the serial nearly as much as I did the second time, after picking up the VCI DVD. Enjoy! |
| Always be yourself! Unless you can be Batman...then always be Batman! | |
![]() |
|
| panzer the great & terrible | Jun 24 2010, 08:18 AM Post #1988 |
|
Mouth Breather
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
Caught Chapter 2 last night. A wonderful serial with all the right ingredients (and some very wrong ones too). This one makes me laugh out loud. one of the things I love is that no matter how silly the situation, Kane Richmond stays focused and serious. How did he do it? |
| Life is just a bowl of cherries, it's too mysterious, don't take it serious... | |
![]() |
|
| The Batman | Jun 24 2010, 08:29 AM Post #1989 |
![]()
Charter Member
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
He's an actor! |
| Always be yourself! Unless you can be Batman...then always be Batman! | |
![]() |
|
| KanSmiley | Jun 24 2010, 09:01 AM Post #1990 |
|
Charter Member
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
Are we talking about The Lost City? Ever since I became reinterested in serials about 12 years ago The Lost City had been villified as the absolute worst serial EVER made. Now in this discussion it is being praised (perhaps not highly praised) but it is being praised. What happened? |
|
http://www.saturday-matinee-memories.com/ intoxicated, adj.: When you feel sophisticated without being able to pronounce it. | |
![]() |
|
| Sgt Saturn | Jun 24 2010, 09:46 AM Post #1991 |
|
Charter Member
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
Perhaps, it's been bad-mouthed so much that some find it exceeding expectations? "The Worst Serial Ever" is almost certainly Young I have an old, Sinister Cinema, VHS copy that I haven;t seen in years and have little interest in upgrading. I should rate the serial in the lower half of those in my collection -- worth seeing but not one I should recommend to anyone who isn't already 'in' to the genre. YMMV Edited by Sgt Saturn, Jun 24 2010, 09:47 AM.
|
| The Ol' Sarge | |
![]() |
|
| The Batman | Jun 24 2010, 10:22 AM Post #1992 |
![]()
Charter Member
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
Smiley, not to bring up old wounds, but it seems most of the derision heaped upon this serial came from another site. The webmaster there was obsessed with the idea that THE LOST CITY is overtly racist. Funny enough, the nephew of Jerry Frank (who played bodyguard Appollyn in the serial) joined the thread on THE LOST CITY and stated several times that his uncle and Sam Baker (who played Hugo, the lead black giant) became fast friends because of the serial and did not consider it overtly racist. In later years, they both affectionately referred to THE LOST CITY as "that old dog". THE LOST CITY is no more (and a lot less) racist than many pictures being made at that time. I don't think one needs be a serial-veteran to enjoy it. |
| Always be yourself! Unless you can be Batman...then always be Batman! | |
![]() |
|
| outerlimit | Jun 24 2010, 12:09 PM Post #1993 |
|
Balcony Gang, Foist Class
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
I have The Lost City amongst my vhs tapes (I think I also have a feature version that is markedly inferior to the full serial) and I recall that I enjoyed it. The serial was probably typical of the attitudes of its time but the theme, the sci-fi elements,the stars and most of all the set designs which I believe were by the same man who designed the Flash Gordon sets make it head and shoulders above most independant serials.Look out for those bolted walls! Remember how Harmon and Glut condemned Batman(1943) as "notoriously bad" ? I think we are past such sweeping statements and recognise Batman now as something of a movie document of the feeling of its time and enjoy it. I would say that The Lost City is well worth a look.
|
![]() |
|
| witneyenglish | Jun 24 2010, 12:15 PM Post #1994 |
|
Balcony Gang, Foist Class
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
The guys who wrote To Be Continued considered The Lost City to be among the best serials and gave it the most detailed synopsis in the book. |
![]() |
|
| The Batman | Jun 24 2010, 12:21 PM Post #1995 |
![]()
Charter Member
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
Outie, I couldn't agree more. Great attitude! Witney, I would agree with them. THE LOST CITY is a serial blast! Easily in my Top 20. |
| Always be yourself! Unless you can be Batman...then always be Batman! | |
![]() |
|
| Go to Next Page | |
| « Previous Topic · Continued Next Week · Next Topic » |





![]](http://z2.ifrm.com/static/1/pip_r.png)





6:52 AM Jul 11