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Watching Any Good Serials?
Topic Started: Apr 12 2006, 09:28 AM (88,354 Views)
Black Tiger
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7 Chapters into King of the Texas Rangers. Action-packed fun Republic serial with one major flaw - casting football great Slingin' Sammy Baugh as the lead. He looks good, but as the saying goes, his acting runs the gamut of A to B (or maybe A to A). Sammy has his fans who feel he's "natural" or "not too bad" or "as good as you can expect from a non-actor", but I think he's bloody awful every time he tries to deliver a line of dialogue. Every time I think of someone like Roy Rogers in the lead, I can imagine this serial going from good to very good.

A great collection of serial henchmen including Roy Barcroft, Jack Ingram, Kenne Duncan, Bud Geary and Robert Barron. Commissioner Gordon Neil Hamilton turns in a credible villainous role. Duncan Renaldo (as "Peedro") is a good partner for Baugh and pretty Pauline Moore is a welcome addition as the heroine.

Baugh's fight stuntwork is mostly handled by Tom Steele, but Dave Sharpe does some incredible leaps as well. Sharpe also stunts Renaldo.

King is fast-paced, has good cliffhangers, and well worth the time to check out. You've gotta love Fifth Columnists (Nazis to the rest of us) operating out of a Zeppelin flying over Texas.

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Pa Stark
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I am one of those who really likes Baugh as the hero, not because is is just natural, but he comes across as authentic. I think he really could be a Texas Ranger. As for the infamous "Peedro" pronunciation, it comes mostly from Kermit Maynard. In the above post BT mentions all the good actors who assist here, but left out Stanley Blystone, which was one of his best roles as Lynch.
For some reason, all four of Republic's 1941 serials have much less than the normal quota of fistfights. Here there is only one fight in the last five chapters, and that one involves Renaldo, not Baugh. High point of KING OF THE TEXAS RANGERS: the great Lydecker Bros. oilfield fire at the end of chapter one. It is as well done as any of their pyrotechnics in a serial. Another unique quality here is all the different modes of transportation that are used. We have cars, trucks, train, planes, boats, horse, and even a zeppelin. I recently tried to make a list of my top 10 Republics, but came up with only nine, and for the 10th title I had about seven titles I could not choose between. KING OF THE TEXAS RANGERS was one of them.
Honest and Lovable Pa Stark
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Chandu
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I have to agree with Pa. When I began watching this serial I was prepared for the worst, with a non actor playing the lead, but was pleasantly surprised by his performance and wound up really liking this serial.
Not plane, nor bird, nor even frog. It's just little ol' me...
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The Batman
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Pa Stark
Oct 12 2008, 11:31 AM
I am one of those who really likes Baugh as the hero, not because is is just natural, but he comes across as authentic. I think he really could be a Texas Ranger. As for the infamous "Peedro" pronunciation, it comes mostly from Kermit Maynard. In the above post BT mentions all the good actors who assist here, but left out Stanley Blystone, which was one of his best roles as Lynch.
For some reason, all four of Republic's 1941 serials have much less than the normal quota of fistfights. Here there is only one fight in the last five chapters, and that one involves Renaldo, not Baugh. High point of KING OF THE TEXAS RANGERS: the great Lydecker Bros. oilfield fire at the end of chapter one. It is as well done as any of their pyrotechnics in a serial. Another unique quality here is all the different modes of transportation that are used. We have cars, trucks, train, planes, boats, horse, and even a zeppelin. I recently tried to make a list of my top 10 Republics, but came up with only nine, and for the 10th title I had about seven titles I could not choose between. KING OF THE TEXAS RANGERS was one of them.
I agree, Pa, I really enjoyed Baugh in the role. A nice change of pace from the usual Republic leading man.
Always be yourself! Unless you can be Batman...then always be Batman!
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Pa Stark
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Another great moment is in chapter one where King (Baugh) follows the heavies into Mexico, and they are in a cantina with shot glasses having a drink. As they touch glasses, King walks in and shoots them out of their hands. I would really like to know how they staged that. Another favorite is the fight at an oil derrick in chapter six, with Peedro, I'm sorry, I mean Pedro, fighting the heavies below, while King is battling another one high up.
Honest and Lovable Pa Stark
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Laughing Gravy
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I love Slingin' Sammy in this, one of my fave Republic serials. But then, I liked Mala in HIS serial (although his serial stinks big time). As Batman says, it's a nice change of pace.

"I'm glad that this question came up, because there are so many ways to answer it that one of them is bound to be right." - Robert Benchley
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Stony Brooke da Mesquiteer
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This morning I watched chapter 3 of The Three Musketeers. Tom (John) Wayne gets out of a tight spot, clears his name with his girl then gets in a tight spot. I'm enjoyin' this one.
It's like Rodney King used to say, "Can't we all get a bong."
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Mantan
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Two weeks ago I finished GOVERNMENT AGENTS VS PHANTOM LEGION that almost caused me to reassess my love of serials. If it hadn't been for the first rate performances by bad-guy Dick Curtis and John Pickard as "Sam" (pal of hero Walter "Hal Duncan" Reed) serials would have become an afterthought for me.
I didn't think I'd ever want to see another Fred C. Brannon serial or B-western but luckily earlier this week I started watching G-MEN NEVER FORGET, directed by Brannon with Yakima Canutt.
Heroes are Clayton Moore and the gorgeous Ramsay Ames but the serial belongs to the always great Roy Barcroft in a dual-role. Barcroft plays nasty "Vic Murkland" and good-guy "Police Commissioner Angus Cameron". Murkland has had plastic surgery so he can impersonate Commissioner Cameron, who has been kidnapped by the Murkland gang and hidden away at a sanitarium run by Stanley Price ("Doc Benson").
This has to be Clayton Moore's best serial. Some of the action scenes are inserts from earlier and greater Republic serials but thanks to Tom Steele and the usual Republic stunt guys, this is a nice little action-packed number -especially for a post-WWII Republic serial.

Great scene as Barcroft dictates a note to henchman "Duke Graham" (Gil Frye) intended to lure Clayton ("Agent Ted O'Hara") Moore into a trap:
Barcroft (Murkland) to Frye ("Duke"): "I gotta better idea. Get over there and write me a note."
Frye "Shoot. Who's it go to?"
Barcroft: "Ted O'Hara. Willing to make a deal and spill all I know about the Murkland set-up. They've double crossed me. I promise to turn state's evidence if you'll give me a break. If interested come alone to 223 Front Street, room 25, tomorrow afternoon. Two o'clock. Signed 'Duke Graham'."
Henchman: "Duke Graham? That's ME!"

Edited by Mantan, Oct 18 2008, 11:32 AM.
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Pa Stark
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Quote:
 
This has to be Clayton Moore's best serial.

It might be one of Fred Brannon's best serials, but no way it it better than PERILS OF NYOKA. Not even close.
Honest and Lovable Pa Stark
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Mantan
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Pa Stark
Oct 18 2008, 07:29 PM

Quote:
 
It might be one of Fred Brannon's best serials, but no way it it better than PERILS OF NYOKA. Not even close.
Maybe you prefer Clayton Moore in "NYOKA..." clad in jungle drag jodhpurs but I pefers him in a good ol' fedora doing battle with mean Roy Barcroft.
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Black Tiger
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Gotta agree with Pa. Moore was a perfect serial hero in Perils of Nyoka and gave a great performance. Loved his villainous turns as chief henchmen in Radar Men from the Moon and the Crimson Ghost, too.
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Mantan
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I stand reproached.
Just checked and I don't have a dvd copy of NYOKA... All I have is my original Nostalgia Merchant pre-recorded VHS copy. It's been years since I've seen this.
I've obviously gotta go back and watch NYOKA....
I don't doubt that it's a superior serial to G-MEN NEVER FORGET.
William Witney beats Fred C. Brannon everytime -even on Witney's worst day.
I just get a kick out of seeing Moore in something besides a mask and the Lone Ranger outfit.
I may watch the 1st chapter of NYOKA... this afternoon.
Thanks, guys.
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Pa Stark
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There is a lot of great stuff in NYOKA. Chapter 3 is one of the greatest chapters ever. 14 and 15 are nothing but action. I know you will love it.
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Mantan
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Watched the first chapter of NYOKA... this afternoon. Clayton Moore is much better in this than I'd remembered. Damn good serial, too. Especially when compared to G-MEN NEVER FORGET. I watched Chapter 7 immediately after watching the 1st chapter of NYOKA. Big mistake. G-MEN pales beside NYOKA -and it isn't just a difference in directors. Very neat story-line. Usual jungle mumbo-jumbo about golden tablets and secret cures for fatal illnesses but I eats that stuff up.

Clayton Moore's a little wooden but fun in G-MEN. He seems much more energized and enthusiatic in his role in NYOKA. Is that David Sharpe doubling for Clayton Moore in the action sequences?

By the way - is PERILS OF NYOKA aka NYOKA AND THE TIGERMEN available on DVD?
I noticed that for some reason the Nostalgia Merchant transfer to video of NYOKA is superior to the Republic Pictures Home Video transfer of G-MEN.
The NYOKA-Nostalgia Merchant VHS picture is as sharp and tight as a DVD.

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The Batman
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Since it's Monday morning and the Bat-brain is a little foggy, and I am at work so I can't check, I will go out on a limb and say Perils of Nyoka is available on DVD. I think either from VCI or AC Comics.

Always be yourself! Unless you can be Batman...then always be Batman!
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