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Watching Any Good Serials?
Topic Started: Apr 12 2006, 09:28 AM (88,326 Views)
JazzGuyy
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I'm watching "Blake of Scotland Yard" now and its hard to believe that the same Ralph Byrd who did Dick Tracy is in this one. This serial just seems to drag (after 6 chapters) for reasons I can't quite put my finger on. I'm also finding Dickie Jones and the silly Scorpion villlain to be annoying. (Don't confuse this Scorpion with the various Scorpions found in other serials and thrillers.)

Some of the sets in this one also look very familiar. Anybody have any info on that?
TANSTAAFL!
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cinemalover
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Cliff,
Your right in so much as Terry the serial should never be compared to the source becuase it definitely suffers. As a bonus on this disc (its the VCI disc) it had an episode of the 1952 Terry and the Pirates TV series. This veers even further from its roots. John Baer stars as Colonel Terry Lee who is accompanied by a pudgy comedy relief sidekick named Hotshot Charlie. Hotshot is played by none other than William Tracy, who was so poorly cast as Terry in the serial. He is a much better fit as the buffoon assistant.
Edited by cinemalover, May 20 2009, 12:31 PM.
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Black Tiger
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William Tracy who was so dreadful in the "Terry & the Pirates" serial is tremendous in "The Shop Around The Corner" directed by Ernst Lubitsch the same year. What a difference a director can make.
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cinemalover
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After watching several consecutive Columbia serials I went back to Republic for 1949's Federal Agents vs. Underworkd Inc.. I have not previously seen this one and was curious to see Kirk "Superman" Alyn in the lead. Through the first 4 chapters there is nothing terribly original here as the opposing sides look to gather the two golden hands and gain the knowledge that the two combined will relay. Carol Forman is entertaining as the evil Nila and Kirk Alyn holds his own as our hero. The chapters really zip along with typical Republic stunt-filled speed. The biggest difference in this one is that it is fairly short in length, only 167 minutes for 12 chapters. After chapter one, chapters 2-4 were barely more than 13 minutes each. So far it is perfectly entertaining, just nothing special. Maybe Kirk will have to turn into a cartoon Superman to fly away from one of the future dangers. I can hope anyway.
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Don Diego
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Pirates of the High Seas - Columbia. starring Buster Crabbe. A pleasant surprise well worth looking into. With Gene Roth, Marshall Reed, Tris Coffin and a host of serial regulars how can you go wrong.
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Chandu
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I hope Gene Roth's not playing a Pirate Captain again!
Not plane, nor bird, nor even frog. It's just little ol' me...
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Don Diego
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He was the Governor of the tropic island with John Davidson as his assistant.
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KanSmiley
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If you like Pirates of the High Seas you will like The Sea Hound. Buster Crabbe was quoted as saying they could have made both serials at the same time and saved a lot of money. Both villains have one name...The Admiral and The Governor. Both serials use the same boat...The Sea Hound and The Ramble. Buster Crabbe's costume is identical in both serials...a tight white t-shirt, khaki slacks and a captain's hat. These two serials are as identical as they get.

These are two of my personal favorites.
Edited by KanSmiley, May 29 2009, 07:21 AM.
http://www.saturday-matinee-memories.com/

intoxicated, adj.: When you feel sophisticated without being able to pronounce it.
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The Batman
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KanSmiley
May 29 2009, 07:18 AM

If you like Pirates of the High Seas you will like The Sea Hound.

Kan, does this mean if I wasn't a fan of THE SEA HOUND, then I won't like PIRATES OF THE HIGH SEAS?

Sorry, if they are personal favs, but I found the storyline in THE SEA HOUND to be pedestrian at best.



Always be yourself! Unless you can be Batman...then always be Batman!
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Pa Stark
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I just finished SECRET SERVICE IN DARKEST AFRICA and really like it. Rod Cameron is great hero, and Wolfe was one of most vicious henchmen ever. Oh, yes it did have a couple of good fights in it.

On the other hand I am now watching ZOMBIES OF THE STRATOSPHERE, and it is a real mess. In chapter one you can see the Stark boys hijacking a train, and in another chapter there is a long sequence from a Roy Rogers western. Roy Rogers footage in a serial about invaders from Mars????? WTF!!!
Honest and Lovable Pa Stark
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KanSmiley
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The Batman
May 29 2009, 07:43 AM
KanSmiley
May 29 2009, 07:18 AM

If you like Pirates of the High Seas you will like The Sea Hound.

Kan, does this mean if I wasn't a fan of THE SEA HOUND, then I won't like PIRATES OF THE HIGH SEAS?

Sorry, if they are personal favs, but I found the storyline in THE SEA HOUND to be pedestrian at best.



Hi Bats. Don't apologize if you didn't care for these two serials but I think it is a safe bet that if you didn't like one you won't like the other. There are probably serials you like that I don't. I have always been a fan of tall ships and movies with them. These two serials are almost identical. As I said above Crabbe even said so. Pirates of the High Seas is a serial I have my earliest and fondest memories of. The scenes of the cabin cruiser the villains used that submerged to escape capture is one of the earliest memories of I have of Saturday matinee serials.

Edited by KanSmiley, May 30 2009, 05:23 AM.
http://www.saturday-matinee-memories.com/

intoxicated, adj.: When you feel sophisticated without being able to pronounce it.
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Black Tiger
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Pirates of the High Seas is better than many Republics of the era. Crabbe is charismatic and the story and action are above average.
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Chandu
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I really enjoyed Sea Hound, but I haven't seen "Pirates..." yet. If they're that similar, I'll put off looking at that one until Sea Hound is less fresh in my mind. Outta take at least a week, or so....
Not plane, nor bird, nor even frog. It's just little ol' me...
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Pa Stark
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Check out the trailers for THE SEA HOUND and PIRATES OF THE HIGH SEAS, and you will see the same footage in both. Several post 1947 Columbia serials are under rated. Despite poor scripts, schlocky production values, and some uninspired acting, they did have Spencer Bennet directing, and he was a hell of a lot better than Fred Brannon or Franklin Adreon.
Honest and Lovable Pa Stark
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KanSmiley
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QUOTE The Black Tiger..."Pirates of the High Seas is better than many Republics of the era. Crabbe is charismatic and the story and action are above average."

QUOTE Pa Stark..."Check out the trailers for THE SEA HOUND and PIRATES OF THE HIGH SEAS, and you will see the same footage in both. Several post 1947 Columbia serials are under rated. Despite poor scripts, schlocky production values, and some uninspired acting, they did have Spencer Bennet directing, and he was a hell of a lot better than Fred Brannon or Franklin Adreon."

So there you have it. Recommendations from two of the "finest and most honest" villains in the business. A tiger with red eyes and "Honest" Pa Stark. If you can't trust these two who can you trust...
Edited by KanSmiley, May 31 2009, 05:08 AM.
http://www.saturday-matinee-memories.com/

intoxicated, adj.: When you feel sophisticated without being able to pronounce it.
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