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| FNF Serials | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Sep 13 2009, 10:03 PM (3,661 Views) | |
| Laughing Gravy | Sep 13 2009, 10:03 PM Post #1 |
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Still countin' down as we get ready for our 24th season, here's a review of the serials we've seen since moving to California... 1999-2000 I wanted to start off with something strong since nobody out here had ever SEEN a movie serial before, but Flash Gordon was rumored to be out on DVD soon so I started instead with Zorro's Fighting Legion. Surprisingly, it didn't go over that well: I think the kids were puzzled by its weird villain and put off by the fact that there was a cliffhanger every week. They just weren't used to it. Next, we did indeed show Flash Gordon, which was a triumph; they "got it" and loved it and as you'll see, we returned several times. The third one, I wanted a strong female serial, and so opted for Perils of Nyoka (a/k/a Nyoka and the Tigermen). Again, they loved it. 2000-01 Adventures of Captain Marvel Batman Undersea Kingdom Well, again, I went with some of my favorite serials, and they liked 'em, too. Frankly, they were disappointed with Batman, probably because it was so far removed from the big-screen films they'd seen, but they liked the others, particularly Undersea Kingdom. 2001-02 Flash Gordon’s Trip to Mars The Secret Code Hawk of the Wilderness After bringing back Flash and introducing them to the Secret Code (which they loved; they especially enjoyed the coded messages at the end) I decided it would be nice to see a serial I'd never seen before, hence, Hawk. It was very popular. BTW, they thought "Mars" was a big step down from the first Flash. 2002-03 The Crimson Ghost Jungle Jim Zorro’s Black Whip Three more very popular serials; I knew they'd like the first one, I'd never seen the second one but we all enjoyed it, and the third one... I got the DVD from overseas so we watched it. I was always lukewarm about this one, but it turned out to be one of the most popular serials with the kiddies. They just loved Linda Stirling as the Whip. 2003-04 The Phantom Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe The Tiger Woman Showed these as they came out on DVD. The first one was very popular, the second was "Where is the REAL Dale and Barin?!?!?" and the third was well-liked. 2004-05 Batman and Robin The Spider’s Web As the kids got older and their sports events got more frequent, we cut down to only 2 serials most years because of all the Friday nights the theatre was dark. Batman & Robin was very, very popular, but the first serial they actually made fun of. The Spider they liked a lot, particularly things like Ram Singh and Jackson; dunno why, but they thought the hero having capable assistants was pretty cool. 2005-06 Spy Smasher Jungle Girl Spy Smasher was, hands down, one of the 3 most popular serials, along with Flash Gordon and Zorro's Black Whip, with the kids. They absolutely loved it. I showed Jungle Girl 'cause TWife wanted to see it. I have no great memory as to how anybody liked it. 2006-07 Radar Men from the Moon Daredevils of the Red Circle No real accolades for Radar Men, altho they liked it well enough and got some laughs out of it. Daredevils they thought was fabulous: one of the best. 2007-08 The Spider Returns Flash Gordon The Phantom Empire Because we had so many new kids join us over the years, I thought it time to revisit Flash Gordon, and it went over as well this time as it had the first time. The other two serials were also well-liked, a good combination of genuine thrills, imagination, and goofy fun. 2008-09 The Adventures of Captain Marvel Mysterious Island Marvel was liked, but not as much as Spy Smasher. The other one was not so liked; it was appreciated for its goofiness but considered rather dull by most of the attendees. 2009-10 Mysterious Doctor Satan I thought it best to follow up a considered-dull Columbia with one of the best and most exciting Republic serials. Our Famed FNF Crack Selection Committee has made no decision yet as to what the second serial of the season may be, but is leaning to Terry and the Pirates or Captain Midnight or maybe The Shadow. |
| "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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| Pa Stark | Sep 14 2009, 09:42 AM Post #2 |
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Charter Member
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Your screenings must be a blast. How many decades from now will it be before showing YOUNG EAGLES, THE CLUTCHING HAND, QUEEN OF THE JUNGLE, or CHICK CARTER, DETECTIVE? |
| Honest and Lovable Pa Stark | |
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| Chandu | Sep 14 2009, 10:18 AM Post #3 |
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Champeen of Justice and Seeker of Knowledge, but rascal at heart!
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As long as it took him to post his Balcony commentary of Young Eagles, I doubt we'll live that long, Pa. I wouldn't look for a rerun of Mysterious Island anytime soon either, if his commentaries are any kind of measuring stick. |
| Not plane, nor bird, nor even frog. It's just little ol' me... | |
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| panzer the great & terrible | Sep 14 2009, 11:31 AM Post #4 |
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Mouth Breather
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Oh, show 'em Terry. They've already seen The Spider Returns, so they'll get it. |
| Life is just a bowl of cherries, it's too mysterious, don't take it serious... | |
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| Don Diego | Sep 14 2009, 02:10 PM Post #5 |
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Balcony Gang, Foist Class
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I would put in a vote for THE GREAT ADVENTURES OF WILD BILL HICKOCK or THE MONSTER AND THE APE |
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| Stony Brooke da Mesquiteer | Sep 15 2009, 05:23 AM Post #6 |
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Sapient Balconeer
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The Shadow would be a good 'un to show, but I'd go with Gangbusters or The Drums Of Fu Manchu. |
| It's like Rodney King used to say, "Can't we all get a bong." | |
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| panzer the great & terrible | Sep 15 2009, 08:19 PM Post #7 |
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Mouth Breather
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Have you used Gangbusters? It's one serial most people like. It nosed Flash out for my #2, and it's gunnin' for Drums, currently #1, but maybe not for long. As soon as I figure out what's wrong with my sound, they're going nose to nose, chapter by chapter. It's been too long since I saw a good serial, and it's one way to fix that situation. I'm enjoying Radio Patrol too, but this confounded sound problem has me stymied. I've decided to throw in the towel and phone a company called Nerds on Call tomorrow. Yeah, that's the ticket. |
| Life is just a bowl of cherries, it's too mysterious, don't take it serious... | |
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| Laughing Gravy | Dec 15 2014, 10:54 AM Post #8 |
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To update this fine, fine thread... Just so you know, we had a turnover of attendees long 'bout 2005, and another in 2009 or so when TWife and I split up (we still watch FNF together, though). 2009-10 Mysterious Doctor Satan The Shadow They liked The Shadow, particularly the smoke-filled cat's head on the villain's desk. The constant falling ceilings bothered no one; guys who go over a cliff one week and jump out of the car the next week? THAT bothers 'em. 2010-11 G-Men vs. the Black Dragon Undersea Kingdom Loved the villain in the former and everything about the latter. If there were more serials like Undersea Kingdom and The Phantom Empire, they'd be more popular today. 2011-12 Secret Service in Darkest Africa Terry and the Pirates The second one, in particular, went over very well. Peter the Volvo Repair Guy does a spot-on imitation of "Fang" (these days, he does Dr. Daka), to all of our rich amusement. 2012-13 Zorro’s Fighting Legion The Green Hornet Captain Midnight With the kids grown, back to three serials a year. Of this bunch, The Green Hornet went over the best, mostly 'cause of the Black Beauty, I think. ZFL wasn't much appreciated, again, they don't seem to like Westerns. Captain Midnight was acceptable entertainment for them. 2013-14 Drums of Fu Manchu The Lost City Gang Busters Well, the first one gave Peter the Volvo Repair guy a chance to amuse us every week again. The second one went over very, very well, giving us the opportunity to have a lot of laughs about mad scientists in silk pajamas turning Black guys into little Jewish men every week. I think if you pressed Peter, he'd list Gang Busters up there as one of his 2 or 3 all-time favorite serials, but because we rotate between here and TWife's house, some people only see every other episode, and Gang Busters is not conducive to that. Too much plot. 2014-15 Batman ? ? I got requests to show Batman again, since a lot of people hadn't seen it, and they're enjoying it. I'm considering following it up with Holt of the Secret Service, the second Green Hornet serial, Captain Video, Captain America, Perils of Nyoka, Radio Patrol, or Dick Tracy. There have been times, though, when I just wait until the very last minute and choose one on impulse. Hmmm... |
| "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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| Laughing Gravy | Dec 15 2014, 12:37 PM Post #9 |
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Oh, yeah, and as you can see, given my druthers, I prefer to show one Columbia, one Republic, and one Universal a year, all else being equal. |
| "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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| panzer the great & terrible | Dec 15 2014, 01:35 PM Post #10 |
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Mouth Breather
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Then Nyoka is the obvious choice. Unlike Captain America, it has at least some production values. I really don't remember why I was disappointed by the Cap serial, but I remember I was. Maybe it was the complete lack of resemblance to the comics, but that kind of stuff usually doesn't bother me. Like Gravy, I don't know what bothers me after seeing so many movies. We did get a few yuks out of a movie we saw yesterday (I forget the title), where a girl takes her blouse off, and then in the next shot it's back on her so she takes it off again, and so on and on. The script girl must have actually been an unusually horny guy. Edited by panzer the great & terrible, Dec 15 2014, 02:19 PM.
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| Life is just a bowl of cherries, it's too mysterious, don't take it serious... | |
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| Laughing Gravy | Dec 15 2014, 01:47 PM Post #11 |
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I do have nice DVDs of all of these. If I had nice DVDs of The Secret Code or The Iron Claw or Manhunt of Mystery Island or The Purple Monster Strikes they'd be on my list. In these HD, huge-screen days, one can't get away with showing a crowd a murky or disappointing grey market offering for 12 or 15 weeks. |
| "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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| Laughing Gravy | Dec 15 2014, 02:12 PM Post #12 |
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Okay, well, I just checked: I DO have the AC Comics of Manhunt of Mystery Island. I prefer that over Perils of Nyoka for no reason whatsoever that I can think of, except that it would be fun to have a "pirate" serial and pirate theme nights and Cap'n Mephisto IS rather cool. So right now, let's tentatively pencil in Manhunt of Mystery Island. That leads me with a Universal slot... Hmmmmm... I could do The Green Hornet Strikes Again or I could do Radio Patrol. Thanks, guys! And gals! |
| "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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| panzer the great & terrible | Dec 15 2014, 02:24 PM Post #13 |
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Mouth Breather
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Radio Patrol was one of the last serials I watched, and I gave up on it after five or so chapters. The Green Hornet Strikes Repeatedly was one I wish I hadn't watched all the way through. It was more like a series of shorts than a true serial. No through-story to speak of. Warren Hull was a pretty good hero type but he couldn't save it. |
| Life is just a bowl of cherries, it's too mysterious, don't take it serious... | |
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| Laughing Gravy | Mar 19 2015, 09:09 PM Post #14 |
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I realized t'other day that I've had a complete turnover of FNF watchers since 2004 (except for T-ExWife, who makes it once a month or so). That opens up a bunch of serials we showed 1999-2004 but haven't seen since, including Perils of Nyoka, Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars, The Crimson Ghost, Jungle Jim, Zorro's Black Whip, The Phantom, and The Tiger Woman. I also think the second version of Secret Agent X-9 would go over big, and they liked the first Green Hornet so there's the second one plus I've never shown a Dick Tracy serial. As it stands, we've seen a Columbia (Batman) and a Republic (Manhunt of Mystery Island) this year so my personal preference would be a 12 or 13 episode Universal, hence I'm leaning toward Jungle Jim or Secret Agent X-9. Hmmmm. |
| "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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| rodney | Mar 20 2015, 04:34 AM Post #15 |
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I'd go with Secret Agent X-9 |
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