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Daredevils of the Red Circle; Coming to Blu Ray
Topic Started: Aug 31 2016, 02:35 PM (4,212 Views)
AndyFish
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Ha! I hate all the serials mentioned, but I do have a poster of Captain Africa up in my studio as well as some lobby cards!
You sunk my battleship!
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turan38
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Early last year over a period of weeks I watched 'Daredevils along with my daughter and son-in-law. I had remembered the serial for its classic chapter one cliffhanger and enjoyed it its use of interesting location shoots. This last time... not so much. As a kid growing up in the 'fifties I loved watching serials on TV. I still enjoy many of Universal's 'thirties serials, but I seem to have lost that childlike enthusiasm that's necessary to enjoy other chapter-plays. I even wonder if the scriptwriters, out of boredom, sometimes held a competition to invent the most outlandish situations. Cutting through the hinges of a huge steel door by using a little nail file?

We watched Drums of Fu Manchu a few months ago. It started out differently and promisingly, but after a few chapters morphed into the same old format.

Part of my disenchantment results from serials using the same predicable and tedious story devices again and again. Westerns are particularly prone to that. I've bought the Blu-ray serial releases so far just to add my support to encourage further releases, but I'll have to pass on 'Daredevils. I probably will buy Panther Girl of the Kongo. I remember enjoying this when WPIX in New York ran chapters late-night following the syndicated Steve Allen show. The chapters only run a bit over 13 minutes each, which is a bonus (sometimes less is more).

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AndyFish
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Less is absolutely more-- I'm going through RADAR MEN FROM THE MOON and it's a hoot.
The rocketship with office chairs (complete with wheels) is an amazing bit of engineering!

I am certain I'm wrong about DAREDEVILS and I plan on giving it the ULTIMATE treatment-- loading it onto my iPad and watching it one chapter at a time while I'm at the gym-- nowhere to go and I'm certainly not going to switch over to the news so it'll have my full attention and it's impossible to doze off on a treadmill.

Honestly though, having watched so many of these recently it backs up my theory that Republic's were all about action with very little story, while Columbia's and Universal's often had some real characters and bits of comedy in them. Yes Columbia has lousy ones for sure-- I'm looking at you SUPERMAN, but so does Republic which sometimes seemed like every chapter was just two guys destroying a room in a fight.
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mort bakaprevski
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turan38
Feb 8 2017, 07:14 AM
We watched Drums of Fu Manchu a few months ago. It started out differently and promisingly, but after a few chapters morphed into the same old format.
WOW! Thought I was the only one who felt that way.
"Nov Shmoz Ka Pop."
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turan38
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AndyFish
Feb 8 2017, 09:00 AM
I am certain I'm wrong about DAREDEVILS and I plan on giving it the ULTIMATE treatment-- loading it onto my iPad and watching it one chapter at a time while I'm at the gym-- nowhere to go and I'm certainly not going to switch over to the news so it'll have my full attention and it's impossible to doze off on a treadmill.
You'll be on a treadmill in more ways than one.
Are you saying you'll buy the Blu-ray and then load it on to an iPad for viewing? Why bother? The serial is posted on Youtube and you'd get equivalent quality watching it on a 4-inch screen.
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Stony Brooke da Mesquiteer
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turan38
Feb 8 2017, 09:55 AM
AndyFish
Feb 8 2017, 09:00 AM
I am certain I'm wrong about DAREDEVILS and I plan on giving it the ULTIMATE treatment-- loading it onto my iPad and watching it one chapter at a time while I'm at the gym-- nowhere to go and I'm certainly not going to switch over to the news so it'll have my full attention and it's impossible to doze off on a treadmill.
You'll be on a treadmill in more ways than one.
I'd just like to say how funny I think Turan's comment is. I really did LOL.
It's like Rodney King used to say, "Can't we all get a bong."
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The Batman
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mort bakaprevski
Feb 8 2017, 09:05 AM
turan38
Feb 8 2017, 07:14 AM
We watched Drums of Fu Manchu a few months ago. It started out differently and promisingly, but after a few chapters morphed into the same old format.
WOW! Thought I was the only one who felt that way.

Oh no! You have both spoken against one of the greatest serials ever!

Nah, I agree with you. It has some great atmosphere, chapter one is excellent, but afterwards, it's a serial folks.

Along with SPY SMASHER, this is the most overrated serial for me. Don't get me wrong, both are still near the top of the best ones, but I tire of hearing how they are the best of the best.




Always be yourself! Unless you can be Batman...then always be Batman!
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mort bakaprevski
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AndyFish
Feb 8 2017, 09:00 AM
Honestly though, having watched so many of these recently it backs up my theory that Republic's were all about action with very little story, while Columbia's and Universal's often had some real characters and bits of comedy in them. Yes Columbia has lousy ones for sure-- I'm looking at you SUPERMAN, but so does Republic which sometimes seemed like every chapter was just two guys destroying a room in a fight.
And another attitude I thought I alone had.

When I was a kid & a new serial started at the Lido Theater, if the the first thing I saw was the Republic eagle, I groaned audibly.
"Nov Shmoz Ka Pop."
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The Batman
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I'm a fan of Republic serials, they have some good ones, but I agree that Universal had the stronger stories/characters, while Columbias just had that thing (humour? humanized characters?) that make them fun.


Always be yourself! Unless you can be Batman...then always be Batman!
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AndyFish
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What iPad has a 4" screen? A mini mini?
I'll be buying the Blu Ray because I have a sickness born from DECADES of trying to hunt down the best quality of any given serial and a Blu Ray offering should be the pinnacle of that quality-- so if it's a serial and it's released on Blu I'm a buyin' it.

As for HOW it gets to my iPad I'm not that picky. I have my entire DVD collection converted to digital files which are on a server that would make Hillary Clinton jealous and I can access them from anywhere via Bluetooth. I don't know how it works, it's like magic to me.
www.andytfish.com
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Laughing Gravy
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And I can remember a day long ago when I was hooted down for voicing the lonely, windswept opinion at the Squadron that once you'd seen a handful of Republics their routine sameness made 'em seem pretty dull compared to Columbia and Universal.
"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
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Paramount provided a 4K transfer, which Kino then further cleaned up. Mike Schlesinger offers commentary on some chapters.
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The Batman
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Excellent! When will this thing turn up on Amazon for preorder?
Always be yourself! Unless you can be Batman...then always be Batman!
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rodney
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The Batman
Feb 22 2017, 06:16 PM
Excellent! When will this thing turn up on Amazon for preorder?
I preordered mine yesterday.
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The Batman
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And I pre-ordered mine, today!
Always be yourself! Unless you can be Batman...then always be Batman!
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