Reviews (8)

Outstanding movie! DVD please!
Great movie for fans of Eric Fleming! Eric is fantastic as usual! All fans of the Rawhide series should see this movie! The story is great and the entire movie is superior to a lot of movies they are making today (2004) because there weren't a lot of special effects so they focused more of character development and storyline. The issues of morality and the bold interactions in this film are simliar to those seen in the Rawhide series. A lot of classis old west confrontations in this movie. This should be on DVD.

A vampire rides tall in the saddle.
Altho not a good film, this effort from the very end of Universal's SF/horror cycle deserves a footnote for establishing, more or less, the minor sub-genre of the horror western. (There actually had been a few films in the Thirties which fit into this category, but they were forgotten by virtually everyone until being released on home video.) Michael Pate (a sort of sinister James Coburn) is effective in the role of a vampire menacing folks on a ranch. This particular vampire is perfectly capable of walking around in the sunshine (hey, no fair!) and the fact that the climactic destruction of the vampire takes place in broad daylight greatly lessens the film's effect. Worth a look for horror fans, however.

Curse of the Undead (1959)
Great horror film (also known as "Mark of the West) coming at the end of Universal's Horror/Scifi period. There are no giant bats, howling dogs, torch bearing villagers or black capes in this unique vampire tale. There is, however, an eerie, hair rising score by Irvin Gertz and a nontraditional background for a horror film. Taking place in the old, wild west we are introduced to a vampire, played by Michael Pate, who can walk around bathed in the full strength of the sun (without erupting into flames) and only uses a coffin for those occasional naps.

Curse of the undead
It was as good as any of the Universal horror flicks. I bought it because of Eric Fleming. He was a good actor.

Curse of the Undead
In 1959 I was watching the new TV series RAWHIDE, and when I read in the newspaper Eric Fleming starred in this film, I went to see it. I fell in love with Eric, and from that day on, I collected everything I saw on him. The feelings all came back when I saw the video at Suncoast in 1996. I bought every copy they had. The film was as good as any other Universal horror flicks. I really paid no attention to the plot, as I was too busy looking at Eric! ... Read more

Reviews (13)

After All
Name any other mummy in any other mummy show who is that nimble and has loose bandages half coming undone, who takes your hand when you put it out to him. Or Marie Windsor in a harem suit at Dr. Zoomer's house chasing Lou around. Or Bud wondering if a lost tie clasp was showing up on the x-ray of Lou's stomach. Name a more pitiful hole ever dug in the history of movies.[about 2 feet deep to bury TWO mummies.] Or Bud just happening to find a bag of bandages so he could be a mummy too. Just watching Marie wheel her horse around [she was a champion rider who was able to run and mount a horse from behind like the Lone Ranger, the only actress able to do that.] is a pleasure. This may be the best movie ever made....just trashes Citizen Kane. I have it tied with 'Dr. Strangelove' and 'The Apostle' as the three best movies ever made. Pure Poetry, every minute.

Yikes! The comedy is kept under wraps here...
The Abbott and Costello films fit into one of two categories; really good or really bad. Sadly, this film sits in the later camp. I'm not sure what the screenwriters and Bud & Lou were thinking when they concocted this strange mishmash of bad comedy and bad horror. The Universal Mummy films were always the weakest of their horror films (the exception is the eerie but really slowwwwww first film with Boris Karloff. It's only alive in the very beginning).

I'd suggest sticking with the first and best of this bunch A&C Meet Frankenstein. All the later films (including Dr. Jekell & Mr. Hyde)are little more than pale imitations.

Any A&C film is only as good as their routines. This one, sadly, doesn't have very inspired ones. The best involving the tools is a pale imitation of the who's on first variety. They don't make them like this anymore (on second thought....what about all those Halloween and Friday The 13th sequels? They're not comedies? What?)

Best of the "meet the monsters" series
Fans of the original Mummy movie featuring Kharis the mummy, The Mummy's Hand (not to be confused with Boris Karloff's radically different and unrelated 1932 film titled "The Mummy") could have seen this movie coming. The original film that introduced Kharis is somewhat in the same vein as Abbott & Costello as far as story and characterization are concerned. In fact, the original duo cast in the Mummy's Hand are similar to and could have been better cast as Abbott & Costello.

In a sense, this movie brings Kharis full circle long after the demise of Ananka in his own movies, he finally meets his end here in a slightly more humorous picture than his first. However, the similarities between the two could almost make this the final instalment in the canon, other than out of continuity (like Abbott & Costello's other "meet the monster" movies).

My only complaint with this DVD is that it did not have a great commentary like Abbott & Costello meet Frankenstein. But it's still a great DVD, and the sight of the two charicatures running madly accross the main menu is enough entertainment (yes, i can be simple-minded, but then again it is Abbott & Costello i'm talking about).

Abbott & Costello, sadly, did not go on to make any more pictures after this one, but this is still some of their greatest material. So in two ways, this movie has a sense of finality: the last Kharis movie, and the last Abbott & Costello movie. It should also be a must-have in the collection of any fan of either.

My favorite A&C movie.
Saw these and liked them as a kid in the 1950's. My kinds don't care for them. This is the one i liked the best.

Who Cares About Behind-The-Scenes Grumbling?
ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET THE MUMMY was one of the funniest of their screwball antics. The tale of the two cleverest yucksters chasing a medallion to an ancient Egyptian crypt where they encounter -- as the title promises -- the Mummy is one classic set of laughs after another. All of the trades touched on the bitterness the two men felt for one another during the filming process of this outing, but, with all the magic of their performances still on the silver screen, you sure wouldn't know it. A great transfer for a classic addition to any DVD library, this is one for the ages. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The Original Rocketeer
Republic loved to have kings in its movies (Roy Rogers, the king of the cowboys) and serials (King of the Texas Rangers, King of the Forest Rangers, King of the Rocket Men), usually because the serial hero has that last name (as with Rocket Men, Jeff King). Maybe it started when the studio did the serial version of "King of the Royal Mounted." The studio used the same excellent flying effects by the Lydecker brothers that had been used in its earlier "Captain Marvel" serial. Rocket Man's flying suit and jet pack proved such an enduring image that Republic used it again in two unrelated serials ("Radar Men from the Moon" and "Flying Disc Man from Mars," each featuring a different actor and character, not to mention a short-lived "Commando Cody" TV series) -- so much so that the relatively-recent "Rocketeer" movie did it for a new generation. But the original is still the most fun.

The original Rocketeer is a blast for serial fans
Tristram Coffin (in an unusual heroic role) dons a cutting-edge flying suit to become crime-busting Rocket Man. Whenever the power-hungry criminal strikes, the ubiquitous Rocket Man is there. (There's really only ONE Rocket Man in this 1949 serial; his surname happens to be King.) The action is impressively staged: when Rocket Man soars across the skies and leaps into a moving truck, for example, the effect is dazzling. The serial plays like a live-action comic book, and this is one cliffhanger in which the villain actually succeeds in carrying out his master plan (find out for yourself how much he gets away with!). Action fans will get a big kick out of this.

Excellent!
It cost me 19.95 and it was worth it! A uprising plot, great fight scences and oh-yeah Rocketman!Awesome special effects too, Would reccomend to complete strangers on a street corner! And unlike many serials it is not all that long, only about 2 1/2 hours and I can watch it in one afternoon again.. and again.. and again... ... Read more

Amazon.com

More Fifties sci-fi fun from auteur Jack Arnold (director of Creature from the Black Lagoon).The body of a celocanth, long thought to be extinct, is brought to a university for study.This particular prehistoric fish, though, was exposed to gamma radiation; contact with its blood turns a German Shepherd into a slavering, snarling wolf-dog.The fish juice makes a dragonfly roughly the size of a radio-controlled model plane; when Professor Franz gets the stuff in his pipe (go figure) and smokes it, he turns into a hairy, cranky wolfman who wants to kill everyone and break everything in sight.The effects wear off, though, and Franz is compelled to try it again, in the interest of science, of course.When the Neanderthal version of Franz gets ahold of an axe, all bets are off.So…you've got coeds, an antediluvian dragonfly, a primitive, irritable dog, a snarling, ugly troglodyte in a plaid work shirt, all owed to that ever-popular plot device, Gamma Radiation.What more could you ask from a Fifties drive-in feature?--Jerry Renshaw ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Monster on the Campus
For starters, let me say that I first saw this movie when I was a teenager way back in 1972 on the late-night "Creature Feature." Once again, the movie was good, but since they showed it on TV they cut out many parts. And now almost 30 years later-and thanks to the invention of the VCR I am able to see this movie again and again not only because the acting and the special effects are superb, but because it brings back many pleasant memories of my teenage years. And as far as the movie is concerned, the best parts are at the beginning of same when the professor is accidentally bitten by the prehistoric fish and turns into a monster. And the other one is when the giant dragonfly knocks on the window and is later caught and killed by the professor.

Camp Horror Classic
This is a classic forerunner of the teenage horror genre. A college professor sensitively and believably played by Arthur Franz is exposed to a blood specimen of a thought to be extinct prehistoric fish, which unknowingly turns him into a dangerous bloodthirsty Neanderthal. This is actually a fun and entertaining movie that holds your attention. Competently directed by Jack Arnold (from New Haven). Good cast includes Troy Donahue, Joanna Moore and Whit Bissell.

As good as any monster movie ever made.
For my money this is one of the if not the best monster movies ever made. You got the best transformation from human to creature that will rival LON Chaney JR.s Wolfman. This movie was one I had not seen in over two decades. I can remember this movie from when I was very little, back when parents were not afraid to let kids watch scary movies like this with the giant dragon fly and the monster itself. Great film all the way through,good story line fine camara work and good acting. I recomend this film to anybody who likes this type of movie. To end this review all I have say is PLEASE PUT IT OUT ON DVD!

Jack Arnold Rules!
Definitely lack-luster if you're comparing this film to Jack Arnold's best genre films, but this one still has its charms. Biggest problem might be the rubbery mask/make-up, poiting up one of the few, and I mean FEW, advantages today's films have over yesteryear's. Still, not without its moments of tension. Might I make a suggestion? Watch this film as a double feature with Altered States, the Ken Russell film starring William Hurt & Blair Brown. Both film share the same basic story, though with vastly different details. Still, same story in both. College professor brainiac vanguard at the outer edge of scientific research plays with dangerous, mysterious substances and ends up devolving himself, Jekyl/Hyde style, learning an important lesson in the process, or something like that.

Evolutionary Horrors!
Another 1950s example of what happens when men of science go too far....I love this movie, even though it's not the best of the lot. The "caveman" that the professor turns into is gaunt and scary. When he starts picks up an axe and starts swinging it, I still shudder a little!
There's a giant dragonfly and a German Shepherd that reverts to his wild ancestors. And the first killing in this movie is actually pretty creepy for the time.
If you like 50s science horrors, you'll like this one! ... Read more

Amazon.com

A mysterious, pilotless plane carries scientist Rex Reason to a colony of America's best and brightest minds. They've been kidnapped by a dying alien race, the Metalunians, to repair their defense shield before their enemies destroy their world completely, toiling under their spying eyes and futuristic security cameras (two-way TVs that dominate every room). Jeff Morrow, under a raised forehead, bronze tan, and snow-white hair, philosophizes as Exeter, the thoughtful Metalunian torn between his duty and his morals as he forces the plucky humans to labor in his race's defense. The moody mystery of the first half turns to pure pulp adventure when the humans are transported across the galaxy to the battle-scarred world of Metaluna, under the threatening watch of a monstrous bug-eyed monster with a giant brain for a head and massive claws for hands. There's a genuine sense of wonder to Joseph Newman's intergalactic adventure, one of the most ambitious science fiction films of the 1950s. The story is simple space opera, but the futuristic designs of glass and metal, the marvelous alien makeup, and grandstanding special effects invest the film with a Technicolor splendor. Faith Domergue co-stars as a nuclear physicist and Gilligan's Island's Russell Johnson makes his first professorial appearance as a scientist. Science fiction auteur Jack Arnold was an unbilled codirector. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (59)

A 50's Magazine Cover Brought To Life!
THIS ISLAND EARTH is a 1950s science-fiction pulp magazine cover brought to life: clunky spacecraft, battling planets, evil aliens, and screaming heroines in distress. The special effects are 1955 state-of-the-art, and they still hold up very well today, for unlike ultra-realistic computer generated graphics they have a fantasy feel that is very, very entertaining--a sort of "Wizard of Oz goes sci-fi" look that is very appealing to the eye.

As already noted, the story concerns several of earth's best minds who are kidnapped by aliens and ordered to create an endless source of energy for a dying planet. The script is laced with 1950s sexism--one line, for example, is "Don't tell me that as woman you're not curious?"--but this is actually less offensive than it is rather amusing, in keeping with the magazine cover sensibility that pervades the piece. The cast plays with great sincerity: Rex Reason is appropriately heroic, Faith Domergue screams the house down, and the aliens all have high foreheads--excepting, of course, that really evil looking one with claws for hands!

Some humorless-type science-fiction fans won't enjoy it, and if you're not the type to get a kick from period visuals you might want to give this one miss. But for pure 1950s matinee fun, you can't do better than THIS ISLAND EARTH.

Outdated, but excellent for its time!
This film starts out very poorly, (I didn't know nuclear scientists were that young...). Anyway, it transforms into a movie with an interesting plot, but really bad carry-through, acting, and script, but what do you expect from a sci-fi flick from 1955? However, the visuals (striking for it's time although laughable by today's standards) are what really save the movie.

The downside to the film is the fact that it's just old. The visuals, lines (such as: "We come from Metalunia." -Exeter. In response Rex quips: "That's not in our solar system." How would he know? The names would certainly not be the same...) and the overall feel to the film make me want to bust up laughing (which I'll admit I do everytime I see it, especially after I saw MST3K: The Movie). But really though, this film is just a great old Saturday sci-fi flick that you must remember was an excellent breakthrough in 1955!

A Classic Of Early Science Fiction
It has taken me a few decades but I have finally seen the film This Island Earth (I had to buy it first). I must say that I was not disappointed by this well-crafted tale.

A physicist working on new power from uranium and the transmutation of elements to create more uranium, gets involved in a project of a far grander scale. Replacement parts are ordered for the lab but the parts that arrive seem far superior to anything that should be available. Then a catalogue of other equipment arrives and soon the lab is set on building a strange device.

The device is a communications console which puts the scientist in contact with a white-haired man seeking out talented scientists to tackle the issue of world-wide peace. The scientist joins a small think-tank of top researchers who are working on increasing the energy available from nuclear reactions. But it soon becomes apparent that all is not what it seems. The head of the project, and his assistant, are actually aliens. They are hoping that the human scientists can come up with a way to save their home planet.

The story then escalates to include the alien world and their plight at the hands of a second, and vicious, race of aliens. We learn of motives, deceits, and how far the peaceful will go to save their own home. Distrust and compassion struggle against one another until the film's conclusion.

This is not a typical B-movie of alien invasion. Unlike most of that type this film was not a quick project. Two and a half years were spent in the making so that the film is pretty well consistent within itself. The pacing of the plot's revelations is well handled and almost resembles a classic tale of A.E. van Vogt. This is definitely a film for fans of the great black and white science fiction films.

"The two of you are about to take incredible journey"
I'm so glad I picked this dvd up when it was a reasonable price tag
I don't know how "Goodtimes" gets the rights to release "Universal"
prints but I'll take what I can get.

If you had to timecapsule any techincolor sci-fi film from the 50's
it would be a toss up between this and "Forbidden planet". Would we
go to see this at a big screen film revival...sure we would,classic
sci-fi never gets old (just recycled)

The story is that of "Carl"/Atomic researcher/(jetpilot?)
and his assistant who come across a weird energy in the form of a
condenser that's more stronger than anything they've seen from a
company they cant contact except thru mailorder. Curiously enough
they order an 'interosetor" a device in which few men are capable
to construct. These are the words spoken to them after they plug
in the contraption to reveal on its screen the highbrowed'xceter'
The strange man offers an invitation to learn more at his mystery

location and the Scientist Carl (minus assistant) accepts.

Upon arriving at the Xcetor's grounds via remote controlled plane
He is promply meet by an old fellow grad student "Ruth" who oddly
enough doesn't remember him even though he remembers a passionate
"swim" some years back. The Scientist is introduced to the staff including one other scientist who is wary of the whole set-up.

After meeting Xceter & Brac(his right hand man) who explains that
that his plans are just to research new applications for newtreno
rays a beam that can pass thru mountains of solid rock, The three
scientist become become nervous and plan an escape,discovered the
three try to drive to safety but are almost force off the road by
the destuctive newtreno ray developed earlier. Carl & Ruth escape
just in time to see the car and thier fellow friend destroyed and the unbelievible vision of a flying saucer rising in the distance

Taking control of one of the small passenger planes the scientist
look in awe as the saucer destroyed the mansion and staff inside
The saucer then catches up to them as they are beamed up into the
craft's belly. They agian meet xcetor who in a vain attempt tries
to explain his "actions" and tells them that they are being taken
to his world of Metaluna.

And so sets the groundwork for what was probably the biggest film
event of 1955 "2-1/2 years in the making!" the ads would boast on
what is to this day still a joy to watch.With a casting call that
includes Rex(Rhodes)Reason,Jeff Morrow,Faith Domergue,Lance Fuler
and Richard Johnson. This film is must to have in any true sci-fi
collection My 4 star was decided by lack of a trailer (but at the
cover is the original poster art) the overall quality & sound are
great but I wish Criterion would get a hold of this gem.

"They're pulling us up!"
About a year ago when suddenly there were no copies of this available through the retail market, I took notice of the incredibly high asking prices that some individual online sellers wanted. I knew there was no way I would spend big bucks for something that was originally worth a lot less. Then I happened to find a brand new copy of the DVD in a local record store. I bought it cheap, never opened it and sold it on the Internet for a huge profit. I believed a lot of the reviewers on Amazon that the DVD transfer of"This Island Earth" was nothing to write home about so had no problem with making a little money on it. The problem is, where is a re-release of this film from Universal? What's taking them so long? Are they planning to wait until the film is destroyed? This is an important science fiction classic that needs and deserves to be preserved and presented on DVD. "This Island Earth" is arguably the most imaginative science fiction film of the 1950s and it seems Universal is brushing it aside. C'mon, get with the program, Universal. You got this film and a whole bunch more from the fifties like "Tarantula," "Monster on the Campus," and "The Mole People" that a lot of fans would like to see offered on DVD. Let's get rolling on this stuff. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Donald Just Simply...Rules!
Frankly I was surprised when I wound up loving the Francis series. Knowing how great (and yet how under-rated) Donald O'Conner was, I was hesistant to see him in this Mr. Ed forerunner. I sat down prepared to hate the first movie and wound up being hooked and disappointed they hadn't made more of them. The mule is fun, but Donald and his comedic acting is the real attraction in this series. In my opinion, this movie is the best of the bunch. O'Conner can take a simple phrase ("Francis says goodbye, you're on your own." "My own What?") and really make it laugh out loud funny. Even an understated twitch of an eyebrow at the right time coming from O'Conner is very funny. He also makes you love his character, Peter Stirling, and emphathize when he gets into trouble...which is always! This series was a great vehicle for Donald O'Conner and a must see for any O'Conner fan. Don't miss. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

THE MAKSED MARVEL
This was the first serial I ever saw as a kid, and it's one of the best I have seen. The plot is about a masked agent and his attempts to thwart the diabolical Sakima and his thugs. Along the way are plenty of action packed fights and suspensful cliffhangers to keep you coming back for more! This is a great movie for the kids, who will especially love the tense action.

Thrills! Chills! Action!!! One of the best serials ever made
Recently, I was lucky enough to be presented with a copy of this 1943 classic. Made during the dark days of W.W.II, this fast moving espionage thriller is a first rate example of the serial format at it's best.

The story: The film opens with a series of very impressive explosions and fires carried out by a saboteur by the name of Sakima in order to hurt the US war effort. Not only are these acts of espionage causing problems for America on the home front, but they are also costing the World-Wide Insurance Company hundreds of thousand of dollars. The president of World-Wide, Warren Hamilton, informs the press that he has been contacted by the Masked Marvel and that he is willing to help stop the saboteurs. Hamilton also states that he will be meeting with Marvel to give him some important documents about the case.

Sakima, in league with a traitor within World-Wide's ranks, knows where and when to stop Hamilton from delivering the papers. Two of his henchmen confront Hamilton while he is on his way to meet the Masked Marvel. The thugs are successful in stealing the documents, but they gun down Hamilton in front of his daughter and World-Wide's VP, Martin Crane, in the process.

The murdered man's daughter, Alice, is contacted by the Masked Marvel, his face hidden beneath a black mask. The Masked Marvel offers his assistance in capturing Sakima and his espionage ring and explains that he will be sending four special agents (Bob Barton, Frank Jeffers, Terry Morton, & Jim Arnold) to help out on the case. Only Alice is to know that he is one of the four young men.

After many more breathtaking perils and major revelations, the Masked Marvel is finally able to track Sakima to his hidden headquarters. Forcing his way past one of Sakima's remaining henchmen, the Masked Marvel enters Sakima's secret lair and confronts the spy chief. Sakima quickly douses the lights and a shoot out begins. The Masked Marvel positions himself behind a very large urn while Sakima finds himself pinned behind his large desk. The Masked Marvel shoots off six quick rounds, and Sakima, believing his nemesis is out of ammunition, triumphantly steps from behind his desks and slinks toward the unarmed hero, and then...

Well, you wouldn't want me to spoil the ending for you, would you?

While sticking to the long established serial formula for the most part, this film does very in one unique way. Rather, than was the case in many cliffhangers, the villain being a masked or unknown character in the story, in The Masked Marvel, it is the hero who remains unknown until the final chapter.

This is an interesting and effective story devise, even if the studio didn't play fair with the audience. Whereas the Masked Marvel was suppose to be one of the four young insurance agents in disguise, all of the Masked Marvels scene, except for the unmasking in CHAPTER TWELVE: THE MAN BEHIND THE MASK were played by an uncredited Tom Steele.

Tom Steele, born Thomas Skeoch on June 12th, 1909 in Scotland, was a legendary stunt man whose career stretched from stunt doubling on Flash Gordon (1936) through Mel Brook's Blazing Saddles (1974). Not only did Steele play the Masked Marvel in this film; he also doubled three other characters and played a bit part as one of the heavies, all while he was also stunt coordinator and 'ramrod' (boss) of the stunt organization at Republic. Steele held that a post he held from June 1943 through June 1944.

While some of the acting in The Masked Marvel may not be completely first rate, I can guarantee to you that all of the fights and action sequences certainly are.

Behind the camera was a talented and efficient crew, lead by longtime director Spencer Gordon Bennet.

Bennet, born on January 5th, 1893, started his career in film as a "stuntman and bit part player in Edison action pictures." Eventually, Bennet began directing serials, beginning with 1925's Play Ball. In all, Bennet is reported to have directed fifty-two serials by the time he retired in the mid sixties, including such classics as Zorro's Black Whip (1944), Son of Zorro (1947), Superman (1948), Batman and Robin (1949), Atom Man Vs. Superman (1950) and Captain Video, Master of the Stratosphere (1951).

Bennet's experience is an obvious asset, and his skill truly shows with smoothness and self-assuredness in the way this film is directed. Truly journeyman directing at it's very best.

Along with an effective script, first rate cinematography and musical score, fantastic SPFX by the gifted Lydecker brothers, fast moving editing, all of the behind the camera workers truly pulled together to help make The Masked Marvel into a top rate cliffhanger that surely ranks among the best serials ever made.

In conclusion, I would highly recommend this film to anyone interested in serials and old movies. The Masked Marvel is both an excellent film for experienced serial watchers looking for an action packed cliffhanger to add to their collection, as well as being one heck of a joyride for the serial novice looking for that special first cliffhanger to give serials a try.

the masked marvel
For thrills it rocks! It had even my wife, who can't take anything comic booky stuck to the end. Like who is the masked Marvel? How does he fight and still keep is had on? The stunts are top notch Republic(ah, what they could have done to Superman) expose this to your kids in small doses or one a night. they will really dig it -if they can get past the black and white. I really liked the actor Richard Farnum as "the know it all guy".

It's Tom Steele's film
The late Tom Steele was one of those great stuntmen who made action actors look good, and here he stars as "The Masked Marvel" -- and doesn't even get screen credit. The masked nemesis of World War II saboteurs is supposed to be one of four insurance investigators (Republic used the same gimmick in its 1938 "Lone Ranger" serial, with five heroes, one of which is the title character, but the audience has to wait until the last chapter to find out which; this was a reversal of the usual serial practice of trying to guess the masked villain). Steele also doubles a couple of the investigators in their unmasked action scenes and, on top of that, appears as TWO of the bad guys. During a guest appearance at a film festival in Knoxville, he said stunters didn't care about screen credit, but serial buffs all know this chapter-play owes its exuberance to him.

BRINGS BACK THE MEMORIES
From 1970 to 74 my family was stationed in Germany. My father was a thirty-year army man and this was our second tour in europe. I was grade school age and just about the only american entertainment around was the base movie house. Anyway, every saturday afternoon they showed a couple of serial chapters with a feature. The Masked Marvel was one of the ones I remember most. However, on the day that the last chapter was to be shown I had the flu and i never did get to see how it ended. THANK GOD FOR VIDEO! It's still great after all these years. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Where Are My Family Jewels??
The search for the crown jewels of the czar continues! Meanwhile, the true identity of the Whispering Shadow grows foggier by the minute! Just who IS he?? Is it Professor Strang (Bela)? The odd Mr. Steinbeck? Someone else? There are many suspects in this last half of the story and those wacky jewels just keep hopping along, winding up with almost everyone at least once! Can Foster and inspector Raymond solve the mysteries before it's too late? Watch and see...

The sinister Professor Strang--Bela Lugosi no less
Actually the good (or is he good?) professor is the focal point of this serial. Basic plot line has the young hero tracking down his brother's murderer who is known as the whispering shadow; and it sure as heck looks like Professor Strang is one and the same. One little difficulty, our hero falls in love with the professor's daughter while he's trying to prove that her dad is a criminal mastermind. I don't think I'm spoiling the plot for anybody if I suggest that maybe Bela isn't the bad guy after all, although he does a darn good job of trying to convince us he is!

The other review here complains about the long flashbacks. Don't forget, this is a 13 chapter serial which was originally shown one chapter a week over a three month period, so the flashbacks are obviously necessary. And no, they should not be edited out for today's audiences...we serial fans want them exactly as they were.

btw, I do suggest viewing this serial a chapter a day, or at least no more than three chapters a day. That way, you will get more out of it with less feeling of repetition.

Weak Plot, Weak Acting
A rather weak 12-episode serial (228 minutes) starring Bela Lugosi. Lugosi plays Professor Strang, the strange owner of a wax museum, who is accused of being the "Whispering Shadow" that has been terrorizing the drivers of a storage warehouse in search of some priceless jewels. Aside from a few of the veteran actors (Lugosi, Henry B. Walthall of Birth of a Nation fame, and Karl Dane, who was excellent in silent films like The Big Parade), the acting in this serial is pretty bad (comical at times). The epsiodes do not flow together very well (a lot of long flashbacks are used which was probably very appropriate when it was first released, but are quite redundant in video form). The numerous silent fist fighting scenes are odd (where did the sound go?) and tiring. Karl Dane is genuninely comical in his role as the dopey radio dispatcher. Unfortunately, Shadow would prove to be his last acting credit as he would commit suicide the next year (his thick Danish accent getting in the way of employment in the Talkies era). It's interesting to watch those old vehicles in the car chasing scenes. I am the worst at whodunnits, but I was able to guess the Shadow's identity by the second episode. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

One of the best cliffhanger-serials
If you love the cliffhanger-serials with Zorro and The Black Whip - you'll love this one, too. 13 thrilling episodes with the famous cliffhangers (explodiong boats and so on) will keep you in front of the screen for days - because you should never watch more than one episode a day! Otherwise the whole charme of these serials would be lost. The video is in excellent quality (like most of the Republic-serial-tapes). You should waste no more time reading this review and so I'll stop right now and say: Buy it! ... Read more

Reviews (10)

The Mole
The Mole People is an interesting movie. John Agar is the leader of an anthropological expedition looking for another lost tribe somewhere in the mountains of the Middle East. The expedition (includes Beaver's dad Hugh Beaumont) accidentally find the lost Sumerians (Batman's Alfred, Alan Napier is the high priest). The Mole People can't stand the sunlight, offer sacrifices, have a terrible dance scene, and end the end appear to be destroyed. It's not a bad movie and the Mystery Science 3000 version is even better.

Great Fun for the whole family
If you are a leave it to beaver fan, its is amazing seeing hugh beaumont in another role and you keep waiting for him to call wally or the beaver and it just doesnt happen. In one of the beaver episodes ward cleaver talks about the old sci fi horror films being good fun a direct plug for his movie which is kind of cool to see the movie. aside from beaver fans, you normal sci fi fans will love this well plotted out adventure and journey below the earth. This is much better then the stupid garbage put out by hollywood today and you can sit and enjoy it with your whole family and it actually has a couple scary moments when you ignore the silly rubber glove and masks wore by the mole people. this is a keeper.

JOHN AGAR LIVES!
This movie was a Saturday afternoon TV favorite of mine when I was a kid in the early 70s. It's actually a fun movie and has some nice touches. As a kid I really sympathized with the Mole Creatures. I thought they looked cute!
But the albino Sumerian culture that Agar & his cohorts discovers is really well-done and creepy looking..
Don't miss this 50s classic!

Fascinating, Classy, Wierd, A "Thinking Man's" Horror Flick
Obviously lower-budgett, Possibly by black-listed geniuses?....Great ideas, dialogue, sets, costumes, make-up, music, acting, directing...A "message" flick, in the tradition of "Invasion of the body Snatchers", etc.....when "B" movies and sci-fi were employed to convey more than just the superficial story. I love this flick. I only own a dozen or so, and this is one of them.

Beware of Mount Kuitarra
In the beginning, there was Frank Baxter, a professor of English, explaining to us various theories through the centuries of how man views his planet in relation to the solar system. Some have seen us looking inward at the stars, others see the earth as a big onion with layers and each layer has inhabitants but there is always, in all the theories a way to reach the center. This is what Mole People is about, three geologist/anthropoligists who accidently stumble onto an ancient Sumerian-like civilization hundreds of feet down. John Agar, Hugh Beaumont and Nestor Paiva are our heroes. They are regarded as gods by the subterranean natives because they possess the fire of Ishtar (a flashlight). The Mole People are slaves to these none too benign pale omnipotents. Gradually, the quasi-Sumerians figure out that our heroes are not gods and try to kill them by placing them in a white hot, brillantly bright hole. Meanwhile, the Mole People attack, killing off the pale bunch, but the good girl escapes with the help of the MP into the bright hole. Strangely enough, the ending has a surprise for us. Goody! There have been better 50's flicks, but there have been a whole lot worse. The atmosphere was dank and creepy in the caves and you never knew when the Mole People would drag you under. Four stars. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Thrill-Packed western serial action.
This Republic Studios 13-chapter serial was released in July of 1948. It stars Clayton Moore (TV's Lone Ranger), Steve Darrell, Noel Neill (Columbia chapter serials & TV Superman's Lois Lane) and George J. Lewis. The wild west's famous bad boys want restitution for rip-offs committed in their names, but it will take all 13 episodes of danger, desperadoes and dynamite and more before they settle their debts. Collapsing mines, exploding bombs, and runaway coaches. Just a few of the surprises when the James boys try to hit pay-dirt with a supposedly empty silver mine. 180 min. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Classic
Let's face it -- "The Time of Their Lives" is their best film.

But this is amongst their funniest and the pace is frantic and kept up well throughout.

Some of their best slapstick, and the scenes boarding the train are amongst their best.

"SHORTSTOP!!!!!!"

Ice Capades
Abbott & Costello in a chilling comedy. This is one of the better put together Abbott & Costello movies from beginning to end. Even the songs were amusing, especially the finale song. A good movie to watch before the Christmas season, kind of gets you in the feel. Overall not their funniest but a very enjoyable movie and very good plot. Check it out.

Very funny Abbott & Costello comedy
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello are sidewalk photographers who get mixed up with bank robbers and wind up at a ski resort. This film has the famous A & C verbal humor, and plenty of visual comedy, too. Lou's mishaps on a skating rink are amusing, and a frantic chase finale has Lou turning into a giant snowball! The supporting cast features Sheldon Leonard as the criminal mastermind, and fans of '40s music will enjoy vocalist Ginny Simms. If you saw this on TV years ago, you'll be pleasantly surprised by the print quality of this edition. Replicating the original theatrical viewing experience, the tape includes two coming-attractions previews (the first trailer is the only segment boasting less-than-superior quality), and you'll also see a Woody Woodpecker cartoon and a documentary short about exotic birds. A fine show from Universal.

AND THEY DO , WITH HILARIOUS RESULTS
Another of the duo's BEST ventures. A & C play newspaper photographer who are accidentally mistaken for hitmen by mobster Sheldon Leonard and his gang. Filled with many clever sight gags and highlights including the apartment house fire and Lou's struggle to learn to ice skate this will make a good piece for anyone's video library collection.

not 1st rate//still a chuckle here and there
the story isn't as sharp there previous efforts, however there are some sequences which are funny//all right/ice skating/apt house fire/bank// a nice addition for your collection. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Classic
Let's face it -- "The Time of Their Lives" is their best film.

But this is amongst their funniest and the pace is frantic and kept up well throughout.

Some of their best slapstick, and the scenes boarding the train are amongst their best.

"SHORTSTOP!!!!!!"

Ice Capades
Abbott & Costello in a chilling comedy. This is one of the better put together Abbott & Costello movies from beginning to end. Even the songs were amusing, especially the finale song. A good movie to watch before the Christmas season, kind of gets you in the feel. Overall not their funniest but a very enjoyable movie and very good plot. Check it out.

Very funny Abbott & Costello comedy
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello are sidewalk photographers who get mixed up with bank robbers and wind up at a ski resort. This film has the famous A & C verbal humor, and plenty of visual comedy, too. Lou's mishaps on a skating rink are amusing, and a frantic chase finale has Lou turning into a giant snowball! The supporting cast features Sheldon Leonard as the criminal mastermind, and fans of '40s music will enjoy vocalist Ginny Simms. If you saw this on TV years ago, you'll be pleasantly surprised by the print quality of this edition. Replicating the original theatrical viewing experience, the tape includes two coming-attractions previews (the first trailer is the only segment boasting less-than-superior quality), and you'll also see a Woody Woodpecker cartoon and a documentary short about exotic birds. A fine show from Universal.

AND THEY DO , WITH HILARIOUS RESULTS
Another of the duo's BEST ventures. A & C play newspaper photographer who are accidentally mistaken for hitmen by mobster Sheldon Leonard and his gang. Filled with many clever sight gags and highlights including the apartment house fire and Lou's struggle to learn to ice skate this will make a good piece for anyone's video library collection.

not 1st rate//still a chuckle here and there
the story isn't as sharp there previous efforts, however there are some sequences which are funny//all right/ice skating/apt house fire/bank// a nice addition for your collection. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Not the worst, but the dullest
This isn't the worst serial I've ever seen (WINNERS OF THE WEST gets that honor), but this is easily the dullest. Even the mountains of stock footage from earlier (and much better) Zorro serials can't alleviate the sheer tedium of George Turner, the world's most non-descript Masked Avenger. Opt for ZORRO'S BLACK WHIP, ZORRO RIDES AGAIN or ZORRO'S FIGHTING LEGION instead. And hey, Artisan, where's the DVD releases of the Republic serials????????

Thrills and Spills!
This l947 Republic actioner moves at jet-speed pace, thanks mainly to great performances by Peggy Stewart, as Postmistress "Kate," and her co-star George Turner. This is basically a standard westerner but the epidode endings are wonderfully inventive--especially the one where Kate and zorro are trapped in a cave with a wall of water racing toward them. Peggy is the perfect serial heroine: feisty, gutsy, and she looks great in her cowgirl outfit and does most of her own stunt work. She began making westerns in l937 with "Wells Fargo" and has appeared recently in "Seinfeld" and often guest-starred on the old Gunsmoke series. This can't compare with Republic's greatest serial: "Spy Smasher" but then few can. Still, this one is worth your money and terrific performances of Peggy, George and the others. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Batman on a Low Budget
Upon viewing the first chapter, it's obvious that "Batman and Robin" (1949) will not emerge as one of the all-time great serials. With producer Sam Katzman at the helm, it's bargain-basement all the way -- right down to the cheap costumes and an incredibly poor excuse for a Batmobile. Despite low-budget shortcomings, there's plenty of hokey fun as Batman and Robin face one contrived cliffhanger after another. The mysterious Wizard makes for an interesting villain, since he never was featured in the comic books. Robert Lowery does a good job as Batman, but John Duncan makes the Boy Wonder look like a juvenile delinquent. It's also nice to see character actor Lyle Talbot as Commissioner Gordon, even though he has a tendency to activate the Bat Signal in broad daylight. Flaws and all, "Batman and Robin" is an undeniable guilty pleasure.

Best of the 2 BATMAN Serials!
Despite what some BATMAN Serial bashers have said here, this is the better of the two Columbia Movie serials based on BATMAN. Robert Lowery (BATMAN) became quite a movie star in many other films and John Duncan (Robin) worked in many classic films of the day as well... This is the most entertaining BATMAN serial with the WIZARD and holds your interest from chapter to chapter with GREAT cliffhanger endings! Of course this is LOW BUDGET as were all the serials of the time! If you want fun, just watch these tapes.

Good, but something's missing
It was good to get the 1949 Batman & Robin serial in a fairly high-quality VHS reproduction. But here's something known to only a few fans: There are about 10 minutes missing from the first chapter.

You can watch this several times without ever realizing that something is missing. Then you get to see the thing in it's entirety elsewhere, and at least two stars get lost immediately for the way we got cheated.

Hope to see this in DVD someday, with the missing parts restored.

A little long, but good
This does go on a bit, but it's still quite good. The Wizard is a great villan who probably wouldn't have worked in the films but could have been done in a multi-part cartoon or even the Adam West tv series. I agree it is a little bit of a stretch for Batman to be driving Bruce Wayne's car and no one questions it. I'm not positive, but I think there was another Batman movie serial like this done before or after this one, but I've never seen it advertised for sale. I would recomend this for a rainy day afternoon viewing with the whole family.

Not Bad!
I can only recall having seen two 40's era movie serials, CAPTAIN MARVEL-1941 (CM) and BATMAN & ROBIN-1949 (BM&R) and so can only base my opinions on serials made during this time based on these two films. Both films followed the same premise of having the hero(s) track down a mysterious masked villan who through the use of advanced technology, technology which doesn't even exist today, and an endless supply of thug labor attempts to exert control over others. CM has 12 chapters and BM&R has 15 chapters. One chapter would be shown each week with a cliffhanger ending until the final chapter ends the serial by unmasking the villan and ending the crime spree. Both serials come across as a mix of mystery, action and suspense. Although the mystery of trying to figure out who is the masked villan is not a true mystery. A true mystery leaves clues so that the viewer can possibly figure out the mystery. In these serials clues are withheld until the villan is unmasked and the viewer finds out it is someone to whom the given clues did not point.

I think CM was the better of the 2 serial but BM&R was enjoyable. In each episode Batman & Robin would track down the masked villan known as the Wizard. The Wizard was able to control any moving vehicle with a machine he stole. He needed diamonds to power the machine. The Wizard also attempted to steal an experimental explosive. The Wizard also had a machine that could see anywhere. He could view his hired help, follow the Batman and Robin and other such things. However, he never used it to alert his thug help that Batman & Robin were approaching or to track Batman & Robin to their hideout. The Wizard could also hypnotize people with his blinking eyes. From a childs perspective the Wizard is very deadly and powerful. From an adults perspective The Wizard is too powerful to be believed and isn't smart enough to use the power effectively.

Batman & Robin have what would be considered by modern standards as lame costumes. Robin has a descent costume but the Batman costume looks as though it were made from pajamas and a devils mask. It is obvious to all that have seen both Bruce Wayne & Dick Grayson and Batman & Robin that they are are the same persons. They don't even try to mask their voices. The Batcave is very cheezy and the Wayne Manor looks less like a mansion and more like a middle class home in the Gothem suburbs. Why Batman and Robin even wear utility belts is beyond me as they seldom use them. The less said about the Batcar the better. Also there are no super villans so Batman & Robin beat up the same thugs over and over in each chapter.

Having said all this I must end it by saying the serial is highly enjoyable. No one watches this expecting to see award winning acting or a story that will be nominated for an Oscar. The viewer just enjoys the story for what it is. A way to escape for a short while. Looking for the flaws in the serial is as much fun as watching the story itself. The cliffhanger endings usually show the certain demise of the hero(s) and even though you know they survive you can't help but to look forward to the next chapter to see by what implausible means they were able to escape death.

So if your a fan of old serials or Batman & Robin this would probably be worth watching and is available on VHS. Due to the many chapters and that the entire serial takes up 2 VHS tapes it would be nice if this came out on DVD. The entire serial would fit on 1 DVD and the DVD chapters would make it easier to pick up the viewing where you last left off. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

After All
Name any other mummy in any other mummy show who is that nimble and has loose bandages half coming undone, who takes your hand when you put it out to him. Or Marie Windsor in a harem suit at Dr. Zoomer's house chasing Lou around. Or Bud wondering if a lost tie clasp was showing up on the x-ray of Lou's stomach. Name a more pitiful hole ever dug in the history of movies.[about 2 feet deep to bury TWO mummies.] Or Bud just happening to find a bag of bandages so he could be a mummy too. Just watching Marie wheel her horse around [she was a champion rider who was able to run and mount a horse from behind like the Lone Ranger, the only actress able to do that.] is a pleasure. This may be the best movie ever made....just trashes Citizen Kane. I have it tied with 'Dr. Strangelove' and 'The Apostle' as the three best movies ever made. Pure Poetry, every minute.

Yikes! The comedy is kept under wraps here...
The Abbott and Costello films fit into one of two categories; really good or really bad. Sadly, this film sits in the later camp. I'm not sure what the screenwriters and Bud & Lou were thinking when they concocted this strange mishmash of bad comedy and bad horror. The Universal Mummy films were always the weakest of their horror films (the exception is the eerie but really slowwwwww first film with Boris Karloff. It's only alive in the very beginning).

I'd suggest sticking with the first and best of this bunch A&C Meet Frankenstein. All the later films (including Dr. Jekell & Mr. Hyde)are little more than pale imitations.

Any A&C film is only as good as their routines. This one, sadly, doesn't have very inspired ones. The best involving the tools is a pale imitation of the who's on first variety. They don't make them like this anymore (on second thought....what about all those Halloween and Friday The 13th sequels? They're not comedies? What?)

Best of the "meet the monsters" series
Fans of the original Mummy movie featuring Kharis the mummy, The Mummy's Hand (not to be confused with Boris Karloff's radically different and unrelated 1932 film titled "The Mummy") could have seen this movie coming. The original film that introduced Kharis is somewhat in the same vein as Abbott & Costello as far as story and characterization are concerned. In fact, the original duo cast in the Mummy's Hand are similar to and could have been better cast as Abbott & Costello.

In a sense, this movie brings Kharis full circle long after the demise of Ananka in his own movies, he finally meets his end here in a slightly more humorous picture than his first. However, the similarities between the two could almost make this the final instalment in the canon, other than out of continuity (like Abbott & Costello's other "meet the monster" movies).

My only complaint with this DVD is that it did not have a great commentary like Abbott & Costello meet Frankenstein. But it's still a great DVD, and the sight of the two charicatures running madly accross the main menu is enough entertainment (yes, i can be simple-minded, but then again it is Abbott & Costello i'm talking about).

Abbott & Costello, sadly, did not go on to make any more pictures after this one, but this is still some of their greatest material. So in two ways, this movie has a sense of finality: the last Kharis movie, and the last Abbott & Costello movie. It should also be a must-have in the collection of any fan of either.

My favorite A&C movie.
Saw these and liked them as a kid in the 1950's. My kinds don't care for them. This is the one i liked the best.

Who Cares About Behind-The-Scenes Grumbling?
ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET THE MUMMY was one of the funniest of their screwball antics. The tale of the two cleverest yucksters chasing a medallion to an ancient Egyptian crypt where they encounter -- as the title promises -- the Mummy is one classic set of laughs after another. All of the trades touched on the bitterness the two men felt for one another during the filming process of this outing, but, with all the magic of their performances still on the silver screen, you sure wouldn't know it. A great transfer for a classic addition to any DVD library, this is one for the ages. ... Read more