GHOST OF ZORRO

Zorro's grandson goes into action!

GHOST OF ZORRO (12 chapter Republic serial/1949). Director: Fred C. Brannon.

An engineer and "eastern dude" named Ken Mason (Clayton Moore) comes to a small western town to help put in a telegraph line, but certain parties, such as George Crane (Gene Roth) and Hank Kilgore (Roy Barcroft), are opposed to the idea -- it might bring the law to the nest of fugitives who pay Crane protection money. Ken is assisted by Rita White (Pamela Blake) and Moccasin (George J. Lewis of Federal Operator 99). It develops that Ken is the grandson of the original Zorro, and he dresses up and goes into action when Crane's tactics against him and his friends become quite lethal. Rita, for instance, is caught in both a runaway wagon and runaway stagecoach in separate chapters. Ghost of Zorro no doubt employs a lot of stock footage, but it's fast and reasonably entertaining, and the frequent fistfights are certainly well-staged. Tom Steele and Marshall Reed are also in the cast. Pamela Blake was also in The Sea Hound and Hitchcock's Mr. and Mrs. Smith.

Verdict: Minor-league but acceptable Republic serial. **1/2. 

GUNFIGHTERS OF THE NORTHWEST

Marshall Reed

GUNFIGHTERS OF THE NORTHWEST (15 chapter Columbia serial/1954). Directors: Spencer Gordon Bennet; Charles S. Gould.

A Canadian mountie, Sgt. Joe Ward (Jock Mahoney), and Constable Bram Nevin (Clayton Moore) team up to take on the minions of the mysterious Leader of the White Horse Rebels, a black-cloaked man on horseback who wants to take over the entire Northwest Territory and turn it into a lawless Republic. Lynch (Marshall Reed) is chief of the Leader's lieutenants, and Rita (Phyllis Coates) is a gal with secrets who seems to be playing both sides against each other. There's a lost mine from whence comes the gold that the Leader uses to finance his Rebels. Other characters include Inspector Wheeler (Lyle Talbot), to whom the heroes report; Indian Agent Stone (Joseph Allen); Walt Anders (Zon Murray), who tries to forge an alliance with the territory's unfriendly Indians; and Otis Green (Don Harvey), any one of which could be the Leader, although the serial doesn't work up much suspense as to his true identity. Two of the more interesting cliffhangers have Ward unconscious in a boat that is slowly sinking beneath the water, and Ward and Nevin tied to horses that the Indians hope will gallop away and tear them apart. Marshall is again an appealing villain, making the most of his great voice, and the other actors are all at the very least professional. This was not only one of the very last Columbia serials, but one of the very last serials period. The serial benefits from a rousing musical score and some well-chosen locations. Moore, of course, was TV's Lone Ranger and appeared in many serials, while Mahoney starred in The Land Unknown and Three Blondes in His Life.

Verdict: Standard but entertaining western cliffhanger. **1/2.

JUNGLE DRUMS OF AFRICA

JUNGLE DRUMS OF AFRICA (12 chapter Republic serial/1953). Director: Fred C. Brannon.

Alan King (Clayton Moore) and Bert Hadley (Johnny Spencer) only want to build a road while Carol Bryant (a blond Phyllis Coates) wants to continue her father's medical work, but they have to contend with bad guy Kurgan (Henry Rowland), who owns a trading shop, and his gang, who are after uranium deposits. As Chief Douanga, Bill Walker is so pleasant that you want to invite him over for supper. Joel Fluellen of Monster from Green Hell and Tom Steele are also in the cast. Cliffhangers such as the lion pit and wind tunnel are borrowed from earlier serials. Uninteresting story, dull villains, and nothing of great consequence, although the chimp, who loves to get into shaving cream, is terrific. Nice score by Stanley Wilson.

Verdict: With Moore, Coates, and an adorable chimp doing their best to put over tired material. **.

G-MEN NEVER FORGET

G-MEN NEVER FORGET (12 chapter Republic serial/1948). Directors: Fred C. Brannon; Yakima Canutt.

Federal agent Ted O'Hara (Clayton Moore) pretends to be a hood and Sgt. Frances Blake (Ramsay Ames) a gun moll so they can infiltrate the gang of Vic Murkland, although both are unaware that after having plastic surgery Burkland has now replaced the police commissioner and is trying to trap them at every turn! Cliffhangers include water rushing after O'Hara on a motorcycle after a tunnel collapses [recycled from an earlier serial], and a deadly crane collapse in chapter 4. Tom Steele and Ken Terrell also get in on the action. This is an acceptable, entertaining Republic serial done in its usual slick and fast-paced style. Moore was also in Black Dragons with Bela Lugosi as well as such serials as The Perils of Nyoka, in which he was a good guy, and The Crimson Ghost and Radar Men from the Moon, in which he was a villain. Ramsay Ames was also in The Vigilante and Barcroft appeared in a number of serials including Manhunt of Mystery Island. 

Verdict: Not quite unforgettable but okay. **1/2.

THE CRIMSON GHOST

THE CRIMSON GHOST (1946). 12-chapter Republic serial. Directed by William Witney and Fred C. Brannon. 

An evil masked mastermind known as the Crimson Ghost is out to steal a device known as a cyclotrode. To this end he uses a "control collar" around the necks of henchmen and unwilling participants alike. This collar not only saps the will of the individual wearing it, but can also kill them from long distance. Charles Quigley and Linda Stirling are the nominal hero and heroine in this, but the most striking presence is provided by Clayton Moore, this time playing the Ghost's main bad guy. Chapter three has a nifty high wire plunge and there's a dandy gas room death trap in chapter four. Four different composers contributed some excellent music to keep things humming, and the theme that introduces each chapter is swell. 

Verdict: You can't beat that ghost! ***.

THE PERILS OF NYOKA

THE PERILS OF NYOKA (1942). 15 chapter Republic serial. Director: William Witney. 

This is a rousing, well-done cliffhanger serial that's supposed to take place in a desert land but looks more like sunny California. Who cares -- if you want logic, look elsewhere. Nyoka (Kay Aldridge) is on a search for her father, and for the Tablets of Hippocrates, which are supposed to impart the secrets of banishing all ills from mankind. Looking for the tablets for her own evil purposes is Vultura (Lorna Gray, pictured), whose henchmen include Charles "Ming the Merciless" Middleton and Tristram "Rocket Man" Coffin. However, Aldridge has hunky Clayton Moore of Lone Ranger on her side so she's not complaining. In the meantime, Gray shows off her shapely legs in her revealing costumes. Vultura has Satan, the dumb, hokey gorilla to aid her, while our heroine has Jitters , an adorable monkey, and Fang, a German shepherd, to help her out. Highlights include Satan literally bringing the house down by smashing at some pillars; Vultura putting Nyoka to the rack; a bit with some descending spikes; Nyoka suspended over a fire pit by her own father; a swinging pendulum that nearly cuts a bloody swathe through Nyoka; and -- best of all -- a thrilling bit with our lass being blown out of a tunnel and off of a cliff by a sudden wind storm! Vultura and Nyoka have some great cat-fights in every other episode. Ken Terrell of Attack of the 50 Foot Woman also has a small part, as he frequently did in these things. Ditto for William Benedict. Highly effective musical score and a great theme. NOTE: This was rereleased as Nyoka and the Tiger Men; it was not a sequel. 

Verdict: Great fun! ***.

RADAR MEN FROM THE MOON

RADAR MEN FROM THE MOON (1952). Director: Fred C. Brannon.

Although this is generally considered the sequel to King of the Rocket Men (and the second of three Rocket Man serials), it actually introduces a new character who wears the same helmet, uniform, and rocket pack: Commando Cody, played by George Wallace. Krog (Peter Brocco), an emissary from a Moon colony that needs to relocate to Earth due to atmospheric changes that threaten their survival, leads explosive attacks on US buildings, aided by some human thugs (one of whom is Clayton Moore, the Lone Ranger himself, quite good as a nasty bad guy). Earth decides to take the fight to the Moon, and Cody, pilot Hank (Wilson Wood), and Joan (Aline Towne) take off into Outer Space in a rocket built by Commando Cody. There they encounter Moon ruler Retik (Roy Barcroft), as well as more moon nasties inside tanks. (The tanks and the rocket ship are pretty neat, actually.) William Bakewell is cast as Cody's assistant Ted. Memorable cliffhangers include a flood of molten rock and a genuinely thrilling plane crash, among others. The FX are more than adequate. George Wallace may not be flamboyant or super-macho enough for some, but he imbues his character with a certain amount of quiet, manly dignity.

Verdict: More fun than a barrel of moon-men! ***. 

BLACK DRAGONS

BLACK DRAGONS (1941). Director: William Nigh.

Bela Lugosi is, as usual, superior to his material in this movie but Black Dragons is not as awful as some critics may lead you to believe. Lugosi shows up at the tail end of a party of powerful men, and takes immediate mind control of the head of the household, who is hiding a sinister secret. This man never leaves his bedroom, instead giving out orders [actually Lugosi is giving the orders] to members of his staff. He doesn't even come out to see his pretty niece when she shows up out of the blue. One by one Lugosi begins to kill off the man's associates, leaving a small Japanese dagger in their hands to mark the occasion. A young inspector (Clayton Moore of Lone Ranger TV fame) and an undercover lady agent pretending to be the suspicious niece (Joan Barclay) team up informally to try to get to the bottom of things. Why is Lugosi murdering these individuals? The answer is very clever and original but won't be revealed here. Black Dragons is not a great movie by any stretch of the imagination but it holds the attention, and Lugosi's commanding presence and interesting delivery is a definite asset. Click here to read a review of a major biography of Bela Lugosi:

Verdict: Has its moments. **1/2.