HAUNTED HARBOR

Boo!

HAUNTED HARBOR (aka Pirate's Harbor/15 chapter Republic serial/1944). Directors: Spencer Gordon Bennet; Wallace Grissell.

Captain Jim Marsden's (Kane Richmond) ship, the Dolphin, is lost at sea with a million dollars of gold bullion in its hold. If that weren't bad enough, Marsden is framed for the murder of a man he owes money to, but he escapes from jail with the help of his buddy, Tommy (Great Old Movies' favorite Marshall Reed). Sailing to another island the two men rescue Patricia Harding (Kay Aldridge) and her father, and they all become embroiled in efforts of bad guy Kane (Roy Barcroft), the real murderer, to take care of them so he can have the gold, which he's found, all to himself. Some of the action takes place in the mysterious "Haunted Harbor," which boasts a Chinese dragon-type stylized sea monster [see photo], which despite its obvious [intended] lack of life has an attractive design and is fun to watch. Memorable cliffhangers include Pat nearly punctured by an air drill; Jim tied to a huge bonfire; and others. The fisticuffs come frequently and are lively in the Republic tradition. Excellent theme music by Joseph Dubin. The actors all give at least serviceable performances. Tom Steele, Fred Cordova, Jay Silverheels (as a native) and Ken Terrell are also in the cast. Re-released as Pirate's Harbor but fun by any name.  Based on a novel by "Dayle Douglas."

Verdict:  Solid, very entertaining Republic serial. ***.

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.

PIRATES OF THE HIGH SEAS

PIRATES OF THE HIGH SEAS (15 chapter Columbia serial/1950). Directors: Spencer Gordon Bennet; Thomas Carr. 

On the paradise island of Talua in the south pacific post-WW 2, Kelly Walsh (Tommy Farrell) is bedeviled by the crew of a "phantom cruiser" that shoots at his boat and then disappears into thin air. Said cruiser has the ability to dive underwater while retaining the outward appearance of a boat instead of a submarine [this ability is so under-utilized that it's a wonder the serial even bothers with it.]. Kelly sends for his old Army buddy Jeff (Buster Crabbe), who has no interest in returning to the south pacific but suddenly finds himself besieged by passengers who must get to Talua, including Kelly's pretty blond sister, Carol (Lois Hall); Whitlock (Gene Roth), who turns out to be the governor of the island; and Castell (Tristram Coffin of King of the Rocket Men), an agent who is after a Nazi war criminal named Van Horsdorff who has hidden away millions of dollars worth of diamonds somewhere in the vicinity of Talua. The clue to the location of the diamonds may be inside a music box that plays "Three Blind Mice." It is revealed early on that Whitlock is corrupt, to put it mildly, and has some nasty confederates, especially Shark, captain of the phantom cruiser, who as portrayed by Marshall Reed with two day's growth of beard is one of the sexiest sociopaths to ever appear in a serial. Handsome Shark thinks nothing of gunning down associates with impunity before they can impart important information to the good guys. There are a couple of memorable cliffhangers, such as when a heavy stone block comes crashing down on a coffin inside which Jeff is hiding; and a great bit when Jeff battles a hood on a flat piece of wall that has just been torn off the side of the jail and is being dragged behind a speeding truck as it careens toward a cliff. Most of the characters in this, even some of the good guys, are rather shady and duplicitous, including Lamar (Stanley Price), Whitlock's secretary, and the Lotus Lady (Symona Boniface), who runs the general store and whose loyalties are ambiguous. Pirates of the High Seas may not be one of the classic serials, but it is entertaining if overlong at nearly four and a half hours. Crabbe may be a bit paunchy and middle-aged in this but he still delivers the goods, and the other cast members are generally equally adept.

Verdict: Worth a trip on the Phantom Cruiser. ***.

ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN AFRICA

ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN AFRICA 15 chapter Columbia serial (aka Adventures of Captain Africa, Mighty Jungle Avenger/1955). Director: Spencer G. Bennet.

In a small African nation the Caliph has been replaced by a lookalike. With the aid of the mysterious Captain Africa (John Hart), who shows up conveniently from time to time, Ted Arnold (Rick Vallin) and animal handler Nat Coleman (Bud Osborne) try to help the Arab Omar (Ben Welden) put the rightful ruler back on the throne. In the meantime Princess Rhoda (June Howard) frequently finds herself in danger. If Captain Africa seems to resemble the Phantom, it's because this was supposed to be a sequel to The Phantom cliffhanger, only Columbia let the rights to the character expire. There is lots of stock footage and some of the cliffhangers are recycled from the original Phantom serial. In spite of this the serial still has some lively moments, such as a huge tiger that climbs in through a window, an alligator-and-quicksand trap, fires, avalanches, and coaches that go flying over cliffs. Still, it's no better than mediocre, but The Phantom serial wasn't that great, either. Captain Africa has a secret identity but it is never employed in the serial and the audience is never told his name; he never appears in his real I.D. throughout the serial. Hart and the others give acceptable performances. The cute but not terribly glamorous Howard only had one other credit; she is not a bad actress. Ben Welden had a great many credits and played the thief in "The Fur Coat" episode of I Love Lucy.

Verdict: Not one of your more memorable cliffhangers. **1/2.

SECRET SERVICE IN DARKEST AFRICA

SECRET SERVICE IN DARKEST AFRICA (aka Manhunt in the African Jungle/15 chapter Republic serial/1943). Director: Spencer Gordon Bennett.

Stalwart Secret Service agent Rex Bennett (Rod Cameron) goes to the Dark Continent to deal with a Nazi spy ring who have replaced a sultan with an imposter. He is aided by the spunky gal reporter Janet Blake (Joan Marsh). Their main adversary is Baron von Rommler (Lionel Royce), and Duncan Renaldo plays an ally, Captain LaSalle. There's a great bit in chapter four with some graves exploding one by one due to underground mines, and some effective cliffhangers: Janet in a crate with an incendiary device as Rex fights Nazis [chapter five]; Janet under a giant slab that crashes downward [chapter seven]; and --best of all -- an "execution wheel" with a saw-pendulum swinging above [chapter twelve]. The trouble with Secret Service is that it doesn't have a strong, suspenseful  plotline, an exciting villain -- or even an exciting hero. Cameron is unemotional and stone-faced throughout. Joan Marsh appeared in quite a few movies before making this but apparently retired two years later. Cameron also appeared in The Jungle, Life with Henry and Henry Aldrich for President and also played Rex Bennett in G-Men vs the Black Dragon, which was better than this.Lionel Royce was also in So Ends Our Night.

Verdict: A few thrills but overall somewhat disappointing. **1/2.

FEDERAL OPERATOR 99

FEDERAL OPERATOR 99 (12 chapter Republic serial/1945). Directors: Spencer Bennett; Yakima Canutt.

Jerry Blake (Marten Lamont) -- AKA Operator 99 -- and assistant Joyce Kingston (Helen Talbot) vs. crime lord Jim Belmont (George J. Lewis) and his moll Rita Parker (Lorna Gray). At least Belmont appreciates some of the finer things in life, such as classical music. He plays the Moonlight Sonata as a henchman begins to torture a countess (Elaine Lange) with fire. Hal Taliaferro is distinctive as the gunsel Matt. Among other plots, Belmont tries to get his hands on some jewels and a prized Stradivarius. Joyce is almost cremated in chapter three, and strung up to face a giant propeller in chapter four. [There are a couple of recycled cliffhangers as well.] Federal Operator 99 has an interesting cast and characters, including Jay Novello as a diamond cutter and Tom Steele as several thugs and others. Lorna Gray was in many other serials, including Daughter of Don Q and The Perils of Nyoka.

Verdict: Fast-paced and with great fight choreography. ***.

THE ADVENTURES OF SIR GALAHAD

THE ADVENTURES OF SIR GALAHAD (15 chapter Columbia serial/1949). Director: Spencer Bennet.

A strange new knight named Sir Galahad (George Reeves) marches into Camelot, wins a jousting tournament, and is invited to join the Knights of the Round Table by King Arthur (Nelson Leigh) himself. Alas, pressed into guard duty over the mystical sword Excalibur, Galahad is knocked out and the sword stolen. Galahad comes under suspicion, and vows to recover Excalibur and return it to Arthur before its absence causes the destruction of Camelot. Other suspects include the Saxon king Ulric (John Merton), the Black Knight, whose identity is unknown, Morgan le Fay (Pat Barton). and even Merlin the Magician (William Fawcett). With lots of swordsplay, an enchanted forest whose branches grab at victims, and a mysterious Lady of the Lake, you'd think Sir Galahad would make a rousing serial, but for the most part it's routine and unexciting. There are a couple of decent cliffhangers, however, such as when Galahad falls before a stampede of horses, is trapped by a moving wall of spears, and is nearly crushed by a spiked iron ball. But these highlights are few and far between. Reeves, the subject of the film Hollywoodland, seems uncomfortable at times. Rick Vallin plays Sir Gawain.

Verdict: One suspects that if Republic had done this it would have been a lot better. **.

DAUGHTER OF DON Q

DAUGHTER OF DON Q (12 chapter Republic serial/1946). Directors: Spencer Gordon Bennet and Fred C. Brannon.

The pretty sports celebrity Delores Quantero (Lorna Gray playing as Adrian Booth), one of many descendants of Don Quantero, is unaware that an old Spanish land grant actually leaves millions of dollars of real estate to his heirs. One of them, Carlos Manning (LeRoy Mason), is aware of this, and with the aid of his main henchman Donovan (Roy Barcroft), sets out to murder the other heirs. Cliff Roberts (Kirk Alyn) is an intrepid  reporter who aids Delores and tries to find out why someone is killing off all of her relatives. This is a nifty idea for a serial, and Daughter of Don Q makes the most of it. Although comparatively colorless, the villains in this are especially evil  -- at one point they are going to make it look like a perfectly innocent man committed embezzlement and then suicide. The serial also has a sense of humor. When one nasty gunsel falls out of a window to his death, it turns out that he made a living by proposing to wealthy women and absconding with their fortunes before the wedding. "I wonder if any of the ladies he left at the church will attend his funeral," someone quips. There are many good cliffhangers; one of the best has Delores hanging onto a shower curtain after she's knocked out of a window as it begins to slip off the rod notch by notch ... The feisty Delores, who gives as good as she gets, gets hit on the head so often it's a wonder she even knows who she is by the end of the serial! Although there is nothing elaborate or especially unique about Daughter, it's still terrifically entertaining. Lorna Gray played the villainess in Perils of Nyoka and Barcroft was the bad guy in Manhunt of Mystery Island, another superlative Republic serial.

Verdict: Maybe not a classic but fast-paced and action-packed from start to finish. ***1/2.  

BRUCE GENTRY

BRUCE GENTRY 15 chapter Columbia serial (1949). Directors: Spencer Gordon Bennet, Thomas Carr.

"As a last resort, use your brains."

Tom Neal, most famous for the film Detour, plays the comic strip "daredevil of the skies" in this Columbia serial. Several agents investigating the story of a "flying disc" either crash to earth or disappear. The unseen leader of the sinister group that controls the [cartoon] flying discs is called "The Recorder" because he uses recordings to send messages to his underlings, chief among which is Krendon (Tristram Coffin, the King of the Rocket Men). The Recorder has kidnapped Dr. Benson (Forrest Taylor) and is holding him captive until he tells him all of his scientific secrets. Bruce is hired by Radcliffe (Hugh Prosser), who runs an engineering firm, to investigate the flying discs and find out what happened to Benson. Along the way he is helped by a spunky brother and sister team of young ranchers, Frank (Ralph Hodges) and Nita (Judy Clark, who isn't much of an actress). Highlights of the serial include a plane with jammed controls roaring toward a car with an unconscious Gentry inside in chapter 9; a bit with propellers that nearly slash into Nita in chapter 11; and a sequence in which Gentry's parachute, caught on rocks, begins to unravel strand by strand in chapter 12. Perhaps the most thrilling sequence occurs in chapter 5 as Bruce desperately tries to get Frank out of a car that stalled on train tracks at the end of the previous chapter. While the unmasking of the Recorder may at first seem to make absolute nonsense of everything that went before, it's actually all explained quite credibly in the serial's final minutes. Neal is fine as Gentry and the other performers are generally more than competent. Radcliffe's flirtatious secretary, Louise, is uncredited. Hodges also appeared in the serial version of Mysterious Island in 1951.

Verdict: Practically by the numbers at times, but it has some good moments. **1/2.

MANHUNT OF MYSTERY ISLAND

MANHUNT OF MYSTERY ISLAND (15 chapter Republic serial/1945). Directors: Spencer Gordon Bennet, Wallace A. Grissell and Yakima Canutt.

With the aid of criminologist Lance Reardon (Richard Bailey), the quick-on-the-trigger Claire Forrest (Linda Stirling) searches Mystery Island for her father, Professor Forrest (Forrest Taylor), who has been kidnapped by the self-styled modern-day pirate, Captain Mephisto (Roy Barcroft). We learn early on that the villain not only models himself after a long-dead pirate, but alters his appearance to resemble him with the aid of an electronic transformation machine. In reality, Mephisto is one of the four owners of Mystery island, and the serial keeps you guessing throughout as to which of the four it might be. There are cliffhangers involving disruptor guns, gas-filled rooms under trapdoors, a descending wine press, a flooded tunnel, and a collapsing suspension bridge. Most memorable is our hero clinging to a fire hose that Mephisto tries to cut after flinging him out of a skyscraper! Then there's a great, protracted battle between Mephisto and Reardon in chapter eleven, and a bit with an out of control plane in chapter fourteen. Although Barcroft, frankly, doesn't play with as much gusto as you might like, Manhunt of Mystery Island is still entertaining and thrilling stuff.

Verdict: One of the best serials put out by Republic or any other studio. ***1/2.

CONGO BILL

CONGO BILL 15-chapter Columbia serial (1948). Directors: Spencer Bennet; Thomas Carr. 

The heiress to the Culver circus may be a blond queen of a lost tribe in Africa known as Lureen (Cleo Moore). Congo Bill (Don McGuire), who works for the circus, is determined to find out, but he's unaware that the new managers of the circus would prefer that the heir to their business never be found. Congo Bill was actually a strip that appeared in Action Comics along with Superman and other heroes; he later metamorphosed into "Congorilla," who could exchange minds with a big ape. Congo Bill has a somewhat similar plot line to the far superior Tiger Woman, but that's where the resemblance ends. Unlike the Tiger Woman, Lureen basically does nothing for 15 chapters [she doesn't even show up until chapter six], and she's played inadequately by the busty but talentless Moore. McGuire could make an impression as a second lead or supporting player in such films as The Fuller Brush Man, but in this he displays little star charisma. There are some acceptable cliffhangers -- Bill caught in a turning mill stone; descending spikes etc. -- but this is one of Columbia's dullest serials. "Janu the Jungle Boy" from the comic book stories has been replaced with the older "Kohla. " 

Verdict: Watch Tiger Woman instead. **

THE TIGER WOMAN

THE TIGER WOMAN 12 Chapter Republic serial (1944). Directors: Spencer Gordon Bennet; Wallace Grissell. NOTE: The Tiger Woman was reissued as Perils of the Darkest Jungle. 

In a location that seems to be South America [although this was undoubtedly shot on Republic's back lot]. Alan Saunders (Allan Lane), the representative of an oil company, discovers that he not only has to deal with thugs from a rival oil firm but with the "Tiger Woman" (Linda Stirling), who rules over the territory where the oil is located, as well as the Indians who live there ["We are a peaceful people" claims the high priest (Robert Frazer)]. The rather ruthless TW, who presides over executions or sacrificial ceremonies where enemies are thrown into a lava pit, "fell from the sky" and is really -- it is revealed quite early on -- an heiress named Rita Arnold. TW wears a fetching leopard print outfit with a skirt and is quite a feisty fighter. 

While there are some great fight scenes in Tiger Woman, there is also an inordinate amount of gun play. The villains Daggett (Crane Whitley) and Walton (LeRoy Mason) are a touch colorless -- although played by perfectly competent actors -- but the serial still manages to be quite entertaining, with some memorable cliffhangers. There's the cavern of falling stalactites; a boat over a water fall; a runaway mining car that shoots out a hole in the mountain and careens into space; and -- best of all -- a sensational bit with a descending mine elevator that has the Tiger Woman unconscious above while Saunders dangles uncertainly from below. Allan Lane is stalwart and effective as the hero. Stirling is certainly decorative, fights like a wildcat, and is an adequate actress. She was also in The Purple Monster Strikes, The Crimson Ghost and Zorro's Black Whip. Nice theme music. 

Verdict: Very entertaining and well-done serial. ***.

SUPERMAN serial

SUPERMAN (1948 serial). Director: Spencer Gordon Bennet. 

The first Superman cliffhanger serial from Columbia pictures stars Kirk Alyn (pictured) as the super-hero from the doomed planet Krypton. Although most of the really great villains of the comic book didn't appear until after this serial was released -- Braniac, for instance -- surely the writers could have come up with a more interesting antagonist than the witchy Spider-Lady (Carol Forman). Although Forman wasn't bad as The Black Widow, and she doesn't actually stink in Superman, she comes off more like an especially bitchy cocktail waitress or B girl than a serious super-villainess. Noel Neill is appealing as Lois Lane -- Neill was one of the more distinctive serial heroines -- and Tommy Bond, while initially off-putting, grows on you as Jimmy Olsen. Alyn doesn't exhibit much more charisma as Superman than he does as Clark Kent, but at least he doesn't portray Kent as a coward. There are a couple of decent cliffhangers in the production, but for long stretches Superman is pretty dull stuff. Not the worst of Columbia's serials, but a far cry from the best. 

Verdict: The Man of Steel deserved better. **1/2.

MYSTERIOUS ISLAND (1951)

MYSTERIOUS ISLAND 15 chapter Columbia serial (1951). Director: Spencer Gordon Bennet. 

This may not be the worst cliffhanger serial ever made but it certainly comes close. Captain Cyrus Harding (Richard Crane) and comrades escape from a Southern prison during the Civil War by balloon and wind up on an isolated island inhabited by strange volcano people, a raving wild man on a rampage, Captain Nemo and -- a space babe in silver lame from the planet Mercury! This last bit has absolutely nothing to do with Jules Verne, of course. Rulu from Mercury (Karen Randle) has come to Earth (with henchmen who wear a kind of spider-mask) because they need a certain substance that can only be found on our planet. There's one decent cliffhanger involving a burning cabin; otherwise this is meandering and dull, dull, dull. Sappy music score, too. In the first episode there's an old man who is kind to the Yankee prisoners. When Harding and the others take off in the balloon, Harding encourages the old man's dog, Top, to jump into the car with them -- gee, what a way to repay the old man's kindness! 

Verdict: Don't follow Top and jump in this balloon. *.

THE SECRET CODE

THE SECRET CODE 15 chapter Columbia serial (1942). Director: Spencer Gordon Bennet. 

Cop Dan Barton (Paul Kelly) pretends to be a rogue so he can join a gang of Nazi saboteurs and destroy them from the inside. Unfortunately the only man who knew of his plan is killed early on, putting him at odds with Nazis and policemen alike. He dresses up in a uniform and mask and calls him The Black Commando, undermining the plans of the saboteurs after he's accepted (more or less) into the gang as Barton. He does have two allies, another detective named Pat (Clancy Cooper) and a newspaper woman named Jean (Anne Nagel). The serial greatly benefits by the casting of Kelly over some pretty-boy non-actor, and Nagel over some sexy bimbo, as they make their characters more believable than usual. Ludwig Donath, Trevor Bardette, and others in the supporting cast are also assets. Well directed by Bennet, the serial has cinematic and exciting fight scenes in every chapter (often with chairs and the like thrown directly at the camera). One chapter has the bad guys planting radio bombs all over the city -- each one alone can wipe out a city block! Then in chapter fourteen there are the light bulbs that fall, smash, and emit a deadly gas. Lee Zahler's "score" is just a bad bowdlerization of Beethoven's Fifth (which became a "V for Victory" theme during World War 2) but is effective enough. Too bad The Black Commando didn't return for a sequel. 

Verdict: More fun than The Dark Knight. ***.

THE PURPLE MONSTER STRIKES

THE PURPLE MONSTER STRIKES (1945). Directed by Spencer Bennet and Fred Brannon. 

A man from Mars who is inexplicably known as the Purple Monster (Roy Barcroft) lands on Earth and literally takes over the body of Dr. Cyrus Layton (James Craven). He does this by dematerializing into a phantom form and simply sitting down in Leyton's body. He hopes to steal Layton's scientific devices -- especially a jet ship launching rocket -- for use in a planned Martian conquest of Earth, and by becoming Layton leads good guy Craig Foster (Dennis Moore) and Layton's niece Sheila (Linda Stirling), on a merry chase. The Purple Monster Strikes is snappy and fast-paced. There are some exciting cliffhangers involving a ladder dangling high over the ground, a pit that fills with water, a car in an auto shop that smashes rapidly downwards towards Moore, and spiked cell bars that threaten to impale Moore as he goes to use the phone (he uses his ingenuity to escape this trap). There's a zesty "cat-fight" between Sheila and Martian Bitch Marcia (Mary Moore) in chapter 12, and the fisticuffs are even more furious than before in chapter thirteen. Tom Steele is one of the thugs, and even Ken Terrell, butler Jess from Attack of the 50 Foot Woman, has a small role, as he usually did in these things. 

Verdict: The cast serves up this zany stuff with relish. ***.

ATOM MAN VS. SUPERMAN

ATOM MAN VS. SUPERMAN (1950). 15 Chapter Columbia serial. Director: Spencer Bennet.

Superman not only has to contend with the villainy of Lex Luthor, but Luthor's “ally” Atom Man who wears a silly concealing helmet. Even the kids had no trouble figuring out who Atom Man really was. Luthor has mastered a teleportation device that sends his henchmen back to his cave hide out before they can be captured, and can also speed any of his enemies, Superman included, into a vast space Luthor calls “the empty doom.” Luthor also uses an explosive ray gun and an earthquake device to try to bring down the Daily Planet building and Metropolis itself. Superman is shown to fly via cartoon animation [aside from in close ups] but this is more effective than expected. At one point the “real” Superman is shown riding a missile that is aimed for the Daily Planet building. Lex Luthor is played by a comparatively bland Lyle Talbot, but Kirk Alyn isn't bad at all as Clark Kent and Superman. Noel Neill is a perfect Lois Lane, both sweet and spunky and never a bitch. Pierre Watkin is fine as a very petulant Perry White.

Verdict: Moderately entertaining serial is not one of the best but there have certainly been worse. **1/2.

THE ATOMIC SUBMARINE

THE ATOMIC SUBMARINE (1959). Director Spencer G. Bennet. 

Something in the Arctic circle is destroying ships and submarines, so the atomic sub Tiger Shark is sent to investigate. Dick Foran is the captain of the ship, upon which we also find Commander "Reef" Holloway (Arthur Franz) and Dr. Carl Neilson (Brett Halsey), who operates a new "depth explorer" that figures in the action. Reef can't stand Carl, whom he sees as a peacenik whose attitudes caused strain for his father, Reef's friend. The film makes the point that one doesn't have to be militaristic or a war-mongerer to be brave. However, the real point of the film is the underwater flying saucer they dub "cyclops" -- it turns out the spaceship is a living being, in fact -- that contains a huge, one-eyed monstrous alien with telepathic powers and several wriggling tentacles. The sets are sparse, economical, and clever, and the music (possibly Alexander Laszlo) suitably weird and eerie. Joi Lansing plays Reef's sexy date and Tom Conway is a scientist. Jack Mulhall, who plays the Secretary of Defense, was in serials The Clutching Hand and The Three Musketeers. 

Verdict: Cheap and irresistible. **1/2.

CAPTAIN VIDEO, MASTER OF THE STRATOSPHERE

CAPTAIN VIDEO, MASTER OF THE STRATOSPHERE (1951). 15 chapter Columbia serial. Directed by Wallace A. Grisell and Spencer Bennet.

Captain Video (Judd Holdren) and his Video ranger (Larry Stewart) are up against Vultura (Gene Roth), the tyrannical ruler of Atoma, who not only wants to conquer the planet Theros but the Earth as well. A renowned earth scientist named Tobor (George Eldredge) is assisting him and trying to thwart or destroy the good Captain at every turn. Our heroes dodge a mass of cosmic debris, are frozen stiff as a board, thrown out of flying platforms (to land delicately on Earth due to a sonic air cushion), defeat a spreading radioactive liquid called planenite, and have to deal with some very fast moving mechanical men. The spaceships are just cartoon animation; the planet Atoma is tinted red while Theros is tinted green (Earth is in the usual sepia). There is no love interest or supporting female character. Holdren and Stewart are adequate as the good guys, but they have little humor and virtually no personality. Stewart and Roth (with his big belly comically clad in a tight uniform) are dull villains – Vultura is certainly no Ming the Merciless – and Roth is a particularly poor actor [at least in this; he was fine in Earth vs. the Spider and other films], not even on the same planet as Ming’s Charles Middleton. Tobor’s cackling sinister assistant is more on the mark.

Verdict: This is not a great serial, but it is fun in a minor fashion. **1/2.