BLACKHAWK

Kirk Alyn and Carol Forman

BLACKHAWK (aka Blackhawk, Fearless Champion of Freedom/15 chapter Columbia serial/1952). Directors: Spencer Gordon Bennet; Fred F. Sears.

Having already played Superman twice, Kirk Alyn  was the perfect choice to play another DC Comics hero (albeit without actual super-powers), Blackhawk, who headed a team of international freedom fighters. The Blackhawk comic, beautifully drawn by Reed Crandell (who gets credit in the serial), and created by Will Eisner (who does not), had been published since the early 1940's. There were some changes made from the comic: the Chinese cook Chop Chop (Weaver Levy) was less caricatured, and Andre (Larry Stewart) was no longer French. Stanislaus, portrayed as a gruff, gray-haired middle-aged man in the comics, has an evil twin in the serial, and is played by Rick Vallin, The villainess is hard-as-nails Laska (Carol Forman), who is given an unflattering hairstyle and is in no way as glamorous as she was in other serials, such as her headliner The Black Widow. She reports to an unseen (but hardly unknown) "Leader," who keeps asking her to give more, more -- including her life -- to the "party." Laska's main henchman is Aller, played by serial regular Marshall Reed [Gunfighters of the Northwest]. When handsome Aller tires to get familiar with Laska -- "nice drivin', baby," he tells her -- she snaps, "The name is Laska!" Blackhawk is full of exciting cliffhangers, even if none of them are resolved in a clever manner -- Blackhawk simply rolls out of the way of several oil drums, or jumps out of a hay wagon that has caught on fire. In other sequences Stan is tied to a pole with a plane's propeller rushing towards him; Blackhawk's car is pushed onto the tracks just as a train arrives; fiery derricks topple like tenpins; a cartoon "flying saucer" hits our hero's plane; and Blackhawk's parachute fails to open so he has to ride piggyback on the shoulders of one of his comrades. Laska and her gang have several headquarters, all of which look exactly the same. Noting this, Blackhawk wonders about it and says, "they must have a reason for that." although it's never determined what it is (the budget was the reason, of course). Michael Fox plays one of Laska's confederates, and William Fawcett [Batman and Robin] is a scientist who has created a destructive ray machine. A lot of the action has to do with the theft and retrieval of "element X." Plenty of exciting fisticuffs in this.

Verdict: Blackhawk is a lot of fun. ***.

JESSE JAMES MEETS FRANKENSTEIN'S DAUGHTER

Narda Onyx, John Lupton and Cal Bolder

JESSE JAMES MEETS FRANKENSTEIN'S DAUGHTER (1966). Director: William Beaudine.

"My, you're a humanitarian. You should have stayed in Europe and given pink pills to sweet old ladies." -- Maria to Rudolph.

Dr, Maria Frankenstein (Narda Onyx), daughter of Victor, and her befuddled brother, Rudolph (Steven Geray of Gilda), transplanted from Vienna, are experimenting on men in the old west, inexplicably trying to create a strong monster to do their bidding. Her latest victim is Hank Tracy (Cal Bolder), who is a friend of the infamous Jesse James (John Lupton). Juanita (Estrelita Rodriguez), a villager, believes that Maria murdered her brother, and in the process of helping Jesse and Hank, falls in love with the former. Meanwhile Marshall MacPhee (Jim Davis of Monster from Green Hell) is on the look-out for Jesse with the help of James' former associate, Lonny (Rayford Barnes). The surprising thing about this absurd but entertaining movie is how creditable the acting is, with Onyx doing her best to make her ridiculous character come alive, the talented Geray making an impression despite the fact that at times he appears to have wandered into the wrong movie, and baby-faced Lupton [The Man in the Net], outfitted with a mustache, coming off more like the title outlaw that one would have imagined. Rayford Barnes makes his mark as Lonny as well, but it's Estrelita who really makes an impression as Juanita, playing the whole bizarre scenario with conviction. William Fawcett and Nestor Paiva also have good supporting roles. Onyx mostly did television work; this was her last credit. This was also the last credit for "Estralita," who had appeared in Rio Bravo. Bolder frequently appeared as a heavy on The Man from U.N.C.L.E., and Barnes had nearly 300 credits. As "The Wild Bunch" is mentioned in this movie it's interesting that Barnes was later cast in Sam Peckinpah's movie The Wild Bunch. Veteran director Beaudine keeps things moving.

Verdict: Strangely absorbing if not terribly wonderful. **1/2.

KING OF THE CONGO

Buster Crabbe

KING OF THE CONGO (15 chapter Columbia serial/1952). Directors: Spencer Gordon Bennet and Wallace Grissell. 

Air Force captain Roger Drum (Buster Crabbe) is to complete a flight to South Africa under the identity of a spy who is to make contact with a subversive "mystery group." Drum crashes, and for a while has no idea who he is, but at first the "reds" see him as their comrade. Since Drum is able to peal a sacred gong he is heralded by the primitive, all-white "rock people" as the heroic "Thun'da," and runs around in a loincloth. Drum/Thun'da first appeared in a brief comic book series -- sub-titled "King of the Congo" -- before Columbia turned it into a minor serial with highly familiar elements. In addition to those nasty reds, who are after a radioactive mineral, there is a group of Cavemen ruled by the corpulent if powerful Kor (Rusty Wescoatt). There is a native princess named Pha (Gloria Dea) and a High Priest (William Fawcett) who wears a long, silly wig and can witness future events in his crystal ball! There's also a cute chimp who acts like Cheetah at times but is never given a name. There's a comical scene when henchman Andreov (Rick Vallin) is "tortured" by a lamp and headphones playing jazz! The best cliffhanger has Thun'da trapped in quicksand while nasty natives keep chucking spears at him and try to push a log away before he can grab hold of it and save himself. Crabbe has dark hair for this picture.

Verdict: Not one of the more memorable Columbia serials and Crabbe's last. **.