There is no other product available for this early Republic serial. Thus, one has to live with this one. But this transfer to DVD is NOT that bad. The picture quality is not pristine. But the copy which Madacy worked on to put to DVD is not deteriorated, as is the case on other "economical" serials hastily put on the market for a fast profit. It is the sound which is bad. It cracks and and appears muffled. The actors spoke as if they were eating their words. Sometimes it's difficult trying to understand what is being said. But then, this is a 1937 serial and we should count ourselves lucky that Madacy put this on the market. The story is typical serial, simple and long drawn out with preposterous premises. But that is what make these features enjoyable, vain attempts to project reality resulting in absurdity. Note the sound of the gunfire. It does not have the characteristic "Republic serial gunfire sound" heard in later productions. Again, this is because it was a 1937 feature. Get one and enjoy.
A great introduction to the great serials of the past..
My father was a western film collector and I grew up watching this serial on film. The cliffhangers were always amazing to a 9 year old and I had a big crush on Ray "Crash " Corrigan. When I had the opportunity to get this on tape it reminded me of those nights watching the movie with my dad and wanting to be a cowboy when I grew up. There are great action sequences consisting of betrayals, Indian attacks and more as this wagon train makes its way west. The title refers to the mysterious rider of the Painted Stallion who comes to aid of the wagon train when it is in trouble. I highly recommend this serial as a starting point to anyone who wants to sample a taste of early western film. Anyone who enjoyed watching cliffhangers at the movies every week will surely enjoy this.
This dvd, the Adventures of Captain Marvel, was ordered on Aug. 31, but has NOT yet been delivered to me. This is the first and only opportunity I've been afforded to contact you about this. Please cancel my order.
-Trevor Von Eeden/thv2101@columbia.edu- More Info about this DVD Director(s): John English - William Witney DVD Release Date: Released the 16 December 2003 Usually ships in 24 hours
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Read the horrid reviews (as usual) for the Madacy product, then grab this Hal Roach Studios/Image version of this classic Republic Serial, perhaps second in fame only to THE ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN MARVEL. This version is meticulously mastered from the original camera negative with fine grain shots substituted wherever necessary. Where Madacy "simply" eliminates(!) the beginnings and ends of each of their twelve 16mm chapters, making it more into a herky-jerky feature film that runs 3-1/2 hours (then making you buy TWO separate discs in order to obtain the whole story), this Hal Roach Studios version is absolutely complete--four hours on one disc (double-coated, no turning over!) and boasts trailers for six other top serials to boot. All from 35mm, with the visual power and dynamic... More Info about this DVD Director(s): William Witney - John English DVD Release Date: Released the 29 July 2003 Usually ships within 5 to 6 days
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This rare serial and important addition to the Tarzan canon is totally ruined by the awful treatment giving to it in this DVD set. The picture quality is fair at best with most of it too dark or either too washed out. The sound is so bad that it's almost impossible to understand 90% of the dialogue through the loud sea of hiss. Save your money, this is a total rip-off. More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Herman Brix DVD Release Date: Released the 13 May 2003 Special Order
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VCI Entertainment and Republic Pictures present Edgar Rice Burroughs "Jungle Girl" (1941) (digitally remastered), 15 Chapters of vintage serial loaded with action sequences...with his infant daughter Nyoka, Dr. John Meredith lives in the African Jungle trying to help the local natives of the Masamba tribes...the tribe owns diamond mines and a gang of thugs is itching to take it away with the help of Shamba the witch doctor who very much dislikes Dr. Meredith...thus enters Slick Latimer who shoots Dr. Meredith in back...the evil twin brother Bradley Meredith who is Latimer's partner takes his brothers place...Jack Stanton and his sidekick Curley come to the aid of Nyoka whenever the 15 chapters need them...can Nyoka and native boy Wakimbu keep the evil native chief Shamba from their... More Info about this DVD Director(s): William Witney - John English DVD Release Date: Released the 03 July 2001 Usually ships in 24 hours
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Many now only relate to "Red Ryder's Genuine Carbine Action Two-Hundred Shot Lightning Loader Range Model Air Rifle" made famous in the 1983 Christmas movie, "A Christmas Story". This story was about a 10 year old boys obsession with getting Red Ryder's air rifle for Christmas.
Well now, we can all see this famous no-nonsense cowboy and his little sidekick Indian boy, Little Beaver in action. This was a perfect pair & their complete honorable taming of the west.
Red Ryder & Little Beaver adventures dominated the comic strips in the 1930's - 1950's. Late in the 30's REd Ryder came to the screen in a 12 action packed episode serial. Pretty good stuff and a sample coming attraction of this early Red Ryder serial is included on this double feature DVD.
