Serial Image Gallery 2

Now, see, HERE is what we're talking about... A trip to the movies in late spring, 1940. Escape to Paradise is an RKO Radio Picture starring once-popular child star Bobby Breen, who wrecked his career by accidentally growing up. Pushing 13 when Escape was released, Breen made only one more film before retiring from the screen. Erle C. Kenton directed; he'd go on to make a string of well-liked B-movies at Universal, including directing Bud & Lou in It Ain't Hay and Pardon my Sarong and Frankenstein and the Wolf Man in House of Frankenstein and House of Dracula. I think Franky and Wolfy got along better than Bud 'n' Lou did.

The co-feature is Bullet Code, a cheapie western with George O'Brien and Slim Whitaker. Both films together ran less than two hours, but you're gonna get your 35¢ worth, folks, never fear, because the latest episode of The Spider's Web is on the bill. A well-worn print, no doubt, because this particular chapterplay was originally distributed by Columbia Pictures in the fall of 1938. The sequel, The Spider Returns, would hit the screens in early 1941. Both were helmed in mega-manic style by crazed director James W. Horne, who gave these and such other serials as The Iron Claw, Deadwood Dick, and Terry and the Pirates all the high-octane comic energy he learned from his frequent collaborations with Mr. Laurel and Mr. Hardy. Sony, current holder of the Columbia serials, has tossed us a few tidbits as extras on various vintage film DVD releases, but c'mon, folks -- it's definitely past time for a Spider boxed set!

Of course, back in the day, movie programs usually changed a couple of times a week in the neighborhood theatres, so if ya snooze ya lose with George, Bobby, and the Spider. The next three days brought us the double-feature on your left, highlighted by a reissue of a genuine film classic, Nothing Sacred. Oddly enough, the ad doesn't mention the film was in Technicolor, which sure would've been a big selling point, no?

The co-feature is the fifth and last of Monogram's Renfrew of the Mounties series. We're sure it's every bit as good as it looks, but if not, hey, there's always Donald Duck. Anybody have any idea where the Lake Theatre was? Minnesota, maybe?

Serial Image Gallery 1

In 1948, Columbia Pictures scored with Superman, a 15-episode chapterplay starring Kirk Alyn. A terrible serial that nevertheless was a resounding box-office success, SUPERMAN inspired Republic Studios to create their own flying hero for KING OF THE ROCKET MEN (1949).

KING (starring Tris Coffin) is one of the last of the really good Republic serials, as stock footage and budgetary restraints created an inbreeding of stock footage and script cliches that helped kill the genre theatrically, although serials continued to flourish on TV. The first KING sequel was RADAR MEN FROM THE MOON, and it's silly sci-fi stuff but a lot of fun if you're in the mood to enjoy men walking around on the moon while wearing dress shoes and neatly pressed trousers.

Alas, the next sequel, ZOMBIES OF THE STRATOSPHERE, is a bore, despite the welcome reapparance of Dr. Satan's robot (that clanky thing that looks like a walking water heater). Oh, and if that Stratosphere Zombie in the ad looks familiar, picture him with pointed ears. See? NO, not Count Chocula -- it's Leonard Nimoy, silly.

Now, Columbia wasn't going to be caught flat-footed. While they negotiated with Alyn for a Super-Sequel, they brought back the Caped Crusaders (who had made their serial debut in 1943) for BATMAN AND ROBIN in 1949. Robert Lowery is Batman in an ill-fitting costume, Johnny Duncan is Robin, Jane Adams is Vicki Vale, Lyle Talbot is Commissioner Gordon, and "?" is the Wizard, the super-criminal terrorizing Gotham City. Not too many people like this serial, but I find it terrific popcorn fun.

Kirk Alyn ended up with a pretty good serial career; in addition to ATOM MAN VS. SUPERMAN (1950), he donned the mantle of a Quality Comics hero, the legendary BLACKHAWK, for Columbia in 1952. This one was better than either Superman serial, but frankly, that's not saying much. Although the Blackhawks were a team of multi-national heroes, in the serial they all seem to come from the U.S. and most of 'em make only cameo appearances, leaving Blackhawk and Chuck to handle all the dialog while the others stand around in the background like the Bowery Boys who weren't Leo Gorcey and Huntz Hall.