Guilty Pleasures

Re: Guilty Pleasures

feeds@yuku.com (Riddle Rider) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 14:53:33 GMT

I agree with you, Pa; HEROES OF THE WEST is quite good. Onslow Stevens is not a typical serial hero, but he's a good actor and really gets into the spirit of things, doing most of his own riding and fighting and even, IIRC, driving a stagecoach. And you've got to love Jacqueline Wells (who might be billed here as Diane Duval, I forget). It's way too good to fall into the "guilty pleasure" category.

Re: Guilty Pleasures

feeds@yuku.com (Pa Stark) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 13:55:03 GMT

I am watching HEROES OF THE WEST now, and it is not a guilty pleasure because it is a damn good serial. Unfortunately is is one of the least discussed serials of the sound era. Somewhere Riddle Rider did write about the budget for it, and said it did lose money. In the saloon, at the railroad construction site, the Indian camp, or during chase scenes, there are dozens of extra all around. So far I'm loving it.

Re: Guilty Pleasures

feeds@yuku.com (Chuck White) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 10:39:00 GMT

Riddle Rider wrote:

Pa Stark wrote:

Another minor guilty pleasure is MYSTERY TROOPER.

Now that's a guilty pleasure if there ever was one! Good call, Pa.

For the record, I considered it enough of a guilty pleasure myself to buy an original 16mm print (which carried...

Re: Guilty Pleasures

feeds@yuku.com (Chuck White) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 10:37:12 GMT

Black Tigrrr wrote:
Glad you lost the kazoo, Chuck

Yes, trading it in for the more subtle Bat-Signal was a good move, BT.

Re: Guilty Pleasures

feeds@yuku.com (Chuck White) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 10:28:40 GMT

Powder Solvang wrote:
Chuck, are you sure the Scarlet Horseman wasn't one of your ancestors? You have a lot in common; flashy costume, secret identity, underground cave!

It may be, Powder, but I must decline confirmation to protect the innocent.

Re: Guilty Pleasures

feeds@yuku.com (Riddle Rider) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 20:53:36 GMT

Pa Stark wrote:

Another minor guilty pleasure is MYSTERY TROOPER.

Now that's a guilty pleasure if there ever was one! Good call, Pa.

For the record, I considered it enough of a guilty pleasure myself to buy an original 16mm print (which carried the non-theatrical reissue title TRAILS OF THE ROYAL MOUNTED) when I was offered it for a measly...

Re: Guilty Pleasures

feeds@yuku.com (Pa Stark) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 00:47:46 GMT

Another minor guilty pleasure is MYSTERY TROOPER. It is 1930 poverty row, but is fairly interesting. Highlight was in chapter one with heavies in hideout in ghost town, and hidden away somewhere is the Trooper playing the organ, freaking them out. A very well done scene.

Re: Guilty Pleasures

feeds@yuku.com (Black Tigrrr) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 00:23:27 GMT

Glad you lost the kazoo, Chuck

Re: Guilty Pleasures

feeds@yuku.com (Powder Solvang) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 18:20:44 GMT

Chuck, are you sure the Scarlet Horseman wasn't one of your ancestors? You have a lot in common; flashy costume, secret identity, underground cave!

Re: Guilty Pleasures

feeds@yuku.com (Chuck White) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 11:06:26 GMT

Barcroft wrote:
I guess my guilty pleasure would be The Scarlet Horseman. This was one of the last of the Universals and they decided to have a little fun with it. The heroes are Paul Guilfoyle as Jim Bannon the Scarlet Horseman was the perennial weasel or bad guy in so many RKO movies, Cy Kendall as Amigo likewise was always the bad guy and Edward Norris who jumped around at various studios playing light weights, bad guys etc....

Re: Guilty Pleasures

feeds@yuku.com (Black Tigrrr) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 11:43:43 GMT

I agree with Lost City, Raven. Once a group of us watched a chapter and a girl sat with her mouth open in disbelief.

Re: Guilty Pleasures

feeds@yuku.com (Ravenstone) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 10:16:51 GMT

Definitely THE LOST CITY. There's a lot wrong with this serial, starting with William "Stage" Boyd who apparently shot the whole thing half in the bag, but it's entertaining as hell! John

Re: Guilty Pleasures

feeds@yuku.com (Barcroft) — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:00:05 GMT

I guess my guilty pleasure would be The Scarlet Horseman. This was one of the last of the Universals and they decided to have a little fun with it. The heroes are Paul Guilfoyle as Jim Bannon the Scarlet Horseman was the perennial weasel or bad guy in so many RKO movies, Cy Kendall as Amigo likewise was always the bad guy and Edward Norris who jumped around at various studios playing light weights, bad guys etc. was Kirk Norris were the 3 stars. The serial had just about every b-western...

Re: Guilty Pleasures

feeds@yuku.com (zorrothefox) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 23:27:18 GMT

I have two: Zombies of the Stratosphere and Radar Men From the Moon Too much stock footage, silly plots and villains; bland heroes, but somehow I enjoy them. Z

Re: Guilty Pleasures

feeds@yuku.com (toddgault) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:22:54 GMT

I'm a big fan of The Vigilante, Ralph Byrd and George Offerman make a great team with plenty of wise cracking between them, plus Byrd and Ames both get to sing and aren't too shabby at it.

Re: Guilty Pleasures

feeds@yuku.com (Pa Stark) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:48:20 GMT

I like some Columbia serials from the 50's because Spencer Bennet directed them. A couple of favorites are BLACKHAWK and CAPTAIN VIDEO.

Re: Guilty Pleasures

feeds@yuku.com (Powder Solvang) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 21:50:51 GMT

My guilty pleasure? "Jungle Sam" Katzman! Jungle Raiders, Brick Bradford, The Vigilante, Congo Bill, both Superman serials, Batman and Robin are all what I consider to be "A" list serials. Somehow the cheap factor just doesn't bother me at all!

Re: Guilty Pleasures

feeds@yuku.com (Pa Stark) — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 18:58:37 GMT

I second the motion for Hi Yo on THE WHISPERING SHADOW, just for all the great red herrings, and BT for RADAR MEN FROM THE MOON.

Re: Guilty Pleasures

feeds@yuku.com (Riddle Rider) — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 14:16:54 GMT

Gee, I didn't realize MANDRAKE was "roundly hated." Granted, it hasn't much to do with the comic strip -- it's a downright lousy adaptation -- but it's loaded with fast-paced Columbia action and great pulse-pounding music. I think it's too good to be thought of as a guilty pleasure. Same goes for TERRY AND THE PIRATES -- a travesty, if you love the Milton Caniff comic strip as I do. But I pretend the serial features an alternate-universe Terry, Pat, et al. If you...

Re: Guilty Pleasures

feeds@yuku.com (Doctor Satan 1940) — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 11:14:13 GMT

Secret Confessions of a Serial Fan:

I love Bela Lugosi's serials. Yeah Shadow of Chinatown has some patently ridiculous cliffhangers in it (fish bowl, anyone?) and yes, Return of Chandu gets a little slow at times, but Bela himself is great. He's well worth watching in both of these.

Others that I like that tend to be roundly hated:

Mandrake, The Magician--come on! It has Warren Hull in it, and he's loads of fun to watch.

Guilty Pleasures

feeds@yuku.com (toddgault) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 14:42:44 GMT

Thought I would try my hand at throwing out a new topic for discussion. What is your favorite guilty pleasure serial? What serial do you really like, even though you know it isn't very good? For me that would be Robinson Crusoe of Clipper Island. There is no Earthly reason for me to like this serial. There is way too much padding, whole scenes are reused in different chapters, the acting between the two leads is less than inspired, and the mystery plot is okay at best. But I enjoy...