I love and have a great affinity for serials from the golden age of cinema, and this was definitely one of the better ones I have seen. Previously, I had really enjoyed Buster Crabbe's presence in the post-Weissmuller era of Tarzan, and I have had the DVD of Hodges' 1980 'Flash Gordon' for eons, but wanted to first get to the root of the phenomenon by checking out the serials. Fortunately, in purchasing a 50-film pack, 'Nightmare Worlds' from Mill Creek, it was included. The 12 episodes of the 220-minute serial were well-edited into the fine flow that this version I saw had, and the special effects and production values were quite decent--you could tell it had been made both by a high-quality studio, in Universal, and by directors quite used to the serial format, in Ford Beebe and Ray Taylor. There are some goofs (for example, when Ming's henchmen are looking at a mountainside for the four protagonists, and five are shown), but it's action-packed, with interestingly stylized wipe-edits, and I can see how it later influenced the likes of both George Lucas and Steven Spielberg. As well, it's very interesting how the filmmakers were subtly able to use the film to offer social commentary to the growing Nazi/Fascist movements worldwide that were wreaking havoc across the globe in the Axis of Evil. Heartily recommended to anyone who enjoys the fun side of cinema.
Waging his one-man war on the world of organized crime, ruthless vigilante-hero Frank Castle sets his sights on overeager mob boss Billy Russoti. After Russoti is left horribly disfigured by Castle, he sets out for vengeance under his new alias: Jigsaw. With the "Punisher Task Force" hot on his trail and the FBI unable to take Jigsaw in, Frank must stand up to the formidable army that Jigsaw has recruited before more of his evil deeds go unpunished.
It's four years later, and a new group of students has been placed in Saturday detention at the infamous and prestigious Crestview Academy. When Siouxsie, sophomore 'undercrust,' crashes the party to avenge her sister's death, a Saturday detention reserved for the privileged seniors of Crestview Academy turns into a date in hell. It's not long before a naïve pussycat lover, gay drug dealer, smokin' hot preacher's daughter, squeaky-clean senator's son, and the uninvited younger outsider find themselves locked-up in school with no way out, wondering who (or what) has set them up. Hilarity and suspense ensue while each 'bad kid' pits one against the other, and one by one each falls victim to absurdly gruesome 'accidents' while trying to escape.
The Dynamic Duo faces four super-villains who plan to hold the world for ransom with the help of a secret invention that instantly dehydrates people.
An escaped criminal impersonates a Police Commissioner, causing no end of trouble to a determined Federal Agent.
The obsessive scientist Dr. Miller is working on a matter-transmitter invention called the Paratron; a conspiratorial team of spies and no-goods pursue him to Alaska, trying to steal the device.
Dusty Bates observes some smuggled jewels hidden in a crate aboard a ship; he is pursued by low-lifes when the crate is put ashore.
In the Headquarters of the T.I.A. (Terminal Intelligence Agency), someone has stolen Professor Bacterio's most dangerous invention, the D.O.T. (Demoralizer of Troops), an artifact that ends up in the hands of a very short, wacky dictator who is ready to use it for criminal purposes. The T.I.A Chief, though, is firm in his resolve: if he wants to get the D.O.T. back, he must NOT count on his agents Mortadelo & Filemon. But when the crime fighting duo discover that the T.I.A. has engaged a cocky and slimy detective from outside the agency, they decide to act at their own risk, even if that risk involves all of Humanity.
After losing a powerful orb, Kara, Superman's cousin, comes to Earth to retrieve it and instead finds herself up against a wicked witch.
Government agents work to interfere with schemes to trick the Comanches into war with the Texans.
A movie serial in 13 chapters: Some swampland becomes valuable, and various factions squabble over ownership of it.