Cliffhangers! Serials of the 1930s and 40s

March 26, 2008 7:29 PM

Cliffhangers "In Focus" is an entertaining, well-written overview of the rise and decline of action serial movies of the 1930s and 40s. It also includes rundowns of many major serial films of the time. Several of these serials are now available online. Links to them are inside.

Adventures of Captain Marvel: Chapters 1 (1, 2), 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12


Dick Tracy: Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15


Fighting Devil Dogs: Trailer


Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe ("sequel" to Flash Gordon): Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12


Mysterious Dr. Satan: Trailer; Chapters 1 (1, 2, 3), 2 (1, 2), 3 (1, 2), 4 (1, 2), 5 (1, 2), 6 (1, 2), 7 (1, 2), 8 (1, 2), 9 (1, 2), 10 (1, 2), 11 (1, 2), 12 (1, 2), 13 (1, 2), 14 (1, 2), 15, (1, 2)


Perils of Nyoka: Trailer


Phantom Empire: Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12


Undersea Kingdom (not in the Images list, but I like it): Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12


Zorro's Fighting Legion: Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12


Finally, Images has just tons of great writing on film and pop culture.

posted by cog_nate (4 comments total)

The Phantom Empire was just released on DVD this year in a brand-new transfer.

My favorite serial film was made far earlier than these, though: the French film Judex.
posted by Prospero at 7:37 PM on March 26, 2008

cog_nate -- Wow! I remember seeing the Flash Gordon series in avant-garde midnight showings back in the 80's, usually preceding films such as Zardoz or Zappa's 200 Motels .

Hey Images' Western coverage rocks - thanks for helping me deal with my secret shame ... you see, as a country boy I have not only seen every Western listed much to chagrin of Mrs Mutant, I own many of them ... and a hell of a lot more!! I love Westerns! love 'em!!

Great post - thanks!
posted by Mutant at 12:40 PM on March 27, 2008

They showed loads of these on the television in UK during the 70s and 80s... Loved Flash Gordon.

I think it was King of the Rocket Men where one episode finished with King falling down this lift-shaft thing... I mean totally plunging to his doom! How was he going to get out of that? The next day had him rescuing himself at the last minute and not falling at all... Talk about dissolution, I can't remember them cheating to that extent with Flash Gordon.
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 2:13 PM on March 27, 2008

Always fun remembering that bits of King of The Rocket Men (which was my favourite Saturday morning TV show as a kid) were used in a whole bunch of other Republic serials including Commando Cody and Radar Men from the Moon.

And if you, like me, grew up watching King of the Rocket Men and you had access to a computer in the heady days of the late 1980s you may have played Cinemaware's "Rocket Ranger" complete with combination Fuel Calculation/Anti-Pirating Wheel.

God I loved that game...
posted by longbaugh at 3:04 AM on April 7, 2008