Phantom Empire
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Movie Reviews of Phantom Empire
Movie Review: The Best Singing Cowboy-Sci Fi-Slapstick-Thriller Ever!
Summary: 5 Stars
Singing cowboy Gene Autry (in his first starring film role) plays -- singing cowboy Gene Autry, star of a daily radio broadcast which is performed live from "Radio Ranch." Autry's contract, very strangely, requires that he perform in every show without fail or he will immediately and on-the-spot lose control of the program and the ranch. Yes, it's silly, but you'll soon learn to leave most of your sense of reality behind if you want to enjoy this early genre mash-up involving Autry, his two young sidekicks (Frankie Darro and Betsy King Ross, who was advertised as "America's champion trick rider" but gets precious little trick riding to do, alas) and their team of "Junior Thunder Riders" as they try to thwart both a team of evil and greedy scientists from gaining control of the ranch so that they can exploit its radium deposits, and the underground denizens of the lost city of Murania, an advanced civilization of super-science which will stop at nothing - even mass destruction - to keep the outside world from intruding.
Also making appearances are comic duo Smiley Burnett and Peter Potter, who typically have a slapstick gag or two that frequently hinders the heroes in just about every episode; most of the chapters follow a basic pattern of Gene and company getting out of trouble with either the scientists or the Muranians at the beginning of the episode, rushing back to the ranch so that Gene can make his broadcast, a song from Gene or occasionally a western combo, and after the 2nd episode, Gene trying to make sure he doesn't get caught for the murder of his sidekicks' father, his partner (he's not guilty, of course)! This one has it all folks - Laurel & Hardy-type slapstick routines, lots of great singing cowboy music, mad scientists and fantastic inventions, gunfights - one of many ways in which the whole serial seems to exist in a parallel universe can be shown by the fact that they actually stage gunfights, bank robberies etc for the radio show, despite the lack of a live audience! There's little in the way of sex in this one - this seems to be aimed at a slightly younger crowd than Flash Gordon , the next major science-fiction serial to come along a year later. The queen of Murania (Dorothy Christy) is attractive enough but quite severe and wooden; no romance between her and the 28-year-old (but rather older looking) Autry is ever on the horizon. The scenes in the Muranian city are probably the highlights overall, with some surprisingly good sets and solid painting/matte work (keep in mind this was a very low budget affair) and some pretty advanced science fiction hardware for the day - a disintegrating ray, televisors that can show events anywhere, an aerial torpedo that can be controlled in mid-flight, a super-fast elevator, etc.
The acting is almost uniformly mediocre to poor, with Wheeler Oakton as the Muranian queen's Chancellor (and ultimately traitor) probably the most memorable, though in basically a typical 30s stock-villain way; and of course it can be fairly repetitive like a lot of serials - but overall the weirdness of the thing and the willingness to just mash up all kinds of disparate elements together and hope they stick worked for me, and I'd have to say I liked this just as much, maybe a little more even, than the Flash Gordon serials of the next few years. The copy I watched is the recent VCI edition, which is not tinted unlike the alternative edition available from The Serial Squadron, but is pretty high quality in most respects, and loaded with extras. I can't recommend this too highly to those few interested in the genre.
Included as an extra on the 2nd disc of this 2-disc set, "Boots and Saddles" is a 53-minute B-western that is apparently typical of Autry's work after the serial for the 18 years (1935-1953) that he was a regular film actor. Autry made dozens and dozens of these short features, playing himself typically and working through plots that were probably hackneyed even then.
Gene's the foreman of a ranch named - you guessed it - Gene Autry, who happens to be - are you shocked? - just as good with a guitar and yodel as with a horse and sixgun. The ranch's owner has died and his spoiled English-raised bratty adolescent kid has come to take over, and plans to sell it. After a ride on the range with Gene though the boy changes his mind, thus putting a snag in the plans of the villain of the piece, Jim Neill (Bill Elliott) who wanted to raise horses to sell to the army. Gene decides to do the same thing himself and also runs afoul of the army colonel (Guy Usher) in charge of buying horses, and his lovely daughter (Judith Allen) who of course gets some romancin'. Some decent riding sequences, a couple of very brief and bloodless gunfights, Smiley Burnett on hand for some slapstick, and lots of songs. It moves along nicely and is competently put together, but if this in fact is one of the better Autry westerns, I probably won't be seeking out a lot of the other 90 or so out there....
All in all, though, this VCI set is remarkably fun and the genre mash-up of "The Phantom Empire" in some ways seems strikingly modern, almost 75 years later. At this point, probably my favorite American serial from the classic era.
Movie Review: The NEW transfer of The Phantom Empire
Summary: 5 Stars
I have just received VCI's new digital tansfer of the wonderful 1930,s serial. It is almost as I remembered seeing the original 12 chapters in my hometown movie theater. The video quality and sound is so much better than the earlier VHS issue.
It was so much fun to relive those Saturdays of wonder and adventure. For those who never went to a Saturday matinee, this isan eye opener. The adventure was so far ahesd of it's time. It is truly amazing!!
Movie Review: Gene Autry's The Phantom Empire
Summary: 5 Stars
This is the best print of my favorite serial This is the second of the only two serials he appeared in. hanks for the speedy delivery.Movie Review: Seminal Phantasmagoria
Summary: 4 Stars
Produced at ultra low budget and breakneck pace, Phantom Empire is a fascinating hodge-podge of 1930's cross-cultural currents, and is a milestone not only for serial films, but for cinema in general. Indeed, it is so rich in ideas and Americana that this serial is virtually a celluloid time capsule.
Much invention is evident by the way Gene Autry's radio show was so prominently woven into the plot, no doubt a shrewd business move on the cowboy's part to increase his radio audience while simultaneously breaking into cinema. In particular, there is a very clever moment when Frankie Darrow, while acting in a flash-back sequence, breaks the 4th wall to speak a couple lines directly to the audience, yet stays contained within the radio drama within the serial.
Speaking of young Darrow, as well as the young actress playing his sister, Betsy King Ross: kid and adolescent characters in these kinds of things are very often cloying, annoying and corny. Yet Miss Ross and Frankie are both likable characters, and my research indicates that Miss Ross was actually a performing trick rider in her youth. Sadly, she only does one riding trick in the whole serial.
One of the most interesting aspects to this serial is the chilling resemblance of the Thunder Riders to a KKK contingent. The riders wear flowing robes, high domed headgear, and bizarre breathing masks which strangely resemble the masks worn by the earliest 19th century versions of the Klan. The Klan, which is often called 'The Invisible Empire,' purports that its duties include the protection of white females, and in this serial the riders protect the blond, Aryan-featured Queen Tika. Note that the title sequence to each chapter is overlaid with images of smoke and flame, suggestive of the burning cross. The Klan, although less popular in 1935 than at its peak in the 1920's, was still a powerful force.(Note: In case there is doubt, I am anti-KKK.)
The similarities are too many and too great to be purely coincidental, but whether the imitation was purposeful or unconscious is unknown. Likewise, it cannot be determined from this serial whether the creators admired the Klan or not.
The theme of a rural person being transported to fantastical land was revisited in 1938, in The Wizard of Oz.
The idea of blending science fiction/fantasy elements with western movie conventions, while seemingly odd, was repeated many times after this. 1949's Captain Video, for instance, contained a futuristic hero who nonetheless supervised a large number of remote 'agents,' all of whom were western heroes. And in the 1960's, the hit show 'The Wild, Wild, West' perhaps most successfully combined these elements. But again, in the early 1970's, the hit film 'West World' did this also.
In 1993, the Fox network premiered the clever but commercially unsuccessful 'Adventures of Brisco County Jr.', combining the old west with scifi. And in 1999, Will Smith attempted a remake of Wild, Wild West, which was a spectacular commercial and artistic failure.
As far as entertainment goes, this serial is worthwhile to fans of the genre and to others seeking the unusual, but the fight scenes are quite primitive, even when compared with Flash Gordon, which appeared only 1 year later.
Things move quickly, and there are unusual situations, scenes and happenings so as to keep one interested. There is an interesting bit of stage business when a character is electronically revived from the dead, and for the 1st few minutes is unable to speak his native tongue, but instead speaks in 'the Language of the Dead,' which resembles gibberish.
The special effects are better than average for 1935, particularly the miniature work, and are most likely the work of the Lydecker Bros., who went on to do legendary work for Republic Studios after this production.
Gene Autry is not muscular, nor does he project a lot of overt courage, but he is likable and within this serial he makes a decent hero. This was his 1st starring role, and after this, of course, he went on to a prosperous movie and TV career. Because he invested and ran his businesses wisely, he died one of the richest men in Hollywood in 1998, at age 91. Autry began it all by fighting a Phantom Empire, but would up with a business empire.
Movie Review: So bad, it's good.
Summary: 4 Stars
This seriel was first produced in 1935. The "special" effects are just terrible but wonderful. I'm amazed at how we accepted such simple story lines. There really was a "suspension" of belief required in those days.
The story is about a civilization that is 20,000 feet underground, has lots of superior technology, but still rides horses. Just great. Gene gets in and out of trouble each week, with a bunch of kids helping to save the day. It a fun thing to watch, you can do it over several days or weeks, and I recommend it.... especially if your over 50 years of age or have never seen Star Wars. ;-)
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