Last week I highlighted my ten favorite Republic serials, so for this week, as promised, here is my list of favorite Universal serials:
Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (1940)
Riders of Death Valley (1941)
The Green Hornet (1939)
Buck Rogers (1939)
Gangbusters (1942)
Secret Agent X-9 (1945)
Raiders of Ghost City (1944)
The Phantom Creeps (1939)
Don Winslow of the Coastguard (1942)
Jungle Jim (1937)
Next week, Top Ten Columbia serials
Fans love to make lists of favorites and I thought I would make a list of my favorite serials but after a few days the list got ungainly, I think when I stopped I had about forty-seven and was still going. The list was also becoming extremely Republic top heavy. So instead I compiled four lists of top ten favorites per studio. This had different difficulties, paring down Republic to just ten titles, finding ten Columbia serials to put on the list. But I managed it and so for the next four weeks I will be highlighting my favorite Republic, Universal, Columbia and Mascot/ Independent serials. First up is Republic:
Spy Smasher (1942)
Adventures of Captain Marvel (1941)
Manhunt of Mystery Island (1945)
The Purple Monster Strikes (1945)
Perils of Nyoka (1942)
Zorro’s Fighting Legion (1939)
Mysterious Doctor Satan (1940)
Dick Tracy (1937)
Captain America (1944)
King of the Rocketmen (1949)
Next Week: Top Ten Univerals
I am always surprised and happy when someone comes out with a new book on serials, like classic horror or westerns, just when you think there is nothing new to be said someone proves you wrong. I honestly thought that Hank Davis’ two volume set Classic Cliffhangers would be the last book written on the subject for a long while, but Anthony Fletcher recently came out with a new book on our favorite film genre, Don’t Dare Miss the Next Thrilling Chapter. I discovered it like I do everything else, surfing around Amazon.com, and a brief look at it shows it to have an interesting take on serials. While he doesn’t examine every sound serial, he does offer some new categorization for serials. Most fans follow the designations that William Cline sited in his book In the Nick of Time; Western, Jungle, Mystery, Science Fiction, Aviation and Costume Adventure (this last one is for serials like Son of the Guardsman and Adventures of Sir Galahad). Fletcher offers these alternate designations; Jungle, Armed Forces, Science Fiction, Aviation, Masked Heroes and Costumed Heroes. While Westerns, the most prolific serial sub-genre are not given their own section they are somewhat represented in Masked Heroes, and of course Phantom Empire is in the Science Fiction section. Unfortunately such fan favorites like the Dick Tracy serials and Gangbusters are missing, maybe later on down the line Fletcher may make a seventh and eighth sections for Cops and Robbers and Cowboys. I kind of find it hard to believe that Dick Tracy vs Crime Inc. didn’t get into the Science Fiction section when The Crimson Ghost did. Then again The Secret Code and the Desert Hawk are in the Masked Hero section instead of Costumed Hero section. The one section I do find interesting is the Armed Forces, I don’t think anyone ever thought to put serials featuring soldiers and sailors into their own category, though I really think Captain Midnight should have gone in either Aviation or Masked Hero instead of Armed Forces. Oh well, what does such quibbling matter, especially when there is a new serial book out to help expand people’s interest in this still mostly overlooked classic film genre.
Copyright © 2007 Todd’s Serial Blog.
