Radar Men from the Moon [Serial]

Rating:
Summary: Appalling quality but fun
Review: This review refers to the Whirlwind Media DVD of Radar Men. I gather from other reviews that there was a Roan version which I'm sure was better. As for the serial itself, if you grew up watching Commando Cody and dreaming of flying with your own rocket suit, you'll enjoy this. Acting and dialong are, well, passible and there are some great Art Deco props left over from Flash Gordon & Buck Rogers. Alas, the video quality is wretched. Perhaps not as bad as a Madacy DVD but close. Still, the flying scenes are great--Commando Cody is surprisingly graceful.

Rating:
Summary: Beginning of the end...
Review: This was a reasonable attempt to keep the serial genre going, but this was when such science fiction movies as DESTINATION MOON, THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD, and even ROCKETSHIP XM and THE MAN FROM PLANET X were starting an era of science-fiction movies of variable quality. Also, TV was encroaching on the territory... And so Republic tried to get on the s-f bandwagon. But this serial hardly had the sense of wonder of FLASH GORDON: THE SPACE SOLDIERS, THE UNDERSEA KINGDOM, BUCK ROGERS, etc. Much of it is earthbound, and mired down in typical failed attempts of the bad guys to get the needed materials with which to conquer the world. This does belong in any serial lover's library, but there are classics that I would recommend buying first, and then include this one after you have several of the unquestionable greats.

Rating:
Summary: great fun
Review: Well, you know, a good old-time serial needs either a wonderful hero or a wonderful villain, or preferably both. The Flash Gordon series has both in the persons of Buster Crabbe and Charles Middleton. The Dick Tracy series has Ralph Byrd as the detective. The Phantom Creeps and the Return of Chandu have Bela Lugosi as a superb villain and surprisingly good good guy, respectively. I could go on. Unfortunately, Radar Men from the Moon has neither. The acting is stilted and stiff and one can hardly imagine why anyone would be afraid of the villain, the leader of the Moon who plans to invade the Earth. It has its campy moments and an occasional good special effect, like Commando Cody's frequent flying and a melting mountain, but these only make the film OK, not good. The list of better serials is long, but if you already have them, this is tolerable as background while you are answering email.

Rating:
Summary: There are much better serials
Review: Well, you know, a good old-time serial needs either a wonderful hero or a wonderful villain, or preferably both. The Flash Gordon series has both in the persons of Buster Crabbe and Charles Middleton. The Dick Tracy series has Ralph Byrd as the detective. The Phantom Creeps and the Return of Chandu have Bela Lugosi as a superb villain and surprisingly good good guy, respectively. I could go on. Unfortunately, Radar Men from the Moon has neither. The acting is stilted and stiff and one can hardly imagine why anyone would be afraid of the villain, the leader of the Moon who plans to invade the Earth. It has its campy moments and an occasional good special effect, like Commando Cody's frequent flying and a melting mountain, but these only make the film OK, not good. The list of better serials is long, but if you already have them, this is tolerable as background while you are answering email.