The Adventures of Captain Marvel [Serial]

Rating:
Summary: "SHAZAM" the 1st Serial Hero, 12 Chapters now on DVD!
Review: 1942 and Republic Pictures releases the first action hero on the Silver Screen in 12 exciting chapters. Now for the first time this original serial program has been digitally restored both picture & sound to provide us with an OUTSTANDING feature experience. This Standard Format, Black/White serial has a 216 minute run time. 12 cliff hanging Chapters to enjoy!!

"The Adventures of Captain Marvel" is considered by many to be the finest serial ever made! This adventure exploits "The World's Mightiest Mortal" against "The Scorpion", a hooded villian intent on obtaining 6 optical lenses that when aligned properly, turn ordinary stones to gold or provide the user ultimate destructive capability! Also, we learn of the origin of Captain Marvel, his superpowers and his assigned duties.

Republic Pictures has ace special effects in Marvels flying sequences. This serial was the first serial to introduce comic book super hereos to the silver screen. These 12 chapters have yet to be equalled for excitement and entertainment. Thank you Artisan Entertainment for distributing a valuable 1940's cinema matinee experience. A must for your DVD library. Enjoy.

Rating:
Summary: "SHAZAM" the 1st Serial Hero, 12 Chapters now on DVD!
Review: 1942 and Republic Pictures releases the first action hero on the Silver Screen in 12 exciting chapters. Now for the first time this original serial program has been digitally restored both picture & sound to provide us with an OUTSTANDING feature experience. This Standard Format, Black/White serial has a 216 minute run time. 12 cliff hanging Chapters to enjoy!!

"The Adventures of Captain Marvel" is considered by many to be the finest serial ever made! This adventure exploits "The World's Mightiest Mortal" against "The Scorpion", a hooded villian intent on obtaining 6 optical lenses that when aligned properly, turn ordinary stones to gold or provide the user ultimate destructive capability! Also, we learn of the origin of Captain Marvel, his superpowers and his assigned duties.

Republic Pictures has ace special effects in Marvels flying sequences. This serial was the first serial to introduce comic book super hereos to the silver screen. These 12 chapters have yet to be equalled for excitement and entertainment. Thank you Artisan Entertainment for distributing a valuable 1940's cinema matinee experience. A must for your DVD library. Enjoy.

Rating:
Summary: This is not the Saturday morning "Shazam!"....
Review: As a fan of the old Saturday morning show "Shazam!", but not familiar with the comic book Captain Marvel, I was eagerly looking forward to this serial. Many sources say this is the best serial ever made. I think "best" is a bit strong, but it is definitely one of the better ones I've seen. Lots of action and good cliffhangers. A warning, though. If you're expecting the same All-American goody-two-shoes hero as was on "Shazam!", you'll be disappointed. The Captain Marvel in this serial is quite stoic, and, dare I say, a bit mean. In various scenes, he does the following: uses a machine gun to mow down a bunch of Arabs; throws a bad guy off a bridge; throws another bad guy off a tall building; and threatens to throw a third criminal onto a bed of nails while trying to get some information out of him. I liked the flying effects, especially when compared to that used in the later "Superman" serials (1948 and 1950). In those, cartoon animation was used to depict the Man of Steel flying. Not so for Captain Marvel. Two devices are used. First is the standard of filming the actor against a background screen (think the 1950s "Superman" TV show). The second technique involves what looks like a full-sized dummy flying along on a guide wire. But it's quite difficult to see the wire. I thought this was an excellent technique to simulate flight. Overall, I highly recommend this serial. You won't be disappointed.

Rating:
Summary: This is not the Saturday morning "Shazam!"....
Review: As a fan of the old Saturday morning show "Shazam!", but not familiar with the comic book Captain Marvel, I was eagerly looking forward to this serial. Many sources say this is the best serial ever made. I think "best" is a bit strong, but it is definitely one of the better ones I've seen. Lots of action and good cliffhangers. A warning, though. If you're expecting the same All-American goody-two-shoes hero as was on "Shazam!", you'll be disappointed. The Captain Marvel in this serial is quite stoic, and, dare I say, a bit mean. In various scenes, he does the following: uses a machine gun to mow down a bunch of Arabs; throws a bad guy off a bridge; throws another bad guy off a tall building; and threatens to throw a third criminal onto a bed of nails while trying to get some information out of him. I liked the flying effects, especially when compared to that used in the later "Superman" serials (1948 and 1950). In those, cartoon animation was used to depict the Man of Steel flying. Not so for Captain Marvel. Two devices are used. First is the standard of filming the actor against a background screen (think the 1950s "Superman" TV show). The second technique involves what looks like a full-sized dummy flying along on a guide wire. But it's quite difficult to see the wire. I thought this was an excellent technique to simulate flight. Overall, I highly recommend this serial. You won't be disappointed.

Rating:
Summary: Shazam! It's Captain Marvel vs. The Scorpion
Review: Definitely the finest of the old-time movie serials, and the finest live action version of Captain Marvel. This movie was voted by Wizard magazine as the best comics-to-movie adaptation ever.

It has decent special effects and a fine story. A classic desert adventure, including angry horde, offended god, and stalwart hero. The flying sequences are well done. The cliff hangers are appropriately dramatic. The Scorpion is a nice serial villain, complete with hooded face and ultimate weapon, and Captain Marvel remains my favorite hero.

If you like serials or Captain Marvel you really can't go wrong with this.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent serial
Review: I had heard that "The Adventures of Captain Marvel" was very good, and I wasn't disappointed. The basic story is cleverly tailored to provide situations for cliffhangers, some of which are a bit weak, but most are very good. But the most impressive are the production values and the special effects. As has already been noted, the flying effects were a match to anything before "Superman" in 1978, and infinitely superior to those of the "Superman" TV series with George Reeves. But that's not all: a sequence on a ship during a storm very cleverly combined rear-screen projection with live-action "waves". As Captain Marvel, Tom Tyler has a real presence and is one of the most convincing superhero incarnations. On the other hand, his acting wasn't that good. The other actors were ok.

Objectively speaking, the violence is nothing by today's standards, but I was shocked at some of Captain Marvel's actions, especially when he deliberately throws a baddie off the top of a tall building. This is somehow refreshing.

There are a few plot inconsistencies and continuity errors (at least once, Billy Batson is wearing one set of clothes when he changes into Captain Marvel, and a different one when he changes back). Moreover, the authors seemed to think that Siam - modern Thailand - was a British colony, which it wasn't.

But that is of little consequence. I can only recommend this serial.

Rating:
Summary: Better than the Superman serial!!!
Review: I have to admit I have seen quite of few of these old time movie serials when I first purchased my VCR back in 87'...Captain Marvel stands out ahead of the pack because the story stil holds up after all these years. It may be still about the traditional good vs. evil; however it's paced much better than any of the others...but it on DVD if you still can..you won't be sorry!

Rating:
Summary: Marvel is Marvelous!
Review: If you've never seen one of these old "chapter plays" or "movie serials" from the Golden Age of the 30s and 40s, then this is the one to start with. Great cast, wonderful special effects of Captain Marvel flying through the air, outstanding production values--something rare, and increasingly more rare as the 40s came to an end. Tom Tyler is perfect as the steely-eyed marvel of a hero, although David Sharpe stunted for him. The real tragedy in watching Tyler as Marvel is that within a few years, he was barely able to move or shuffle his feet because of acute rhumotoid arthritis. His portrayal of Kharis the Mummy is a horrifying harbinger of how he would actually become in real life. Louise Currie is the feisty heroine and Douglas Coughlin is perfect as the wide-eyed, earnest Billy Batson, who becomes Captain Marvel by simply uttering "Shazam!" After you've watched this serial classic, you'll have to check out "Spy Smasher," "G-Men Vs. the Black Dragon," "King of the Texas Rangers" and "Manhunt in the African Jungles." Oh, nearly forgot, another great goodie: Daredevils of the Red Circle. Watch and thrill to these marvels of yesteryear!

Rating:
Summary: whoever
Review: IN THIS 12 CHAPTER SERIAL, CAPTAIN MARVEL GOES UP AGAINST THE SCORPION. THIS HAS UNDOUBTEDLY GOT TO BE THE GREATEST SERIAL EVER MADE! FULL OF GOOD ACTION, THIS SERIAL IS A BEST BET FOR ANY FAN OF SERIALS. TRUST ME, IF YOU BUY THIS ONE, YOU'LL ENJOY IT FOR YEARS TO COME.

Rating:
Summary: Still gives me a thrill
Review: My father bought this serial for me on videotape many years ago. He knew I was a devoted fan of 'Shazam,' the now-laughable Saturday morning live-action program that aired on CBS for a few years.

The serial changed my appreciation for Captain Marvel and introduced me to the concept of the cliffhanger. It is, quite simply, the best of the old Matinee Serials. I was thrilled when I found a 'fresh' copy on tape through Amazon a few years ago.

The effects for the early 40s are quite good, even after watching them again in 2002, some 22 years after seeing it for the first time. A warning to parents, though: Violence is quite rampant; the Cap'n doesn't think twice about belting the bad guy or even picking up a machine gun to finish the job.

Highly recommended, though, for anyone who's a fan of Shazam, comic books or cinema from the period. Top notch.