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Post by Xenorama ™ on Jul 31, 2005 22:33:46 GMT -8
i've got the first volume of Alpha's version, but it's not very good, even for Alpha. i'll try to pick up vol. 2, but i may put this off until i find a better copy.
#1 The Singing Cowboy
Gene Autry has a show at Radio Ranch. his pals Betsy and Franky, teenage presidents of the Thunder Riders club are there to help him.
some strangers show up looking for uranium and the lost city of Murania. Queen Tika of Murania is upset about the surface people invading the Garden of Life, and thinks that her realm is in danger of being discovered by inquisitive surface dwellers.
"to the rescue!" is the Tunder Riders motto as they go to help a lost Gene. Betsy and Frankie find Gene, and they need to get back to the Ranch before 2 PM to do the show, or they will lose their contract AND the Ranch!
Queen Tika plans to capture Gene so they will be left unmolested by surface people. she sends the Thunde Guard to capture our heroes. the chase is on! Gene and pals lower themselves down but the Thunder Guard breaks the rope and down they go!
next- #2 The Thunder Riders
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Post by Shonokin on Aug 1, 2005 13:29:21 GMT -8
When I'd go home to see my family, my parents were always watching any number of western channels. I somehow missed out on catching any Gene Autry shows my whole life up until this year.
There's something about that guy that's really, really creepy. Can't say I liked his westerns much, so I'm interested to see what your impressions on this very famous serial is.
I have it but haven't gotten up the courage to watch it. The cowboy-hatted robots are just too much! lol
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Post by Xenorama ™ on Aug 2, 2005 23:08:40 GMT -8
the miniatures are just phenominal in this serial, that's for sure.
the rope breaks, they fall down and catch themselves on a small tree. the Junior Thunder Riders show up to save our heroes. they just have time to get back for the broadcast. Gene then sings a song introducing Oscar and Pete. that is weird, especially the end of the song...
the strangers plan on stopping Autry from broadcasting again. ostensibly for the uranium, but possibly to stop the weird songs about Oscar and Pete. back in Murania Queen Tika punishes her captain for failing to capture Gene. she then watches some tv about the man's world, and complains about it and gloats about their superior science. she also gets to listen to Gene's show, and quite possibly see it as well.
during the show someone shoots Betsy and Frankie's pa. Gene checks the guns for real bullets, but all they have are blanks. the strangers say Gene's rifle was loaded and it's a case for the sheriff. BEtsy and Gene don't believe Gene killed their father, and they help Gene escape to find the real killer. Oscar and Pete get sworn in as special deputies.
Betsy and Frankie (henceforth known as B & F when together) try to sabotage the plane, but end up being taken with the strangers. Queen Tika sees Gene racing away, and plans on catching him. the Thunder Guard goes out after him!
the plane bombs the Thunder Guard with tear gas, but since they wear masks, it doesn't bother them. Tika has her man shoot a missile at the plane! kaboom!
next- #3 the Lightning Chamber
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Post by Torgaman on Aug 3, 2005 9:06:24 GMT -8
Didn't every episode have him running back topside in a matter of seconds and miraculously be back in his cowboy outfit ready to croon another country song for the radio?
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Post by Xenorama ™ on Aug 6, 2005 22:27:58 GMT -8
yep, he seems really concerned about that show.
Gene jumps ff the horse, and Betsy and Frankie jump out of the plane in time. Gene and the kids help the plane survivors. the posse shows up to get them.
Tika wants results! here come the robots! they head toward the surface to arrest the Captain. we get some history of Murania. she condemns him to death in the lightning chamber.
the high chamberlain makes the Captain an offer he can't refuse- join him in his secret society.
Gene is still under cover, trying to prove his innocence- they hear Beetson has the gun. they get the gun, but the car Gene drives off in has no breaks! off the road he goes!
next- #4 Phantom Broadcast
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Post by Xenorama ™ on Aug 7, 2005 23:06:19 GMT -8
the junior Thunder Riders head off to help Gene. he is able to leap on a horse and escape the fall. the posse thinks he's dead.
Gene is worried about the next broadcast, even though he is wanted. F and B are preparing for the broadcast in F's lab. it's soundproof, ya know. Beetson is sure Autry won't arrive in time. but he does.
Tika is looking for Argo to explain his actions.
Gene is about to be off the air, when miraculously his voice appears on the air. B sees the villains find the wire and head toward the barn. they try to set fire to the barn!
#5- Beneath the Earth
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Post by Shonokin on Aug 8, 2005 7:51:01 GMT -8
So what do you think of the series so far?
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Post by Torgaman on Aug 8, 2005 8:21:24 GMT -8
The Phantom Empire?Yeah I know it,it's those guys Darth Sidious and Darth Vader and they got all these guys around them called Stormtroopers that couldn't hit the broad side of a barn and they live in this big metalic ball called the Death Star.
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Post by Xenorama ™ on Aug 8, 2005 23:02:48 GMT -8
i like it just fine, only wish it was a better DVD. the trick riding is fun to watch.
the Junior Riders save our heroes by opening the back door. they plan on how to get the broadcast done tomorrow. Oscar and Pete are sworn in as Junior Riders to help out.
Tika wants to get rid of Gene, still. she sends her riders to Thunder Canyon, where Gene is hiding out in a shack. Thunder Canyon looks a lot like Bronson Canyon! Betsy and F show up and warn Gene of the Thunder Squad. one of them is trying to get into Gene's shack, the rest startle Beetson and his men.
Gene battles the Rider who broke in. he knocks his mask off and takes his place. he gets captured and taken to Murania. B and F find out their prisoner has escaped.
Queen Tika meets Gene and welcomes him. instead of killing him immediately, she shows him all over Murania. then she shows him the Death Chamber and puts him in!
#6 Disaster from the Skies
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Post by Xenorama ™ on Aug 9, 2005 16:17:46 GMT -8
Tika is happy Argo has killed Gene. but he really hasn't. Argo and his minions discuss the coming revolution. they plan to vivisect Gene! Gene breaks free and grabs the new heat ray and takes off.
in the course of his wanderings he overhears the rebels plans. he also gets to eavesdrop on the Thunder Riders. Gene unscrambles the decoder so F and B can understand him. they take off to rescue Gene.
the robots are set on "kill"- using infrared technology.they ARE advanced, aren't they? Gene battles a guard to stop the launch of a torpedo but fails, so tries to change it's course. he does, but it heads right back toward him!
#7- From Death to Life
this is all i have for now. when i get vol. 2 i'll finish the serial.
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Post by celamowari on Jan 5, 2006 19:47:28 GMT -8
Not the full serial, but I'm going to be picking up a $1 DVD of THE PHANTOM EMPIRE tomorrow. The package says it's 126 minutes, which is a lot for a condensed version.
I dunno when I'll get to watch it, but I'll keep you posted.
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Post by Xenorama ™ on Jan 6, 2006 20:18:38 GMT -8
as soon as i finish Cap, i'll go back to this one. then, i picked up a 12 pack of serials, that should keep me busy for quite a while! i'll do another poll, just in case.
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Post by Shonokin on Jan 6, 2006 21:12:17 GMT -8
That's funny, I just started watching some serials again today. I'm working on Haunted Harbor.
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Post by celamowari on Jan 15, 2006 16:17:04 GMT -8
This DVD seems to actually be for RADIO RANCH, and is nowhere nearly as long as the package says.
More later.
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Post by Xenorama ™ on Mar 21, 2006 0:12:54 GMT -8
at least it was easy to remember where i left off with this one.
Gene gets killed by the bomb. Tika can't believe that there is a traitor, and revives Gene to find out who it is. Argo plans on having his man, the head surgeon not revive Gene, and they will cut the power in Murania to do so.
during the black out Gene is taken to the revolutionaries hideout. Tika makes recapturing Gene a priority. Gene escapes both parties. Betsy and Frankie find out what the scientists are doing.
Gene battles his way to the top of the tower, but gets stabbed!
chapter 8 Jaws of Jeopardy
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Post by Xenorama ™ on Mar 24, 2006 23:13:22 GMT -8
Gene does the old drop down over the side to avoid the sword stroke.
he escapes, finds his horse. Tika sends the Thunder Guard after him. Betsy and Frankie send smoke signals which helps Gene find them. the profs see the smoke as well, and plan to bomb our heroes. and they will never make it back to the ranch by two o'clock for the broadcast, either!
they just steal the plane and head to Radio Ranch. Frankie calls the Ranch and has Gene sing from the plane. suddenly the motor jams and the pilot jumps out! the plane crashes!
next- Prisoners of the Ray
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Post by Xenorama ™ on Mar 29, 2006 0:35:44 GMT -8
Frankie throws the TNT out of the plane, and it scares off the Thunder Riders. the kids jump out before the plane heads off the cliff.
the eville profs find the unconscious Gene and plan to have him tell them how to get to Murania.
the Thunder Riders capture Betsy and Frankie, and they meet Tika, which doesn't go very well. the kids escape and lead the guards on a merry chase.
Gene feigns unconsciousness while the profs blab their plans. Gene's pals find the profs and think they have Frankie and Betsy, but accidently rescue Gene instead. they plan to go rescue the kids!
Tika gets some conflicting advice from Argo and the other generals, but takes his. they arm the control for the electric eye with radium beams but the kids plan on operating it- they get stuck in the beams!
next- the Rebellion
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Post by Xenorama ™ on Mar 30, 2006 0:06:56 GMT -8
amidst the radium field, Frankie gets the door open for Gene and his pals. then much comic relief ensues, none very funny. it involves the pals dressing up as robots and having to rescue Gene and the kids.
after much "jocularity" Tika interviews Gene to get the traitor's name. Argo is worried, and the revolution may start sooner than he expects. Gene tells Tika it was Argo after Argo takes the kids away.
Gene and Tika for an alliance, and the revolution starts! Argo traps Tika in the moniter room, and battles Argos' men in the armory- but he's about to get burnt to a crisp!
next- a Queen in Chains
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Post by Xenorama ™ on Apr 20, 2006 22:24:54 GMT -8
looks like there were a few typos last time...
Betsy and Frankie arrive just in time to save Gene. they just want to leave, but apparently Tika won't let them. Argo has captured the queen, and wants our heroes destroyed.
Argo is enjoying his power, while Gene and the comic relief head toward the control room. before that, the comic relief gets zapped for reanimation! Argo lets Tika watch her followers in the lion pit. Tika is the most stioc woman!
Argo plans to use his "disintegrating, atom smashing ray" on Tika. more jocularity ensues with the comic relief trying to help Gene, but eventually they figure it out. Gene drops in on Argo just in time to rescue Tika and a fight breaks out! Gene gets knocked into the path of the ray!
final episode- the End of Murania
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Post by Xenorama ™ on Apr 21, 2006 21:35:27 GMT -8
the comedy relief saves Gene and the Queen- they head for the control room. Argo loses control of his machine, and Tika sends Gene back to the surface to save the kids. she prefers to die rather than live on the surface.
Gene has some business to attend to now with the professors, and the kids tell the sheriff Gene is dead to buy him some time.
the profs shoot their hired hands. Gene and Frankie plan their trap of the profs to get proof. it works perfectly! the Junior Thunder Riders capture the hench profs and Gene gets Beasom to confess on TV! the ranch is saved!
overall, an interesting if creaky serial. Gene is an unusual hero, and the kids are quite likable. the miniatures and effects are great, some rivalling today's effects (some not). the final ultimate weapon is similar to the one in Pal's ATLANTIS, THE LOST CONTINENT. it deserves to be cleaned up, instead of Alpha's print being the only one out there.
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Post by Shonokin on Mar 27, 2008 7:46:39 GMT -8
There's an interesting review of the new VCI DVD set here. |
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