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Post by Zone Fighter on May 30, 2006 15:19:53 GMT -8
Adventures of Captain Marvel (1941)
Tom Tyler - Captain Marvel Frank Coghlan, Jr. - Billy Batson William Benedict - Whitey Murphy Louise Currie - Betty Wallace The Scorpion - ? The Scorpion (voice of) - Gerald Mohr (uncredited) Robert Strange - John Malcolm Harry Worth - Professor Luther Bentley John Davidson - Tal Chotali
The true identity of the hooded villain known as the Scorpion is kept secret until the final episode. In order to keep that secret his voice is provided by Gerald Mohr, until the unmasking.
CHAPTER ONE: CURSE OF THE SCORPION
"In a remote section of Siam, near the Burmese border, lies a desolate, volcanic land which has for centuries been taboo to white men -- The Valley of Tombs! To this realm of mystery, jealously guarded by native tribes unconquered since the dawn of time, has come the Malcolm Archaeological Expedition to find the lost secret of the Scorpion Dynasty." - opening scroll
As the Malcolm Archaeological Expedition plans to enter a tomb, a native cymbal (gong) is heard. According to native translator Tal Chotali the cymbal is a call to drive the white men out of Valley of Tombs.
The natives attack, but after an exchange of gunfire between both groups, the expedition raises a white flag. Tal Chotali rides out to convince the native chief that since the volcano "Scorpio" has not erupted that the tomb has not been desecrated. The natives ride off, to wait.
The tomb is entered. Behind a stone an inscription says, according to Tal Chotali, that what's inside should not be revealed. Billy Batson wants nothing to do with revealing the secret of the dead. He will help prepare pottery to be removed but wont do anything else. He exits to another room in the tomb. Tal Chotali excuses himself as well and exists the tomb. The other men knock a hole in the wall and enter a hidden room. Inside is the Golden Scorpion. A statue with five movable arms, each holding a lens. When the arms are moved there is an explosion. The tomb is sealed.
In the other room a secret door opens. Billy Batson enters a new room. The door closes behind him. Another wall opens. An old man calling himself Shazam tells Billy Batson that as Captain Marvel it will be his duty to protect the innocent from the Curse of the Scorpion and keep the Golden Scorpion from falling in the hands of evil men. Repeating the man's name, "SHAZAM", billy becomes Captain Marvel. The door opens. Captain Marvel goes to the tomb entrance and unseals it. "SHAZAM". Billy Baton helps the men out of the tomb. They take the Golden Scorpion and a scroll with them. According to Tal Chotali the scroll says that the Golden Scorpion can turn base metals into gold. After testing the Golden Scorpion the men decide that its too powerful and to keep it from being misused divide the five lenses between five men. The scroll is given over to Billy Batson's care.
That night someone in the camp sends a signal to native men who use a small tree as a catapult to fling them over the wooden fence which surrounds the camp. Two men cut their way until Billy's tent. They knock him out and gag him. A guard is knifed. Mr. Howell finds men stealing the Golden Scorpion. He tries to stop them and is knifed by a man in dark robes, The Scorpion. "Scorpio" erupts.
Billy awakens and once ungaged reports the murder of Howell. The guard's body is also discovered. Billy radios for help. The natives attack with flaming arrows, rifles and a machine gun. Troops are on the way but the native chief sends men to ambush them. The troops retreat when fired upon.
Everyone but Billy evacuate the camp. The native chief (a blood thirsty man) sends men to destroy the bridge so the whitemen cannot escape.
"SHAZAM" - Captain Marvel takes the machine gun away from the three natives, and shoots them with it before tossing it. He beats up on other natives. When they try to shoot him he stands there, seemingly surprised at being unhurt. He snaps a rifle in two. He flies off. When he lands natives on horseback are riding towards him.
The first vehicle makes it across the bridge before the bomb goes off, but the car carrying Whitey Murphy and Betty Wallace reaches the bridge as the bomb goes off. The bridge collapses. The car falls.
Next CHAPTER TWO: THE GUILLOTINE
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Post by Xenorama ™ on May 30, 2006 15:40:52 GMT -8
i've got this in my queue, so you will save me the effort of review! yay! it's a great serial, too.
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Post by Zone Fighter on Jun 3, 2006 12:11:18 GMT -8
CHAPTER TWO: THE GUILLOTINE
Captain Marvel flies away from the horsemen and leaps into the water, to pull Betty and Whitey out of the sunken vehicle. They are unconcsious as he transforms ("SHAZAM") back into Billy Batson. Reunited with the other members of the expedition, Billy does not explain their survival.
Back in the US, Billy, who apparently has his own radio show, tells America about the expedition. The Scorpion and one of his men have been listening to the broadcast. The Scorpion explains that if they had the 5 lenses, the Golden Scorpion could use the sun's rays to transform inert matierals into powerful explosives and base metals into gold. The surviving members of the expedition are going to have a meeting. The Scorpion is one of them but we are not told which one. We only know its not Betty (wrong gender), Billy or Whitey. The Scorpion orders his man to get the first lense from Harry Carlyle.
On the way to the meeting, Carlyle is abducted. To make him tell where the lense is two hoods threaten to put him in an electric eye controled guillotine. They use a chair to demonstrate the machine. The threat works. He tells them that the lense is in his safe. He claims to have forgotten the combinaion but his secretary (Betty) know it. He offers to phone her but is told to write a note instead.
Carlyle's note is read at the meeting. Its agreed that Betty should get the lense and drop it off at the bridge as instructed in the note. After everyone else has left, Billy tells Betty that he has an idea.
Betty places a package on a bridge. One of the Scorpion's men watches from behind a bush as she drives off. Betty doesn't go far. Just out of sight of the bridge, she slows to let Billy and Whitey who were hidden in her back seat, get out of the car. They intend to follow the man who picks up the package. However, the Scorpions men expected this and are waiting for them. A fight breaks out. Billy and a thug wrestle, both rolling off the bridge. The hood lies still. Billy stands up, "SHAZAM". Captain Marvel tosses another thug off the bridge. Shots are fired at him. Releasing that this strange man in the cape is bullet proof, the thug trains his gun on Whitey. Note: this is the first time Whitey actually sees Captain Marvel. Captain Marvel lets the thug get into his car and drive off. Surprisingly the thug did not take Whitey hostage. Captain Marvel flies after the car. He lands on top of it and lets the Scorpion's man drive him to the hideout.
Discovering that the box is empty, four men threaten to put Carlyle in the gullotine machine. Captain Marvel comes through a window, kicking in the glass and bending the bars. More useless gunfire. Captain Marvel takes care of two of the thugs. Carlyle jumps a third. The fourth man throws a chair at Captain Marvel knocking the hero into the guillotine machine. Sparks fly and Captain Marvel falls into the machine, apparently unconcsious. The conveyor belt carries him towards the blade as Carlyle and the 4th hood exchange gunfire.
Next: CHAPTER THREE: TIME BOMB
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Post by Zone Fighter on Jun 3, 2006 13:17:02 GMT -8
CHAPTER THREE: TIME BOMB
The guillotine blade falls, but breaks when it hits Captain Marvel. The 4th hood shoots Carlyle. Captain Marvel recovers. The thugs recover and flee. Captain Marvel grabs one of the thugs and throws him, head first, through a door. Captain Marvel starts to go after the others but stops when he hears Carlyle moaning. "The Scorpion, I think I know who he is...." says Carlyle as he dies in Captain Marvel's arms.
Later elswhere: Betty tells Billy that she is going after Carlyle's lense because the other men believe the Scorpion is having them watched but don't think he'll suspect a woman (wannta bet?). Billy suggests that she take his car because it has a two-way radio which she can use to call him if she runs into trouble. They hear a sound from behind a door. Billy opens the door to find Tal Chotali. He''s looking for Mr. Malcolm. Malcolm is not there so he leaves. Betty leaves too. Billy phones Whitey to ask him to follow Betty. Someone is listening at the door, we only see his feet.
The Scorpion again assigns his man to get Carlyle's lense. He knows Betty is going after it.
Betty obeys a "contstuction detour" sign and makes a right turn. The way is blocked by a truck. Another truck pulls up behind her. A man with a gun orders her to drive into the open truck. She obeys. Whitey catches up, but too late. All he sees are two trucks. He actually follows the right one for a while, but pulls ahead of it to look for Billy's car.
Betty switches on the two-way radio so Billy over hears the Scorpion's man demand the combination to the safe. Betty pretends ingorance, but the man takes her purse and finds the combination on a piece of paper. Betty says they won't get away with this, that the police will soon know what the Acme Storage Company is using their trucks for.
"SHAZAM"
The hood ties Betty's hands to the steering wheel. He joins the driver. A small door opens in the top of the truck and smoke pours in. Betty passes out. The drive ties off the stearing wheel of the truck and the two hoods abandon the truck. A car picks them up.
Captain Marvel finds the truck and entering it stops it. He frees Betty. "SHAZAM". Betty awakes to see Billy Batson, she did not see Captain Marvel. "Billy, how did you get here?" "Well, nevermind that. We have more important things to worry about". Billy plans to beat the Scorpion's men to the lodge where the lens is by using his plane to fly there.
Billy drops Betty off at Malcolm's. Betty tells Malcolm and and the other expedition members what Billy is doing, and thus informs the Scorpion in the process.
After the others have left, Betty overhears a telephone exchange between the Scorpion and one of his men. A bomb is to be placed in Billy's plane. Betty looks around but can't find anyone. She tries to phone Whitey but he's napping and does not answer.
A man exits Billy's plane and runs away when he sees Billy's car coming. Billy's plane takes off.
Betty tries again and this time Whitey answers the phone. Whitey attempts to reach Billy by radio, but Billy does not respond. KABOOM! Billy's plane is vaporized.
Next CHAPTER FOUR: DEATH TAKES THE WHEEL
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Post by Zone Fighter on Jun 13, 2006 13:49:32 GMT -8
Sorry for the delay. I had guests last week.
CHAPTER FOUR: DEATH TAKES THE WHEEL
Billy notices two loose wires. He twists them together. Now the radio works and he hears Whitey's frantic warnning. "SHAZAM". Captain Marvel leaves the plane seconds before the bomb explodes.
Carlyle's lens is delivered to the Scorpion who places it on the Gold Scorpion. He knows the Billy has survived, having overheard Billy tell Betsy that Captain Marvel had saved him. The Scorpion plots again to have Billy killed.
At another meeting, Tal Chotali shows a scorpion figure he found at Carlyle's. Billy is assigned to check out an oriental antique dealer who is known to have a collection of scorpions. Betty has the truck license number and plans to check it out. A flower box falls from a window, just missing Billy and Betty.
Chang Lo claims his collection is intact and offers to take Billy to the vault to prove it. As Billy heads down the stairs Chang Lo pushes a button which causes the steps to flatten out sending Billy falling. At the bottom of the stairs one of the Scorpion's men hits Billy over the head with a gun. Billy is locked in the vault.
Betty asks a Mr. Carter about the truck he rented. He claims the truck has not been returned and the renter used a false name. Betty sees Carter get in a car driven by one of the Scorpions men. At the top of a parking garage Betty watches the car drive through a hidden door. Listening at the door she overhears that Billy is locked in a vault. Betty attempts to make a phone call but its on the same line one of the thugs tried to use. Betty is caught.
In the vault, Billy is gaged and his hands tied. He still manages to get the gag off. "SHAZAM". Captain Marvel offerhears a phone call about Betty. Another usuless attempt is made to shoot Captain Marvel. The antique dealer makes good his escape. Captain Marvel takes care of two hoods. To make a third talk, he hold him over a bed of nails. He gets the address where Miss Wallace is being held.
Betty manages get away from her guard to drive off in the gang's car, but crashing throw the hidden garrage door she's knocked unconcious. As Captain Marvel flies through the sky, the car carrying Betty streaks through out of the parking garage heading towards another building. A crashing sound is heard as the next week title screen appears.
Next CHAPTER FIVE: The SCORPION STRIKES
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Post by Zone Fighter on Jun 13, 2006 14:48:16 GMT -8
CHAPTER FIVE: THE SCORPION STRIKES
Captain Marvel flies down, grabs hold of the steering wheel and turns the car so it just hits a curb. He then flies to the roof where the Scorpion's men try to drop an engine on him. He tosses it back. He then throws one of the meen off the roof (to his death no doubt). When a hood named Owen tries to escape in the elevator, Captain Marvel crabs the cables and pulls the elevator back up. Captain Marvel tries to make Owen tell him who the Scorpion is but Owen claims never to have seen his face because the Scorpion was always masked. He would recognise his voice however.
Billy shows up at another of these meetings, with Owen in tow. How Billy got ahold of him without revealing that's he is Captain Marvel is not explained, but maybe he didn't given what happens to Owen. Billy announces that the Scorpion is one of the men in this room and that Owen can identify him by his voice. Owen hears all the men speak but claims not to be able to recognise the Socrpion's voice. [Actually the masked man's voice is NOT heared since Gerald Mohr does not play the Scorpion's true identity.] The men are insulted by Billy's "false" accusation and all leave. One of them drops a piece of papper in Owen's hat on the way out.
When Billy and Betty are not looking, Billy having picked up the phone to call the police, Owen reads the Scorpion's message. It instructs him to lure Baton to the old Harrison mine. Which he does. When Owne says he knows where the Scorpion can be found, Billy puts down the phone.
At the mine, the Scorpion plans to drop Billy in a pit. If Captain Marvel attempts to rescue Billy again, the Scorpion will use the Gold Scorpion to melt the cave walls into lava.
Billy and Owen arrive at the mine (Billy holding a gun on the thug). They make their way through the cave to a room in which the Scorpion appears to be sitting at a table. As they approach the table the floor gives way. Owen can be heard screaming as he falls (to his death apparently). Billy manages to crab hold of the sides of the holes, stopping his fall. "SHAZAM". As Captain Marvel threatens to unmask the Scorpion, the Scorpion threatens to bury him in molten lava. Captain Marvel removes the hood, to find a dummy, with a two way transmitter. Outside the mine, the real Scorpion orders the lense to be focused on the cave enterance. As the mine entrance begins to melt, Captain Marvel attempts to follow the wires connected to the dummy but is driven back by the lava. Captain Marvel appears to be overwhelmed by molten rock.
Next CHAPTER SIX: LENS OF DEATH
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Post by Zone Fighter on Jun 13, 2006 15:45:31 GMT -8
CHAPTER SIX: LENS OF DEATH
At the last moment, Captain Marvel spots a hole in the ceiling and jumps through it, into a higher level of the mine. The Scorpion and his men pack up and drive away, believing they have killed Captain Marvel. Captain Marvel finds his way out of the mine. "SHAZAM" Billy finds his car and drives off too.
At yet another meeting, Betty answers a phone call from one of the Scorpion's men. She's instructed to tune in the short wave radio. The voice of the Scorpion (from a vinyl record) is heard announcing that he has found all but one of the lenses and warning that he should not be interfered with in retrieving the last one. Fisher and Bentley head off to their hiding places to search for clues. Which is just what the Scorpion wanted. Billy arrives to learn what happened. Realizing that the Scorpion's message was a trick to get the men to reveal their hiding places Billy heads off to warn Bentley, sending Whitey to warn Fisher.
Bentley arrives home. He waits for his butler to leave the room then checks over some books on the shelves. Two of the Scorpion's men enter through a window. Bentley starts to say something, "wait, I am...." when he's hit over the head. We're probably supposed to think he was going to say "wait I am the Scorpion" as this serial attempts to make the audience suspect each of the members of the Malcolm expedition at one time or another. Anyway, one of the thugs finds the lens hidden inside a false book. The thieves are caught by the butler. A find breaks out. The room is trashed. The butler manages to knock out one of the thugs but has so much trouble with the second that the first has time to recover and the butler gets knocked out. Billy arrives at this point. Hearing him at the door, the thugs escape out the window. "SHAZAM!" Captain Marvel knocks down the door. The butler recovers to tell him the men got the lens. Captain Marvel takes off after them. He drops down onto of them to recover the lens. Captain Marvel returns to Bentley's but Bentley is gone. He did not tell the Butler where he went. Again, this is probably meant to make us suspect Bentley. Captain Marvel gives the lens to the Butler and tells him that he has to hurry to Fisher's.
The Scorpion holds Fisher at gun point. Whitey drives up. Fisher opens a secret panel, revealing the lens. When the Scorpion's man reaches for the lens he is electrocuted. [Leaving a lethal trap for thieves today would get you a prison sentence, for murder.] The Scorpion makes Fisher turn off the power, but not taking any chances, he then orders Fisher to get the lens himself. Before Fisher can obey, Whitey throws a rock through the window, startling the Scorpion. Whitey points a gun at the Scorpion and demands that the Scorpion drop his. The master criminal does so, but then he backs into a light switch darkening the room. The Scorpion is able to recover his gun, so he and Whitey can exchange shots. Fisher tries to leave the room and his shot by the Scorpion. This costs the villain his last bullet but he still manges to sneak up on Whitey to hit him over the head with the empty gun. The Scorpion turns on the light. As he's about to go for the lens he hears Captain Marvel calling for Whitey, so he hides behind a curtain. Captain Marvel breaks in. As Captain Marvel reaches for the lens the Scorpion flips the power switch. The electric shock floors our hero.
This is half the serial and finishes the first of two VHS tapes.
Next CHAPTER SEVEN: HUMAN TARGETS
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Post by Zone Fighter on Jun 13, 2006 16:53:15 GMT -8
CHAPTER SEVEN: HUMAN TARGETS
The Scorpion pries the lens out of Captain Marvel's hand and leaves. Captain Marvel recovers. Whitey recovers. Captain Marvel tells Whitey to tell Malcolm and the others to take drastic measures to protect the other lenses. Whitey reports what happened at the next meeting. When he says that Captain Marvel learned that Fisher was in danger from Billy who figured it out from learning about the Scorpion's message from Betty, Tal Chotali says that Miss Wallace should be told not to talk about their secret meetings. This makes no sense as Billy was part of the expedition, was instrusted to guard the scroll and normally attends their meetings. It does place suspicion on Tal Chotali, which may have been its purpose, but its a poor way to do it.
At his lair, the Scorpion plans to use Miss Wallace to trap Captain Marvel.
Betty receives a phone call instructing her to take Billy's notes for his next radio broadcast to the studio. Whitey thought Billy was to pick them up himself but lets her go.
One of the Scorpion's men is hiding in the trunk of Betty's car. He shoots one of the tires so she will stop the car. Another car pulls up to take her to the Scorpion.
Billy arrives at Betty's office looking for his notes. He goes looking for Betty, leaving Whitey alone again.
Betty is in the front seat next to the driver. She grabs the car keys and appears to toss them out the window. The car stops. The men get out to search for the keys. They order her out. She pretends to search but actually she had not thrown the keys away only made it appear that she had. With keys in hand she makes a break for it. Billy stops his car. "SHAZAM!" Captain Marvel takes off. He lands by one of the thugs and slaps him into telling him that Miss Wallace has ran off into the woods. As Captain Marvel turns to go the foolish man tries to shoot him. Captain Marvel knocks him out with a single punch.
Betty hides under a bridge until the other two thugs pass. Captain Marvel appears and a second fool tries to shoot him. This man ends up in the lake. The third man spots Betty and gives chase. Betty and the crook end up on a dam. Captain Marvel lands on the dam and the man wastes his bullets. Backing away from Captain Marvel the criminal falls off the dam. Captain Marvel catches a fainting Betty and carries her to shore. The man our hero knocked out has recovered and hides behind the car. When Betty asks Captain Marvel how he knows when he's needed, he claims that Billy Batson reaches him by short wave radio on a 16 wave setting. The thug over hears this. Betty drives off in the crooks car, not knowing the Scorpion's man is hanging on the side of it. "SHAZAM," Captain Marvel becomes Billy Batson once more. The crook climbs into the car, takes control and drives Betty to the Scorpions lair.
The Scorpion devises a scheme to capture Billy Batson, put him and Betty in a shack with a radio transmitter and then trick Betty into calling Captain Marvel, so they'll all be killed in the Scorpion's cunning trap. Betty is brought in. She's asked to cooperate. She's says she will never cooperate. She manages to grab a gun from one of the thugs. She's able to get off a single shot before being disamred. The Scorpion is winged in his right hand. He says that she has forfited her life.
Billy returns to his office and is hit over the head, by a pistol. [Isn't using a loaded gun like a club dangerous, might it not go off, shooting the user in the hand?]
Billy lieing on a bed is bound and gagged. Betty is tied to a chair. Two thugs are watching over them. The voice of the Scorpion comes through a radio. He warns his men that the plane has taken off and will soon drop its bombs on the shack. He tells his men to leave the shack immediatly. They do. Betty is able to drag the chair to the radio. As Billy struggles to freehimself, Betty attempts to radio Captain Marvel. The plane's engines can be heared. The first two bombs miss the shack. The third lands close enough to send timbers from the ceiling falling. Betty is struck by one, knocked unconscious. Two more bombs drop.
Next CHAPTER EIGHT: BOOMERANG
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Post by Zone Fighter on Jun 13, 2006 17:55:13 GMT -8
CHAPTER EIGHT: BOOMERANG
Billy works the gag off, "SHAZAM". Captain Marvel carries Betty out of the shack, chair and all. He unties her. "SHAZAM", when Betty awakes it is to find that Billy has carried her to safety. Betty tells Billy that she shot the Scorpion in the right hand. Billy plans to use this to trap the Scorpion at the next meeting.
At the Scorpion's lair, Barnett is assigned to kill Batson. He claims he has a bit that never fails.
Barnett and another thug watch Billy leave his car.
Billy tells the members of the expedition that the museum wants them all to sign a document attesting that all the items they brought back are authentic. He watches each man sign. Dr. Lang's right wrist is bandaged. Back in Betty's office, Billy plans to search Dr. Lang's house. Neither Billy, Betty nor Whitey notice the door's handle turn--someone is listening. Dr. Lang's house is guarded but Billy thinks that if he wears the doctor's hat and coat and drives his car the guards will think he's Lang. The Scorpion's men have been doing something to Billy's car. They stop when they hear someone coming. They watch as "Dr. Lang" drives off in his car. They finish setting the bomb in Billy's car. It will explode when the speedometer hits 50.
Dr. Lang tries to leave. Whitey and Betty tell him that Billy has borrowed his car because Whitey was late in picking him up. When Dr. Lang says he'll just take a cab, White offers to drive him. Dr. Lang wants to hurry home. They take Billy's car of course. Whitey drives at under 40 but Dr. Lang makes him speed up, but Whitey stays under 50.
Billy pulls up at Dr. Lang's and the guard opens the gate for him. Two of the Scorpion's men are already on the property and they recognize Billy. They meet him in the garage. He tries to fight them off, but he's no Captain Marvel (grin) and is knocked out. The motor is still running on Dr. Lang's car so the killers leave Billy to be killed by the exhaust fumes. Billy recovers. "SHAZAM!" Captain Marvel breaks out of the garage. The killers shoot at him. He throws one over a bush and tosses the other into a tree.
"SHAZAM!" Whitey and Dr. Lang arrive. Billy greats the doctor with a gun in his hand. He accuses Dr. Lang of being the Scorpion, because of the wound in his hand and the attack from two of the Scorpion's men. Dr. Lang says he can explain these things and invites Billy into his house. Billy says he was going to search it anyway.
Inside, Dr. Lang tells his manservant that its cold and he should turn on the furnace. He emphasizes that he should give them plenty of heat. The man goes to the basement. He uses a wrench to remove a valve and pours something into the pipe. Dr. Lang has explained his wound, we don't hear the explanation. When Billy asks about the Scorpion's men, Lang claims they are after him. Lang holds a handkerchief to his nose. Whitey and Billy pass out. Dr. Lang closes the vent and opens the French windows. He tells his servant that the Scorpion is after him and these two men would not let him get away so that's why they had to be gassed. He says that Whitey will probably be alright but the Scorpion's men will kill Billy so he needs to be taken to some place safe. The servant helps Dr. Lang carry Billy to the doctor's car. The two thugs recover from their encounter with Captain Marvel. They see Lang drive off with Batson. They take Billy's car to follow. One raises his gun but the other tells him to put it away because they need Lang alive. When they attempt to drive Lang's car off the road the speedometer reaches 50 and Billy's car explodes.
Is Dr. Lang really the Scorpion? Or his is behavior a huge red herring? If he is the Scorpion than his men don't know it, but they wouldn't seeing how the Scorpion always wears a mask and disguises his voice. We need more episodes to learn the truth of who the Scorpion is.
Next CHAPTER NINE: DEAD MAN'S TRAP
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Post by Zone Fighter on Jun 13, 2006 18:38:22 GMT -8
CHAPTER NINE: DEAD MAN'S TRAP
Another one of the Scorpion's men phones Barnett about Lang and Batson. Barnett and two other men head for Mill Valley Road to head off Lang. As the other two thugs try to drive Lang off the road, the speedometer hits 50 and Billy's car explodes. Billy's car was close enough to Lang's that the blast stuns Lang who stops his car. Dr. Lang tries to wake Billy but fails. The Scorpion's men pull up.
Dr. Lang is taken to The Scorpion. Lang says he won't tell where is lens is so he's putt inside a hanging cage with spikes inside it. He tells the Scorpion the lens is in his safe and gives him the combination. Billy is another room. He's handcuffed and pretend to still be out. When two thugs leave to get water to splash him with, "SHAZAM". Captain Marvel breaks the handcuffs. When one thug returns with water, he's shocked to find Captain Marvel there. He fires his revolver. Captain Marvel strangles him. Captain Marvel bursts in on The Scorpion. Captain Marvel says he will unmask The Scorpion and The Scorpion's gun won't stop him. The Scorpion says it will and aims it at Dr. Lang. The Scorpion exits through a hidden door which slams shut behind him. Captain Marvel breaks through the door.
Dr. Lang phones Malcolm to have him get the lens but Betty tells him that Malcolm is out of town. So Dr. Lang tells Betty where the safe is and what the combination is. Captain Marvel chases after The Scorpion in The Scorpion's escape tunnel. Captain Marvel finds The Scorpion's hood. The Scorpion, unmasked, doubles back to his office. Dr. Lang starts to warn Betty about a "death trap" as The Scorpion bursts in. Since Lang has seen The Scorpion's face Lang has to die. The Scorpion shoots Dr. Lang. The Scorpion runs out of his office, carrying the Gold Scorpion so we can't see his face. Captain Marvel works his way back to The Scorpion's office and finds the dying Dr. Lang. With his last breath Dr. Lang asks Captain Marvel to safe Betty from the death trap.
Betty drives off to Dr Lang's. Captain Marvel flies off to Lang's. The Scorpion's men are already there. When the open the panel covering the safe a second panel behind them opens. They don't see the machine guns pointing at their backs. Betty pulls up. When she exists her car to open the gate a man in the bushes aims a rifle at her. Captain Marvel arrives just in time to knock out the gunman and snap the rifle in half. "SHAZAM" Billy runs after Betty, calling her name. The Scorpion's men hear him. Closing the safe panel they hide. Billy jumps to the erroneous conclusion that the man with the rifle was the death trap. When Billy opens the panel over the safe the panel over the machine guns opens again. As Betty reads off the combination, Billy turns the dial. Betty reads off the last number. The twin machine guns open fire.
So poor Dr. Lang wasn't The Scorpion after all.
Next CHAPTER TEN: DOOM SHIP
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Post by Zone Fighter on Jun 13, 2006 19:22:01 GMT -8
CHAPTER TEN: DOOM SHIP
As Betty starts to read the last number of the combination, one of The Scorpion's men sneaks up behind her and hits her over the head. He does the same to Billy. And turns the dial to the last number himself. The two machine guns open fire. The other two thugs watch him die. One reaches into the safe but all that's in it is a piece of paper. It's a map showing that Dr. Lang had not taken the lense with him but had left it in the tomb. So, the Adventures of Captain Marvel will end where it began. Billy recovers and listens to The Scorpion's men talk about the map and the lense. When they start to leave he jumps one of them. The other takes the map and runs. There is a fight. Billy wins this one. "SHAZAM". Captain Marvel flies after the other thug, he gets the map and ties the man up. Meanwhile the thug Billy left unconscious recovers and flees. "SHAZAM" Billy finds Betty recovered and the man gone.
Back at Malcolm's Billy shows the map to the three remaining men, which means he's showed it to The Scorpion. Tal Chotali offers to take care of the map, again making him look suspicious, but Malcolm tears it into five pieces, keeping one himself, giving Billy one, the other two men one and Betty one.
At The Scorpion's lair he gives Barnett written orders and enough money to keep him satisfied until The Scorpion returns.
On board the ship Malcolm worries that The Scorpion may have taken a Clipper and beaten them to the tomb. Billy comes in wearing wet rain gear. The captain has told Billy that the typhoon has them off course. A crewman enters to warn the passangers that the ship is heading for the rocks. They are to get their life belts and get on deck.
On deck Billy finds a spot where no one is looking: "SHAZAM". Captain Marvel flies a line to shore, so passangers and crew can abandon ship on a bucket. Betty is supposed to go first but she forgott "something" in her cabin. She goes to get it (the map piece?) and is hit over the head by The Scorpion. Whitey goes first. Captain Marvel tells him to work the line why he goes to find firewood. "SHAZAM".
The ship's captain, thinking everyone else has gotten off has himself pulled to shore. Everyone is standing around a fire. Billy notices that Betty is missing. The officer who was supposed to keep track of how many people left the ship said he though he had accounted for everyone. How could he say that when he had not counted Billy Batson nevermind Betty. Anyway, Billy has himself sent back. The cable is frying. Billy makes it back to the ship but ask he's checking on Betty the cable snaps. The ship begins to sink as Billy picks up the still unconcious (of course) Betty.
Next CHAPTER ELEVEN: VALLEY OF DEATH
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Post by Zone Fighter on Jun 13, 2006 20:01:14 GMT -8
CHAPTER ELEVEN: VALLEY OF DEATH
The ship sinks but Billy and Betty escape it and swim to shore. The Scorpion got Betty's handbag but not her piece of the map because its in her jacket in a water proof envelope. Tal Chotali knows of a native village within a few hours walk.
At the village, Malcolm suggests they rest a couple days before setting off for the Valley of Tombs. He asks Billy and Whitey to see if the can find a couple of cars and the equipment they'll need. The Scorpion ties a message to the talon of a bird which carries it to his native men. Billy finds two cars and all the equipment the expedition needs. He wants to set off right away, some what reluctantly the others agree. Billy spots a native sending signals with a mirror. He stops his vehicle. "SHAZAM". Captain Marvel flies after the signaler and makes him talk. He was letting his people know that the Malcolm expedition has arrived early. His people will block the road and explode the mountain so an avalanche buries the expedition.
The other vehicle is stopped by a large tree blocking the road. Unable to shift it the men get out axes to chop it up. Their early so the native chief decides to set the bomb without waiting for The signal from the Scorpion. The fuse is lit, he and his men leave. Captain Marvel arrives, warns that the mountain will explode and moves the tree. Whitey drives the vehicle past the tree. Captain Marvel drops it. The bomb explodes but too late. Captain Marvel flies off. Billy's vehicle catches up with the other. The native chief says they don't have enough men to attack the white infidels so he plans to wake up the sleeping volcano which will stir other natives into attacking. He plans to do this by diverting the river into the volcano.
The map is reassmbled. Tal Chotali wont be a part of invading the sacred tomb. Billy volunteers to stay outside to guard the cars. Everyone else, including Betty, enters the tomb. The natives use dynamite to change the course of the river so it flows into the volcano. Scorpio erupts. The lense is found but the volcano causes an Earthquake which seals the tomb.
Next THE LAST CHAPTER: CAPTAIN MARVEL'S SECRET The identity of The Scorpion will finally be revealed, but so will the identity of Captain Marvel!
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Post by Zone Fighter on Jun 13, 2006 21:09:22 GMT -8
THE LAST CHAPTER: CAPTAIN MARVEL'S SECRET
The native cymbol is sounded, announcing an attack. Billy asks Tal Chotali to try to calm his people down. Tal Chotali goes off to try. "SHAZAM!" Captain Marvel removes debri from the opening of the temple. He finds the unconscious Betty. Malcolm and Bentley have found another way out. One of the two speaks, in the voice of The Scorpion, "a way out for only one of us" and shoots the other. Was it Malcolm who shot Bentley or Bentley who shot Malcolm? Their faces are obscured to keep the audience from being sure which was which. The Scorpion takes the lens off the dead man and makes his way out of the tomb. He comes out, in costume, at a vantage point from which he is able to watch Captain Marvel lay the unconcious Whitey next to the unconscious Betty. Then he hears a small explosion and sees Billy Batson emerge from the smoke.
Tal Chotali tries to calm his people. The Scorpion's henchman claims Scorpio is angry because white infidels have entered the tomb. Tal Chotali points out that the volcano can be made to erupt by diverting the river. He says some evil doer may have done so for his own ends. Another henchmen says they will wait for The Scorpion to speak. The Scorpion appears and orders the whitemen to all be killed (that is only Billy and Whitey plus Betty now). Tal Chotali and another native who don't believe The Scorpion is their real leader attempt to unmask the imposter but are restrained by The Scorpions henchmen. The Scorpion tells his right hand man that Captain Marvel is just Billy Batson. He wants Batson captured alive so the secret of transformation can be forced from him -- The Scorpion assums the power is transmittable to him. Tal Chotali and the other man are tied to crosses.
Billy sends Whitey and Betty away. He stays to search for Mr. Malcolm and Mr. Bentley. The Scorpion's two henchmen see Whitey and Betty drive off and Billy enter the tomb. They enter through the back door. Billy is knocked out, not with the but of gun but with the hilt of a dagger this time. Natives on horseback chase after Whitey and Betty. The car jumps a revine escaping the horsemen, but the horsemen take another path and catch up to the car as the road dead ends.
Billy, Whitey and Betty are now tied to crosses. The Scorpion rettaches the lenses to the Gold Scorpion and uses the device to vaporise the other native who tried to unmask him. He says that Betty is next. He tells Billy that if he reveals his secret to become Captain Marvel he will release Betty, but Billy is gagged and cannot answer. As The Scorpion starts to manipulate the Gold Scorpion, Billy tries to speak. The Scorpion orders that the gag be removed, but that his hands not be untied. Billy says "I'll not only tell you I'll show you how its done. SHAZAM!" Captain Marvel breaks his bonds and unmasks The Scorpion. It's Bentley. I had forgotten who it was an was expecting Malcolm. Bentley pulls a gun and threatens to kill Betty if anyone tries to stop him. A native tries to stap Bentley and is shot. The Scorpion's former henchman, apparently angry at being deceived by a white infidel, turns the Gold Scorpion on Bentley who vanishes in sparks and smoke.
Captain Marvel makes a speech about how the Golden Scorpion could have been used for the good of mankind but evil men will always use it for evil and since mankind is not ready for it he hurls the device into the lava of Scorpio. The voice of Shazam is heard speaking his own name. Captain Marvel becomes Billy Batson again. Billy is confused, he doesn't know what happenend or who spoke. Tal Chotali (suddenly becoming wise) explains that as Captain Marvel, Billy, protected the innocent from the power of the Gold Scorpion but with it destroyed that protection is no longer needed so the power of Captain Marvel is gone. Tal Chotali tells his people that although the ways of these people are different he hopes they see now that they are their friends. He says that Billy has done the natives a great favor by freeing them from a man who was not only their enemy but the enemy of all mankind and that though Billy will now return to his own land he will always remain here, in their hearts. The natives allow Billy, Whitey and Betty to leave.
THE END
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Post by Xenorama ™ on Sept 9, 2006 8:54:23 GMT -8
i just watched the first chapter, and this DVD looks astounding. there's just something about a Republic Serial, isn't there, that makes it stand head and shoulders above the rest.
of course, whoever photoshopped the colors on Cap's costume got them a bit wrong- there was never any blue, and the cape is white, but that's no biggie.
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Post by Xenorama ™ on Sept 11, 2007 23:03:07 GMT -8
watched two more chapters, it's amazing how quickly a good serial can go by, and make you want to watch more chapters. the nice print also helps.
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Post by Zone Fighter on Sept 12, 2007 11:18:41 GMT -8
I don't think I mentined it but, Gerald Mohr, voice of the Scorpion was the star of the radio series The Adventures of Phillip Marlow. He tried for but did not get the role of insurance investigator Your's Truly, Johnny Dollar.
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