CRIME CLIFFHANGERS
CRIME SERIALS
BRENDA STARR, REPORTER will be offered soon in further-restored form
from the Squadron, with previously missing content added and re-created.
GANG BUSTERS features one of the most engaging plots of any serial: the "League of Murdered Men" who commit crimes with clues that lead to dead men(?)
IN PRODUCTION
✦✦✦ (Republic, 12 Episodes)
Charles Quigley, Linda Stirling, Clayton Moore D: William Witney
Professor Chambers demonstrates his new invention, the cyclotrode, to his associates, and soon after is pursued by agents of a caped fiend called the Crimson Ghost, a disguised and demented University professor wearing a skull mask and hooded crimson cape. The Cyclotrode is capable of disrupting all sorts of electronic signals and said to even be able to assume control of a nuclear missile, and with it the Crimson Ghost desires to assume total power. Criminologist Duncan Richards tries to avoid the masked villains' mind‑control collars, which bend victims to his will, and uncover his true identity.
Contents: 12 Episodes, restored excellent quality picture and audio, Theatrical trailer
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BEATRICE FAIRFAX
DVD
✦✦✦✦ (15 Episodes) Featuring Grace Darling and Harry Fox
The charming if frequently xenophobic episodic series from 1916 featuring advice to the lovelorn reporter Beatrice Fairfax and her amusingly comical sidekick Jimmy Barton, reporter, shot in Ithaca, New York by the Wharton studio. Stories range from the whimsical to romantic to tragic; they are sometimes mysteries or action stories as well.
About 7-8 hours of content.
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Note: This title is available as a HYBRID BLU-RAY in higher quality. More information on this page
DVD
✦✦✦✦ (15 Episodes) Featuring Grace Darling and Harry Fox
The charming if frequently xenophobic episodic series from 1916 featuring advice to the lovelorn reporter Beatrice Fairfax and her amusingly comical sidekick Jimmy Barton, reporter, shot in Ithaca, New York by the Wharton studio. Stories range from the whimsical to romantic to tragic; they are sometimes mysteries or action stories as well.
About 7-8 hours of content.
ORDER THE DVD:
Note: This title is available as a HYBRID BLU-RAY in higher quality. More information on this page
✦✦✦✦ (Universal, 13 Chapters)
Kent Taylor, Ralph Morgan D: Ray Taylor, Noel Smith
Dr. Mortis, a disgraced scientist, creates the League of Murdered Men by having criminals pronounced dead and then reviving them in his subterranean lair to do his bidding. Detectives Bannister and Logan take the case, and reporter Vicky Logan tries to get the story.
View Online Video:
Chapter 1: The League of Murdered Men
Transfer Quality: A sharp Rank Cintel transfer from an original print, in glorious black and white.
DVD Contents: All 12 chapters digitally restored, bios, illustrated menus
Special Features: Original theatrical trailer, cast bios.
RENT OR PURCHASE
✦✦✦✦ (Mascot, 12 Chapters)
Frankie Darro, George Lewis, Rin Tin Tin D: Colbert Clark/Howard
Young Frank Courtney, who discovers he is heir to a shipping line, escapes an abusive stepfather in Alaska and heads for California only to find himself marked for death by the crooked president of the company he has inherited. Frank is defended by Bob Whitlock, a ship's radio operator, and Pal, a German Shepherd raised by wolves.
An underrated, dramatic and suspenseful serial that keeps your interest throughout, and a nice transfer too. The cast also includes silent film star Henry B. Walthall.
View Online Video: Chapter 1: The Fugitive
Transfer Quality: All-new digital transfer from an extremely rare 16mm original print which exhibits occasional minor defects but the picture and audio quality in general is excellent.
BLU-RAY Contents: BR disk, black and white, complete serial
Released Sept. 28, 2024
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RENT OR PURCHASE 2015 DVD Version
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✦✦✦ (Universal, 12 Chapters)
Frank Albertson, Cecelia Parker D: Henry MacRae
After the local police have failed to discover its location, college adventurers Tom Hood and Bob Collins and reporter Betty Moore think they can find a train which has disappeared without a trace.
Transfer Quality: Restored from videotape source. Print quality is excellent with no scratches, artifacts, or splices. Transfer quality is not great; image is stable but focus is soft and contrast is sometimes OK sometimes not. Ch. 11 is grainy and has been partially smoothed. Audio restored to remove 95% of hiss; some auto-level artifacts remain; missing sound at end of Ch. 8 replaced. General effect is average old VHS quality with strong sound.
✦✦✦ (15 Chapters)
Jack Holt, Evelyn Brent D: James W. Horne
Jailbreak at the state prison! Use caution -- these men are desperate!
Gangsters try to outrace hawk-faced mob smasher and secret service man Jack Holt on the highway (Step on it! The police are on our tail!) and the tough talk and action never stops from there. Tris Coffin and gang are operating a counterfeiting scheme from their cliffside hideout, down the rapids and past a roaring waterfall. Holt and his boss Malloy (Zorro's Fighting Legion's C. Montague Shaw) decide to try to pass Holt off as wanted felon Nick Farrell to infiltrate the gang. Equally tough-talking (Want me to weep in a bucket?) Miss Drew poses as his wife (not moll -- wife, and don't you forget it. Want to see the certificate?) and fights beside Jack to defeat the gangsters' schemes.
Influenced: Fearless Fosdick character in Dick Tracy comic strip
View Online Video: Chapter 1
Transfer Quality: Digitally mastered from an excellent quality original TV print with superior contrast and grey tones,
DVD Contents: 15 chapters, featuring illustrated menus with chapter indexes, and scene markers within chapters. In glorious black and white, with restored sound.