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Date Posted: 03:25:00 06/26/11 Sun
Author: Rick
Subject: Re: FG Serial Trilogy Poll
In reply to: Officer Torch 's message, "FG Serial Trilogy Poll" on 19:37:53 06/24/11 Fri

A: Overall favorite is FG 1936. It was everybody's serial; fresh, dramatic, fun with suspense and tension. It set the tone and established the relationships with the characters the audience would get to know so well. It had the gothic look for being in B&W and the sets from Universal's horror films gave it a uniqueness. I'd catagorize FG 36' as a science-fiction-horror serial. The use of the music library was expertly done. It had the most colorful music score. The main title (used at the end, too) was originally composed for the titles and cast credits by Clifford Vaughan. It had a yearnful and romantic tension to it that connects with the emotions very well.

B: My favorite for the music is FG 36 because the music that was used was so diverse and contained classical pieces that gave the film lots of color and contrast. The same can be said for Trip to Mars; the music followed the same path as 1936 serial, but you had the "Bride of Frankenstein" cues tracked in, which was gave it an otherwordly feel and was great for many action segments (but later on, some pieces were overused.) FGCTU adhered to the staple music used in the previous two, but they were re-recordings that gave it a fresher feel and with tracks from the the second wave of horror-drama films made in 1939 such as "Tower of London," "The Sun Never Sets" and "Son of Frankenstein." The inclusion of several classics used including Les Preludes and recorded with the fastest tempo known for some passages by Previn make the music score a big cut above the other films made around the same period.

C: FG 36' had good cohesiveness as did Mars. They adhered to the strip very well and the audience could relate to the characters and situations and believe it was real. Universe had some problems, mainly because of cast changes and some script plots that had been used before. Also, some changes were due to Raymond's developing the story arc that caused the studio to cast some new actors as in Roland Drew replacing Dick Alexander and Shirley Deane replacing Priscilla Lawson. In the case of Dale, Jean Rogers tried to return, but Fox wouldn't loan her out, so Carol Hughes filled in. She did nicely, but in most cases, when you lose original actors, some of the chemistry is lost. It would have been nice if Ted Lorch would have returned as the High Priest, but they didn't write him back in.

D: FG 36' had the most colorful story material and when you are introduced to the characters and others in the story, it is something that you bond with immediately. You had the different kingdoms, cultures, and the relationships. Also, the sexual tension in FG 36, which was the ONLY movie serial that had this element. Pre-code films could get away with this up to 1934, but in the case of FG 36, its innocent nature allowed them to do it so well. That's colorful, too.

Trip to Mars had color, but it wasn't as evident and things were toned down, as the sexual overtones. When you consider how conservative audiences were in 1938, but the action the serial had was in great abundance and with a fast, tedious plot in 15 chapters.

Conquers the Universe had the characters fully developed, but it was more laid back at times and quieter. Flash became the savior of the universe at the end. It did have some good action sequences, but you should recall in the previous two, Flash didn't need a band of men to aid him, but only himself or help from Zarkov or Barin.

E: All three had good action sequences in their own ways. I thought it was more original to see Flash go up against his opponents by himself, rather than have a six-pack of guys helping him at once as in CTU (but they won the fight and didn't drown like rats. Heh!).

F: The air battles were all good and we learn how things inside the ships work and if they don't, something goes wrong! CTU made best use of the rocketship interiors, as they were built larger than in the first serial (those were more crampy). The Stratosleds were very well-designed, but I'd rather buy a model of a Ming or Zarkov ship.

G: Non-air battles? Hmmm, as long as Flash and his party won the battle it was a good thing. The bad guys were going to lose anyway.

H: Special effects such as the electrical gear and optical effects, such as light rays were all well-done. The explosions came out pretty good and nobody got hurt. Albeit they were primitive, the effects were done good in those days.

I: Favorites outside of the ones exempted would be High Priest, Clay King, Pilot Captain, Tarnak, Jenda and Queen Fria.

J: All opening credits in all 3 serials. Each sequence had the right look from specific scenes and the music made it flow very good as the viewer starts off each chapter (abbreviated to cast credits only after Chapter 3).

K: Top 3 cliffhangers?

1.) The cliffhanger at the end of chapter 8 in FG 36' in the Tournament of Death with Flash and the Orangupoid.

2.) The cliffhanger in the end of chapter 9 of FG 36 with the High Priest's betrayal of Aura so the Fire Monster would kill Flash in the Tunnel of Terror.

3.) The cliffhanger at the end of chapter 8 in Trip to Mars, after Tarnak has knocked Flash out cold in the powerhouse and Ming plans to destroy him. Also, Ming's later attempt to use the disintegrating ray to kill Flash, Barin and Zarkov in the lethal room and later again, when Ming sets a trap in the powerhouse: "Yes, but when he mixes it! Heh!" and the explosion allegedly kills Flash and Zarkov.

L: Supports? Ted Lorch, Jack "Tiny" Lipson, James Pierce, Duke York, House Peters, Kane Richmond, Ben Lewis, Warner Richmond, Wheeler Oakman, Don Rowan, Michael Marks, John Hamilton, Tom Chatterton, Byron Foulger, Victor Zimmerman and William Royle.

M: Favorite costumes is open for you, Torch!




Rick :)

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Replies:

[> [> Re: FG Serial Trilogy Poll -- Rick, 04:20:08 06/27/11 Mon [1]

I need to expand on L: Richard Alexander and Urso, the Bear.







Rick


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