Customer Reviews

Adventures of Captain Marvel [VHS]

5 star:		(63)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

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.

Movie serials were written for youngsters but, as screenwriter Barry Shipman observed, this was not a putdown: "No, it's for the 12-year-old in all of us." Republic did them best, and "Adventures of Captain Marvel" is one of Republic's best (some say THE best). The flying superhero is based on a 1940s to 1950s comic book character, who went out of business after being sued by DC, the publishers of Superman, as a ripoff (in more recent years, he has been acquired and revived by DC; go figure). DC had a chance to have Superman serialized at Republic, but passed (the script was revised to become "The Mysterious Dr. Satan" with a non-super hero); Superman serials later came from Columbia with cartoon flying sequences. When the promoters of the Chris Reeve/Superman movie said it would be the first time audiences would believe a man could fly, they obviously hadn't seen the Captain Marvel serial.

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.

Lions Gate Home Entertainment and Republic Pictures present C.C. Beck's comic strip hero "Adventures of Captain Marvel" (1941) (Dolby digitally remastered), 12 Chapters of vintage serial loaded with action sequences...the best directors in serials are John English and William Witney, with screenplay by C.C. Beck (comic strip) and Bill Parker (comic strip), Ronald Davidson, Norman S. Hall, Arch Heath, Joseph F. Poland, Sol Shor...the cast Tom Tyler (Captain Marvel), Frank Coghlan Jr (Billy Batson ), William "Billy" Benedict (Whitey Murphy), Louise Carrie (Betty Wallace), Robert Strange (John Malcolm), Harry Worth (Prof. Luther Bentley), John Davidson (Tal Chotali), George Pembroke (Dr. Stephen Lang), Reed Hadley (Rahman Bar), Kenne Duncan (Barnett), Niegel De Brulier (Shazam), Gerald Mohr (Scorpion's voice), Bud Geary (Pete - caretaker at Lang's estate), Ed Cassidy (Capt. Dodge), Ernest Sarrcino (Akbar)...the plot is an exciting one as a scientific expedition to Siam places young Billy Batson at the right place at the right time...who is this strange Wizard Shazam that gave him super powers to become the worlds mightest mortal known as Captain Marvel....will his powers only last until the Golden Scorpion idol is recovered...can the hooded figure "The Scorpion" be stopped...has Billy Batson a plan that can save the world from the five lenses of the super powerful weapon of destruction...remember "SHAZAM" is the magic password to 12 startling and amazing never to be forgotten episodes..."Captain Marvel" fighting to save the world from destruction as "The Scorpion" plans to rule the world and discover Captain Marvel's secret...this is the most amazing serial ever produced on the screen for its time...if you're a fan of serials or old action flicks this is a sure fire winner...keep that thought as each chapter is more exciting than the previous one...stayed tuned and don't miss any of the exciting chapters.

CHAPTER TITLES:
1. Curse of The Scorpion
2. The Guillotine
3. Time Bomb
4. Death Takes the Wheel
5. The Scorpion Strikes
6. Lens of Death
7. Human Targets
8. Boomerang
9. Dead Man's Trap
10.Doom Ship
11.valley of Death
12.Captain Marvel's Secret

SPECIAL FEATURES:
ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN MARVEL TRAILER:
(Captain Marvel original theatrical trailer of this feature has not been fully restored)

If you crave action, drama and plenty of adventure then this is the place for all of the above...if you enjoyed this serial check out the newest release from VCI Entertainment and Columbia Pictures present "Captain Video: Master of the Stratosphere" (1951) (digitally remastered), 15 Chapters.finally for the first time on video the really great Columbia Serial that broke the mold...we have everything a serial fan would want...the tinted sequences by Cinecolor and unique inventions that were unlike any other serial out there in the '50s...another exciting release from VCI Entertainment and Columbia Pictures present Lee Falk's comic strip "The Phantom " (1943) (Dolby digitally remastered), 15 Chapters of vintage serial loaded with action sequences...story line has the successor to the old Phantom with his son and our new hero Tom Tyler aka The Phantom, Tyler looks great in the costume and the action sequences...get out there as they're going fast, this is the one you've been waiting for...pick one up from VCI Entertainment or Amazon.Com...get yours today!.

Great job by Lions Gate Home Entertainment for releasing the digital transfere with a clean, clear and crisp print...looking forward to more of the same from the '40s vintage serial era...order your copy now from Amazon top notch serial from...and check out VCI Entertainment for more serial releases from the '30s, '40s and '50s...just the way you like 'em!

Total Time: 216 mins on DVD ~ Lions Gate Home Entertainment 14620 ~ (12/16/2003)

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.

What can I say other than THIS serial is not only one of the best superhero adaptations ever, but as a point of historical significance, it is also the series that helped Captain Marvel's comics outsell those of The Man of Steel--Superman,which prompted the infamous DC COMICS v. Fawcett lawsuit! As entertainment, it does veer away from the comics somewhat. Billy Batson isn't a 13 year old, but a young man in his late teens or early 20s. Most of the original supporting cast is missing but Tom Tyler is near perfect as the Ol' SHAZAM-er(except for that slight Mid-Western accent!)The action centers around an ancient artifact called the Scorpion which contains lenses that can either turn base metals into gold or fire destructive power beams! The lenses are scattered and a masked villain, who also calls himself the Scorpion, spends the entire series trying to retrieve them, for they only work if they are together. The Big Red Cheese (as Marvel is nicknamed by fans) tries to stop him. The action is high octane with gunplay and violence that may be too strong for the very young. Captain Marvel is stern and like the pulp heroes of the day, isn't squeamish about using intimidation to get a thug to talk. The highlight of the series are the scenes of our hero in flight. Contrary to popular belief, it was Captain Marvel,not Superman, who first demonstrated the power of flight and in this series the stunt is pulled off by three methods: 1. Tom Tyler supported by wires against a cloudy backdrop ala George "Superman" Reeves 2. The spectacular take offs and landings by a stuntman. 3. The most clever of all, a lifelike dummy sliding on wires filmed in a real landscape! The overall affect is amazing and has you truly beleiving that a man can fly! This series is a must have for any comic book fan, devotees of the REAL Captain Marvel and action lovers everywhere!

This is one of the old but great serials ,I personally think it was one of the best at that moment in time.Tom Tyler was perfectly cast as the hero,and there were some very exciting cliffhanger endings to each chapter.These old movie serials are to be cherished ,because we will never see the likes of them ever again.I have 40 or more of these old classics and I treasure them.It is wonderful to just pick one out to watch,serials like Jungle Girl,in my book one of the very best of all time.By the way I used to watck thes films in the 30;s as a young boy, but only a dozen or so,but now I have the ones I never even knew existed at my fingertips.It's great!To all who participated in the production of these movies,I say,Thank you all and may they never be forgotten.
William Unsworth Snr

The Adventures of Captain Marvel has to be without a doubt one of the finest movie serials ever made. For 1941, the special effects are top notch. And the story line is very fluid and easy to follow.

The fact that the producer took artistic liberties with Captain Marvel's origin story, does not detract from how good this serial is.

The Adventures of Captain Marvel stars Tom Tyler as Captain Marvel and Frank Coughlin, Jr. as Billy Batson. For the medium, there performances are very well executed and not too terribly over the top.

With this serial, it is easy to tell that the studio actually put out some expense for sets, scenery and location. All in all a very well made serial.

Throughout the 1930s and '40s, Republic Pictures created some of the finest serials in movie history. "Adventures of Captain Marvel" (1941) ranks among the studio's top chapterplays - and it's yours for roughly $1 per chapter. Tom Tyler is ideally cast as "The World's Mightiest Mortal," who battles the evil Scorpion for 12 exciting episodes. The special effects by the Lydecker brothers are terrific - not to mention the high-flying stunt work from David Sharpe (he's a bit shorter than Tyler, but who cares). The Republic DVD features excellent 35mm prints and the rarely-seen theatrical trailer. "Captain Marvel" may not surpass the thrill-a-minute exploits of "Spy Smasher" (1942), but it comes pretty close.

No, there's no Dr. Sivana, Captain Marvel Jr., Mary Marvel or even Uncle Marvel...but you do have the prototype for which all superhero movies should be judged. The origin is actually pretty close to the well-known comic origin, with the old wizard SHAZAM, just in a different setting. I grew up watching the CBS SHAZAM! series in the '70's, and actually loved it. But this blows that series away by a mile. The flying scenes, by today's standards, are mediocre...but for someone seeing this in a theatre in 1941, groundbreaking would not begin to describe them. This Cap isn't afraid to get rough with the badguys, and will even use a machine gun when necessary! If you love serials, superheroes, cliffhangers or Captain Marvel, you gotta get this!