Customer Reviews

Boot Hill Bandits

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Niche market mfrs. such as TIMELESS MULTIMEDIA offer no commentary, deleted scenes, subtitles or other bonus features. Dubs are "best available source" and can vary from very good to only fair.

The majority of MONOGRAM's two dozen Range Busters programmers were filmed at 'Crash' Corrigan's ranch. As with others of these western trio series, the Busters cast underwent changes over time, especially, in this case, because of WWII. One thing that was fairly constant: a primitive wooden dummy received billing.

In their 14th installment, BOOT HILL BANDITS, a wagon carrying mine payroll is exploded and Marshal Corrigan supposedly killed. A gang member find's Crash's badge and gives it to the boss, who hands it over to the sheriff, which exposes him as leader. As usual, Terhune does some comic relief ventriloquism with Elmer. A sub-par Range Busters programmer.

Parenthetical number preceding title is a 1 to 10 imdb viewer poll rating.

(4.9) Boot Hill Bandits (1942) - Ray 'Crash' Corrigan/John 'Dusty' King/Max Terhune/Elmer/Jean Brooks/John Merton/Glenn Strange/I. Stanford Jolley

Specifically regarding the Alpha DVD. The source print was a worn 16mm dupe which is soft and has some missing frames plus a few audio dropouts. It certainly is viewable but better on a small television than a large High Def screen. The soundtrack is adequate with minor distortion. Overall, slightly above average for Alpha.

The film's storyline is pedestrian as is Ray Corrigan. This is standard, low-budget westen fare made during the height of World War II. Obviously, not everyone was rushing off to war, as the Range Busters series was cranked out throughout WW2.

Although this is available on Amazon for less than $3.50 with shipping, it is not worth the price. If you can find it a yard sale or swap meet for a dollar, then buy it.

...At least according to me, and if you're wondering if it's possible for The Range Busters to actually have a "BEST" film, then this is most definately the one I would nominate. The dialogue is quite good, playing up the Western genre with stylized, snappy one-liners, sort of reminding me of Spaghetti Westerns, only 20+ years ahead of it's time, especially in the early scenes that have Crash Corrigan meeting with and exchanging machisimo shooting skills with I. Stanford Jolly, who, himself, looks as though he just rode in off a Cinecitta sound stage.

The film itself is usual Range Busters fare, rounding up the bad guys while Crash and Dusty compete for the fair maid. Yet this one rises above the usual with good performances from George Chesebro, who starts off as kind of a good guy for once, which threw me off track briefly, but reverts back into his comfortable self becoming the chief foil for puppet Elmer Sneezeweed's barbed banter. And this is one of the episodes where Elmer, left on his own, actually moves by himself as though alive,...kindda creepy.

And speaking of creepy, Glenn Strange reprises his Monsterous Halfwit Idiot character from PRC's George Zucco horror film of the same year, THE MAD MONSTER. John Merton and Steve Clark also appear doing what they do best, boss heavy and elderly sheriff respectively. Jean Brooks has little to do as the female lead, but does it well enough.

The ALPHA DVD source print I found quite acceptible, clear with good audio, especially for my deaf ears. So many Range Busters dvds are so dark and choppy with bad audio, but not this one. I actually enjoyed the scenery of Crash Corrigan's ranch for once! So rest assured, this is a good one to pick up if you're a fan of such stuff. I really liked it a lot and consider it to be my favorite Range Busters movie...maybe.

Monogram Pictures presents "BOOT HILL BANDITS" (24 April 1942) (56 mins/B&W) (Fully Restored/Dolby Digitally Remastered) -- With the success of Republic's Three Mesquiteers, several forces came together around 1940 to develop a new 'trigger trio' for the screen --- The star was Ray 'Crash' Corrigan, a producer named George W. Weeks and Monogram Pictures --- With a character of his own name. Ray starred in 20 of the 24 films in this series between 1940 and 1943 --- The Range Busters was clearly a lower budget copy of the Mesquiteers --- Big, muscular Ray 'Crash' Corrigan was the lead, the second lead was John 'Dusty' King, a big band singer (Ben Bernie Orchestra) with a reasonably good baritone, who would vocalize a tune or two in each film --- And comic relief was in the hands of ventriloquist Max 'Alibi' Terhune (and his wise-cracking dummy Elmer --- Monogram would distribute the Range Busters but not be directly involved in the productions --- The deal gave Corrigan a substantial share of the film profits (in an interview years later, Ray said he received 50%).

Under the production staff of:
Roy S. Luby - Director
George W. Weeks - Producer
Arthur G. Durlam - Screenwriter
Robert C. Cline - Cinematographer
Frank Sanucci - Musical Direction/Supervision
Roy Claire - Editor
William L. Nolte - Production Manager

Our story line and plot, Our heroes Ray "Crash" Corrigan (Himself), Dusty (John King) and Alibi (Max Terhune) members of the Range Busters have their hands full with Brand Bolton (John Merton) who has his men blow up a wagon carrying the mine payroll and Marshal Crash Corrigan --- He supposedly killed in the explosion as a man finds his badge and gives it to Bolton --- Thinking Crash dead, Bolton gives the badge away and it ends up with the Sheriff --- Turns out Crash is fine and the Range Busters know Bolton is the head of the gang but that he gets his orders from someone else and that is the man they want --- Could it be our honest Mayor Noah Smyth (Budd Buster) is underhanded and dealing from the bottom of the deck --- Seems veteran character actor Glenn Strange is playing the good guy this time and has the evidence to go after all the badmen in this Monogram oater.

the cast includes:
Ray Corrigan ... Marshal 'Crash' Corrigan (as Ray 'Crash' Corrigan)
John 'Dusty' King ... 'Dusty' King
Max Terhune ... 'Alibi' Terhune (as Max 'Alibi' Terhune)
Elmer ... Elmer, Alibi's Dummy
Jean Brooks ... May Meadows
John Merton ... Brand Bolton
Glenn Strange ... Maverick
I. Stanford Jolley ... The Mesquite Kid (as Stanford Jolley)
Steve Clark ... Sheriff Jed Tolliver
George Chesebro ... Henchman 'Stack' Stoner
Richard Cramer ... 'Corn' Hawkins - Bartender (as Dick Cramer)
Budd Buster ... Mayor Noah Smyth
Milburn Morante ... Cameron (as Milt Morante)
Jimmy Aubrey ... The Drunk (as James Aubrey)
Hank Bell ... Stagecoach Driver Hank (uncredited)
Bert Dillard ... Barfly (uncredited)
Jack Evans ... Townsman
Tex Palmer ... Henchman
'Snub' Pollard ... 2nd Bartender
Wally West ... Townsman
Harry Willingham ... Deputy Harry

BIOS:
1. Ray 'Crash' Corrigan (aka: Raymond Benard)
Date of Birth: 14 February 1902 - Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Date of Death: 10 August 1976 - Brookings Harbor, Oregon

2. John 'Dusty' King (aka: Miller McLeod Everson)
Date of Birth: 11 July 1909 - Cincinnati, Ohio
Date of Death: 11 November 1987 - San Diego, California

3. Max Terhune
Date of Birth: 12 February 1891 - Anderson, Indiana
Date of Death: 5 June 1973 - Los Angeles, California

If you crave action, drama and plenty of adventure check out other western double features --- Ask Amazon.Com to carry the volumes as they are not available on Amazon as of yet --- you can order and pick up your copy now from VCI Entertainment

RANGE BUSTERS WESTERN DOUBLE FEATURE FROM VCI ENTERTAINMENT
VOL 1 -- WRANGLER'S ROOST & SADDLE MOUNTAIN ROUNDUP - (VCI #7243)
VOL.2 -- FUGITIVE VALLEY & THE KID'S LAST RIDE - (VCI #7349)

Hats off and thanks to Les Adams (collector/guideslines for character identification), Chuck Anderson (Webmaster: The Old Corral/B-Westerns.Com), Boyd Magers (Western Clippings), Bobby J. Copeland (author of "Trail Talk"), Rhonda Lemons (Empire Publishing Inc) and Bob Nareau (author of "The Real Bob Steele") as they have rekindled my interest once again for B-Westerns and Serials --- If you're into the memories of B-Westerns with high drama, this is the one you've been anxiously waiting for --- please stand up and take a bow --- all my heroes have been cowboys!

Total Time: 56 min on VHS/DVD ~ Monogram Pictures ~ (3/01/2001)