Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Very Little Rubber Burned, January 9, 2006
For such an early serial this kind of fun, but it really doesn't have very much auto racing. Most of the time our heroes are running around trying to keep the bad guys from destroying a movie film which proves the hero's innocence of murder, or a confession signed by the real killer, or the deed to valuable property. The cliffhangers are pretty weak, and there's a gigantic cheat at the end of Chapter 8: A plane crashes head-on into the ground, but in Chapter 9 it's sitting unscathed on the ground.
Mascot was one of the so-called "poverty row" studios, turning out lots of serials up until 1935, when Mascot merged with two other small studios to create Republic Studios. They had a lot of good people at Mascot, many of whom were very successful at Republic, but the quality of Mascot's output looks pretty crude today. This film was cut up quite a bit over the years, and there are places where the sound disappears for a few moments. Perhaps the most interesting part of this serial is the actors involved.
Jack Mulhall was an elegant leading man in silent films. His web site lists 408 movies in which appeared between 1910 an 1977, as well as many guest appearances on TV. Frankie Darro's movie career spanned from the silent era well into the '60s. He was a notable child star. In serials he rode alongside Gene Autry and Rin-Tin-Tin, often doing his own stunts. He was perhaps best known for his work as one of the "Dead End Kids." He also was one of the actors inside Robby the Robot in the sci-fi classic "Forbidden Planet."
We all know Jason Robard, Jr., but had you ever seen Jason Robards, Sr.? He's in one of his typical roles here as Drummond, one of the bad guys. Robards also starred in silent films, often as a clean-living rural hero. In the sound era he began playing character roles, almost always as an arch-villain. Lola Lane began in show business at age 12 as a pianist for silent films at a local theater. She and her sisters Priscilla Lane and Rosemary Lane were stars at Warner Brothers in the '30s and '40s. Lola retired from the screen in 1946 to go into real estate.
Actually, the best actor in the picture is probably Edwin Maxwell, as a delightfully smarmy industrial villain.
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3.0 out of 5 stars
"Once upon a pair of wheels...", May 22, 2009
BURN 'EM UP BARNES was originally a 1921 photoplay that starred Johnny Hines as a race car driver who was also a speed demon on city streets.
In ALPHA VIDEO's 12-part MASCOT PICTURES cliffhanger, this racer's been completely revamped-- he's no longer a disaffected son of wealth who sets off to find adventure, fame, fortune and love. Now, 'Burn-'em-Up' (Jack Mulhall) adopts the young brother (diminutive Frankie Darro) of a friend (James Bush) who's killed on the track.
He also goes into the transportation biz with a partner, bus company owner Marjorie Temple (Lola Lane). Marjorie has some land that she believes is worthless. It actually sits above millions in oil revenue. Our story's villain, promoter John Drummond (Jason Robards Sr.) knows this secret and will do whatever he must to secure ownership of the property.
Watch for brief appearances in episodes 1 and 7 from future western teen sidekick Dickie Moore (in his screen debut), also silent-era comic Billy Bletcher (ep. 1) whose gravelly basso voice can be heard in several early Warner cartoons. Bletcher was also the Big Bad Wolf in all Three Little Pig shorts.
Note that "Barnes" originally ran 210 minutes. If product data is accurate, this version is a full hour less than that.
CHAPTERS--
1.) King of the Dirt Tracks; 2.) The Newsreel Murder; 3.) The Phantom Witness; 4.) The Celluloid Clue; 5.) The Decoy Driver; 6.) The Crimson Alibi; 7.) Roaring Rails; 8.) The Death Clash; 9.) The Man Higher Up; 10.) The Missing Link; 11.) Surrounded; 12.) The Fatal Whisper
ALPHA VIDEO is a provider of vintage programming that's often unavailable elsewhere. Alpha's prices are fair, but so is transfer quality of some of their offerings. None have undergone restoration, yet this product's rareness and reasonable cost make it a worthwhile purchase.
Another ALPHA movie serial:
The 13 chapter WWII-era ADVENTURES OF SMILIN' JACK features a different sort of adventurer. Loosely based on the long-running comic strip, Jack Martin is an aviator who helps the Chinese in their pre-war struggles against the Japanese. With Tom Brown as Jack, plus Marjorie Lord, Keye Luke, Sidney Toler, Philip Ahn and Jay Novello.
Parenthetical number preceding title is a 1 to 10 viewer poll rating found at a film resource website.
(6.3) Burn 'Em Up Barnes (1934) - Jack Mulhall/Frankie Darro/Lola Lane/Julian Rivero/Edwin Maxwell/Jason Robards Sr. (uncredited: Billy Bletcher/Dickie Jones)
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5.0 out of 5 stars
"The King of Serials...VCI Entertainment ~ Burn 'Em Up Barnes (1934)", November 7, 2005
VCI Entertainment and Mascot Pictures present..."Burn 'Em Up Barnes" (1934) (Dolby digitally remastered), a 12 Chapter cliffhanger from an enjoyable early sound Mascot serial era featuring an outstanding cast with Armand Schaefer and Colbert Clark at the helm....why is everyone trying to put Marjorie Temple and Burn 'Em Up Barnes out of business with their bus line...is the land worthless that Marjorie owns or is there oil in them thar hills...what about the scheming promoter Drummond who keeps Barnes racing but never pays up on the winnings...does Frankie Darro have some incriminating film that would put everything on the right track for Burn 'Em Up.....don't leave the theater until the final chapter is over and done with "Confu's Sacred Secret"....just remember double thrills, chills, mystery and suspense...hitting the bull's eye with excitement...don't miss a single spine thrilling episode..return next week to this local theater for another episode of action and adventure that will keep you thrilled until the next chapter
Under director's Armand Schaefer & Colbert Clark, producer Nat Levine, original screenplay by Al Martin, Armand Scheafer, Barney Sarecky and Sherman low, original story by John Rathmell and Colbert Clark, musical score by Lee Zahler, stunts by Yakima Canutt and Eddie Parker...the cast includes Jack Mulhall ('Burn-'em-Up' Barnes), Frankie Darro (Bobbie Riley), Lola Lane (Marjorie Temple), Julian Rivero (Tony), Edwin Maxwell (Lyman Warren), Jason Robards Sr. (John Drummond), Francis McDonald (Ray Ridpath-race car henchman), Al Bridge (Tucker), Jack Cheatham (Policeman), John Davidson (Tom Chase-race car henchman), Edward Hearn (Parker-henchman), Dickie Jones (School boy), Bob Kortman (Frazer-henchman), Tom London (Parsons, oil speculator), Dennis Moore (Crewman).....special footnote, some veteran actors of the '30s, '40s and '50s grace this feature with Al Bridge, John Davidson, William Desmond, Edward Hearn, Dickie Jones, Bob Kortman, Tom London, Francis McDonald and Dennis Moore, all made their mark in the B-Westerns and Serial Department....meanwhile back to our Mascot Serial which is always good till the last drop and this serial is no exception...there is a great deal of entertainment here for the cliffhanger fans out there...all courtesy of VCI Entertainment, who in my humble opinion is the best there is in restoring early serials and features.
CHAPTER TITLES:
1. King of the Dirt Tracks
2. The Newsreel Murder
3. The Phantom Witness
4. The Celluloid Clue
5. The Decoy Driver
6. Crimson Alibi
7. Roaring Rails
8. Death Crash
9. The Man Higher Up
10.The Missing Link
11.Surrounded
12.The Fatal Whisper
If you're into vintage serials as I am, why not pick up a copy of the following titles from VCI Home Video:
VCI CLIFFHANGER TRAILERS:
1. Adventures of Red Ryder (Don "Red" Barry)
2. Adventures of the Flying Cadets (Bobby Jordan)
3. Buck Rogers (Buster Crabbe)
4. Captain Midnight (Dave O'Brien)
5. Captain Video: Master of the Stratosphere (Judd Holdren & I. Stanford Jolley)
6. Dick Tracy's G-Men (Ralph Byrd)
7. Don Winslow of the Navy (Don Terry)
8. Don Winslow of the Coast Guard (Don Terry)
9. Drums of Fu Manchu (Henry Brandon)
10.Fighting Kit Carson (Johnny Mack Brown)
11.Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (Buster Crabbe)
12.The Green Archer (Victory Jory)
13.Jungle Girl (Frances Gifford)
14.Jungle Jim (Grant Withers & Raymond Hatton)
15.Lost City of the Jungle (Russell Hayden & Keye Luke)
16.Mandrake the Magician (Warren Hull & Dick Curtis)
17.Miracle Rider (Tom Mix & Tony Jr)
18.The Painted Stallion (Ray "Crash" Corrigan)
19.The Phantom (Tom Tyler)
20.The Return of Chandu (Bela Lugosi)
21.Riders of Death Valley (Dick Foran, Leo Carrillo & Buck Jones)
22.Secret Agent X-9 (1937) (Scott Kolk & Henry Brandon)
23.Secret Agent X-9 (1945) (Lloyd Bridges & Keye Luke)
24.Sky Raiders (Donald Woods & Billy Halop)
25.Undersea Kingdom (Ray "Crash" Corrigan)
26.Winners of the West (Dick Foran, Harry Woods, Roy Barcroft & Charles Stevens)
27.Zane Greys "King of the Royal Mounted" (Allan "Rocky" Lane)
28.Zorro's Cliffhanger Collection (Reed Hadley, John Carroll & Linda Stirling)
Great job by VCI Entertainment for releasing "Burn 'Em Up Barnes" (1934), the digital transfere with a clean, clear and crisp print...looking forward to more high quality releases from the vintage serial era of the '30s, '40s & '50s...order your copy now from Amazon or VCI Entertainment where there are plenty of copies available on VHS, stay tuned once again for top notch action mixed with deadly adventure from the "King of Serials" VCI...just the way we like 'em
Total Time: 240 mins on 2 VHS ~ VCI Entertainment 1725 ~ (11/01/2000)
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