Customer Reviews

Flying Disc-Man From Mars [VHS]

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

 

 

Good Fifties Republic serial, typical sci fi plot for the era, decent acting, lots of action,
Pretty cheesy by todays sci fi standards, but a good Saturday night B movie of the era.
One of the better Republic cliffhanger serials, Martians trying to take over the world are foiled by the good guys,
Edited into a movie length feature called Missile Monsters in the late Fifties.
My only complaint is the DVD picture quality is really bad, about the same as a VHS tape dubbed onto DVD,
Watchable, but not nearly as good as it should be.
Four stars for the feature!
One star for the DVD picture quality!

The quality on this DVD is appallingly bad! Copied straight from video. I THINK THE OTHER, FAVOURABLE REVIEWS OF THIS DVD HAVE BEEN POSTED BY THE DVD DISTRIBUTOR - THEY SIMPLY CAN'T BE BELIEVED.
IT IS SIMPLY UNWATCHABLE!

Memories of the "semi-disc" had flitted through my memory for years before I finally tracked down a copy of this old Republic serial. It's an entertaining diversion for those who can put themselves in the right frame of mind to enjoy it. The DVD has almost no liner notes and the most basic on-screen menu, but the video and audio transfer was clear and sharp. Recommended for fans of Republic serials; others could probably find a more useful way to spend the time.

Republic Pictures present "FLYING DISC-MAN FROM MARS" (1950) (167 mins/B&W) (Dolby digitally remastered) --- is a 12-Chapter Republic Movie Serial starring Walter Reed, Lois Collier, Gregory Gay, James Craven & Harry Lauter, relive those thrilling days week after week venue brought you to the theater, as you were mesmerized in your seat waiting for the final chapter ... exciting action within 12 episodes from the Republic Serials department, released in May 11, 1955, the plot line has a strange craft spying on industrialist Bryant's (James Craven) plant is brought down by Bryant's new atomic ray. Bryant meets the one survivor Mota (Gregory Gaye) from the planet Mars. Mota enlists the aid of Bryant (a former Nazi) in a scheme to bring Earth under control of a supreme dictator using advanced atomic weapons. But their attempts to steal uranium alert Kent Fowler (Walter Reed) of Fowler Air Patrol, who sets out single-handed to foil the villains ... Walter Reed gives a serious performance with his character right on target as the fearless hero ... James Craven is the scene stealer with his greedy and smug villainy character shining through ... the once fabulous Republic Studio serial machine turned out true masterpieces of action during the late 30s and early 40s ... remember this serial from the Saturday double features at our neighborhood theater ... 12 breathtaking chapters come across with all the gusto Republic Studios has to offer.

Under Fred C. Brannon (Director), Franklin Adreon (Associate Producer), Ronald Davidson (Screenwriter), Stanley Wilson (Original Score), Walter Strenge (Cinematographer), Cliff Bell Sr.(Editor) ------ the cast includes Walter Reed (Kent Fowler), Lois Collier (Helen Hall), Gregory Gaye (Mota), James Craven (Dr. Bryant), Harry Lauter (Henchman Drake), Richard Irving (Henchman Ryan), Sandy Sanders (Steve), Michael Carr (Trent, semi-disc pilot Dale Van Sickel (Watchman), Tom Steele (Taylor), George Sherwood (Bryant's Gateman), Jimmy O'Gatty (Gradey), John De Simone (Torpedo Tech.-Thug), Lester Dorr (Bryant's Secretary), Dick Cogan (Workman in Bryant's lab), Carey Loftin (Truck loader-thug), David Sharpe (Technician), Ken Terrell (Graves, Mechanic) ... great stunt work by the Republic stunt personnel Dale Van Sickel (stunt double: Walter Reed), David Sharpe (stunt double: Richard Irving ), Tom Steele (stunt double: Harry Lauter & Michael Carr) --- don't leave the theater until the final chapter "Volcanic Vengence" ... another winner from the vaults of Republic Serials --- this is a must watch for the serial buffs in all of us.

CHAPTER TITLES:
1. Menace From Mars
2. The Volcano's Secret
3. Death Rides The Stratosphere
4. Execution By Fire
5. The Living Projectile
6. Perilous Mission
7. Descending Doom
8. Suicide Sacrifice
9. The Funeral Pyre
10.Weapons of Hate
11.Disaster On The Highway
12.Volcanic Vengence

BIOS:
1. Walter Reed (aka: Walter Reed Smith)
Date of birth: 10 February 1916 - Bainbridge Island, Washington
Date of death: 20 August 2001 - Santa Cruz, California

Special footnote, Walter Reed was an American stage, film and television actor.
Following a stint as a Broadway actor, Reed broke into films in the early 1940s.
Perhaps his most memorable role was as the spineless wagon driver John Greer husband
of Gail Russell in the western "Seven Men from Now" (1956) (Randolph Scott film).
Appearing in 90 films and numerous television programs.

2. Fred C. Brannon (Director) ("The Black Widow" (1947)/Serial)
Date of birth: 26 April 1901 - Louisiana, USA
Date of death: 6 April 1953 - Los Angeles, California

Second special footnote, "King of the Rocket Men" has a truly amazing mid-air chase in one of its early
chapters, ending with a startlingly realistic piece of stunt work as the rocket man flies in pursuit of
a plane, Brannon also directed episodes of the "Commando Cody" (1953) television series.

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.The Lost City (Kane Richmond, William Stage Boyd & George Gabby Hayes)
16.Lost City of the Jungle (Russell Hayden & Keye Luke)
17.Mandrake the Magician (Warren Hull & Dick Curtis)
18.Miracle Rider (Tom Mix & Tony Jr)
19.The Painted Stallion (Ray "Crash" Corrigan)
20.The Phantom (Tom Tyler)
21.The Return of Chandu (Bela Lugosi)
22.Riders of Death Valley (Dick Foran, Leo Carrillo & Buck Jones)
23.Secret Agent X-9 (1937) (Scott Kolk & Henry Brandon)
24.Secret Agent X-9 (1945) (Lloyd Bridges & Keye Luke)
25.Sky Raiders (Donald Woods & Billy Halop)
26.Undersea Kingdom (Ray "Crash" Corrigan)
27.Winners of the West (Dick Foran, Harry Woods, Roy Barcroft & Charles Stevens)
28.Zane Greys "King of the Royal Mounted" (Allan "Rocky" Lane)
29.Zorro's Cliffhanger Collection (Reed Hadley, John Carroll & Linda Stirling)

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: Trail Talk), Rhonda Lemons (Empire Publishing Inc) and Bob Nareau (author: The Real Bob Steele) as they have rekindled my interest once again for B-Westerns and Serials --- looking forward to more high quality releases from the vintage serial era of the '20s, '30s & '40s and B-Westerns ... order your copy now from Amazon where there are plenty of copies available on VHS, stay tuned once again for top notch action mixed with deadly adventure --- if you enjoyed this title, why not check out VCI Entertainment where they are experts in releasing B-Westerns and Serials --- all my heroes have been cowboys!

Total Time: 167 mins on VHS ~ Republic Video ~ (5/30/1995)

Although there isn't as much alien activity as one would hope for the excellant action makes up for it. Some of the same footage appears in 'The Purple Monster Strikes' which is another one you need. I loved this serial. It's got a cool flying disc plane in it. Great fight scenes throughout.

This serial is good, however this DVD is not. While the serial has 12 episodes, the DVD menu only lists EIGHT (?) and the DVD menu entries drive you to DIFFERENT EPISODES that you would expect. So -- if you select EPISODE 7, it actually takes you to episode 11. If you select EPISODE 8, it takes you to episode 12 (which, in the case of the DVD that I got from WAREHOUSE DEALS, then freezes up a few minutes into the final episode so you can't see the final episode). There actually are all 12 episodes on the DVD, the issue is just that the DVD menu is messed up.

I am re-ordering this DVD from AMAZON hoping to find a copy that plays all the way through as apparently WAREHOUSE DEALS does refunds but not replacements.

As for the serial itself, the most noteworthy aspect is the "rising sun" logo on the tail of the "flying disk" (actually a bat-shaped airplane). The logo is due to the airplane prop originally being built for the serial KING OF THE MOUNTIES about a Japanese invasion of Canada during WW2. The rest of the serial is basically cuts from THE PURPLE MONSTER STRIKES and KING OF THE ROCKET MEN.

I have really enjoyed the old serials, but unfortunately this is cheezy! The container cover is pathetic example of artwork, looks like a child designed and sketched it. The chapter index for the serial is horrible. This serial is 12 chapters long, yet the index only shows 8!!! When you select chapter 4 it plays chapter 6!!!!!!!!! I will not purchase another Cheez Flicks again.. Save your money and do some research to find better quality dvds. I cannot believe Amazon actually sells this garbage. I plan on returning both of mine.

Have dealt with Amazon for over a decade, and this is the most discussing thing they have ever done.
ONLY 8 EPISODES OF A 12 EPISODE series??? 1/4 missing and NO mention anywhere!!!! Don't walk but run away from this DVD.

DVD rating: ZERO
Fraud Level out of 10: 100000000000

Fun Republic serial from 1950, 12 chapters. The quality of this DVD is actually quite good. The print, though not pristine, is of much better quality than expected. Although only contained on one DVD-R, this 167 minute release has few compression artifacts.

On the money! Original Serial in the original box, in new conditioni'. Who could ask for more.