Customer Reviews

Hopalong Cassidy, Vol. 6

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The most outstanding series of westerns began in 1935 from Paramount Pictures under the guiding hand of producer Harry "Pop" Sherman...continued well into the '40s proved to be the most successful 'B' Westerns ever made...based on Clarence E. Mulford's stories, they strived in changing Cassidy's image, which was both original and influential...the hero, played by William Lawrence Boyd, was mature and generally rather inactive, and the plots also tended to inactivity until a sudden burst of climactic action in the last reel, usually a frantic chase backed by tension-building music.

In all, Boyd made sixty-six Hopalong Cassidy Westerns, early films included Uncle Ben and Windy Halliday, both played by veteran actor George "Gabby" Hayes...was a steady favorite as a hitchrack, was chosen five years in succession as one of the 10 best money-making Western sidekick stars...like most western comics, had his share of narrow escapes being thrown from his horse, burned by blanks...but that was all in a days work...his one-liners will never be forgotten..."You're dern tootin'"..."Never trust a female, they're pure poyzin"...or my all-time favorite ~ "Persnickgordy Women"...this crusty old-timer stole many a scene from John Wayne, Randolph Scott and yes even William Boyd.

In this Volume 6 we have five films of the following:

SECRETS OF THE WASTELAND (1941/66 mins/B&W)
Boyd (Hoppy), Andy Clyde (California), Brad King (Johnny Nelson),
Hoppy leads a scientific expedition and the Chinese who have a hidden settlement nearby are trying to stop them...a goldmine is in the picture and our three heroes from the Bar 20 are out to make it right.

HOPPY SERVES A WRIT (1942/70 mins/B&W)
Boyd (Hoppy), Andy Clyde (California), Jay Kirby (Johnny Travers), Victor Jory, George Reeves, Robert Mitchum, Roy Barcroft, Wally Wales, Earle Hodgins.
Hoppy crosses over into Oklahoma posing as a cattle buyer...the Jordan brother's are the rustlers he seeks... California and Johnny rustle the cattle and head them into Texas...if the Jordan's cross over to get back the cattle Hoppy can arrest them.

THE SILENT CONFLICT (1948/60 mins/B&W)
Boyd (Hoppy), Andy Clyde (California Carlson), Rand Brooks (Lucky Jenkins)
A mysterious concoctions has put Lucky under a spell and Hoppy and California set out to find him.

MYSTERY MAN (1944/60 mins/B&W)
Boyd (Hoppy), Andy Clyde (California), Jimmy Rogers (Himself), Don Costello, Francis McDonald, Forrest Taylor.
Hoppy does battle with the Trilling Gang...jail break, rustling cattle and outlaw leader posing as a Marshal keeps the Bar 20 in plenty of action.

HOPPY'S HOLIDAY (1947/59 mins/B&W)
Boyd (Hoppy), Andy Clyde (California), Rand Brooks (Lucky Jenkins), Andrew Tombes, Leonard Penn, Jeff Corey.
Hoppy, California and Lucky are on a short vacation...Hoppy must find the real robbers so that he can clear California who is now in jail for innocently switching suitcases that contained the stolen money instead of his belonging...the Bar 20 boys will prevail, that you can count on.

Hoppy's interaction with California Carlson (Andy Clyde) is always a shot in the arm with his down-to-earth humor and sentimentality, theses scenes are pure Americana! Boyd, with his silver hair, black clothes and white horse (Topper) rode into our lives and we've never been the same since...your children and grandchildren will enjoy this clean wholesome entertainment...Hoppy always wore two silver white handle six shooters, never drank or smoked, when the good guys always won and the moral to the story was fair-play...outstanding role model...gotta love it!

William Boyd was my hero, this collection of five films are perfect, clear and give me hope for the future. Our youth should have such a hero to look up to today. Must mention the fact that I still miss one of my all-time-favorite sidekicks though, George "Gabby" Hayes, you're durn tootin'!

Paramount and Clarence E. Mulford's fictional western character Hopalong Cassidy comes to life through William Boyd as Hoppy and Andy Clyde as California with films from the '40s...horse operas directed by Lesley Selander and George Archainbaud...some of the best hard riding and smokin' gunplay that ever came across the big screen from the Bar 20 boys...just the way we like 'em.

Total Time: 316 mins (5 films) DVD ~ Platinum 21149 ~ (8/31/2004)

The quality is so good that you will think you are watching brand new prints in the best theater on Main Street in the 1940s. Actually it's probably better than that. The intro says these digital re-masters were done by a company named "US Television Office, Inc.". For goodness sake, every person or studio who has old prints TAKE THEM TO "US TELEVISION OFFICE, INC." AND GET THEM RE-MASTERED. Platinum has released 8 volumes of these Hoppy feature films and I own all 8. But for some strange reason, probably only known to some "power lunch" executive, they did not number the volumes...so you will just have to tell the difference by the numbers Amazon gives them. They are worth twice or 3 times the price. There were 66 Hopalong Cassidy films made starring William Boyd, and you can own 40 of them with these 8 volumes at a slim price.

5 more episodes that cover a range of years. All were filmed in the 40's or some of Bill Boyd's later films. The quality of the prints is high and so is the quality of the sound. They take me back to my childhood days where they could be seen on the TV but without the luxury of todays technology. If you like to see a spirit with the desire to do what is right these are right up your alley!

What you have to remember is that the Paramount films from the 1930s and 40s were superb in every detail, but the earliest were already released through Image Entertainment as double features (those are also on Amazon for purchase). These are the second best, ignoring the last twelve that William Boyd produced himself, which drag and are very slooowww. So slow in fact that when he edited them into TV features in the 1950s, they work better as 25 minute episodes. But overall, the picture quality is superb and so is the sound. These used to sell on VHS as single features at $14.95 each so five of them for a little more than a buck a piece is a bargain and worth the price. This company released eight DVDs, by the way, for a total of 40 of the 66 movies. I recommend you buy all eight of them.

If you love Westerns, GOOD old westerns, you will love the Hopalong Cassidy movies. Loved the movie, always loved Hopalong. In this day and these times Hopalong takes us back to a simple, predictable time that is to me fun and enjoyable without stress and just plan relaxing to watch. These movies are digitally remastered and wonderful to watch after being made so many years ago, that is amazing to me. AND what a laugh, Hoppy had the most robust laugh I have ever heard. These Hopalong movies are certainly worth buying from AMAZON.COM and enjoying from time to time for those who love good Westerns. The most important thing for me is that whatever I buy at AMAZON.COM, and that means ANYTHING you can possibly think of, if it isn't right I know they will make it right for me and that shopping with AMAZON.COM online is the only way to go.

If you want a good western with plenty of action, quick thinking, and laughter, then Hopalong Cassidy and his sidekicks California and Lucky are just for you. So saddle up for an awesome movie, kick back, and you won't be sorry that you did.

Hopalong Cassidy: Complete Collection My Husband is the movie buff on this series, but I accidently ordered two of the same title, so we gave it to a friend who's father also loves Hoppy. Their question was, where did you get this, the quality is unbelieveable. Because it is digitally mastered, it is better than it was in the movies. If you love westers, Buy this set.

I received Hopalong Cassidy vol 6 in record time!! The product was in excellent condition and I enjoyed watching the films.
I highly recommend this item.

This item arrived quickly and in good condition. The good guys always win and ride off into the sunset. Thanks to whoever restored these movies.