In the Nick of Time: Motion Picture Sound Serials (McFarland Classics) [Paperback]

William C. Cline (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1997 | ISBN-10: 078640471X | ISBN-13: 978-0786404711

By the famous Big Reel columnist: the story of serials from Universal's 1930 The Indians Are Coming to Columbia's 1956 Blazing the Overland Trail. Fifteen fascinating chapters explain the importance of “cliffhangers” to the industry as audience builders and “product leaders.” The serials provided training for actors and served as a “technical university” for people who later made the television industry work. An appendix lists in order of release all of the sound serials from 1930 through 1956, showing titles, releasing companies, chapter titles, directors and several cast members. Superb photographs.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Not only gives the background, but also imparts the excitement of the chapterplay...lists them all” --Classic Images

“Entertaining” --Big Reel

“Interesting and nostalgic...a mass of detail...such information can make a summer afternoon” --Choice

About the Author

The late William C. Cline was a famous columnist for Big Reel and the author of In the Nick of Time (1984). He lived in Concord, North Carolina.

Product Details

• Paperback: 293 pages
• Publisher: McFarland & Company (December 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 078640471X
• ISBN-13: 978-0786404711
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,168,226 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Hurry Up and Read This Book, August 21, 2002

By 

tom clapper (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: In the Nick of Time: Motion Picture Sound Serials (McFarland Classics) (Paperback)

Great reference book. Concentrates on the people who made the serials rather than the serials themselves. One fifth of the volume is devoted to Filmography listing serials released from 1930 through 1956 as well as background information. Excellent index. Fantastic photos from films. Some typos. Don't read this volume until after you see the serial as the secret identity or plot twist is sometimes given away. Appreciation of the motion picture serial is greatly enhanced after reading this monograph.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Detailed and Dry, May 22, 2009

By 

Randy Bowser - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: In the Nick of Time: Motion Picture Sound Serials (Hardcover)

Cline makes it clear that he has a fond nostalgia for the cliffhanger serial chapters he saw at the "kiddie matinees" when he was young. He starts enthusiastically by describing his excitement and sense of wonder when he saw his first serials.

But then he attempts to capsulize the entire history of serials, and gets bogged down with lists of credits and mundane details which it seems he was bored with as he assembled all the data. It makes for a fairly dry read, written in an adequate but average journalistic style which doesn't often inspire the reader to seek out the serials he's trying to be the historian for.

It ends up as a handy reference for serial fans who want to check up on information, but has little of the dash and enthusiasm of the cliffhanger films themselves.

RB

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars NOT A REFERENCE BOOK BUT A BOOK OF LOVE, January 19, 2010

By 

Olivier Comte (Neuilly FRANCE) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: In the Nick of Time: Motion Picture Sound Serials (McFarland Classics) (Paperback)

For this too thin book, the 57 pages filmography (only the talkies)with chapters titles was not indispensable. Other books are more detailed. We could have wished for Cline, an erudite and devoted fan, to give some subjective assessments of the serials.
The text is on the dense side and the index is very useful.
The great interest of the book (rather pricey) is the constantly affectionate evocation of the world of serials.It's not a dry scholarly study.
Cline writes about directors, writers and cinematographers, paying due tributes. The special effects (visual) were often impressive, with not much money.
The actors are lovingly evoked at length. It's the merit and the charm of the book. To remind us of past pleasures, near ones (thanks to the work of VCI) and tantalizing unseen things.
Highly recommended for browsing.