Customer Reviews

The Painted Stallion [VHS]

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

 

 

My father was a western film collector and I grew up watching this serial on film. The cliffhangers were always amazing to a 9 year old and I had a big crush on Ray "Crash " Corrigan. When I had the opportunity to get this on tape it reminded me of those nights watching the movie with my dad and wanting to be a cowboy when I grew up. There are great action sequences consisting of betrayals, Indian attacks and more as this wagon train makes its way west. The title refers to the mysterious rider of the Painted Stallion who comes to aid of the wagon train when it is in trouble. I highly recommend this serial as a starting point to anyone who wants to sample a taste of early western film. Anyone who enjoyed watching cliffhangers at the movies every week will surely enjoy this.

There is no other product available for this early Republic serial. Thus, one has to live with this one. But this transfer to DVD is NOT that bad. The picture quality is not pristine. But the copy which Madacy worked on to put to DVD is not deteriorated, as is the case on other "economical" serials hastily put on the market for a fast profit. It is the sound which is bad. It cracks and and appears muffled. The actors spoke as if they were eating their words. Sometimes it's difficult trying to understand what is being said. But then, this is a 1937 serial and we should count ourselves lucky that Madacy put this on the market. The story is typical serial, simple and long drawn out with preposterous premises. But that is what make these features enjoyable, vain attempts to project reality resulting in absurdity. Note the sound of the gunfire. It does not have the characteristic "Republic serial gunfire sound" heard in later productions. Again, this is because it was a 1937 feature. Get one and enjoy.

This was William Witney's first turn as a director. He replaced Ray Taylor, who had a drinking problem and apparently caused a huge problem the first day on location. Witney, then an editor, was rushed in to replace him, and the rest is history. At age 21 Witney became the youngest director ever in Hollywood. During his career he directed hundreds of movies and television Westerns. Witney's serials always had lots of action, and were especially known for their fistfights. He himself described his directorial style as "In a door, into a fight; out a door, into a chase," and that's the title of his excellent book describing his experiences in serials.

This is a terrific Western, one of the very best. It has an exceptionally strong cast, dramatically photographed action, a fine score, and in the Rider, an element of mystery seldom found in Westerns. Ray Corrigan plays a scout escorting the wagon train, and he's much better suited to a Western than he was in his role in "Undersea Kingdom." Western star Hoot Gibson plays the wagon master. Sammy McKim is Kit Carson before he grew up to become a famous scout, serial regular Hal Taliaferro is Jim Bowie, and silent-screen star Jack Perrin is Davy Crockett. The beautiful Julia Thayer is suitably mysterious as the Rider who frequently saves all their skins. Ever-reliable Duncan Renaldo ("The Cisco Kid") plays a heavy this time around. Yakima Canutt set up and participates in the stunts, and on the side plays a character named Tom. The rube comics Oscar and Elmer are embarrassing as always, but they have a funny bit at the very end.

This one has some of the best riding sequences I have seen, especially by Crash. I paused a lot during his riding and a lot of the stills look like Frederick Remington paintings. And check out Crash's thigh-high boots! Great stuff Crash, wherever you are. Lots of shootin' too. The characters include Jim Bowie, Davy Crockett and a young Kit Carson who gets his training as a scout during the first wagon train heading west for Santa Fe (pronounced "Santa Fee" - nice touch) under the guidance of Hoot Gibson. Bye the way, the guns look authentic, not the cap pistol looking ones of most westerns. Little touches like that really make it. I saw the same looking guns in another Hoot Gibson western; was he responsible for them? Yakima Canutt does his falling-under-the-horses-and-wagon stunt and Charlie King is one of the bad guys. Any movie with Charlie and Yak is a keeper. Duncan Renaldo is another bad guy. The pluses just keep on coming in this serial. Madacy's reproduction is decent, too. It looks pretty good even on a computer monitor.

But what really tickles my fancy is the Rider of the Painted Stallion. Picture this: a white woman raised and dressed as a native American, headress and all, riding bareback on a pinto stallion (and rather obviously a stallion at times), saving the lives of white Americans heading west. Saving them from the white bad guys. If, as in much literature, you take the female as a representative of the soul, the thoughts that come to mind can be downright mythical, or at the very least poetic.

I love this serial.

-Gospel Moody

VCI Entertainment and Republic Pictures present J. Laurence Wickland "The Painted Stallion" (1937) (Dolby digitally remastered), 12 thundering chapters of harding riding scouts and Indians attacking the wagon trains with great action sequences featuring Crash Corrigan a American Federal Agent and Hoot Gibson the wagonmaster as the good guys and Duncan Renaldo if you can believe it as the bad guy...let's see where the story line is going as a wagon train is leaving Independence Missouri heading west to Santa Fe during the early 1820s...with heroes like Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie riding with them what dangers could there possibly be to stop them...will the ruthless ex-governor Alfred Dupray and his slimy assistant villain Zamorro be able to stop the wagon train with the help of renegade Indians and steal the trade agreement from Corrigan...is this serial too fast paced for the average B-Western fan who is constantly aided by a mysterious rider that shoots singing arrows and rides a painted stallion...could there be another reason for all of this...don't miss any of the 12 exciting chapters of "The Painted Stallion", guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat.

Under director's Alan James, Ray Taylor and William Witney, producer J. Laurence Wickland with original story by Morgan Cox and Ronald Davidson screenplay by Winston Miller and Barry Shipman, R.G. Springsteen as script clerk, original music "Wagon Train" composed by Gene Autry and Smiley Burnette ...the cast include Ray Corrigan (Clark Stuart), Hoot Gibson ( Walter Jamison), Duncan Renaldo (Zamorro), LeRoy Mason (Alfredo Dupray), Sammy McKim (Christopher 'Kit' Carson), Wally Wales (aka Hal Taliaferro as Jim Bowie), Charles King (Bull Smith), Jack Perrin (Davy Crockett), Ed Platt (Oscar), Lou Fulton (Elmer), Jean Carmen (The Mysterious Rider), George DeNormand (Oldham - Henchman), Lafe McKee (Riverboat Captain), Gordon DeMain (Governor), Duke Taylor (Henchman), Maston Williams (Macklin), Loren Riebe (Cave Sentry Henchman) and Yakima Canutt (king of the stuntman is uncredited)...Corrigan got his chance with this vehicle in a starring role, less we forget his role as "Tuscon Smith" in the long running "Three Mesquiteers" B-Western series, Hoot Gibson (early talkies with Buck Jones, Tom Mix, Bob Steele, Tom Tyler and Harry Carey Sr in to die for B-Westerns) and Duncan Renaldo (also a member of the trio "Three Mesquiteers", but best known for playing O'Henrys Robin Hood of the Old West the "Cisco Kid" for the better part of his career)...keep your eyes peeled for Charles King (who was just about the baddiest of the badman, they always called him "Blackie" in the early B-Westerns), LeRoy Mason (exceptional badman reputation)...great stunt work by Yakima Canutt (stunt double for Ray Corrigan and LeRoy Mason), Babe DeFreest (stunt double Jean Carmen) and Duke Taylor (for the rest of the stunts)....Republic Pictures stuntwork is always terrific 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. Trail To Empire

2. The Rider of the Stallion

3. The Death Leap

4. Avalanche

5. Volley of Death

6. Thundering Wheels

7. Trail Treachery

8. The Whistling Arrow

9. The Fatal Message

10.Ambush

11.Tunnel of Terror

12.Human Targets

SPECIAL FEATURES:

BIOS:

1. Ray Corrigan (aka Raymond Bernard)

Birth Date: 2/14/1907 - Milwaukee, WI

Died: 8/10/1976 - Brookings Harbor, OR

2. Hoot Gibson (aka Edmund Richard Gibson)

Birth Date: 8/06/1892 - Tkamah, NE

Died: 8/23/1962 - Woodland Hills, CA

3. Alan James (aka Alvin J. Neitz) (Director)

Birth Date: 3/23/1890 - Washington

Died: 12/30/1952 - Los Angeles, CA

4. William Witney (Director)

Birth Date: 5/15/1910

Died: 3/17/2002 - Pioneer, CA

ORIGINAL SERIAL TRAILERS:

"Undersea Kingdom" (Ray "Crash" Corrigan, Lois Wilde, Raymond Hatton, Monte Blue, Lone Chaney Jr. & Smiley Burnett)

"Zorro's Black Whip" (Linda Stirling & George J. Lewis)

"King of the Rocket Men" (Tristram Coffin, I. Stanford Jolley, Mae Clarke and James Craven)

PHOTO GALLERY:

(stills of the "The Painted Stallion" and Lobby Cards with some great acoustic guitar accompaniment)

VCI CLIFFHANGER TRAILERS:

1. Buck Rogers (Buster Crabbe)

2. Adventures of the Flying Cadets (Bobby Jordan)

3. Drums of Fu Manchu (Henry Brandon)

4. Jungle Girl (Frances Gifford)

5. The Phantom (Tom Tyler)

6. Zane Greys "King of the Royal Mounted" (Allan "Rocky" Lane)

7. Secret Agent X-9 (1945) (Lloyd Bridges & Keye Luke)

8. Adventures of Red Ryder (Don "Red" Barry)

9. Secret Agent X-9 (1937) (Scott Kolk & Henry Brandon)

10.Zorro's Cliffhanger Collection (Reed Hadley, John Carroll & Linda Stirling)

11.Dick Tracy's G-Men (Ralph Byrd)

12.Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (Buster Crabbe)

13.Jungle Jim (Grant Withers & Raymond Hatton)

14.Miracle Rider (Tom Mix & Tony Jr)

Own them now on DVD....if you crave action, drama and plenty of adventure then this is the place for all of the above...check out another release from VCI Entertainment and Republic Pictures present Nat Levine's "Undersea Kingdom" (1936) (Dolby digitally remastered), 12 Chapters of vintage serial loaded with action sequences featuring Crash Corrigan who can do just about everything that each episode requires...Corrigan graduated from Annapolis only to be recruited by Professor Norton to venture beneath the ocean depths with Diana a go-getting reporter, Norton's son Billy and Briny Deep as the take a ride in a rocket submarine...will they locate the "Lost City of Atlantis"... return next week to this local theater for another episode of action and adventure will keep you thrilled until the next chapter.

Great job by VCI Entertainment for releasing "The Painted Stallion" (1937), 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, 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: 213 mins on DVD ~ VCI Entertainment 8377 ~ (5/25/2004)

I will never regret spending my money on this delightful, action-filled series. "The Rider", the whistling arrows, the various dilemmas and the shear entertainment took me back to the very special way I was able to enjoy westerns through the eyes of my childhood. Grand fun!

First is the great setting, not the Iverson Ranch in California, but the breathtaking, now famous corridor between Moab, Arches National Park, and the beautiful Ls Sal Mountains in Utah. I would have titled it "The Singing Arrows", but "The Rider" a beautiful and mysterious girl,comes across in great photo angles as something mythical. I missed this one as a kid, having vague memories of The Phantom Rider and the Secret of Treasure Island. The music, while vintage Republic, is what you recognized the first time you heard the Valkyrie, and also uses Les Preludes, the original Star Wars type music used by Universal in Flash Gordon. The extras are actually better and more authentic "Mexican" types than appear in Zorro's Fighting Legion( its one negative) and the same set is used in both movies. Hoot Gibson was always a lot of fun and an authentic, real trooper, like Hal Taliafaro himself. Republic can be applauded for its respectful and flattering potrayals of women, but not into revisionist history. They were a part of myth making. This serial is double the fun if you read the director's autobiography, how the hard drinking Los Angeles crew found themselves in a dry state in cold weather.
Ray Taylor, who later went to Columbia to direct their serials, Never, in my opinion, came close to Republic's mastery of the serial and western action movie. Its so refreshing to discover how many people are out there who also were aware of this something special. I was amazed at the quality of my DVD, having a modern stereo cd of the soundtrack music, This will be one of my special favorites, I know.