Product Details

• Actors: Buster Crabbe;Glenn Strange
• Directors: Sam Newfield;Spencer Gordon Bennet
• Format: Black & White, Closed-captioned, Dolby, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Alpha Video
• DVD Release Date: June 28, 2005
• Run Time: 100 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• ASIN: B0009HLCHY
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #51,566 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
''Buster Crabbe is best known for his portrayal of intergalactic adventure hero Flash Gordon in three serials. A gold medalist in the 1932 Olympic games, Crabbe was signed to Paramount Pictures after a brief period working as a stunt double and starred in the imitation Tarzan picture King of the Jungle. The athletic leading man spent the next two decades working for smaller studios, racking up a long list of westerns and action/adventure credits.

The Contender (1944; 62 minutes): Hard luck truck driver Gary Farrell enters a boxing tournament to earn enough money to keep his son in a prestigious military academy. He wins the tournament and is suddenly thrust into the world of professional boxing. Trainer Pop Turner and famous promoter Kip Morgan both think he has what it takes to be champ. Gary doesn't disappoint, battling his way steadily towards a shot at the title. It seems the only person who might stop Gary Farrell's meteoric rise is himself, as the once modest working man lets success go to his head. Neglecting his son, his friends and his trainers with the big fight on the horizon, Farrell's fast living may have him headed for a fall. Starring Buster Crabbe, Arline Judge, Julie Gibson, Glenn Strange. Directed by Sam Newfield.

The Oil Raider (1934; 61 minutes): Upstart oil man Dave Warren is drilling in Oak Glenn Basin, and everything seems to be falling into place. Prospects are favorable that the claim will pay out, and financier J.T. Varley has agreed to front him fifty thousand dollars. Under the terms of agreement, Varley will legally own the well if the loan is not paid in 90 days, but Warren is confident that an oil strike is imminent. Varley believes Warren's optimism is justified and hires a vicious thug to do whatever it takes to make sure the drilling is delayed. The ruthless banker not only wants to sabotage the oil rig, but to take care of Dave Warren once and for all. Starring Buster Crabbe, Gloria Shea, George Irving, Max Wagner. Directe

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars "Buster Crabbe Series ... Double Features ... Poverty Row", July 13, 2008

By	J. Lovins "Mr. Jim" (Missouri-USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Poverty Row Pictures present "THE CONTENDER/THE OIL RAIDER" (1934/44) (128 mins/B&W) (Fully Restored/Dolby Digitally Remastered) --- The American actor Buster Crabbe graduated from the University of Southern California and won the 400 meter freestyle in which he medaled in the 1932 Olympics, went to work for Paramount in "King of the Jungle" (1933), next role was "Tarzan the Fearless (1933), Crabbe returned to Paramount Pictures was featured in Zane Grey Westerns which were well received, then came the roles that made him a household word "Flash Gordon" and "Buck Rogers" at Universal Picture Serials (1936-1940), meanwhile PRC Studios was looking for a leading hero "Billy the Kid" and "Billy Carson" in the 1940's B-Western series and ran its course for six years, later made several televison appearances and appeared in a series "Captain Gallant and the Foreign Legion" (1955-1957)

The first film of this double feature - "THE CONTENDER" (10 May 1944) (63 mins/B&W)

Under the production staff of:
Sam Newfield - Director
Rudolph Sternad - Producer
Jay Dolen - Screenwriter
George Wallace Sayre - Screenwriter / Screen Story
Raymond Schrock - Screenwriter
Robert C. Cline - Cinematographer
Albert Glasser - Composer (Music Score)
Holbrook Todd - Editor

The story line and plot, Gary Farrel (Buster Crabbe) in order to get some extra money to send his son Mickey Farrel (Donald Mayo) to military school, a truck driver turns amateur boxer --- His success in that field convinces him take up the sport full-time, and he soon fights his way up to where he becomes a contender for the Heavyweight Championship --- However, his chance at the title is endangered when he starts squiring around a flashy blonde Rita Langdon (Julie Gibson) and begins tasting the "good life" of nightclubs, partying and booze --- Newspaper reporter Linda Martin (Arline Judge) is attracted to Farrell but he is paying more attention to Rita Langdon --- Despite the warnings posted by Linda, Pop, Mickey and Biff Benham (Glenn Strange), his old cab-partner in the truck-driving business, Farrell continues to abuse all the training rules but still wins bout after bout.

the cast includes:
Buster Crabbe ... Gary Farrel
Arline Judge ... Linda Martin
Julie Gibson ... Rita Langdon
Donald Mayo ... Mickey Farrel
Glenn Strange ... Biff Benham
Milton Kibbee ... 'Pop' Turner
Roland Drew ... Kip Morgan
Sam Flint ... Major Palmer
George Turner ... Sparky Callahan
Duke York ... 'Bomber' Brown
Jimmy Aubrey ... Dance Club Drunk

Second feature - "THE OIL RAIDER" (1 November 1934) (65 mins/B&W)

Under the production staff of:
Spencer Gordon Bennet - Director / Producer
Lester F. Scott, Jr. - Producer
Homer King Gordon - Screenwriter
George Morgan - Screenwriter
Edward Snyder - Cinematographer
Fred Bain - Editor
Paul Palmentola - Art Director
C.S. Franklin - Recording

The story line and plot, Oil prospector Dave Warren (Larry "Buster" Crabbe) who runs into trouble with a corrupt financier who tries to delay drilling so that a loan owed to him by Warren will be difficult to pay back --- After much action packed reels Dave corners Varley (George Irving) who confesses that he attempted to rob him and that he hired Simmons (Max Wagner) for all the dirty work on this adventure --- The latter is apprehended just as Dave hits the mother lode.

the cast includes:
Buster Crabbe ... Dave Warren
Gloria Shea ... Alice Varley
George Irving ... J. T. Varley, Investment Banker
Max Wagner ... Simmons, a Troublemaker
Emmett Vogan ... Jim Walker
Harold Minjir ... Morrison
Tetsu Komai
Tom London ... Oil Well Driller
Chuck Morrison ... Oil Well Driller
Hal Taliaferro ... Oil Well Driller

SPECIAL FEATURES:
BIOS:
1. Buster Crabbe (aka: Clarence Linden Crabbe II)
Date of Birth: 17 February 1907 - Oakland, California
Date of Death: 23 April 1983 - Scottsdale, Arizona

If you crave action, drama and plenty of adventure check out other Buster Crabbe titles --- Ask Amazon.Com to carry the volumes as they are not available on Amazon as of yet --- you can order and pick up your copy now from VCI Entertainment

BUSTER CRABBE - RELEASED BY VCI ENTERTAINMENT:
1. WESTERN DOUBLE FEATURE Vol 1: Western Cyclone & Sheriff of Sage Valley (1942)
2. WESTERN DOUBLE FEATURE Vol 2: Fugitive of the Plains & Fuzzy Settles Down (1943)
3. CLASSIC WESTERNS -: Fugitive of the Plains, Fuzzy Settles Down, Western Cyclone, Sheriff of Sage Valley
4. TO THE LAST MAN (with Randolph Scott & Buster Crabbe)
5. BUCK ROGERS (Serial)
6. FLASH GORDON CONQUERS THE UNIVERSE (Serial)

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 of "Trail Talk"), Rhonda Lemons (Empire Publishing Inc) and Bob Nareau (author of "The Real Bob Steele") as they have rekindled my interest once again for B-Westerns and Serials --- If you're into the memories of B-Westerns with high drama, this is the one you've been anxiously waiting for --- please stand up and take a bow Western Classics --- all my heroes have been cowboys!

Total Time: 128 mins on DVD ~ Poverty Row ~ (6/28/2005)