Phantom Empire (Gene Autry serial) appreciation thread

Is anyone else here besides Mark and I, a fan of the Gene Autry Mascot serial The Phantom Empire? This serial was released in 1935, and the basic plot is that the underground community of Murania wants to cancel Gene Autry's radio show because they think it is invading their kingdom but Murania's plan failed. If any of you are fans of B-movie westerns, B-movie sci-fi films, serials, etc., Gene Autry, etc. this is a must see and it is the first major movie role of Gene.

The serial is in the public domain and can be viewed at archive.org, on VHS on Rhino and VCI, VCI has issued it on DVD, Image Entertainment has it on some of their Gene Autry DVDs as bonus features, Alpha has issued it on DVD, Digiview has issued it on DVD, and there are other companies that have issued it as well.

 

Oh yeah!

My movie expert friend, Stuart, and myself watched this a few years back.
And laughed so hard. But its a lot of fun.

Our favorite was the bit where the Queen calls one of their staff,
"Nitwit!" .

 

That is a fun part as well. Did you know that the robots in the movie were made out of cardboard? You can easily tell by watching the movie that the robots were made out of cardboard, but it is amazing how they got those robots working by using cheesy, but timeless special effects.

 

They sure look like they are !

 

That's because they are. I wouldn't want them any other way. The very low budgets can make some fine, cheesy art such as this movie.

 

Phantom Empire on archive.org: http://www.archive.org/search.php?query=Phantom Empire

 

I watched it years ago - maybe 24-25 when my dad got it on VHS. It struck me as better than most serials, but I laughed every time Gene had to get out of a sticky situation so he could be back in time for his broadcast. What's not to love?

I even think in high school I wrote a paper naming this and the first Flash Gordon up as examples of the highest-quality of the serials. Though I discovered Spy Smasher afterward... that was clever and had some well-choreographed action sequence.

Mark

 

Was this shown on PBS's Matinee At The Bijou. I think I saw it. Matinee at the Bijou was a great thing on PBS back in the 1980's.

 

I'd forgot that program.
Used to watch it all the time.

Fun stuff.

 

The Gene Autry filmography can be downloaded at http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=232765

 

Feb, 23, 1935 was the day this movie was first released.

 

Oh yeah, Brad, I love it. I also first got it on VHS, probably around 1986 (along with Zombies of the Stratosphere and my favorite serial, Captain Marvel). Its great old-fashioned fun.

BTW Growing up I always though The Phantom Empire would've been a great band name.

 

I saw a re-edited version back in......must be 1962, at the Saturday morning kids picture show. It was edited into a movie of around an hour or so. Even as 8 year olds back in '62 we knew the robots sucked big time. Just like Plan 9 though, the years have made me look on it with kinder eyes.

At least I can claim to have seen a version of it on the big screen.

 

You need to get a copy of the complete serial on DVD or VHS.