Topic: Any fans of old serials?

[falsealarms]

Serials aren't an area I've delved into too much when it comes to old time Hollywood but I'm about done with my first one - THE ROARING WEST, a 1935 entry starring Buck Jones.

Jones later worked with Shemp in two films at Columbia that were released in 1937.

THE ROARING WEST has been a lot of fun, and from what I've read, it's not even considered the best of the Buck Jones Universal series. Plenty of outdoor shooting and well-staged (for the time) action scenes keep the serial moving along pretty well with some genuinely tense moments. Most of the 15 chapters are 17-20 minutes long.

Has anyone else seen it? It's available to watch from beginning to end at tubi.tv or on the Tubi smart TV app: https://tubitv.com/series/300004763/the-roaring-west?utm_source=google-feed&tracking=google-feed

Tubi also has THE VANISHING SHADOW available to stream, for free in its entirety. That's a 1934 Universal sci-fi serial: https://tubitv.com/series/300004760/the-vanishing-shadow?utm_source=google-feed&tracking=google-feed

[HomokHarcos]

I’ve watched the 1943 Batman serial and am currently watching the 1949 Batman and Robin serial. They are enjoyable. I enjoy the serials, but am not as knowledgeable on them as the cartoon or comedy shorts.

[hiramhorwitz]

One of my favorites is 1941's Adventures of Captain Marvel, with Frank Coglan Jr as Billy Batson, Billy Benedict as Whitey, Louise Currie as Betty Wallace, and Tom Tyler as Captain Marvel.

[metaldams]

For the life of me I can’t get into serials.  I’m a huge Bela Lugosi fan and watched his serials - no dice.  I’ve tried watching a Flash Gordon one - no dice.  I don’t know if it’s the constant cliff hanger element or what, but just not for me. 

You guys who enjoy them, good for you.  I wish I was in your camp because a lot of actors I like appear in these things.

[Umbrella Sam]

I watched a little bit of the first Batman serial, but to my knowledge that’s the only film serial I’ve seen. Maybe I’ll check some more out someday. It seems like an interesting area of the film industry.