Category: 1938

Flash Gordon’s Trip to Mars (1938) ch08 – The Black Sapphire of Kalu

Poor Flash (Buster Crabbe) and Dale (Jean Rogers), every time it seems like they might actually get a chance to lock lips, something happens. This time it’s Frank Shannon calling attention to Donald Kerr being injured. Flash being Flash, Crabbe has to attend to Kerr, not passionately reunite with Rogers, which is doubly unfair since Rogers–to everyone’s surprise–saves the day.

In the previous chapter recap at the opening, Black Sapphire of Kalu reveals Rogers isn’t just going to wait around for Kerr to warn Crabbe, Shannon, and Richard Alexander about Martian troops after them–the troops disappear–instead she’s going to take the Martian ship and help them from the air. Very cool since it seemed like Rogers and Kerr would about to be shunted to hostage status again. Kerr even gets to save Crabbe from the Forest People.

Then he gets injured. And they have to go back to the Clay People, where the king (C. Montague Shaw, who’s always partially suspect) can heal Kerr but wants Shannon to attend him. Crabbe leaves Rogers there and takes Alexander along to the palace to confront villains Beatrice Roberts and Charles Middleton.

It goes all right with Roberts–the confronting–but Middleton easily outwits nice guy Crabbe for the cliffhanger.

The first half of Kalu, except the bad stock music choices, is fantastic. The second half is fine just a little lacking in tension, which makes sense since it’s all building up to a cliffhanger where Crabbe makes an unbelievable mistake and pays for it.

Crabbe’s solo for the setup to the cliffhanger–he’s usually got a sidekick, whether Shannon or Alexander–so him bumbling is a little frustrating in just how contrived it all gets.

While not a terrible turn for Mars–Crabbe and Middleton tend to bumble through their animosity–Kalu’s definitely a let down after its awesome start.

Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars (1938, Ford Beebe and Robert F. Hill), Chapter 8: The Black Sapphire of Kalu

Poor Flash (Buster Crabbe) and Dale (Jean Rogers), every time it seems like they might actually get a chance to lock lips, something happens. This time it’s Frank Shannon calling attention to Donald Kerr being injured. Flash being Flash, Crabbe has to attend to Kerr, not passionately reunite with Rogers, which is doubly unfair since Rogers–to everyone’s surprise–saves the day.

In the previous chapter recap at the opening, Black Sapphire of Kalu reveals Rogers isn’t just going to wait around for Kerr to warn Crabbe, Shannon, and Richard Alexander about Martian troops after them–the troops disappear–instead she’s going to take the Martian ship and help them from the air. Very cool since it seemed like Rogers and Kerr would about to be shunted to hostage status again. Kerr even gets to save Crabbe from the Forest People.

Then he gets injured. And they have to go back to the Clay People, where the king (C. Montague Shaw, who’s always partially suspect) can heal Kerr but wants Shannon to attend him. Crabbe leaves Rogers there and takes Alexander along to the palace to confront villains Beatrice Roberts and Charles Middleton.

It goes all right with Roberts–the confronting–but Middleton easily outwits nice guy Crabbe for the cliffhanger.

The first half of Kalu, except the bad stock music choices, is fantastic. The second half is fine just a little lacking in tension, which makes sense since it’s all building up to a cliffhanger where Crabbe makes an unbelievable mistake and pays for it.

Crabbe’s solo for the setup to the cliffhanger–he’s usually got a sidekick, whether Shannon or Alexander–so him bumbling is a little frustrating in just how contrived it all gets.

While not a terrible turn for Mars–Crabbe and Middleton tend to bumble through their animosity–Kalu’s definitely a let down after its awesome start.

CREDITS

Directed by Ford Beebe and Robert F. Hill; screenplay by Ray Trampe, Norman S. Hall, Wyndham Gittens, and Herbert Dalmas, based the comic strip by Alex Raymond; director of photography, Jerome Ash; edited by Joseph Gluck, Saul A. Goodkind, Louis Sackin, and Alvin Todd; released by Universal Pictures.

Starring Buster Crabbe (Flash Gordon), Jean Rogers (Dale Arden), Frank Shannon (Dr. Alexis Zarkov), Charles Middleton (Emperor Ming), Beatrice Roberts (Queen Azura), Donald Kerr (Happy Hapgood), Richard Alexander (Prince Barin), and C. Montague Shaw (Clay King).

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Flash Gordon’s Trip to Mars (1938) ch07 – The Prisoner of Mongo

The Prisoner of Mongo title suggests, well, whoever was titling the chapters wasn’t paying attention to the actual script–much like last chapter’s title, calling the Forest People the Tree-Men–but it does indeed turn out Buster Crabbe and company will end up prisoners of Mongo. At least, of Ming (Charles Middleton). He’s commanding the Tree-Men–sorry, Forest People–something he neglects to mention to Martian queen Beatrice Roberts, presumably because he’s eventually going to turn on her.

The chapter has Crabbe, Frank Shannon, Jean Rogers, and Donald Kerr on the run from the Forest People–temporarily imprisoned before Richard Alexander (from the previous serial) arrives to save them. It’s nice having Alexander back, though for a while it seems like Rogers and Kerr are once again going to be second or third fiddle. The chapter leaves it unresolved.

After their escape, Crabbe and company plans an assault on a Forest People temple–they’ve got a magic stone to counter Roberts’s magic stone–while Middleton’s forces are on the way. It’d be an awesome chapter if it weren’t for a couple big problems. First, the stock music is an ill-fit for the action. It doesn’t build tension, it often isn’t even action music, it’s distracting in its dullness.

Second–and bigger problem–the Forest People. Well, Forest Men (at least Tree-Men accurately addresses the lack of females). They’re terrible villains. The acting ranges from silly to inept to terrible. Really drags the chapter down. Combined with the bad stock music, it’s far from dramatic.

Still, the forest sets are decent and all the leads are good. Crabbe and Alexander are an affable team as well.

The cliffhanger is simultaneously lacking in drama but well-plotted–but it’s lacking in drama because the plotting is so dang good. Hopefully the next chapter gets them away from the Forest People. The Forest People are really annoying.

Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars (1938, Ford Beebe and Robert F. Hill), Chapter 7: The Prisoner of Mongo

The Prisoner of Mongo title suggests, well, whoever was titling the chapters wasn’t paying attention to the actual script–much like last chapter’s title, calling the Forest People the Tree-Men–but it does indeed turn out Buster Crabbe and company will end up prisoners of Mongo. At least, of Ming (Charles Middleton). He’s commanding the Tree-Men–sorry, Forest People–something he neglects to mention to Martian queen Beatrice Roberts, presumably because he’s eventually going to turn on her.

The chapter has Crabbe, Frank Shannon, Jean Rogers, and Donald Kerr on the run from the Forest People–temporarily imprisoned before Richard Alexander (from the previous serial) arrives to save them. It’s nice having Alexander back, though for a while it seems like Rogers and Kerr are once again going to be second or third fiddle. The chapter leaves it unresolved.

After their escape, Crabbe and company plans an assault on a Forest People temple–they’ve got a magic stone to counter Roberts’s magic stone–while Middleton’s forces are on the way. It’d be an awesome chapter if it weren’t for a couple big problems. First, the stock music is an ill-fit for the action. It doesn’t build tension, it often isn’t even action music, it’s distracting in its dullness.

Second–and bigger problem–the Forest People. Well, Forest Men (at least Tree-Men accurately addresses the lack of females). They’re terrible villains. The acting ranges from silly to inept to terrible. Really drags the chapter down. Combined with the bad stock music, it’s far from dramatic.

Still, the forest sets are decent and all the leads are good. Crabbe and Alexander are an affable team as well.

The cliffhanger is simultaneously lacking in drama but well-plotted–but it’s lacking in drama because the plotting is so dang good. Hopefully the next chapter gets them away from the Forest People. The Forest People are really annoying.

CREDITS

Directed by Ford Beebe and Robert F. Hill; screenplay by Ray Trampe, Norman S. Hall, Wyndham Gittens, and Herbert Dalmas, based the comic strip by Alex Raymond; director of photography, Jerome Ash; edited by Joseph Gluck, Saul A. Goodkind, Louis Sackin, and Alvin Todd; released by Universal Pictures.

Starring Buster Crabbe (Flash Gordon), Jean Rogers (Dale Arden), Frank Shannon (Dr. Alexis Zarkov), Charles Middleton (Emperor Ming), Beatrice Roberts (Queen Azura), Donald Kerr (Happy Hapgood), Richard Alexander (Prince Barin), and C. Montague Shaw (Clay King).

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Flash Gordon’s Trip to Mars (1938) ch06 – Tree-Men of Mars

Oh sure, the title is Tree-Men of Mars, but they’re actually called the “forest-people (of Mars)” or even the “fire-men (of Mars). They live in a forest (in the trees) and shoot fire at their enemies. Who, by the end of the chapter, are after Crabbe and company. Crabbe and Shannon have just convinced Clay King C. Montague Shaw they’re allies (though Crabbe and Shannon hold up the place to do so and give Shaw no further proof) and he sends them to meet his pals the forest-people. Unfortunately, evil queen Beatrice Roberts can see them on her view screen and sabotages their attempts at peaceful meeting.

All that action takes place in the last five minutes (or less) of Tree-Men. The rest of the chapter involves Crabbe and Shannon once again outwitting Roberts’s troops, heading back to her palace (again), getting into it with Charles Middleton (again), then taking the underground tram back to the Clay Kingdom. Once they get there–pursued by a couple soldiers Roberts willy-nilly turns into Clay Men–they bond with Shaw over flashbacks to the previous Flash Gordon serial. It’s only the sixth chapter, which seems early for a clip chapter, but I suppose since it’s to the original serial, it’s different.

There’s a little creativity in Crabbe and Shannon trying to glide (on their capes) to the palace, but there are only a couple effects shots. Then it’s more of the same once they’re back. Roberts talks about the history of the conflict with the Clay People, so it makes no sense she’s the only way to make people into clay. Unless she’s immortal or something. Trip to Mars avoids giving enough detail.

But at least Jean Rogers and Donald Kerr have rejoined the main action. Hopefully they manage not to become hostages again in the very next chapter.

Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars (1938, Ford Beebe and Robert F. Hill), Chapter 6: Tree-Men of Mars

Oh sure, the title is Tree-Men of Mars, but they’re actually called the “forest-people (of Mars)” or even the “fire-men (of Mars). They live in a forest (in the trees) and shoot fire at their enemies. Who, by the end of the chapter, are after Crabbe and company. Crabbe and Shannon have just convinced Clay King C. Montague Shaw they’re allies (though Crabbe and Shannon hold up the place to do so and give Shaw no further proof) and he sends them to meet his pals the forest-people. Unfortunately, evil queen Beatrice Roberts can see them on her view screen and sabotages their attempts at peaceful meeting.

All that action takes place in the last five minutes (or less) of Tree-Men. The rest of the chapter involves Crabbe and Shannon once again outwitting Roberts’s troops, heading back to her palace (again), getting into it with Charles Middleton (again), then taking the underground tram back to the Clay Kingdom. Once they get there–pursued by a couple soldiers Roberts willy-nilly turns into Clay Men–they bond with Shaw over flashbacks to the previous Flash Gordon serial. It’s only the sixth chapter, which seems early for a clip chapter, but I suppose since it’s to the original serial, it’s different.

There’s a little creativity in Crabbe and Shannon trying to glide (on their capes) to the palace, but there are only a couple effects shots. Then it’s more of the same once they’re back. Roberts talks about the history of the conflict with the Clay People, so it makes no sense she’s the only way to make people into clay. Unless she’s immortal or something. Trip to Mars avoids giving enough detail.

But at least Jean Rogers and Donald Kerr have rejoined the main action. Hopefully they manage not to become hostages again in the very next chapter.

CREDITS

Directed by Ford Beebe and Robert F. Hill; screenplay by Ray Trampe, Norman S. Hall, Wyndham Gittens, and Herbert Dalmas, based the comic strip by Alex Raymond; director of photography, Jerome Ash; edited by Joseph Gluck, Saul A. Goodkind, Louis Sackin, and Alvin Todd; released by Universal Pictures.

Starring Buster Crabbe (Flash Gordon), Jean Rogers (Dale Arden), Frank Shannon (Dr. Alexis Zarkov), Charles Middleton (Emperor Ming), Beatrice Roberts (Queen Azura), Donald Kerr (Happy Hapgood), Richard Alexander (Prince Barin), and C. Montague Shaw (Clay King).

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Flash Gordon’s Trip to Mars (1938) ch05 – The Boomerang

It’s unclear what the chapter title, The Boomerang, has to do with any of the content. Unless it’s something about Buster Crabbe and Frank Shannon continually returning to Beatrice Roberts’s palace from the Clay Men’s kingdom. Crabbe and Shannon start the chapter saving Jean Rogers and Donald Kerr, who promptly disappear from the action, because Crabbe and Shannon can’t rescue them yet. But they’ve discovered an underground tram from the Clay kingdom to the palace–which probably would’ve helped them infiltrate it a chapter or two ago–and head back to the palace, not to kidnap evil queen Roberts to deliver to the Clay King, but to get some weapons to free Rogers and Kerr.

At least the tram sequence is cool.

Once back at the palace, Shannon makes a freeze ray–you zap someone motionless–but Roberts and Charles B. Middleton are on to the Earthlings. Luckily Middleton’s still a doofus and Crabbe and Shannon get away. Only to get stuck again in the cliffhanger, as they go back to the Clay Men’s kingdom.

Besides the chapter being a bunch of running around for no real purpose, it’s all pretty solid. It’s hard to believe Roberts puts up with condescending Middleton though, especially as he orders her own soldiers around.

As always, having Crabbe in the lead is an immeasurable plus for the serial. He’s not just good at the action–though Boomerang has some real obvious stuntmen during fisticuffs–but at making Shannon’s expository dumps more palatable.

The chapter does open with a cliffhanger resolve cheat, which hopefully won’t kick off too obvious ones in subsequent chapters.

And it’d be nice for Rogers to have something to do.

Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars (1938, Ford Beebe and Robert F. Hill), Chapter 5: The Boomerang

It’s unclear what the chapter title, The Boomerang, has to do with any of the content. Unless it’s something about Buster Crabbe and Frank Shannon continually returning to Beatrice Roberts’s palace from the Clay Men’s kingdom. Crabbe and Shannon start the chapter saving Jean Rogers and Donald Kerr, who promptly disappear from the action, because Crabbe and Shannon can’t rescue them yet. But they’ve discovered an underground tram from the Clay kingdom to the palace–which probably would’ve helped them infiltrate it a chapter or two ago–and head back to the palace, not to kidnap evil queen Roberts to deliver to the Clay King, but to get some weapons to free Rogers and Kerr.

At least the tram sequence is cool.

Once back at the palace, Shannon makes a freeze ray–you zap someone motionless–but Roberts and Charles B. Middleton are on to the Earthlings. Luckily Middleton’s still a doofus and Crabbe and Shannon get away. Only to get stuck again in the cliffhanger, as they go back to the Clay Men’s kingdom.

Besides the chapter being a bunch of running around for no real purpose, it’s all pretty solid. It’s hard to believe Roberts puts up with condescending Middleton though, especially as he orders her own soldiers around.

As always, having Crabbe in the lead is an immeasurable plus for the serial. He’s not just good at the action–though Boomerang has some real obvious stuntmen during fisticuffs–but at making Shannon’s expository dumps more palatable.

The chapter does open with a cliffhanger resolve cheat, which hopefully won’t kick off too obvious ones in subsequent chapters.

And it’d be nice for Rogers to have something to do.

CREDITS

Directed by Ford Beebe and Robert F. Hill; screenplay by Ray Trampe, Norman S. Hall, Wyndham Gittens, and Herbert Dalmas, based the comic strip by Alex Raymond; director of photography, Jerome Ash; edited by Joseph Gluck, Saul A. Goodkind, Louis Sackin, and Alvin Todd; released by Universal Pictures.

Starring Buster Crabbe (Flash Gordon), Jean Rogers (Dale Arden), Frank Shannon (Dr. Alexis Zarkov), Charles Middleton (Emperor Ming), Beatrice Roberts (Queen Azura), Donald Kerr (Happy Hapgood), Richard Alexander (Prince Barin), and C. Montague Shaw (Clay King).

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Flash Gordon’s Trip to Mars (1938) ch04 – Ancient Enemies

The cliffhanger resolution from last chapter should be this awesome sequence where Buster Crabbe–faced with a collapsing structure–swings down on a line, risking his life to save his prisoner (Beatrice Roberts), in a scene George Lucas would “borrow” for Star Wars. Unfortunately, the whole thing is played on a view screen for Charles B. Middleton to witness. Sure, it’s obvious Middleton doesn’t like how Crabbe’s a hero first, but there’s this great action sequence and it’s in this (relatively) tiny window.

Roberts thanks Crabbe and Frank Shannon for saving her by imprisoning them again and giving them to Middleton to execute. Except Middleton, despite having been capable and evil enough to become an intergalactic evil emperor, sees red when it comes to Crabbe and sets up some dumb way of executing them. Crabbe and Shannon get out of it, capturing Middleton, who then outwits them.

The chapter title, Ancient Enemies, seems to refer to Roberts’s Martian queen and the Clay Men (who still have Jean Rogers and Donald Kerr hostage–waiting for Crabbe to deliver Roberts to them), only they’re not really ancient enemies. The Clay Men are just political outcasts Roberts has changed–magically–into clay people. And Crabbe and Middleton, despite really hating one another, haven’t been enemies for too long either.

Title confusion aside, once Crabbe and Shannon are trying to save the Clay Men from an attack by one of Roberts’s bombers–just one, she only sent one bomber to utterly destroy a settlement–Enemies picks up, tension-wise. There’s an airship chase, there’s Rogers and Kerr chained up to be bombed (Clay King C. Montague Shaw doesn’t trust Crabbe anymore). It’s an exciting finish.

There’s some decent effects work, some decent composites, some not decent effects work, some not decent composites. The decent stuff is real effect and the not decent stuff isn’t too damaging. Doesn’t hurt the stock music isn’t bad this time.

Plus there’s another Clay Men coming out of the wall shot, which is neat.

There’s enough content it could’ve been two chapters–especially since no one really gets enough material. Crabbe and Roberts needed more at the start (when she realizes he’ll stand for everyone) and Rogers needed more at the end. Roger’s way underutilized in Trip to Mars so far.

Anyway. Ancient Enemies is pretty good.

Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars (1938, Ford Beebe and Robert F. Hill), Chapter 4: Ancient Enemies

The cliffhanger resolution from last chapter should be this awesome sequence where Buster Crabbe–faced with a collapsing structure–swings down on a line, risking his life to save his prisoner (Beatrice Roberts), in a scene George Lucas would “borrow” for Star Wars. Unfortunately, the whole thing is played on a view screen for Charles B. Middleton to witness. Sure, it’s obvious Middleton doesn’t like how Crabbe’s a hero first, but there’s this great action sequence and it’s in this (relatively) tiny window.

Roberts thanks Crabbe and Frank Shannon for saving her by imprisoning them again and giving them to Middleton to execute. Except Middleton, despite having been capable and evil enough to become an intergalactic evil emperor, sees red when it comes to Crabbe and sets up some dumb way of executing them. Crabbe and Shannon get out of it, capturing Middleton, who then outwits them.

The chapter title, Ancient Enemies, seems to refer to Roberts’s Martian queen and the Clay Men (who still have Jean Rogers and Donald Kerr hostage–waiting for Crabbe to deliver Roberts to them), only they’re not really ancient enemies. The Clay Men are just political outcasts Roberts has changed–magically–into clay people. And Crabbe and Middleton, despite really hating one another, haven’t been enemies for too long either.

Title confusion aside, once Crabbe and Shannon are trying to save the Clay Men from an attack by one of Roberts’s bombers–just one, she only sent one bomber to utterly destroy a settlement–Enemies picks up, tension-wise. There’s an airship chase, there’s Rogers and Kerr chained up to be bombed (Clay King C. Montague Shaw doesn’t trust Crabbe anymore). It’s an exciting finish.

There’s some decent effects work, some decent composites, some not decent effects work, some not decent composites. The decent stuff is real effect and the not decent stuff isn’t too damaging. Doesn’t hurt the stock music isn’t bad this time.

Plus there’s another Clay Men coming out of the wall shot, which is neat.

There’s enough content it could’ve been two chapters–especially since no one really gets enough material. Crabbe and Roberts needed more at the start (when she realizes he’ll stand for everyone) and Rogers needed more at the end. Roger’s way underutilized in Trip to Mars so far.

Anyway. Ancient Enemies is pretty good.

CREDITS

Directed by Ford Beebe and Robert F. Hill; screenplay by Ray Trampe, Norman S. Hall, Wyndham Gittens, and Herbert Dalmas, based the comic strip by Alex Raymond; director of photography, Jerome Ash; edited by Joseph Gluck, Saul A. Goodkind, Louis Sackin, and Alvin Todd; released by Universal Pictures.

Starring Buster Crabbe (Flash Gordon), Jean Rogers (Dale Arden), Frank Shannon (Dr. Alexis Zarkov), Charles Middleton (Emperor Ming), Beatrice Roberts (Queen Azura), Donald Kerr (Happy Hapgood), Richard Alexander (Prince Barin), and C. Montague Shaw (Clay King).

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