Gang Busters: Serial - Vol 1: (Chapters 1-6)

Customer Reviews:

"The King of Serials...VCI Entertainment ~ Gang Busters (1942)".......2005-11-26

VCI Entertainment and Universal Pictures presents a film based on the radio program by Phillips H. Lord "Gang Busters" (1942) (Dolby digitally remastered), with 13 Chapters based on a real radio show in which unsolved crimes were reenacted in the hope of catching the criminal, stories were combined with original and completely ficitional...dedicated to law enforcement officers throughout the nation, in grateful recognition of their unending war against crime..story line has twists and turns as "The League of Murdered Men" with mad scientist (Ralph Morgan) at the helm...is there a mysterious death stimulating drug that presumes a person dead only to be resurrected by this mad man Prof. Mortis (Morgan)...will Lt. Bill Bannister (Taylor) and Det. Tim Nolan (Armstrong) stop this gang of misfits who is terrorizing the city...can Vicki Logan (Hervey) and Happy Haskins (Davies) who work for the local newspaper, get in the way or be of some assistance bringing the villains to justice...what is this strange hideout in a subterranean cell that is located beneath the city's subways...don't touch that dial or leave the theater until the final chapter is over and done with "Law and Order"....just remember double thrills, chills, mystery and suspense...hitting the bull's eye with excitement...don't miss a single spine thrilling episode..return next week to this local theater for another episode of action and adventure that will keep you thrilled until the next chapter.

Under director's Ray Taylor and Noel Smith, associate producer Ford Beebe, Original screenplay by Morgan B. Cox, Al Martin, Vic McLeod, George H. Plympton, dialogue director Jacques Jaccard, musical score by Ralph Freed, Charles Previn, Heinz Roemheld, Hans J. Salter, Frank Skinner and Franz Waxman...the cast includes Kent Taylor (Lt. Bill Bannister), Irene Hervey (Vicky Logan), Ralph Morgan (Dr. Clayton Maxton aka Prof. Mortis), Robert Armstrong (Det. Tim Nolan), Richard Davies (Happy Haskins), Joseph Crehan (Police Chief Martin O'Brien), George Watts (Mayor Hansen), George J. Lewis (Joey Morrions aka Mason), Ralf Harolde(Halliger-henchman), John Gallaudet (Wilkinson-henchman), William Haade (Mike Taboni), Vic Zimmerman (Ted Lane, alias Barnard), Johnnie Berkes (Mr. Grub ), Pat O'Malley ( Police Chemist Crandall), Eddie Dean (Blair, Police Lab Tech), William Desmond (Rogan's Death Witness), Karl Hackett (Henry, crooked watchman), Carleton Young (Highway Patrolman)........great stuntwork by Carey Loftin, David Sharpe, Tom Steele, Ken Terrell and Dale Van Sickel....meanwhile back to our Universal Serial which is always good till the last drop 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. The League of Murdered Men
2. The Death Plunge
3. Murder Blockade
4. Hangman's Noose
5. Man Under Cover
6. Under Crumbling Walls
7. The Water Trap
8. Murder by Proxy
9. Gang Bait
10.Mob Vengeance
11.Wanted at Headquarters
12.The Long Chance
13.Law and Order

BIOS:
1. Kent Taylor (aka Louis William Weiss)
Birth Date: 5/11/1907 - Nashua, Iowa
Died: 4/11/1987 - Woodland Hills, CA
2. Irene Hervey
Birth Date: 7/11/1909 - Venice, CA
Died: 12/20/1998 - Woodland Hills, CA
3. Robert Armstrong (of the film "King Kong" fame)
Birth Date: 11/20/1890 - Saginaw, Michigan
Died: 4/20/1973 - Santa Monica, CA
4. Ray Taylor (Director)
Birth Date: 12/01/1888 - Perham, Minnesota
Died: 2/15/1952 - Hollywood, CA

If you're into vintage serials as I am, why not pick up a copy of the following titles from VCI Home Video:
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)

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 Zane Grey's "King of the Royal Mounted" (1940) (digitally remastered), 12 Chapters of vintage serial loaded with action sequences...is there a discovered substance called "Compound X", which may cure infantile paralysis...has Tom Merritt stumbled on such a rare find...is there a war between Canada and sources known later as the "Father Land".....get out there as they're going fast, this is the one you've been waiting for.

Great job by VCI Entertainment for releasing "Gang Busters" (1942), 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 where there are plenty of copies available on VHS, 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: 255 mins ~ VCI Entertainment 1731 ~ (1992)

I WISH THEY COULD'VE PUT ALL THE CHAPTERS ON 1 DISC.......2004-08-10

UNFORTUNATELY, THIS DVD ONLY HAS THE 1ST 6 CHAPTERS. SO IF YOU WANNA SEE THE REST OF THE SERIAL, YOU HAVE TO BUY VOL. 2, WHICH HAS THE REMAINING 7 CHAPTERS ON THERE. ANYWAY, THE POLICE TRY TO BREAK A GROUP OF GANGSTERS KNOWN AS THE LEAGUE OF MURDERED MEN. HAS GREAT SHOOTOUTS, FIST FIGHTS, AND A LOTTA SUSPENSE. AND IF YOU THINK THESE 6 CHAPTERS ARE GOOD, WAIT UNTIL YOU SEE THE REMAINING 7 CHAPTERS!

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