Panther Girl of the Kongo

Last updated

Panther Girl of the Kongo
Panthergirlofthekongo.JPG
Directed by Franklin Adreon
Written by Ronald Davidson
Produced by Franklin Adreon
Starring
Cinematography Bud Thackery
Distributed by Republic Pictures
Release date
  • January 3, 1955 (1955-01-03)(U.S. serial) [1]
Running time
12 chapters (167 minutes (serial) [1]
100 minutes (TV) [1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$172,793 (negative cost: $179,341) [1]

Panther Girl of the Kongo is a 1955 Republic movie serial that contains a great deal of stock footage from the 1941 Republic serial Jungle Girl . This was the penultimate of Republic's 66 serial films.

Contents

Plot

Mad scientist Dr. Morgan wants sole access to secret diamond mines in the local area of Africa. He breeds giant crayfish ("Claw Monsters") to scare away any other inhabitants. Jean Evans, the Panther Girl and friend Larry Sanders encounter the plot while on a photo safari in the region. [2]

Cast

Stunts

Production

Panther Girl of the Kongo was budgeted at $172,793, although the final negative cost was $179,341 (a $6,548, or 3.8%, overspend). It was the most expensive Republic serial of 1955. [1]

It was filmed between August 16 and September 4 of 1954 under the working title Panther Woman of the Kongo. [1] The serial's production number was 1939. [1]

In order to use significant stock footage from the earlier Jungle Girl and cheaply pad Panther Girl of the Kongo, a duplicate costume was used. As a result, Republic's last female lead wore the same costume as its first. [3] [4]

The film's special effects were created by the Lydecker brothers. They used real crayfish as the monsters, and employed scaled-down props to create the illusion of gigantic size. [5]

Release

Panther Girl of the Kongo's official release date was January 3, 1955, although this was actually the date when the sixth chapter was made available to film exchanges. [1] This was followed by a rerelease of Jesse James Rides Again instead of a new serial. The last new serial, King of the Carnival , followed in the summer. [1]

The film was one of 26 Republic serials packaged for television broadcast as part of Republic's Century 66 in 1966. The title of the film was changed to The Claw Monsters, and it was trimmed 100 minutes in length. [1]

Chapter titles

  1. The Claw Monster (20:00)
  2. Jungle Ambush (13:20)
  3. The Killer Beast (13:20)
  4. Sands of Doom (13:20)
  5. Test of Terror (13:20)
  6. High Peril (13:20)
  7. Timber Trap/Double Trap (Double Trap is the title shown on screen in chapter 7 and at the end of chapter 6) (13:20) [6]
  8. Crater of Flame (13:20)
  9. River of Death (13:20)
  10. Blasted Evidence (13:20) (recap chapter)
  11. Double Danger (13:20)
  12. House of Doom (13:20)

[1] [7]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Zorros Black Whip</i> 1944 film by Spencer Gordon Bennet

Zorro's Black Whip is a 1944 12-chapter film serial by Republic Pictures starring Linda Stirling. The film was made after the 1940 20th Century-Fox remake of The Mark of Zorro in order to capitalize on it. Republic was not able to use the character of Zorro himself, however, and despite the title, the hero(ine) is called The Black Whip throughout.

<i>The Tiger Woman</i> (1944 film) 1944 film by Wallace Grissell, Spencer Gordon Bennet

The Tiger Woman (1944) is a 12-chapter film serial by Republic Pictures starring Allan Lane and Linda Stirling. The serial was re-released in 1951 under the title Perils of the Darkest Jungle and, in 1966, it was edited into the 100-minute Century-66 film Jungle Gold.

<i>Jungle Girl</i> (serial) 1941 film by John English, William Witney

Jungle Girl is a 1941 15-chapter Republic serial starring Frances Gifford. It was directed by William Witney and John English based on the novel Jungle Girl (1932) by Edgar Rice Burroughs. It was the 22nd of the 66 serials produced by Republic.

<i>Robinson Crusoe of Clipper Island</i> 1936 American film

Robinson Crusoe of Clipper Island (1936) is a Republic movie serial starring Ray Mala. It was the fourth of the 66 serials produced by Republic and the last to be released in 1936. Robinson Crusoe of Clipper Island is notable for being the first Republic serial to contain another common aspect of serials—a Re-Cap Chapter, similar to a clipshow in modern television, whereby the events of the previous chapters are repeated via clips. Contrary to popular belief, this was not the invention of the concept, which had been routinely used in serial production before the release of this serial. The serial was edited into the film Robinson Crusoe of Mystery Island, which was released in 1966.

<i>Dick Tracy vs. Crime, Inc.</i> 1941 film by John English, William Witney

Dick Tracy vs. Crime, Inc. (1941) is a Republic Movie serial based on the Dick Tracy comic strip. It was directed by the team of William Witney and John English with Ralph Byrd reprising his role from the earlier serials. It was the last of the four Dick Tracy serials produced by Republic, although Ralph Byrd went on to portray the character again in two features and on television.

<i>Perils of Nyoka</i> 1942 film by William Witney

Perils of Nyoka is a 1942 Republic serial directed by William Witney. It stars Kay Aldridge as Nyoka the Jungle Girl, a character who first appeared in the Edgar Rice Burroughs-inspired serial Jungle Girl.

<i>Haunted Harbor</i> 1944 film by Wallace Grissell, Spencer Gordon Bennet

Haunted Harbor (1944) is a Republic serial, based on the novel by Ewart Adamson.

<i>The Purple Monster Strikes</i> 1945 film by Fred C. Brannon, Spencer Gordon Bennet

The Purple Monster Strikes is a 1945 Republic Movie serial. It was also released as a Century 66 television film under the title D-Day on Mars (1966).

The Phantom Rider is a 1946 American Western film serial from Republic Pictures starring Robert Kent and Peggy Stewart. It was later re-released under the new title Ghost Riders of the West.

<i>Son of Zorro</i> 1947 film

Son of Zorro is a 1947 American Western film serial from Republic Pictures. It was the 43rd of the 66 serials produced by that studio. The serial was directed by Spencer Gordon Bennet and Fred C. Brannon. George Turner starred as a descendant of the original Zorro in 1860s United States.

<i>Jesse James Rides Again</i> 1947 film by Thomas Carr, Fred C. Brannon

Jesse James Rides Again is a 1947 American Republic Western film serial.

<i>The Black Widow</i> (serial) 1947 serial film by Fred C. Brannon and Spencer Gordon Bennet

The Black Widow (1947) is a thirteen-chapter Republic serial film.

<i>King of the Rocket Men</i> 1949 film by Fred C. Brannon

King of the Rocket Men is a 1949 12-chapter movie serial from Republic Pictures, produced by Franklin Adreon, directed Fred C. Brannon, that stars Tristram Coffin, Mae Clarke, Don Haggerty, House Peters, Jr., James Craven, and I. Stanford Jolley.

<i>Radar Patrol vs. Spy King</i> 1949 film by Fred C. Brannon

Radar Patrol vs. Spy King is a 1949 12-chapter black-and-white spy film serial produced and distributed by Republic Pictures from an original, commissioned screenplay collaboratively written by Royal K. Cole, William Lively and Sol Shor. Kirk Alyn played the lead.

<i>The Invisible Monster</i> 1950 film by Fred C. Brannon

The Invisible Monster is a 1950 Republic film serial, starring Richard Webb and Aline Towne.

<i>Flying Disc Man from Mars</i> 1950 film by Fred C. Brannon

Flying Disc Man from Mars is a 1950 Republic Pictures 12-chapter black-and-white science fiction adventure film serial, produced by Franklin Adreon, directed by Fred C. Brannon, that stars Walter Reed, Lois Collier, Gregory Gaye, James Craven, Harry Lauter, and Richard Irving. Disc Man is considered a weak example of the serial medium, even compared to other post-World War II serials. In 1958 Republic edited the serial's 167 minutes of footage into a 75-minute feature, released under the new title Missile Monsters.

<i>Jungle Drums of Africa</i> 1953 film by Fred C. Brannon

Jungle Drums of Africa is a 1953 12-episode American serial film shot in black-and-white. It was an original commissioned screenplay by Ronald Davidson produced by Franklin Adreon and directed by Fred C. Brannon for Republic Pictures. The story is set in Kenya, and involves the efforts of an American uranium processing company's representative and a woman medical missionary, to thwart the efforts of agents of a "foreign power", abetted by a disaffected native witchdoctor, to gain control of a large uranium deposit on lands owned by the latter's tribe. This serial features black American actors in major roles, including that of a college-educated chieftain.

<i>Canadian Mounties vs. Atomic Invaders</i> 1953 film by Franklin Adreon

Canadian Mounties vs Atomic Invaders (1953) is a Republic Movie serial starring Bill Henry and both produced and directed by Franklin Adreon. It was the sixty-second serial produced by Republic. Despite the title, this is not a science fiction serial. The plot is a northern Cold War adventure involving secret missile bases and a planned invasion of the United States.

<i>Man with the Steel Whip</i> 1954 film by Franklin Adreon

Man with the Steel Whip is a 1954 Republic Western serial film. It uses considerable stock footage from the previous Republic serials "Zorro's Black Whip", "The Painted Stallion" and "Daredevils of the West."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Serial film</span> Series of short subject films

A serial film,film serial, movie serial, or chapter play, is a motion picture form popular during the first half of the 20th century, consisting of a series of short subjects exhibited in consecutive order at one theater, generally advancing weekly, until the series is completed. Usually, each serial involves a single set of characters, protagonistic and antagonistic, involved in a single story, which has been edited into chapters after the fashion of serial fiction and the episodes cannot be shown out of order or as a single or a random collection of short subjects.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Mathis, Jack (1995). Valley of the Cliffhangers Supplement. Jack Mathis Advertising. pp. 3, 10, 140–141. ISBN   0-9632878-1-8.
  2. Rovin, Jeff (1987). The Encyclopedia of Supervillains. New York: Facts on File. p. 100. ISBN   0-8160-1356-X.
  3. Stedman, Raymond William (1971). "5. Shazam and Good-by" . Serials: Suspense and Drama By Installment. University of Oklahoma Press. p.  141. ISBN   978-0-8061-0927-5.
  4. Harmon, Jim; Donald F. Glut (1973). "1. The Girls "Who Is That Girl in the Buzz Saw?"". The Great Movie Serials: Their Sound and Fury. Routledge. p. 17. ISBN   978-0-7130-0097-9.
  5. Blake, Jerry (January 5, 2015). "Panther Girl of the Kongo". The Files of Gerry Blake: Movie Serial Reviews and Other Cliffhanging Material. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
  6. "Timber Trap" is recorded as the title of the seventh chapter in William C. Cline's In the Nick of Time while "Double Trap" is recorded as the title in Jack Mathis’ Valley of the Cliffhangers Supplement.
  7. Cline, William C. (1984). "Filmography". In the Nick of Time . McFarland & Company, Inc. p.  256. ISBN   0-7864-0471-X.
Preceded by Republic Serial
Panther Girl of the Kongo (1955)
Succeeded by