The Lost City (1935 serial)

Last updated

The Lost City
The Lost City FilmPoster.jpeg
Directed by Harry Revier
Written by Zelma Carroll
Geo. M. Merrick
Robert Dillon
Eddie Granemann
Leon D'Usseau
Perley Sheehan
Produced by Sherman S. Krellberg
Starring William "Stage" Boyd
Kane Richmond
Claudia Dell
Josef Swickard
Cinematography Edward Linden
Roland Price
Edited by Holbrook Todd
Distributed by Super Serial Productions Inc.
Release date
  • March 6, 1935 (1935-03-06)
Running time
12 chapters (240 minutes)
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The Lost City is an independently made 12 chapter science fiction film serial created and produced in 1935 by Sherman S. Krellberg and directed by Harry Revier. [1]

Contents

Plot

Scientist Bruce Gordon comes to a secluded area in Africa after concluding that a series of electrically induced natural disasters had originated from in the area. There he finds the crazed Zolok, last of the Lemurians, in a secret complex inside a mountain. [2]

Zolok had created the natural disasters as a prelude to his attempt to take over the world, holding a brilliant scientist, Dr. Manyus, there hostage, along with his daughter, Natcha. He had forced Manyus to create mindless "giant" slaves out of the natives as a private army and as the serial progresses we learn Manyus also turned another tribe, the spider-worshipping Wangas, into thin, impotent whites. Gordon helps Manyus and his daughter to escape Zolok, but they encounter Ben Ali, a malignant slave trader; meet the sexy native Queen Rama, who tries to help them; and survive harrowing jungle adventures before returning to the Lost City and stopping Zolok's plan.

Cast

Chapter titles

  1. "Living Dead-Men" (27 min, 51 s)
  2. "The Tunnel of Flame" (20 min, 42 s)
  3. "Dagger Rock" (19 min, 52 s)
  4. "Doomed" (18 min, 30 s)
  5. "Tiger Prey" (19 min, 31 s)
  6. "Human Beasts" (18 min, 25 s)
  7. "Spider Men" (17 min, 4 s)
  8. "Human Targets" (17 min, 36 s)
  9. "Jungle Vengeance" (23 min, 4 s)
  10. "The Lion Pit" (18 min, 21 s)
  11. "Death Ray" (20 min, 31 s)
  12. "The Mad Scientist" (18 min, 23 s)

Source: [4]

Production

The film took the premise of that year's The Phantom Empire but transferred the lost civilization motif from the west to another popular serial locale, the African jungle.

Feature-length versions

Sherman S. Krellberg had the serial edited into four different feature versions over time, perhaps setting a record for feature versions of a serial. The first feature consisted of the first three episodes of the serial and the first reel of the fourth episode edited together, and supplemented with footage not part of the serial itself which drew the adventure to a loose conclusion; and the second was compiled from material in the first and last four chapters of the serial, omitting the adventures with the slave traders, the spider people and Queen Rama, but ending as did the serial. Both these features were made and released in 1935 and both were also called The Lost City. The first of these was also designed so that it could be followed over successive weeks by the remaining chapters in the serial.

In the early '40s Krellberg created a new feature version that incorporated material from the adventures with the slavers, spider people and jungle queen, and released this under the title City of Lost Men. Finally, in the 1970s, he took the first feature version and clumsily edited in, at the end, most of the footage from the last chapter, creating what goes beyond a continuity gap and is rather a continuity abyss, and attached the City of Lost Men title to this feature.

It is not clear whether the last feature had an actual theatrical release or went directly to television. The first City of Lost Men appears to be lost, and videos and DVDs being sold under that title are sourced from film prints of this final feature. Since it incorporates the entire first feature version entitled Lost City, that film cannot fairly be said to be lost, although no separate video issue of that version under its own titles is known. Video/DVD offerings of The Lost City as a feature are from prints of the second feature version described.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flash Gordon</span> Comic strip character created 1934

Flash Gordon is the protagonist of a space adventure comic strip created and originally drawn by Alex Raymond. First published January 7, 1934, the strip was inspired by, and created to compete with, the already established Buck Rogers adventure strip.

<i>Flash Gordon</i> (serial) 1936 film serial

Flash Gordon is a 1936 superhero serial film. Presented in 13 chapters, it is the first screen adventure for Flash Gordon, the comic-strip character created by Alex Raymond in 1934. It presents the story of Gordon's visit to the planet Mongo and his encounters with the evil Emperor Ming the Merciless. Buster Crabbe, Jean Rogers, Charles Middleton, Priscilla Lawson and Frank Shannon portray the film's central characters. In 1996, Flash Gordon was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mongo (fictional planet)</span> Primary setting of the Flash Gordon franchise

Mongo is a fictional planet where the comic strip of Flash Gordon takes place. Mongo was created by the comics artist Alex Raymond in 1934, with the assistance of Raymond's ghostwriter Don Moore. Mongo is depicted as being ruled by a usurper named Ming the Merciless, who is shown as a harsh and oppressive dictator.

<i>Adventures of Captain Marvel</i> 1941 serial by William Witney, John English

Adventures of Captain Marvel is a 1941 American 12-chapter black-and-white movie serial from Republic Pictures, produced by Hiram S. Brown, Jr., directed by John English and William Witney, that stars Tom Tyler in the title role of Captain Marvel and Frank Coghlan, Jr. as his alter ego, Billy Batson. The serial was adapted from the popular Captain Marvel comic book character, then appearing in the Fawcett Comics publications Whiz Comics and Captain Marvel Adventures. The character is now owned by DC Comics and is known as Shazam.

<i>The New Adventures of Tarzan</i> 1935 American film

The New Adventures of Tarzan is a 1935 American film serial in 12 chapters starring Herman Brix. The serial presents a more authentic version of the character than most other film adaptations, with Tarzan as the cultured and well-educated gentleman in the original Edgar Rice Burroughs novels. It was filmed during the same period as the Johnny Weissmuller/Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Tarzan films. Film exhibitors had the choice of booking the serial in 12 episodes, the feature film, or the feature film followed by 11 episodes of the serial.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tarzanesque</span> Term used to describe Tarzan-like characters.

Tarzanesque is a term created by Frenchman Francis Lacassin used to describe characters in comic books inspired by Tarzan. A tarzanesque character resembles Tarzan in his physical resourcefulness, within a line of action that includes an adventurous life in the jungle, the gift of understanding and being understood by animals, contact with lost civilizations and courage combined with the ability to deal with nature. The creation of such characters may have been propitiated by the success that Tarzan had achieved since his appearance in literature in 1912, culminating with the release of daily comic strips in 1929, which paved the way for a genre that combined the allure of the unknown environment, the need for the archetypal characteristics of the hero and the popularity of access.

<i>Undersea Kingdom</i> 1936 American film

Undersea Kingdom (1936) is a Republic Pictures 12 chapter film serial released in response to Universal's Flash Gordon. It was the second of the sixty-six serials made by Republic. In 1966, the serial was edited into a 100-minute television film titled Sharad of Atlantis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spencer Gordon Bennet</span> American film director (1893–1987)

Spencer Gordon Bennet was an American film producer and director. Known as the "King of Serial Directors", he directed more film serials than any other director.

<i>The Fighting Devil Dogs</i> 1938 American film

The Fighting Devil Dogs (1938) is a 12-chapter Republic movie serial starring Lee Powell and Herman Brix, the latter better known by his later stage name, Bruce Bennett. It was directed by William Witney and John English. While not often considered a great serial, as it contains much stock footage and two recap chapters, it is famous for its main villain, the Lightning—the first costumed supervillain. There is some speculation that George Lucas used the Lightning as a template for Darth Vader.

<i>Dick Tracy</i> (serial) 1937 American film

Dick Tracy (1937) is a 15-chapter Republic movie serial starring Ralph Byrd based on the Dick Tracy comic strip by Chester Gould. It was directed by Alan James and Ray Taylor.

<i>Darkest Africa</i> 1936 American film

Darkest Africa (1936) is a Republic movie serial. This was the first serial produced by Republic Pictures and was a loose sequel to a Mascot Pictures serial called The Lost Jungle, also starring Clyde Beatty. Mascot, and other companies, had been taken over in 1935 by Consolidated Film Laboratories and merged to become Republic. Producer Nat Levine was formerly the owner of Mascot Pictures.

<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>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>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.

Raymond Edgar Taylor was an American film director. He directed 159 films between 1926 and 1949. His debut was the 1926 film serial Fighting with Buffalo Bill.

<i>The Adventures of Tarzan</i> 1921 film by Scott Sidney, Robert F. Hill

The Adventures of Tarzan (1921) is a 15 chapter movie serial which features the third and final appearance of Elmo Lincoln as Tarzan. The serial was produced by Louis Weiss, written by Robert F. Hill and Lillian Valentine, and directed by Robert F. Hill and Scott Sidney. The first chapter was released on December 1, 1921.

<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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sherman S. Krellberg</span> American film producer

Samuel Sherman Krellberg was a film distributor and producer in the United States. The Library of Congress has a collection of his papers. He distributed films nationally under various corporate names including Regal Talking Pictures, Super Serial Productions, Goodwill Pictures and Ultra Pictures. His mainstay business, however was the New York "states rights" (regional) Principal Film Exchange, which he acquired from Sol Lesser in 1936.

References

  1. ↑ Kinnard, Roy (1998). Science Fiction Serials: A Critical Filmography of the 31 Hard SF Cliffhangers. McFarland & Co. p. 14. ISBN   978-0786437450.
  2. ↑ Rovin, Jeff (1987). The Encyclopedia of Supervillains. New York: Facts on File. p. 382. ISBN   0-8160-1356-X.
  3. ↑ Soister, John T.; Nicolella, Henry; Joyce, Steve (January 31, 2013). American Silent Horror, Science Fiction and Fantasy Feature Films, 1913–1929. McFarland Publishing. p. 399. ISBN   9780786487905.
  4. ↑ Cline, William C. (1984). "Filmography". In the Nick of Time . McFarland & Company. p.  214. ISBN   0-7864-0471-X. (Chapter titles only)

Download or view online

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.