Search - Lost City on DVD

Alpha Video - Omega Quality

J. M. Keyser | Arlington, Virginia | 08/01/2005

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Okay, the serial itself is a hoot. A fairly early entry with a feel that talkies have finally arrived -- although it was made in the mid-30s. But what can we do about Alpha? Sure, they make offerings such as these available, when no one else will, but absolutely no effort is made with respect to quality. A grainy, noisy copy of the series was used, and what's with the cropping? You know something's up when the title disappears from the top of the screen. Our hero, and dastardly villains, often have their heads lopped off. I'm not asking for letterbox quality -- not even pan and scan -- but can't you at least get the top and bottom of the frame on the screen? Oh well. If you can pick up a copy for about $5, it's worth it. But remember, you've been warned."

"The King of Serials...VCI Entertainment ~ The Lost City (19

J. Lovins | Missouri-USA | 11/29/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"VCI Entertainment, Super Serial Productions Inc, Sherman S. Krellberg present..."The Lost City" (1935) (Dolby digitally remastered), with 12 Chapters of vintage serial episodes loaded with jungle action sequences...story line takes us to Central Africa where there are disturbances threatening civilization ...could it be Magnetic Mountain is behind all of this and Bruce Gordon (Richmond) has invented a machine to locate and eliminate the problem...who is this scientific wizard Zolok (Boyd) and the inventor Dr.Manyus (Swickard) who does his evil bidding....will Zolok succeed in conquering the world with his giant African army of slaves...what strange power keeps Gorza (Bletcher) the dwarf in check, and will Appolyn (Frank) the strongman woo Natcha (Dell) daughter of Dr. Manyus into marriage...what can our hero Gordon do to stop the "Destroying Rays" and Zolok's evil intentions...has everyone gone bananas Prof. Reynolds (Lewis), Dr.Colton (Millman), Andrews (Moranti) and Butterfield (Hayes) all want to have Manyus the giant maker under their thumb...now enters more problems with Ben Ali (Corrado) and Queen Rama (D'Use) both up to no good slave traders, who want a piece of the action...now the big question is can Bruce Gordon and Jerry Delaney (Fetherston) save the good Dr. Manyus and thwart all who stand in their way, plus save the world within those exciting 12 Chapters......don't leave the theater until the final chapter is over and done with "The Mad Scientist"....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 Harry Revier, producer Sherman S. Krellberg, Original story by Dialogue director Zelma Carroll, Geo. M. Merrick and Robert Dillon, continuity by Perley Poore Sheehan, Eddy Graneman, Leon D'Usseau, dialogue director Zelma Carroll, musical score by Lee Zahler, special effects by Ken Strickfaden....the cast includes William Stage Boyd (Zolok), Kane Richmond (Bruce Gordon), Claudia Dell (Natcha Manyus), Josef Swickard (Dr. Manyus), George "Gabby" Hayes (Butterfield), Billy Bletcher (Gorzo), Eddie Fetherston (Jerry Delaney), Milburn Morante (Chet Andrews), Margot D'Use (Rama, Queen of the Wangas), Jerry Frank (Appollon), Ralph Lewis (Prof. Reynolds), William Millman (Dr. Colton), Gino Corrado (Sheikh Ben Ali), Sam Baker (Hugo, lead giant), Everett Brown (Boyo, a Giant)....special note that actor George Francis Hayes gained fame as Hopalong Cassidy's sidekick "Windy Halliday" between 1936-39 in the Cassidy B-Western series...after leaving the Hoppy films in 1940 he took the nickname of "Gabby" through some legal requests not to use "Windy", from then on he worked with Roy Rogers, John Wayne and Randolph Scott under the name of Gabby Hayes, became a favorite character in B-Westerns, was always in the Top Ten Western Box Office stars, inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in 2000, and he deserved it you're durn tootin'....meanwhile back to our Super 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. Living Dead men
2. Tuinnel of Death
3. Dagger Rock
4. Doomed
5. Tiger Prey
6. Human Beasts
7. Spider Men
8. Human Targets
9. Jungle Vengeance
10.The Lion Pit
11.Death Ray
12.The Mad Scientist

BIOS:
1. William Stage Boyd (not to be confused with Hopalong Cassidy's William Boyd)
Birth Date:12/18/1889 - New York, New York
Died: 3/20/1935 - Los Angeles, CA (
2. Kane Richmond
Birth Date: 12/23/1906 - Minneapolis, Minnesota
Died: 3/22/1973 - Corona Del Mar, CA
3. Claudia Dell
Birth Date:1/10/1909 - San Antonio, TX
Died: 9/05/1977 - Hollywood, CA
4. George "Gabby" Hayes (aka George Francis Hayes)
Birth Date: 5/07/1885 - Wellsville, New York
Died: 2/09/1969 - Burbank, CA
5. Josef Swickard
Birth Date: 6/26/1866 - Coblenz, Germany
Died: 2/29/1940 - Hollywood, CA
6. Harry J. Revier (Director)
Birth Date: 3/16/1889 - Philadelphia, PA
Died: 8/13/1957 - Winter Park, Florida

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 "The Lost City" (1935), 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: 265 mins ~ VCI Entertainment 1787 ~ (3/28/2000)"

Great Serial, Badly Served

Harold W. Cornelius | Arlington VA USA | 02/19/2007

(1 out of 5 stars)

"This very inexpensive release was made from an extremely chopped-up print, making it nearly unwatchable. The serial itself is a hoot - and is much better served by another release, priced higher and worth the difference."

"Appollon listening!"

The Penguin | Minnetonka, MN | 06/03/2005

(2 out of 5 stars)

"The last of a race of super geniuses (William Boyd) lives in a hidden city in the jungles of Africa. He decides that he wants to rule the world and sends out a ray that causes flooding, tidal waves and other ecological disasters. A strapping young scientist (Kane Richmond) figures out where the signal is coming from and leads an expedition to Africa to put a stop to it. They come across "giants" (African natives who are enlarged by the evil ruler's machines, becoming mindless zombies), "spider men" (African natives who are turned into white men by a serum that Kane Richmond's character calls one of the greatest inventions ever) and treachery both from within their group and from others they meet. Naturally, there is a kindly scientist, and naturally he has a beautiful daughter who longs to run off into the sunset with Kane Richmond's character. The evil ruler has a bodybuilder henchman who spends much of the story running around in the jungle, periodically stopping to use his belt radio (he kneels down and pushes a grounding rod into the earth, then pulls a microphone off the radio box and says "Appollon listening!"). All in all, an unusual mix of science fiction and jungle action, with numerous racist comments that would definitely arouse angry comments today. The acting was almost always over the top, even for a movie serial. I bought it because I'm a Kane Richmond fan, and I watched it all the way through more out of fascination that they were able to get away with this stuff than anything else. Definitely different."