Search - Captain Video and His Video Rangers on DVD

Straight To Our Living Rooms from the Planet Metastaros

Karen Lee | New York, New York, USA | 05/13/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Watching these brought back wonderful memories of childhood and watching this show in front of the TV with my dinner on a tray. Only one of the four episodes on this disk is one that I have on VHS. The quality of the first three, which are early, is pretty poor, faded and blurry. They were obviously recorded directly from VHS with no attempt at remastering. The fourth is of very good quality and has good sound. It was one of the last Captain Video shows and made about 1955. Because I think most of us buying this disk are familiar with the show, I'll just summarize the episodes on the disk so you know which ones they are. If you don't know the show and its stars, there are excellent websites with lots of information.
1st episode - Richard Coogan and Don Hastings. The villain has a black mustache and wears a uniform resembling that of a foreign legionnaire. Little action takes place. The western film interval concerns two jailed cowboys escaping through a hole their comrade saws through the roof. They sing loudly throughout so that the jailer can't hear the noise of the saw.
2nd episode - Coogan and Hastings. Dr. Pauli and Hermes Glycos on Metastaros. Hermes and some of the others are dressed somewhat like ancient Romans and speak in a stilted, stagey fashion as they discuss the rights of the citizens of Terzan. This supremely silly episode is one that seems to be included on all the VHS Capt. Video tapes.
3rd episode - Coogan and Hastings. Takes place in Shanghai where Dr. Pauli is disguised as a Chinese warlord and member of the Dancing Bear Tong. Other villains are sea captain Connelly (who is slain at the end)and someone named, I think, Soo ching sing. The film interval is about Arabs on horseback fighting pith-helmeted Anglos somewhere in the Middle East. It appears to be a segment from a chapter serial.
4th episode - Al Hodge, Don Hastings. Aboard the Galaxy, the Captain and others discuss blowing up Comet X. On the spaceship Excalibur, the crew discusses plans to mutiny. Mr. Cromwell, a good guy, declares he will sacrifice his life to save that of Captain Video. Meanwhile, the Video Ranger goes missing somewhere in space. Great original commercials for Post Sugar Crisp cereal ("coated with candy")are included. There are no commercials with the other episodes but there are 1950s PSAs about what is referred to today as "diversity."
Kudos to Alpha Video for releasing this great piece of nostalgia."

FIRST TV SCI-FI CLASSIC!

Richard J. Oravitz | 03/31/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This stuff was broadcast live and the episodes presented here are crude at best, sloppy and uneventful. Characters stand around and communicate the plot back and forth to each other through various message-sending devices. Captain Video knocks over one of these cardboard speakers, picks it back up and continues delivering his lines...no re-shooting on live tv! The last un-connected episode featuring Al Hodge is the most polished with good sci-fi elements, taking place in deep space.
This is really a pretty good look at the origins of sci-fi tv. All four episodes stand alone by themselves offering no plot continuity, however, this does present an overview of the series. The commercials for cereal and Captain Video rings are priceless, and in order to change sets/costumes we are treated to a video screen checking in on Captain Video's agents, which consists of old B-Western movie clips featuring Buster Crabbe and others! Ya just gotta love it!
The Alpha dvd is quite acceptible considering the source elements.
This is great early tv, entertaining, nostalgic, yet mind-numbing all at once!...and above all: FUN!!!
"