ridiculous rating

Really Surprised!

One of the best films i have seen

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

Singing cowboy Gene Autry (in his first starring film role) plays -- singing cowboy Gene Autry, star of a daily radio broadcast which is performed live from "Radio Ranch." Autry's contract, very strangely, requires that he perform in every show without fail or he will immediately and on-the-spot lose control of the program and the ranch. Yes, it's silly, but you'll soon learn to leave most of your sense of reality behind if you want to enjoy this early genre mash-up involving Autry, his two young sidekicks (Frankie Darro and Betsy King Ross, who was advertised as "America's champion trick rider" but gets precious little trick riding to do, alas) and their team of "Junior Thunder Riders" as they try to thwart both a team of evil and greedy scientists from gaining control of the ranch so that they can exploit its radium deposits, and the underground denizens of the lost city of Murania, an advanced civilization of super-science which will stop at nothing - even mass destruction - to keep the outside world from intruding.Also making appearances are comic duo Smiley Burnett and Peter Potter, who typically have a slapstick gag or two that frequently hinders the heroes in just about every episode; most of the chapters follow a basic pattern of Gene and company getting out of trouble with either the scientists or the Muranians at the beginning of the episode, rushing back to the ranch so that Gene can make his broadcast, a song from Gene or occasionally a western combo, and after the 2nd episode, Gene trying to make sure he doesn't get caught for the murder of his sidekicks' father, his partner (he's not guilty, of course)! This one has it all folks - Laurel & Hardy-type slapstick routines, lots of great singing cowboy music, mad scientists and fantastic inventions, gunfights - one of many ways in which the whole serial seems to exist in a parallel universe can be shown by the fact that they actually stage gunfights, bank robberies etc for the radio show, despite the lack of a live audience! There's little in the way of sex in this one - this seems to be aimed at a slightly younger crowd than Flash Gordon , the next major science-fiction serial to come along a year later. The queen of Murania (Dorothy Christy) is attractive enough but quite severe and wooden; no romance between her and the 28-year-old (but rather older looking) Autry is ever on the horizon. The scenes in the Muranian city are probably the highlights overall, with some surprisingly good sets and solid painting/matte work (keep in mind this was a very low budget affair) and some pretty advanced science fiction hardware for the day - a disintegrating ray, televisors that can show events anywhere, an aerial torpedo that can be controlled in mid-flight, a super-fast elevator, etc.The acting is almost uniformly mediocre to poor, with Wheeler Oakton as the Muranian queen's Chancellor (and ultimately traitor) probably the most memorable, though in basically a typical 30s stock-villain way; and of course it can be fairly repetitive like a lot of serials - but overall the weirdness of the thing and the willingness to just mash up all kinds of disparate elements together and hope they stick worked for me, and I'd have to say I liked this just as much, maybe a little more even, than the Flash Gordon serials of the next few years. The copy I watched is the recent VCI edition, which is not tinted unlike the alternative edition available from The Serial Squadron, but is pretty high quality in most respects, and loaded with extras. I can't recommend this too highly to those few interested in the genre.

While certainly not in a league with Flash Gordon, Phantom Empire does have an art-deco underground city, an evil professor, tacky special effects, an ego-maniacal queen, and wildly misleading cliff-hangers at the end of each episode. Unfortunately, it also has a disappointing hero, a ragged print, and a juvenile setting in a "radio ranch." Gene Autry is a bland hero and comes across as too soft for modern tastes or at least for my taste. Also, while he may have been a singing star in his day, the action stops dead in its tracks every time an obligatory song begins. While the comic relief from two "adult" side-kicks would embarrass kiddie show hosts from the early 1950s, the two juvenile leads both manage to be more appealing and credible than most of the adults. But aside from the low points, there is enough fun in Phantom Empire to warrant a viewing. The cardboard "robots" and the "battles" with the soldiers, who look as though they wandered in from a sand-and-sandals epic shooting on the next sound stage, are a hoot. Despite some classic 1930s serial elements, however, Phantom is overall a disappointment.

Without going into points covered by earlier reviewers (with which I am in agreement), I really encourage anyone who enjoys old movies to see this one. I rate this one a "6" because of its unique blend of genres and because I enjoyed it.SOME TECHNICAL INFO:Unfortunately the DVD version is VERY bad. Source material was substandard and encoding was outrageous. They also cut the "Mascot" leaders from each chapter.I have this serial on quite old 16mm film and (splices, scratches and all) it's better than the DVD.You may actually have better luck purchasing this on VHS...I never thought I'd ever make THAT recommendation!

I first saw Phantom Empire back in the 1970s when it was included in a local museum series of vintage films. I was totally enthralled by it and the incredible underground world below Gene Autry's "Radio Ranch". (The ranch was the site of weekly broadcasts of great oldtime cowboy music.) I'm more a fan of old cowboy movies than I am of science fiction, but I was really taken by the sci-fi set, with wacky multi-story elevators, ray guns, and metal robots. I was particularly smitten by the beautiful but evil Queen Tika, ruler of Murania, who had a magical spinning circle on the floor which she would visit and ask to show her anything she wished. The wheel would spin, complete with a spiraling graphic, which then turned into a real-time view of -- Gene Autry, of course, and his whereabouts, providing the Muranians the opportunity to capture him. (Seeing the spinning circle reminded me that as a six year old, I conjured up similar powers from spinning circle, and had forgotten all about it. Since then, my alter ego is. . Queen Tika!) I recommend the Phantom Empire series as an experience in true, though "kitschy", entertainment! Sincerely yours, Queen Tika