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Jack Armstrong
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by United Home
Sales Rank: 43396
Price: $19.99
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VCI Entertainment and Columbia Pictures present "Jack Armstrong the All-American Boy" (1947) (Dolby digitally remastered), adapted from the radio feature15 Chapters of vintage serial episodes loaded with action sequencesstory line involves one of the most popular radio show dramas on the airwaves adapted to the big screen in a serial with episodes keeping you guessing all the way through all 15 ChaptersColumbia keeps this serial in tune, right down the line with the original radio serials formula and it works Armstrong, who we all know is the "All-American Boy" has his hands full battling the no good and rotten to the core Dr.Jason Groodis it possible there may be a death ray orbiting Earth aboard Grood's spacecraft.what advenures lie ahead for Jack, Betty and Billy Fairfield with the help of Uncle Jim (James Fairfield) owner of an aircraft companycan this very intelligent and outstanding athlete in high school foil the plans of all the henchman Jack Ingram, Eddie Parker, Terry Frost and mastermind bossman Charles Middleton who has to be the meanest man on the planet.all we need now is a full signed confession from this group of evildoers or will there trouble afootand who is Vic Hardy really?keep that thought as each chapter is more exciting than the previous onereturn next week to this local theater for another episode of action and adventure that will keep you thrilled until the next chapter. <br /> <br />Under director Wallace W. Fox, producer Sam Katzman, associate producer Melville De Lay, story treatment by George H. Plympton, with original screenplay by Lewis Clay, Arthur Hoerl, Royal K. Cole and Leslie Swabacker, music score by Lee Zahlerthe cast include John Hart (Jack Armstrong), Rosemary La Planche (Betty Fairfield), Joe Brown Jr (Billy Fairfield), Claire James (Princess Alura), Pierre Watkins (Uncle Jim Fairfield), Wheeler Oakman (Prof. Hobart Zorn), Jack Ingram (Blair, chief henchman), Eddie Parker (Slade - henchman), John Merton (Gregory Pierce), Charles Middleton (Dr. Jason Grood), Terry Frost (Jackman - henchman), George DeNormand (Traffic Cop), Hugh Prosser (Vic Hardy) and Knox Manning (Narrator-voice) special behind the scenes note that actor John Hart was the perfect choice for radio-comic strip hero Jack Armstrong in the 1947 Columbia SerialHart also was called upon in 1952 to play the "Masked Man" in 52 episodes for "The Lone Ranger" television seriestelevision again called upon Hart to star in James Fenimore Cooper's "Last of the Mohicans", his role this time was "Hawkeye"not a bad resume when you remember Hart's beginnings was acting on the stage of the renowned Pasadena Playhouse as a young man before turning to pictures and televisionnow back to the feature at hand Columbia Pictures stuntwork is always good till the last drop and this serial is no exceptionthere is a great deal of entertainment here for the cliffhanger fans out thereall courtesy of VCI Entertainment, who in my humble opinion is the best there is in restoring early serials and features. <br /> <br />CHAPTER TITLES: (Disc One) <br />1. Mystery of the Cosmic Ray <br />2. The Far World <br />3. Island of Desception <br />4. Into the Chasm <br />5. The Space Ship <br />6. Tunnels of Treachery <br />7. Cavern of Chance <br />8. The Secret Room <br />9. Human Targets <br /> <br />BIOS: (Disc One) <br />1. John Hart <br />Birth Date: 12/13/1917 - Los Angeles, CA <br />Currently Living <br />2. Rosemary La Planche <br />Birth Date: 10/11/1923 - Los Angeles, CA <br />Died: 5/06/1979 - Glendale, CA <br />3. Wallace W. Fox (Director) <br />Birth Date: 3/09/1895 - Purcell, OK <br />Died: 6/30/1958 - Hollywood, CA <br /> <br />CHAPTER TITLES: (Disc Two) <br />11.Battle of the Warriors <br />11.Cosmic Annihilator <br />12.The Gortto of Greed <br />13.Wheels of Fate <br />14.Journey Into Space <br />15.Restribution <br /> <br />SPECIAL FEATURES: (Disc Two) <br />VCI CLIFFHANGER TRAILERS: <br />1. Buck Rogers (Buster Crabbe) <br />2. Adventures of the Flying Cadets (Bobby Jordan) <br />3. Drums of Fu Manchu (Henry Brandon) <br />4. Jungle Girl (Frances Gifford) <br />5. The Phantom (Tom Tyler) <br />6. Zane Greys "King of the Royal Mounted" (Allan "Rocky" Lane) <br />7. Secret Agent X-9 (1945) (Lloyd Bridges & Keye Luke) <br />8. Adventures of Red Ryder (Don "Red" Barry) <br />9. Secret Agent X-9 (1937) (Scott Kolk & Henry Brandon) <br />10.Zorro's Cliffhanger Collection (Reed Hadley, John Carroll & Linda Stirling) <br />11.Dick Tracy's G-Men (Ralph Byrd) <br />12.Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (Buster Crabbe) <br />13.Jungle Jim (Grant Withers & Raymond Hatton) <br />14.Miracle Rider (Tom Mix & Tony Jr) <br /> <br />If you crave action, drama and plenty of adventure then this is the place for all of the abovecheck out another release from VCI Entertainment and Columbia Pictures present "Captain Video: Master of the Stratosphere" (1951) (digitally remastered), 15 Chapters.finally for the first time on video the really great Columbia Serial that broke the moldwe have everything a serial fan would wantthe tinted sequences by Cinecolor and unique inventions that were unlike any other serial out there in the '50sget out there as they're going fast, this is the one you've been waiting for. <br /> <br />Great job by VCI Entertainment for releasing "Jack Armstrong the All-American Boy" (1947), the digital transfere with a clean, clear and crisp printlooking forward to more high quality releases from the vintage serial era of the '30s, '40s & '50sorder your copy now from Amazon or VCI Entertainment, stay tuned once again for top notch action mixed with deadly adventure from the "King of Serials" VCIjust the way we like 'em! <br /> <br />Total Time: 270 mins on 2 DVD's ~ VCI Entertainment 8323 ~ (4/27/2004)
Viewer Reviews
This is one of many serials I saw at the Uptown Theater in Dover, NH, and one of the few I clearly remember. "Jack Armstrong" was one of my favorite radio serials for years, and I was thrilled when it was announced as the next movie serial at the Uptown. All I actually remember is the first chapter with that special car, which I thought was extremely cool at the time. The previews made us think the car was part of the story, but after the first chapter it never appears again.
The rest of the story is disappointing. It has a weak script and poor production values. The fights are not well choreographed. The chapter endings are mediocre. There's a little too much sci-fi nonsense to make this serial really enjoyable--for example in a late chapter they're going to communicate with "supersonic sound"--that would be sound that's faster than sound, excuse me? Dr. Grood's rocket ship looks suspiciously like the one in "Atom Man vs. Superman," and some of the weapons are more than faintly reminiscent of Luthor's in that same serial. Three of the bad guys resemble the Three Stooges.
John Hart looked like a movie star but he wasn't much of an actor. He played the Lone Ranger on TV from 1952 to 1953 replacing Clayton Moore for a year, after which Moore was brought back by popular demand. Rosemary LaPlanche was Miss America of 1941, and she toured extensively during the War selling war bonds. She could have been used to better advantage here, as could Claire James as Princess Alura. In fact, Miss James looks every bit as much Miss America-like as Rosemary does.
Pierre Watkin makes a fine Uncle Jim, albeit without the hair he sported as Perry White in "Superman." He may be the best actor in the film. Joe Brown, Jr. sure isn't--he can't deliver one line convincingly. As Billy, he's a pain in the arse--as an
actor, he's a complete disaster.
Columbia got really weird with the release of this film. Charles Middleton, as big a name as ever appeared in serials and who plays Dr. Grood, was not even listed in the credits. Middleton passed away only two years after this serial was made, and he's looking a little worn-out here.
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