DVD Review: Green Hornet, The: Gordon Jones, Keye Luke, Anne Nagel, Wade Boteler, Phillip Trent, Cy Kendall, Stanley Andrews, Selmer Jackson, Joseph Crehan, Walter McGrail, Eddie Dunn, Edward Earle, Ben Taggart, Ford Beebe;Ray Taylor: Movies & TV
DVD Review: Green Hornet, The: Gordon Jones, Keye Luke, Anne Nagel, Wade Boteler, Phillip Trent, Cy Kendall, Stanley Andrews, Selmer Jackson, Joseph Crehan, Walter McGrail, Eddie Dunn, Edward Earle, Ben Taggart, Ford Beebe;Ray Taylor: Movies & TV
Product Description
The Green Hornet (also referred to as simply Green Hornet) is a masked fictional crime fighter. Originally created by George W. Trendle and Fran Striker for an American radio program in the 1930s, the character has appeared in two Universal serials. In the 13 episode serial, the city is faced with rising crime and increased racketeering activity, intrepid newspaper editor Britt Reid (Gordon Jones) becomes the crime fighter the Green Hornet. As far as the police are concerned, the Hornet is himself a criminal; this misunderstanding enables Reid to operate "outside the law" to battle criminals and racketeers. Working along side the Hornet is the brilliant inventor/sidekick Kato (Keye Luke), the only living person who knows the true identity of the Hornet. Our heroes fight an infamous racket’s that’s menacing their city. Bonus Features: Episode Selection, Liner Notes by author Martin Grams Jr., Two Radio Episodes of THE GREEN HORNET, Photo Gallery, Trailers. Product Specs: 2-DVD9s; Dolby Digital 2.0; 258 minutes; B&W; 1.33:1 Aspect Ratio; MPAA - NR; Year - 1940; SRP - $29.99.
Read This Review Before You Buy,
By R. G. Bright -
This DVD release is SUPERB. I can say that because I have purchased numerous releases for the same serial, including VHS and unauthorized DVD releases. The picture quality is sharp and clear and evidently from the studio masters. The sound is excellent and the detail level is superb.
The serial is chaptered so you can select which chapter you want to watch or you can watch them all from beginning to end without interruption. Old-Time Radio shows are a bonus.
Best part about this release is the liner notes. Authored by Martin Grams, it reveals just how and where they filmed each scene for the chapters, character actors in small roles (such as an unbilled Alan Ladd) and more. I recommend you read the liner notes before watching the serial so you have plenty to look out for during viewing. Makes viewing more fun. (And according to the end of the notes, the author has an authorized book on THE GREEN HORNET coming out in early 2010!)
Overall, quality, liner notes, radio shows, bonus features, this is as good as it gets. If you question whether this is worth the price, take it from a Hornet fan. Grab this.
“The Green Hornet (1940) … Gordon Jones … VCI Ent. (2009)”,
By J. Lovins “Mr. Jim” (Missouri-USA) -
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)
VCI Entertainment presents “THE GREEN HORNET” — (9 January 1940) (258 mins/B&W) (Dolby digitally remastered) — Universal movie serial based on the The Green Hornet radio series by George W. Trendle — The Green Hornet, secretly newspaper publisher Britt Reid, and his Korean valet Kato stop and expose several seemingly separate crimes. This leads them into continued conflict with The Leader, the criminal mastermind behind The Syndicate and the individual crimes — “It’s gone… like a puff of smoke! I’ve never seen a car move so fast.” — The two police officers who are constantly chasing the Green Hornet’s car say that in almost every episode. Britt Reid (the Green Hornet) is a rich guy who like Bruce Wayne (Batman) and Lamont Cranston (The Shadow) has a secret identity that he uses to fight crime — Through thirteen chapters in this serial The Green Hornet manages to discover and eliminate a number of various criminal enterprises that are plaguing his city. Playing The Green Hornet in this version is a younger and leaner Gordon Jones who was best known for being Mike the Cop on the Abbott and Costello show. Keye Luke plays his sidekick and chauffeur Kato who because of the impending war was changed from Japanese to Korean for this serial.
Under the production staff of:
Ford Beebe - Director
Ray Taylor - Director
George H. Plympton - Screenwriter
Basil Dickey - Screenwriter
Morrison Wood - Screenwriter
Lyonel Margolies - Screenwriter
Fran Striker - author of characters
George W. Trendel - creator of character
Henry MacRae - Associate Producer
Jerome Ash - Cinematographer
William A. Sickner - Cinematographer
Irving Birnbaum - Film Editor
Joseph Gluck - Film Editor
Alvin Todd - Film Editor
Harold H. MacArthur - Art Director
David Sharpe - Stunts
Chapter titles
1. The Tunnel of Terror
2. The Thundering Terror
3. Flying Coffins
4. Pillar of Flame
5. The Time Bomb
6. Highways of Peril
7. Bridge of Disaster
8. Dead or alive
9. The Hornet Trapped
10.Bullets and Ballots
11.Disaster Rides the Rails
12.Panic in the Zoo
13.Doom of the Underworld
the cast includes:
Gordon Jones … Britt Reid / The Green Hornet
Wade Boteler … Michael Axford
Anne Nagel … Lenore “Casey” Case
Keye Luke … Kato
Phillip Trent … Jasper Jenks
Cy Kendall … Curtis Monroe
Stanley Andrews … Police Commissioner [Chs. 1, 5, 9, 13]
Selmer Jackson … District Attorney [Chs. 4, 10]
Joseph Crehan … Judge Stanton [Chs. 1, 9, 10, 13] (as Joe Crehan)
Walter McGrail … Henchman Dean
Gene Rizzi … Henchman Corey
John Kelly … Henchman Pete Hawks
Eddie Dunn … D.H. Sligby [Ch. 7]
Edward Earle … Felix Grant, Attorney [Ch. 1]
Ben Taggart … Phil Bartlett [Chs. 3-4]
Clyde Dilson … Meadows [Ch. 5]
Jerry Marlowe … Bob Stafford [Chs. 7, 11]
Frederick Vogeding … Max Gregory [Ch. 11] (as Fredrik Vogeding)
BIOS:
1. Gordon Jones
Date of Birth: 5 April 1911 - Alden, Iowa
Date of Death: 20 June 1963 - Tarzana, California
2. Anne Nagel
Date of Birth: 29 September 1912 - Boston, Massachusetts
Date of Death: 6 July 1966 - Hollywood, California
3. Keye Luke
Date of Birth: 18 June 1904 - Guangzhou, China
Date of Death: 12 January 1991 - Whittier, California
4. Ford Beebe (Director)
Date of Birth: 26 November 1888 - Grand Rapids, Michigan
Date of Death: 26 November 1978 - Lake Elsinore, California
5. Ray Taylor (Director)
Date of Birth: 1 December 1888 - Perham, Minnesota
Date of Death: 15 February 1952 - Hollywood, California
BONUS FEATURES:
1. Liner Notes by Author Martin Grams Jr.
2. Two “Green Hornet” Radio Episodes
3. Stills Gallery
4. Episodes 1-13 (End Credits)
Hats off and thanks to Les Adams (collector/guidelines for character identification), Chuck Anderson (Webmaster: The Old Corral/B-Westerns.Com), Boyd Magers (Western Clippings), Bobby J. Copeland (author of “Trail Talk”), Rhonda Lemons (Empire Publishing Inc), Bob Nareau (author of “The Real Bob Steele”) and Buck Rainey (author of :The Life and Films of Buck Jones) as they have rekindled my interest once again for Film Noir, B-Westerns and Serials — looking forward to more high quality releases from the vintage serial era of the ’30s & ’40s and B-Westerns — order your copy now from Amazon or VCI Entertainment where there are plenty of copies available on DVD — stay tuned once again for top notch action mixed with exciting adventure — if you enjoyed this title, why not check out Amazon or VCI where they are experts in releasing B-Westerns — all my heroes have been cowboys!
Total Time: 258 mins on DVD ~ VCI Entertainment ~ (07/28/2009)
He still hunts the biggest of all game.,
By Robin LaVair (Canehill, AR.) -
I bought The Green Hornet on VHS back in the ’90s. I’m glad it is coming out on DVD. I know it must be because of the new movie that is coming out and I hope that movie doesn’t kill the Green Hornet like it happened with others. (The Lone Ranger, Underdog, George of the Jungle) The first review gave a good outline of the movie but what I really liked is it sticks with what The Green Hornet is all about. When you hear the Green Hornet speek it is not the actor (Gordon Jones) who is saying the words. (a lot of movies have done that) What I like is they brought in Al Hodge of the radio show to do it. I’m hoping the tv show will be out on dvd soon. I heard there was a piolt done in the ’40s for tv that was not sold and I hope it is found and put on dvd also.
Search Green Hornet, The: Gordon Jones, Keye Luke, Anne Nagel, Wade Boteler, Phillip Trent, Cy Kendall, Stanley Andrews, Selmer Jackson, Joseph Crehan, Walter McGrail, Eddie Dunn, Edward Earle, Ben Taggart, Ford Beebe;Ray Taylor: Movies & TV from AmAzon
[asa]B002AQBV96[/asa]
First tagged "video" by norma Segui Customer tags: wii(133), dance games(131)
First tagged "video" by Kyle A. Munz Customer tags: helmet cam(7)
First tagged "video" by Elizabeth Resor "Lizard*" Customer tags: wii(64)
First tagged "video" by James E. Martin Customer tags: instructional design(3), screen