Thoughts On Captain America Serial

[waufreak89]

http://waufreak89.blip.tv/

In many ways the current popularity of superhero cinema harks back to the early movie series of the 1940s. While the technology and approach is vastly different a core truth remains. That truth is that all of these projects take heroes form comic pages and breath a life into them. We can see our heroes, listen to them speak. We engage our beloved icons in ways that just can't be accomplished on paper.

The Captain America serial is often scorned by fans. The reason being took gross liberties it took with the source material. Yes Cap's shield is missing in lieu of a gun. Yes Cap's alter ego is not a soldier but instead a District Attorney. Yes the series lacks any mention of Nazis or Bucky.

But look beyond all that for a moment, look beyond all that was changed and what remains is a unique piece of superhero cinema. One can do all the criticism they like, but I defy even the most cynical SOB not to mark out even a little when Cap first shows up on screen in costume.

What are your thoughts on this series? If you've never seen in it then you're in luck. The complete series is available above, a nifty by product of it being in public domain.

[The Joker]

My dad bought me the Captain America serial in a 2 tape set waaay back in '94 if I am not mistaken. It's a OK serial for the most part, with some of the source material being dramatically altered for the silver screen treatment. For Timely (Marvel), Captain America was obviously the easiest one to adapt for the silver screen (Human Torch, and Sub Mariner were the other big guns at the time).

It's really easy for fanboys these days to nitpick stuff like this to death, but I believe readers back then just felt lucky they were even getting serials such as Captain America, Batman, Superman, Captain Marvel, Dick Tracy, ect ect at their local multiplexes. Is that an excuse for studios to take such dramatic liberties with the properties, not really. But liberties are often taken with comic book properities. Even to this day. Some translate to the general audiences quite well, and some fall flat on their face.

My all time favourite serial to this day, is STILL the original Batman serial from the early 40's. I remember taping each episode for 15 weeks straight via the AMC channel during the mid 1990's. 

[gordonblu]

Despite the liberties taken with the source material, I think this was one of the best serials Republic ever put out, alongside The Adventures of Captain Marvel, Jungle Girl, and Spy Smasher. True, Dick Purcell was pretty paunchy looking, but stuntman Dale Van Sickle more than made up for it in the fight scenes.

[waufreak89]

My all time favourite serial to this day, is STILL the original Batman serial from the early 40's. I remember taping each episode for 15 weeks straight via the AMC channel during the mid 1990's.  

Yeah that serial is an awesome piece of nostalgia.  When I was younger I got the serial on a two volume VHS set.  A couple years back I went ahead and bought the DVD release.  It was nice to finally have a digital copy of it.  The 1949 Batman and Robin serial is also great.

[DarkVengeance]

My all time favourite serial to this day, is STILL the original Batman serial from the early 40's. I remember taping each episode for 15 weeks straight via the AMC channel during the mid 1990's.  

Yeah that serial is an awesome piece of nostalgia.  When I was younger I got the serial on a two volume VHS set.  A couple years back I went ahead and bought the DVD release.  It was nice to finally have a digital copy of it.  The 1949 Batman and Robin serial is also great.

Both of the different sets of Batman serials are simply amazing, I love them!