v. 1. When serials were king -- v. 2. The epic story of the cliffhangers.
Summary:
When serials were king: Journey back to the heyday of the Satuday matinee, when every week a new serial chapter took audiences through thrilling adventures and left them at the edge of their seats with a cliffhanger ending. See Flash Gordon, Captain Marvel, Commando Cody, Tarzan, Zorro and many other serial heroes battle the forces of evil in the Saturday matinee cliffhangers which enthralled a generation of moviegoers. The epic story of the cliffhangers: This original documentary traces the history of the cliffhanger serial, from its earliest origins in silent movies through to the Golden Age during the 1930s and 1940s. Utilizing archival photographs and rare film footage, this video profiles the serials and the people who made them, such as Pearl White in Perils of Pauline, Buster Crabbe in Flash Gordon, John Wayne in The Hurricane Express and Bela Lugosi in The Phantom Creeps.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.