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Adventures of Captain Marvel More at IMDbPro »

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31 reviews in total

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25 out of 25 people found the following review useful:
Best Comic Book Movie Ever Made., 7 February 2001

Author: Mike-764 (michaelnella@yahoo.com) from Flushing, NY

A criminal known only as the Scorpion, who one of 5 archeologists, is trying to acquire all of the lenses of a golden Scorpion idol, which can turn ordinary rocks into gold, and can unleash a powerful death ray. Billy Batson, during the dig, is given the powers of Captain Marvel by the enigmatic wizard Shazam to prevent the scorpion idol from being used for evil purposes. So when Billy Batson says the word Shazam, he is transformed into Captain Marvel. In my opinion it is not the greatest serial ever made, but it is without a doubt the greatest comic book adaptation in the media ( TV included. ). Tom Tyler looks just like the character and coupled with David Sharpe during the stunt scenes ( which look better than anything ever tried today in this type genre ) elevates it from a kiddie serial into serious watching. Rating, based on serials 10 out of 10.

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25 out of 26 people found the following review useful:
review, 19 February 2002

Author: tomwal from United States

I was seven years old when I saw this serial in a theater in 1941.

I now own 49 titles of Republic serials,mostly tapes and a few on DVD.This serial is my favorite.For those who have not saw this serial,I won't give away any secrets.The plot concerns a group of scientists and an ancient artifact with lenses that can turn any matter to gold,thus the owner could rule the world.A mortal ,Billy Batson ,is given the power to become Captain Marvel.The Captain fights the arch villain,the Scorpion,for 12 exciting chapters,to keep him from getting the lens.Marvel is played by former cowboy star,Tom Tyler in fine fashion.David Sharpe does the leaps and landings in realistic style.Flying scenes still look great today,with excellent special effects by the Lydecker brothers.The Scorpion is voiced by another actor,and should keep the viewer guessing until the final reel.Music by Cy Feurer,William Lava and others add more excitement to a fine serial.Whitney and English directed.

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24 out of 25 people found the following review useful:
This serial IS all it's cracked up to be, 3 October 2000
Author: Barney Bat from Scranton, PA

This serial has a reputation, that of being the greatest serial ever made, that is a greatly deserved one. The plot is complex, but not muddled, the actors are extremely competent, and the characters(this is very rare in serials)take on a life of their own. Most serial fans are familar with the plot, and besides, it is posted right here on the internet, so I will go on to the cast. Tom Tyler, probably more familar to film buffs as Luke Plummer in John Ford's classic STAGECOACH, looks the part of Captain Marvel to perfection. He has relatively few dialog scenes in the serial, however, and to some people this is an added bonus, as his extremely gravelly voice is not to everyone's taste Young Frank Coghlan Jr. is remarkably good as Billy Batson, and deserves additional acclaim as Republic's only juvenile serial hero. The incomparable William Benedict provides unobtrusive comedy relief, as he was to do the following year in NYOKA AND THE TIGERMEN. Benedict is my all-time favorite serial sidekick, even though he only did these two. Louise Currie, who was also to make a return date three years later in THE MASKED MARVEL, is a very likable heroine, and as for the Scorpion, he has got to be the best villain in serials, thanks largely to Gerald Mohr's voice. His closet competitors are probably Dr. Satan(Eduardo Cianelli), Captain Mephisto(Roy Barcroft) from MANHUNT OF MYSTERY ISLAND) and Jim Belmont(George J. Lewis) from FEDERAL OPERATOR 99. Kenne Duncan gives a good performance as Barnett, the Scorpion's chief henchman, and Reed Hadley also stand out as Rahman Bar, the Scorpion's Siamese cohort. The supporting cast includes silent serial great Jack Mulhall, and, as suspects for being the Scorpion, Harry Worth, Robert Strange, George Pembroke, Bryant Washburn, Peter George Lynn, and the wonderful scene-stealer John Davidson as the superstious Siamese, Tah Chotali. The special effects are positively astonishing, and hold up a lot better than modern high-tech effects do. After watching the serial, you simply have to conclude that Captain Marvel CAN fly. This certainly deserves its reputation as the greatest serial ever made. SHAZAM!

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21 out of 21 people found the following review useful:
Probably the best serial I've ever seen, 31 August 2004

Author: kcirone (kcirone@yahoo.com) from Marlborough, MA

Captain Marvel is one of the best serials available and a true credit to the genre. It offers plenty of the old-school, two-fisted action that you'd expect from an action serial, in addition to state-of-the-art (for the time) flying effects. The production value of the series is fantastic, including great stuntwork, fight sequences, and innovative cliffhangers. It also offers a great running mystery as to the identity of The Scorpion...which is ruined if you happen to read the cast list closely above :(

If you're a fan of serials or old action movies in general, you'd do well to pick this up as it truly is a classic.

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19 out of 22 people found the following review useful:
Very, very good old serial!, 25 May 2003

Author: FELIX SIQUEIRA DE BELLI

In my opinion, it is the finest serial ever mode. Highlighting the serial were the fabulous flying sequences. Combining a wired dummy photographed against real backgrounds in natural sunlight, with spectacular take-off leaps and landings, the final effects are still fascinating today as they were in 1941.

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15 out of 15 people found the following review useful:
Unexpected Sensation, 1 August 2005

Author: richard.fuller1

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

When TVland began running the 1970s Saturday morning Shazam a year or so ago, I learned of this old serial.

I decided to compare the two and had not an ever-lovin' clue what to expect.

There are the usual cliffhanger bits, I thought.

Then the tied up Billy and Betty are in the shed about to be bombed.

"I'll call Captain Marvel on the radio," Betty says. "Captain Marvel! Captain Marvel!" We hear the planes overhead.

Bill struggles with the ropes. Unlike Betty, his mouth is gagged.

"Captain Marvel! Captain Marvel!" The planes fly nearer. Billy struggles more.

"CAPTAIN MARVEL! CAPTAIN MARVEL! CAPTAIN MARVEL!" Then it went to the cliffhanger. I had already stopped doing what I was doing on the computer and just stared.

It had to be murder for kids to watch these things, I concluded.

We are given a masked villain, and five likely suspects.

In truth, which one of them was the villain was irrelevant.

There was just so much more fascinating stuff to this series.

Betty is unconscious on a boat. Billy must save her. He stands holding her as the ship sinks. Cliffhanger.

Don't expect the obvious. Nothing worked out or played out anywhere near the way we might think it did.

The only thing that disappointed me after all this brilliance was the cheap folding down film bit when Shazam was changed back to Billy at the end.

But this must stand as one of the all-time top five most underrated programs ever.

Fascinating note.

Frank Coglan Jr, who played Billy Batson, would be working at a zoo in the seventies, and when it was learned Coglan was nearby, he got a cameo in an episode of the seventies series.

Too much fun.

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16 out of 17 people found the following review useful:
Shazam! This is great!, 27 August 2005

Author: orsino44 from United States

One of my favorite Republic serials, along with Zorro's Fighting Legion and Spy Smasher. Adventures of Captain Marvel is slick, fast-paced and action packed. Of course, it has the usual failings of most serials -- low budget, short shooting schedule, a few bumps and wrinkles along the way -- but if that bothers you, you are probably one of those viewers who complain about the plots of Jackie Chan films. Frank Coughlan, Jr., does creditable work as Billy Batson, while Tom Tyler (Stagecoach, Red River) makes a robust Captain Marvel. Fans of Indiana Jones will love this, especially the sets in Chapter One. The best part about Capt. Marvel is his occasional shortage of a sense of fair play. (When was the last time you saw Superman machine gun three guys in the back as they ran away?) This is one super hero who doesn't play around. I also love Tyler's evil grin as bullets bounce off his chest and his propensity for pimp-slapping the bad guys when they don't answer his questions quickly enough. Also, look for Reed Hadley (Zorro) as one of the bad guys; unmistakable due to his superb voice. Hadley narrated A-bomb training films for the US government and had high level security clearance for the job. The other big plus of Capt. Marvel is the ground-breaking flying effects by the Lydeckers, using wires, dummies, reversed film and the leaping skills of stuntman Dave Sharpe. If you love adventure serials, you'll love The Adventures of Captain Marvel. Highly recommended is the DVD release from Artisan.

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14 out of 14 people found the following review useful:
The absolute best chapter-serial ever made!, 23 December 2004

Author: Von Bruno from United States

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

"The Adventures of Captain Marvel" (1941) is quite simply the best of its genre. Period.

Directed by John English and William Witney this 12-part serial really moves and maintains a generally high standard of quality. And the special effects were truly top-notch. Sure, there were times when the models looked like ... well ... models, but there were also sequences that would make folks believe a man could fly some 37 years before "Superman: The Movie." Frank Coughlan, Jr. made an outstanding "Billy Batson." Young, adventurous, and conscientious. He was no Clark Kent/Peter Parker wallflower. He also has a wonderful chemistry with his sidekicks Louise Currie ("Betty") and William Benedict ("Whitey"). This trio could have easily carried the movie without the super-hero gimmick.

Of course Tom Tyler made a terrific "Captain Marvel." Stoic, gallant, and (surprisingly) edgy. Some folks may be startled to see a super-hero dispensing 1940s justice with a definite 1940s sensibility. Its great.

Anyway, I saved the best for last ... it is now officially for sale on DVD for less than 10 bucks making it, IMO, the most under-rated and under-valued movie out. It's a classic for all the right reasons.

For what "The Adventures of Capt. Marvel" was and designed to be it is a perfect creation.

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12 out of 13 people found the following review useful:
Serials Definitely Can Be Additive!, 29 July 2006

Author: BaronBl00d (baronbl00d@aol.com) from NC

This is my first full-length serial, and, I must confess surprisingly, that I truly enjoyed each and every minute of it. The story tells of a young man named Billy Batson and how he, having refused to enter the tomb of an ancient people with a curse while being part of an archaeological/treasure hunting team, is bestowed great powers by Shazaam. Batson turns into Captain Marvel when he utters the word Shazaam. This serial is a lot better crafted than I initially thought it would be. The sets used in this Rebublic Pictures production are very good and believable. The acting is very adequate with Frank Coghlan Jr. giving a very honest and sincere performance as Billy albeit somewhat corny perhaps. Tom Tyler plays his alter ego Captain Marvel - and while looking somewhat haggard is acceptable. All the other performers are good with John Davidson standing out as Tal Chotali - a native guide for the group. The 12 chapters of this serial tell of how each investor in the team was given a special lens of a gold scorpion found in the ancient tomb. When all the lenses are placed properly on the scorpion, it can make gold out of anything. Well, a villain named the Scorpion comes into the mix. He is covered from head to foot in a mask and costume so as not to reveal his identity because he is one of the men in the team. Each episode tells of various plots the scorpion invents to secure the lenses and thwart Captain Marvel. In true serial fashion, each chapter ends with a thrilling and exciting cliffhanger of sorts. Originally these were shown weekly with pictures and made to be exciting and suspenseful so as to entice movie-goers to return each week. Directors William Witney and John English succeed in making the viewer want to see what happens. Each chapter was packed with action and mystery. Plenty of red herrings are thrown at you so as to confuse you to who could or would be the real identity of the Scorpion. It was so refreshing to see Captain Marvel be a real super hero. He doles out real justice to real crooks. No feminization of Captain Marvel here. Sure, some of the story is pretty hokey, and, yes, some plot twists totally unrealistic(how about the scene where Betty Wallace,Batson's pseudo-love interest, is careening around one bend after another in a garage while knocked out), but the product as a whole was very compelling. I had to watch all 12 chapters in one sitting just to find out who the script chose to be the Scorpion. This serial made me a believer and makes me want to check out some of these rather forgotten films of the past.

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10 out of 10 people found the following review useful:
I Wish They Were All This Good, 14 August 2005

Author: skallisjr from Tampa, FL United States

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

Many movie serials were pretty silly, with characters going to crisis to crisis almost pro forma. This one's much better, with some intelligent plotting, so the actual storyline flow seems far more natural.

Possible spoiler: One very nice touch appears in the early chapters. Captain Marvel learned some of his powers by experiencing them. The first time he gets shot at, he's genuinely and pleasantly surprised to discover he's bulletproof.

However, like most serials, the scripters had to mess with the original material. The wizard Shazam was originally from Egypt, not Siam. That aside, the reason for Billy Batson gaining the powers was different from the comic.

Nitpicks aside, though, this is a very superior serial. Many of the serials show little thought and a lot of action; this one, by contrast, is literate. It is tighter than the first Flash Gordon, and not one word is wasted.

Lots of fun

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