A couple minor directorial changes in this serial would have made this a close to perfect example of the genre, putting it in the same league as Spy Smasher or Capt. Marvel. The musical score is often quite unsuitable, sounding too upbeat and heroic like Roy Rogers or Rin Tin Tin music, when instead there should have been something more mysterioso, ala film noir. Also, Warren Hull's speech is just a bit too fast and his affect just a bit too bright for a deadly vigilante such as The Spider.
And deadly the Spider is! This film is a fine relic of the pulp magazines, masked vigilantes, and of the 1930's, when duly deputized G-Men summarily executed real-life criminals such as Bonnie and Clyde, and John Dillinger. The Spider outdraws and dispatches criminals without the slightest qualms. (Do not think that flapdoodle64 personally approves of such things...he is instead fascinated by these windows into the mores of the past!) Despite the flaws, this is a very enjoyable serial, and while it takes some liberties with the source material, it is true to the spirit of the Spider and true to the spirit of 1930's pulp magazines as well. It is quite fun to see the Spider and his cadre of assistants seek to break the tyrannical hand of a predatory monopolist who seeks to control the country. In the 21st century, predatory plutocrats are considered admirable, but in the 1930's they were seen as criminal thugs.
Of the Spider's assistants, I particularly liked the Sikh guy...the turban and the beard are cool fashion accessories for crime fighters. Speaking of fashion, the Spider's cape is made out of some thin silk-like fabric, which tends to billow when the Spider runs and swings on ropes...this is a good effect.
There are plenty of fights and the stunts are pretty good by Columbia standards. There is a better than average believability factor overall, except for one of the later chapters, in which the Spider is shot several times by the thugs but in the next scene is shown to be undamaged. In a Columbia serial, however, such a flaw should be considered minor.
I recommend this serial to any serial fan, to fans of the pulps, and to fans of old-time escapist cinema as well. These fans should be able to overlook the awkwardness and enjoy the bloodthirsty vigilante action.
And deadly the Spider is! This film is a fine relic of the pulp magazines, masked vigilantes, and of the 1930's, when duly deputized G-Men summarily executed real-life criminals such as Bonnie and Clyde, and John Dillinger. The Spider outdraws and dispatches criminals without the slightest qualms. (Do not think that flapdoodle64 personally approves of such things...he is instead fascinated by these windows into the mores of the past!) Despite the flaws, this is a very enjoyable serial, and while it takes some liberties with the source material, it is true to the spirit of the Spider and true to the spirit of 1930's pulp magazines as well. It is quite fun to see the Spider and his cadre of assistants seek to break the tyrannical hand of a predatory monopolist who seeks to control the country. In the 21st century, predatory plutocrats are considered admirable, but in the 1930's they were seen as criminal thugs.
Of the Spider's assistants, I particularly liked the Sikh guy...the turban and the beard are cool fashion accessories for crime fighters. Speaking of fashion, the Spider's cape is made out of some thin silk-like fabric, which tends to billow when the Spider runs and swings on ropes...this is a good effect.
There are plenty of fights and the stunts are pretty good by Columbia standards. There is a better than average believability factor overall, except for one of the later chapters, in which the Spider is shot several times by the thugs but in the next scene is shown to be undamaged. In a Columbia serial, however, such a flaw should be considered minor.
I recommend this serial to any serial fan, to fans of the pulps, and to fans of old-time escapist cinema as well. These fans should be able to overlook the awkwardness and enjoy the bloodthirsty vigilante action.