Friday, April 1, 2011

Video Fridays: THE GREEN HORNET "Tunnel of Terror"

Continuing our weekly feature "Video Fridays"...
It's time to take a look at the ORIGINAL film Green Hornet in his origin episode from the 1940 Universal Studios serial starring Gordon Jones as Britt Reid/Green Hornet and Key Luke as Kato!
While his full-face disguise looked different from the radio and comic version's surgeon-style mask, the characterization and plots were based on the radio show.
And, when masked, the movie Hornet sounded like the hero of the airwaves...because radio Hornet Al Hodge's distinctive voice was dubbed whenever newspaper publisher Britt Reid was masked!
All the supporting characters from the radio show made it to the movie version.
(Serials usually "trimmed" existing characters to keep the plots fast-paced.)
In fact, Kato received more time on screen than he usually got on the radio, as his scientific genius and other talents (including karate) were emphasized.
Oddly, in this incarnation, Kato was now Korean, not Fillipino or Japanese!
Enjoy "Chapter One: Tunnel of Terror"

Want to see what happens next?
YouTube provider LuridPlanet has posted the entire serial HERE.
Or you can download it in a variety of formats HERE.

And don't forget to check out...
The Classic Green Hornet Store

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Double-Retro Movie Captain America!

Since this month is the 70th Anniversary of Captain America's debut and the new big-budget Captain America movie is filming, we thought it time to take a look at the original 1940s movie Cap.
And, to make it even more fun, we'd look at it from a Silver Age perspective, when Cap had just been resurrected in The Avengers...
Specifically, an article from the HTF 1960s magazine On the Scene Presents: Super-Heroes!
PLUS: Here's the (reissue) trailer for the serial itself...

Monday, March 28, 2011

Reading Room Annex: THE GREEN HORNET in "Threat of the Red Dragons" Conclusion

The Green Hornet had confronted the Red Dragons, suggesting they blackmail Kato, thereby enabling the duo to track the tong to their base of operations, and their leader...
 Story by Paul Newman.
Art by Dan Spiegle.
Upcoming in the Reading Room Annex: More interplanetary warfare with the Space Busters!

And don't forget to check out...

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Reading Room Annex: THE GREEN HORNET in "Threat of the Red Dragons" Part 2

A new Chinatown tong, The Red Dragons, is threatening honest citizens, including friends of Kato (never a good idea).
Tracking a clue to the shop of Mao-Tse, who is involved with the tong, The Green Hornet and Kato discover...
We'll see who bites...and how hard, in tomorrow's exciting conclusion!

And don't forget to check out...

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Reading Room Annex: THE GREEN HORNET in "Threat of the Red Dragons" Part 1

We're taking a break from interstellar battle for a slightly more down-to-earth tale featuring everyone's favorite insect-based superhero!
It's the Silver-Age Green Hornet (and Kato) from #2 of the short-lived Gold Key book based on the tv series!
We'll find out where the light is coming from...tomorrow!

And don't forget to check out...