Review of
Zorro Rides Again Volume 1 Chapters 1-6
Classic Movie Serials DVD
Five out of five stars
Good old-time fun with chapter ending cliffhangers
Watching the
first six chapters of this classic serial that came out in 1937, I was reminded
of how much the creators of fictional heroes borrow (steal) from each other.
The original Zorro character first appeared in 1919 and he was a wealthy man
that lived on a large estate. Under that estate there was a cave that was Zorro’s
secret base. The cave was known as the “Fox Den.” Zorro wore a mask and kept his
real identity secret by pretending to be a coward. Since Batman first appeared
in 1939, it is clear that the creators of Batman, Bob Kane and Bill Finger were
liberal in their copying from others. It demonstrates that there are few really
original ideas in entertainment.
In my youth, some
of the serials appeared on television in the odd hours when the local stations needed
cheap filler that would entertain. Watching the end of chapter cliffhangers
where it seemed like there was no escape brought back many memories of having
to wait an entire week before you could find out how the hero escapes.
The story
itself is long and drawn out and generally repetitive. The gang of villains
seem to always have an unavoidable point of failure while Zorro and his friends
use their wiles to dodge the bullets and all else the villains come up with.
Yet, if you can put your mind into a much earlier frame where you were dazzled
by the situation where it seemed impossible to escape, then you can sit back
and enjoy the ultimate in escapist entertainment.
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