The original serial was released in 1939 and consisted of 265 minutes. This thing was released in 1949 and was stitched together as a movie and the running time became 78 minutes. So, if you are wondering what the heck is going on and if it feels like something missing, there most certainly is something missing. I remember watching episodes of the serial and then I watched this and was like, what is going on!
The story, well a mad scientist and his henchman Monk that constantly betrays the doctor, but someone keeps his life are doing things! Making exploding spiders that creep up on you! Making giant robots who are not good at combat and turning things invisible! Meanwhile, Bob the officer is trying to piece things together while a woman reporter tries to get the scoop. There are spies who wear strange masks and an battle in the skies too, but a lot of things just seem to happen randomly due to the aforementioned editing.
Bela Legosi plays the made doctor and he is okay, does what he usually does in a film. It seems as if the lady reporter is not in this thing much at all, I remember seeing her more in the serial version. Just too many quick edits and jumps to new scenes really makes you scratch your head, but it all ends with a plane crash so at least that much is clear.
So, it is entertaining in a fever dream kind of way. I mean, you just get a snippet sometimes of a scene before it simply moves on. I am sure the full serial is a bit better as far as story, but a bit more boring too. I mean, they are not going to be cutting out the most entertaining set pieces, but probably more exposition and romance with the reporter. Still, they may have wanted to at least have this thing be a bit more coherent...
The story, well a mad scientist and his henchman Monk that constantly betrays the doctor, but someone keeps his life are doing things! Making exploding spiders that creep up on you! Making giant robots who are not good at combat and turning things invisible! Meanwhile, Bob the officer is trying to piece things together while a woman reporter tries to get the scoop. There are spies who wear strange masks and an battle in the skies too, but a lot of things just seem to happen randomly due to the aforementioned editing.
Bela Legosi plays the made doctor and he is okay, does what he usually does in a film. It seems as if the lady reporter is not in this thing much at all, I remember seeing her more in the serial version. Just too many quick edits and jumps to new scenes really makes you scratch your head, but it all ends with a plane crash so at least that much is clear.
So, it is entertaining in a fever dream kind of way. I mean, you just get a snippet sometimes of a scene before it simply moves on. I am sure the full serial is a bit better as far as story, but a bit more boring too. I mean, they are not going to be cutting out the most entertaining set pieces, but probably more exposition and romance with the reporter. Still, they may have wanted to at least have this thing be a bit more coherent...