Smartorhypo Highly Overrated But Still Good

AutCuddly Great movie! If you want to be entertained and have a few good laughs, see this movie. The music is also very good,

Numerootno A story that's too fascinating to pass by...

Derry Herrera Not sure how, but this is easily one of the best movies all summer. Multiple levels of funny, never takes itself seriously, super colorful, and creative.

xerses13 THE GREAT ALASKAN MYSTERY (1944) Universal has a few things to recommend it. First thing is the cast, the film is loaded with quality character actors. Many who appeared in the previous decade for the major studios, M.G.M, Paramount, Warner Brothers etc. Second, much documentary footage of the 'Great White North' was used for back-round plates. Third, the musical score, though a Hodge-Podge collection from previous film scores it is fun too pick them out. From THE SPOILERS (1942) too most of the Universal Horror Films.Why the low rating? For it fails like most Universal Serials do except for BUCK ROGERS and the FLASH GORDON Trilogy, too much talk not enough action or decent SFX. Universal Serials were dialogue and plot driven and except for the previously mentioned, lacked the action of their competition from REPUBLIC Studios. Though a middle tier Studio, Universal had a excellent SFX department, but its head John Fulton did not work on Serials. REPUBLIC devoted original musical scores to support the action and the Lydecker Brothers SFX, not so Universal. Stunt work was sub-par also with the Fight scenes so-so.The serial is about as entertaining as most of those from COLUMBIA and made with the same level of competence. The plot is centered around the 'PARATRON', at first, a matter transmitter, but with a energy boost a super Death-Ray and our Axis enemies want it, nuff-said! Our two (2) disc copy came courtesy of ALPHA VIDEO via our local Flee-Market. It appears to be from a 16mm dupe print. Night scenes are a little too dark, but the sound is quite clear.

Maeris This is not the greatest serial I've ever seen.People are dying all the time, of course, only bad people and never the others. There is a lot of action but without a real story with good dialogs and great characters.At the end of every chapter there is a sort of suspense but we know that the hero can't die and the beginning of the next chapter is not very convincing so it's a kind of artificial suspense. So we laugh at it.I can't understand when I see that how people in this time could enjoy it... But it's funny!

Vigilante-407 The Great Alaskan Mystery isn't the greatest of serials, but it is certainly far from the worst. The animated title card at the beginning is a nice touch by Universal, which did the same for The Mystery of the Riverboat.Milburn Stone has to be the most beat-up, bruised, drowned, shot and has been in the most near-death truck plunges of any action hero in any serial. The story notes that to begin with his character is a wounded soldier returning home. Martin Kosleck makes a great scientist/bad guy, though he does not quite yet have the evil glee that he threw into those roles in later years (such as in The Flesh Eaters). Edgar Kennedy is almost unrecognizable, but provides some nice comic touches. The rest of the cast is pretty unremarkable, except for Anthony Warde, who delivers his usual solid performance as the main henchman.There are a lot of nice visuals in this serial, though many are obviously stock footage. There are also a number of really bad cliffhangers...the kind in which you know there is no bloody way the hero is going to survive. That doesn't necessarily detract from the chapterplay as a whole, since by the time the worst one happens (involving a falling mine elevator and a crate of dynamite) you already know that Milburn Stone's character can really take the punishment.

Steve-171 Okay Universal serial is interesting for casting, such as "slow burn" 2nd banana Edgar Kennedy as the sidekick, Milburn Stone (Doc on Gunsmoke) as the action lead, and dependable Nazi Martin Kosleck as one of the baddies. Anthony Warde is his usual menacing self, and Marjorie Weaver is lovely, as is the uncredited blonde secretary. An abundance of stock footage and cheezy special effects, but hey---you've gotta suspend your disbelief for most serials anyway. Just the thing for a long winter evening.