Gripping Chapters: The Sound Movie Serial

by Ron Backer

Gripping Chapters is much more than a history of the sound motion picture serial. Here you'll find all of the sources for sound movie serials, including comic strips, comic books, the pulps, novels and radio shows. There are chapters analyzing the cliffhanger endings of serial episodes, with information focusing on cheat cliffhanger endings, such as time expansion cheats, "survived through it cheats," and re-shot footage cheats, as well as a study of some of the cleverest and most exciting cliffhanger endings of all time. Other topics include serial sequels and series, the stars who appeared in serials, prolific contributors to serials, and stock footage and bloopers. Plus an appreciation of three very special serials: The Phantom Empire, Flash Gordon and Zorro's Black Whip.