Recommended
Reading
"Distressed
Damsels and Masked Marauders: Cliffhanger Serials of the Silent-Movie
Era"
by Ed Hulse (Murania Press, 2014, 282 pages)
Author Ed Hulse has provided a unique and informative
book on the silent serial. Hulse's love of serials goes back over
50 years, and he began his research for this book in earnest about
25 years before its publication. As he noted in his preface, he
regretted not starting his research earlier in life when more
silent stars were still alive, but he was able to interview Joe
Bonomo, Yakima Canutt and Esther Ralston for this book. In addition
to searching archives and gaining opportunities to view films
that we may never see on the home video market, he also devoured
trade industry publications from the teens and twenties for information. Indeed, the book is
designed for that special niche of silent movie fan who enjoys
the serials and, in particular, wants to know more about the Pathé
serials -- to which over 200 of its 282 pages are devoted. But,
as Hulse notes, Pathé was the preimminent silent movie
serial producer setting the standard for serials over the next
several decades with pioneering serials such as "The Perils
of Pauline," "The Exploits of Elaine," "The
Iron Claw" and "The Red Circle." Some of these
are of particular interest with, of course, "The Perils of
Pauline" being the granddaddy of all serials (interesting
side note: Hulse points out that early serials did not always
have "cliff-hanger" endings - many times wrapping up
the each week's episode with a neat conclusion). "The Exploits
of Elaine" was the first serial to introduce a "mystery
villain" whose identity was not revealed untilt the final
chapter. "The Iron Claw," on the other hand (no pun
intended), gave moviegoers the first mystery hero who "countered
the villain's schemes" and rescued Pearl White when necessary.
"The Red Circle" introduced fans to possibly the second
most popular serial star of the silent film era, Ruth Roland.
In his book, Hulse takes us on an informative ride through Pathé's
serials straight up to the end of the silent era. Along the way,
you'll see some well-known stars in these serials such as (surprisingly)
sound era star Jean Arthur in her early days, Jack Mulhall, Allene
Ray, Walter Miller (who was very active with D.W. Griffith in
the Biograph days), Gene Tunney, Charles Hutchison, Marguerite
Courtot, Juanita Hansen, June Caprice, Jack Dempsey, Creighton
Hale, Mollie King, Warner Oland, Irene Castle, Sheldon Lewis,
Lionel Barrymore, Crane Wilbur, Paul Panzer, Antonio Moreno, Helene
Costello, Ralph Graves, Eddie Polo, King Baggot, and many more.
This reviewer's favorite part of the book is the first 75 pages
which gives an absorbing overview of silent serials -- and the
amazing photos (lots of them!) throughout the book are worth the
price alone -- most of them likely seeing publication in a book
for the first time ever. The lack of an index is annoying, but,
other than that, this trade paperback has everything going for
it. The unfortunate part of reading about these wonderful serials
is that so few have survived until today. As noted earlier, this
may not be for everyone, but it's an integral part of silent movie
history and especially useful if you want to learn more about
a particular serial or serial star.
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