PHANTOM EMPIRE

  "A Must See for Film Historians and Fans of All Ages", 3/21/2008 1:00:43 PM
Reviewer: Mr. Jim
A classic by anybody's standard a combination of Western, Musical, Sci-Fi, Comedy and Adventure. Truly imaginative Gene Autry's first starring vehicle. It predates Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers and all the other sci-fi Serials of the '30s and '40s. Republic Pictures stuck to the sci-fi theme in most of their cliffhangers through to the end of their existence. An inside joke appeared in Gene Autry's 1941 feature "Sierra Sue" wherein character actress Dorothy Christy, who plays Queen Tika in this serial, says to Autry "I have the feeling we have met somewhere before, maybe in another world". Phantom Empire is a true must see for film historians and fans of all ages. Some wonderful tunes, UNCLE NOAH’S ARK (Gene Autry) (Chapter 1), THAT SILVER HAIRED DADDY OF MINE (Gene Autry) (Chapter 1), I’M OSCAR, I’M PETE (Gene Autry) (Chapter 2), UNCLE HENRY’S VACATION (Gene Autry) (Chapter 4), I’M GETTING A MOON’S EYE VIEW OF THE WORLD (Gene Autry) (Chapter 8), UNCLE NOAH’S ARK (Gene Autry) (Chapter 12). Here are some Autry fun facts, Gene always preferred his sponsor's product, Wrigley's Doublemint Gum, to smoking.

  Phantom (Empire) Past, 3/26/2008 12:27:10 AM
Reviewer: Kvangbusters
This is Proustian stuff since I saw this series on Channel 13 from NJ (a commercial station then) as a sick kid with the mumps in Brooklyn. What a thrill!!! The series was shown one episode a week which had me drooling all the time. Did I even know that this was Gene Autry's first super step to fame and ball team ownership? Of course not. But the show is great for kids who don't need all the accoutrements of Pixar films and still use their own imagination, or it's for guys like myself who want to remember 60-cent luncheons at the Chinese restaurant in Brooklyn in the late forties and early fifties. Or maybe I'll just pick up a novel by Michael Chabon.