Spy Smasher Returns

SPY SMASHER was one of perhaps the top 5 (in this writer's opinion) sound serials. Once the FLASH GORDON Trilogy of Chapterplays is disqualified from the competition,(these are in a class by themselves) the remaining top 5 are to me, SPY SMASHER, HAWK OF THE WILDERNESS, ZORRO's FIGHTING LEGION, THE ADVENTURES of CAPTAIN MARVEL and THE MASKED MARVEL. Notice that they are all from Republic Pictures.

SPY SMASHER was the 2nd Comic Book adventure feature from Fawcett Pulications to make to the screen, CAPTAIN MARVEL being the first . Although it was a much lesser known and not as popular, the adaptation was probably more faithful to the comic. They added a twin brother and some other supporting characters, but were largely true to the story line. Spy Smasher's secret identity is Alan Armstrong, so they gave him a brother named Jack! Get it Jack Armstrong!! Ha,ha!! Very funny, a great 'in' joke!!

Likewise, SPY SMASHER RETURNS, the feature edited down from the serial is a neatly constructed 100 minutes, which does not look like a cut down version. It encompasses the best part of the serial. It was released to the small screen as a part of Republic's "CENTURY '66" package.(That is, the group of action films numbering 100 released to the TV market in 1966) It is a good way to get a sampling of just how good serials could be, without investing 4 hours.

Sadly this feature version is without the very exciting and visually stimulating opening credits, which utilized searchlights forming a giant "V", for victory, against a cloudy, black sky. The original opening theme from the score (an adaptation of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony) is also absent from the shorter film. This of course was popular during World War II, because it approximates the ...- which is Morse Code for "V".

Well, at least one gets a pretty good idea of the original music for this one from the incidental music,which repeats the ...- "V" for victory theme.