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No, it isn't. We have restored a great number of classic serial titles available nowhere else and shared them with the public. We also offer superior versions from new digital transfers of many more common public domain titles. Your negative posts that you slam all over the internet which overgeneralize, misrepresent us and try to characterize our work as irresponsible are to say the least improper, to say more, outright lies designed to support your publicity and attention-seeking agendas.

The truth is as follows:

The Serial Squadron has restored and published the following classic serials in black and white with no editing for content whatsoever:

THE FIGHTING MARINES
GANG BUSTERS
HOLT OF THE SECRET SERVICE
LOST CITY OF THE JUNGLE
THE MASTER KEY
THE MYSTERY SQUADRON
THE PAINTED STALLION
THE RUSTLERS OF RED DOG
ZORRO RIDES AGAIN
ZORRO'S BLACK WHIP
ZORRO'S FIGHTING LEGION
THE MYSTERY OF THE RIVERBOAT
RADIO PATROL
THE GREAT AIR MYSTERY

Most of these come from new digital transfers of very nice prints and are the highest quality versions available of these titles. Purists who wish to see black and white and only black and white need have no fear of viewing these titles.

We also offer two very old Western titles which are presented in a light sepia tone/blue for night scenes:
THE VANISHING LEGION
THE SIGN OF THE WOLF

Both of these titles also were prepared from new digital transfers, VANISHING LEGION from a combination of elements from two prints, neither "original" being complete in what you would have called its "pure" form. The Squadron DVD of THE SIGN OF THE WOLF includes an optional music score which viewers may choose to watch or not watch according to their taste or preference. The Squadron VANISHING LEGION DVD offers two versions of the original chapter one, one the original theatrical version, and another presented without 30 frames, or one second of the revolting open-mouthed kiss Edward Hearn plants on Frankie Darro, in case the viewer might like to watch the serial with his grandson without having to deal with explaining his bizarre behavior. The scene is presented complete in the "theatrical version" of the chapter which is present and always has been on the DVD.

Many of the film prints of these old serials do not survive fully complete. Some chapter endings and openings, in particular, are missing and gone forever. Squadron DVDs include re-created openings and end title cards which are faithful to the originals and in some cases indistinguishable from them. It is inappropriate to characterize appropriate reconstructed material as "added footage."

There are tints also in
THE LOST SERIAL COLLECTION DVD
which is a huge collection of extremely rare material, for the most part available nowhere else, because these silent films were for the most part originally released tinted. The clips and chapters are presented in chronological release order and with all new piano scores, and, yes, with new original titles which tell you what film you are watching, when it was released, and who's in it. And these titles are not hazardous to your health.

We offer two long-lost Republic serial titles in as close to complete form as possible:
KING OF THE MOUNTIES
THE LONE RANGER RIDES AGAIN

Since neither of these serials survived complete, we have spent a great deal of time reconstructing the missing portions as faithfully as possible to the originals. KING OF THE MOUNTIES, originally missing about 1/3 of its sound, is available now with music, full sound effects, and subtitled missing dialogue. This work took years to complete and many of the music cues used were the original tracks which blend sometimes seamlessly into the the footage originally missing sound. Sometimes you can not tell what part of the soundtrack is original and what is reconstructed because the reconstructions are so close to the original work. It is a great serial and deserved the years of work I personally put into it, and dozens of letters I have received attest that that work has been appreciated.

THE LONE RANGER RIDES AGAIN survives only in a Spanish-subtitled print which is missing almost all of its chapter openings and closings. The Squadron DVD edition includes re-creations of the original credits and graphic cards which were designed to resemble the originals as closely as possible, and wherever possible the original aspect ratio of the existing footage is retained and presented with subtitles digitally removed. In a few scenes which included a lot of dialogue and three-tier subtitles, the picture is slightly letterboxed or enlarged to present a final product which is as true to the original as possible, and gives a feeling of being complete. Chapter takeout footage, also not present in the surviving film is also replaced in every chapter. The project required a massive amount of labor and to characterize it as some kind of perversion of the "original" when there IS no original of this film any more is improper and to say the least unkind.

We publish the only available editions of the following silent serials:

BEATRICE FAIRFAX
ADVENTURES OF TARZAN
THE JUNGLE PRINCESS (THE LOST CITY OF THE AFRICAN JUNGLES)

There are no surviving "complete originals" for any of these titles to be "altered." Our editions present as much of the existing footage as possible in proper order, tinted in the case of BEATRICE FAIRFAX according to original instructions from 1916 which we have, and with extensive summaries of missing footage. Cliffhangers not present in THE JUNGLE PRINCESS have been restored, and new opening credits created for the titles for which they do not exist. How inappropriate to characterize the providing of new credits on films which otherwise would not have any as "alteration!"

We offer two experimental editions of serials in a limited three-color process:

ROCKET SHIP
MALA, SECRET AGENT OF THE SOUTH SEAS

Not every title in our library. Two. And they are experimental titles done for fun and, especially in the case of MALA, to try to bring a little life to a serial which in its original form was pretty much universally denigrated. They are not intended to be historical items and are not sold as such. MALA is a presentation of ROBINSON CRUSOE ON CLIPPER ISLAND in color, which brings a great deal of life to firelight jungle scenes, scenes on the ocean, and others which involve lighted objects such as burning torches. The process isn't perfect but works quite well sometimes. This version of the serial is also edited to double-chapter length, which eliminates a few cheater chapter endings and also a large amount of recap footage not present in the original Republic script which had been written for a 12 chapter serial. (When Republic shot the serial, the decision was made to extend it to 14 chapters, thus adding 40 minutes or so of repeated, irrelevant footage.) So technically MALA is closer to Republic's original script than their release RCOCI was. Anyway, this DVD does not purport to be RCOCI and is not intended to represent that version of the release, which is available in a number of other public domain editions as well as the Republic Pictures Home Video VHS and Laserdisc versions, if anyone needs it for comparison. MALA is something experimental and fun and no one is forcing anyone to buy that or the ROCKET SHIP DVD which also does not pretend to be FLASH GORDON. These are things designed for people with senses of humor, and the ability to accept new ideas, neither of which, apparently, you possess.

Finally, we offer the restored PHANTOM EMPIRE which contains enhancements: specifically, a period score and toned image. The score very effectively livens up scenes which originally suffered from lack of music and the tones not only help to even out differences in grain which are present because the existing print of PE was cobbled together from multiple sources, it helps clarify the setting in a sometimes-confusing story: Western scenes are in sepia-tone, and scenes in Murania are bluish-silver. At the time the Squadron DVD was first released I did not have the technology to make the score optional. I do now and may offer an upgrade someday which includes the option. But that is not a major concern to me at the moment because the score is a great asset and gives a feeling of completeness to the film which it has never had before. And, of course, there are numerous black and white versions available, some which can be picked up for 5 bucks. I have never watched the music-free version of the serial since this version was created and I suspect that is the same for many others. This restoration was the product of 6 months work and certainly if it were not the most effective presentation of the serial possible I think it highly doubtful you would have tried to buy the rights to it from me "name your price" after it was released, as you most certainly did.

Ultimately, the Serial Squadron has great reverence for the classic cliffhangers; we RESPECT the work of the actors and writers and stunt men who worked on these projects as well as the physical "film" itself and do not do anything with the intention to mock or denigrate them. We include a credit for Boris Karloff in the opening of THE VANISHING LEGION -- out of RESPECT for the actor who was bypassed in the original presentation. We haven't altered our original film prints of the serial. We just added a credit in the DVD to someone who deserved credit before and didn't get it. We also offer the option to watch Chapter 1 of that serial without the ugly Edward Hearn/Frankie Darro scene out of RESPECT for Darro, who was a far better actor and deserving of more respect than Hearn gave him at the time. The scene is an embarrassment to those who may be watching to enjoy the story, but is also present complete on an alternate link which may be viewed by "historians." We have put out MALA as such out of RESPECT for the original actor's work and the original script, which was marred by Republic's last-minute extension of the serial from 12 chapters to 14 and not his own fault. Enhancements provided in THE PHANTOM EMPIRE are there out of RESPECT for a great serial which unfortunately suffered also from having to be rushed out of post-production, the content of which deserved a better presentation than 1935 technology could produce. Film is not the only thing deserving of respect. And DVDs are not films, so they offer opportunities to acknowledge performers or appropriately present things which films themselves do not offer. Unlike you, we are interested in respectfully giving credit where credit is due in the work we do, and, if given the opportunity to recognize someone or something deserving of recognition, we will take it wherever and whenever possible.

If you also had genuine respect for classic serials and those involved with their making and if the motivation behind your making such posts was honorable, as opposed to simply having an interest in promoting sales for modern-day serial DVD dealers who provide you with free samples and denigrate the Squadron in hopes that it will boost sales of VCI Home Video DVDs, you would support the work we do. But no, in case after case so far we've seen the same thing happen. The Squadron releases a DVD version of THE MASTER KEY or LOST CITY OF THE JUNGLE or TAILSPIN TOMMY AND THE GREAT AIR MYSTERY. Then VCI releases a version of the same title, and suddenly the Squadron version is either pronounced inferior or taken off your list of "serials in print," or both. The Squadron version of THE PHANTOM EMPIRE you once lauded suddenly becomes satanic when VCI is about to release a version -- for which you just happened to provide liner notes. Your purpose in posting is commercial and self-oriented, not historical or truthful. You wildly overgeneralize in relation to Squadron DVDs, taking an objection you have to one small aspect of one DVD which we added something to for a good reason and trying to make it seem as if we arbitrarily "do things" to every title we have for no reason, and blow smoke and try to create distress where none should belong, in order to try and get attention for yourself and the company you wish to promote. In no way can a person who posts 35 duplicates of the same post designed to help sell DVDs -- many if not MOST of them unlicensed -- all across the web be considered objective.

You are not the funny, cheerful host you pretend to be. You have a clear and fixed commercial agenda and are deceptive, unimpartial, and hostile to us because we do not fit into that agenda.

I resent your unwarranted and commercially-inspired disrespect for me and the club and can only say that the time will come perhaps sooner than you think when you will discover that a little respect might have taken you a LOT further than the heaps of undeserved insults and unwarranted charges you've leveled at me and the Squadron for no better reason than to call attention to yourself and DVD companies -- or copying services -- for whom you wish to provide free publicity.

We just showed DAREDEVILS OF THE WEST, which hasn't been viewed for 65 years, to serial fans, in the most respectful way possible. We've uncovered several other lost serials and made them available to the public, not hid them in our vaults.

There are no better restorations of serials around than what the Serial Squadron offers. The majority are in black and white and newly transferred from the best surviving original film material. Most of them include great extras and options you will find nowhere else, such as the "play as feature" option on THE PAINTED STALLION which allows you to watch the entire serial as two feature-long presentations without credits, the optional score on THE SIGN OF THE WOLF, the EL COYOTE pilot and Linda Stirling slideshow on ZORRO'S BLACK WHIP and the half-hour commentary session on THE LONE RANGER RIDES AGAIN by the SerialFest 2007 attendees. You will soon discover more and more historical extras will start appearing on upcoming Squadron DVDs than ever before. Some DVDs also include appropriate enhancements and a few titles are experimental and intended to simply be something different or fun. I will stand by every title and if anyone reading this post buys an edition of a serial on DVD they believe is superior to a Squadron DVD they own they should send that title back to me and I will replace it with another title of their choice.

The Squadron respects classic serials and we are doing everything in our power to make it possible for serial fans to see serials from licensed studio masters or new digital transfers. That will not change, and those who would rather throw stones at us will continue to miss out on events like SerialFest 2008 and DAREDEVILS OF THE WEST, which was shown with full permission from Paramount.

If you'd rather say a DVD you've never seen isn't any good, you'll never get to view it. If you'd rather stand outside a theater and say a rare movie stinks than go inside and watch it, you'll never get to see it. I can guarantee you, Mr. Weimer, that if you continue to try to mischaracterize the Squadron and its efforts, it's not us who will lose out in the end, it will be you. We do good work, and respectful work, and sometimes even original work to bring back entirely lost material, and we stand by all of it, and recognize all those past and present who made the final product possible. And we intend to continue on that track in the future whether you like it or not.

Uhh, a DVD isn't a historical fact, nor is it a film, and the Squadron VANISHING LEGION DVD actually includes more footage from that serial than either "original" print I worked with included on its own. If Karloff's name isn't associated with the serial when it is presented -- and it generally isn't now -- that fact will be LOST to history. So if history is what you are concerned about, it's served by giving Karloff recognition on the DVD version of the film.

The people who actually "butchered" these prints of old movie serials were their former owners, who cut the heads and tails off of them, ran them through dirty projectors, and left them incomplete and in disrepair, and excised scenes to move them from one print to another or use in compilations, not me. I spent months putting parts of that particular serial back into the correct order, and cleaning up splices and dirt and other damage to the originals, and restoring sometimes-missing sound in splicy sections of the prints so that all the dialogue possible could be heard. Not cutting things out. But repairing. Polishing. Putting back together. Digitally transferring. Making available to the public again. There are scenes of wild horses in the beginning of the Squadron DVD that are not in other versions of the serial at all because they are missing from many prints. Other scenes in THE VANISHING LEGION such as a shot of the heroine hanging off of a door on the outside of a building were also not present in one or the other of the "originals" I worked with. I was able to replace a lot of missing and damaged scenes for this serial and add them to the DVD. They were simply not there in the "original" prints you seem to think are sacred and perfect when they are usually discovered far from same. The Squadron DVD also includes all footage from Chapter 1 with all the original footage intact which you can watch over and over to your heart's content if you like. The offensive Hearn/Darro shot in VANISHING LEGION was included in the original theatrical release because the producer was too cheap to reshoot it. It wasn't good for any kids OR adults to see when it was released, nor is it now, and should have ended up on the cutting room floor, but it's on the Squadron DVD, uncut, but as an option so that historians can watch it complete, or Granddad and Grandson can watch it together without seeing something pretty offensive. I agree with you that the Philip Glass score for DRACULA is awful; however, If Universal had added as an option a GOOD musical score on the DRACULA DVD, I would have loved to have heard it and had it as an option on the DVD, whether it was a good idea or not. Options are nice things, and they allow people with strong opinions in one direction such as yourself to be pleased with the content of a DVD as well as those who might hold the opposite opinion -- and there are many also who, like me, would prefer to watch that chapter without the sloppy predatory kissing action which not only is revolting to watch but distracts wildly from the story's original intent, if given the choice. With options, you can please everybody.

If you need to attack somebody -- and it certainly looks as if you do -- perhaps you should turn your rancor toward the 16mm collectors of the 1960s who literally took scissors sometimes to these old prints, not me; they are the ones who damaged historical originals, not me.

A DVD is only a video version of a film (or, as is often the case in my work, multiple film prints of the same title, none of which is fully complete on its own), in the same way a photograph of a Picasso painting printed in a book -- which might include the title of the painting and "by Pablo Picasso" superimposed on it is not the original painting. I am not the one cutting up any prints. I am the one spending the money on splicing tape and taking the time to try and counter existing damage, no matter how bad it may be, and reassemble material which would not exist in complete form anywhere if I didn't take the time to work on them.