Our Next Thrilling Chapter..."Jungle Gold"

Y'know, for years we've had this internal debate here at Channel Zero about the mechanics of screening a classic movie serial for a modern moviegoing audience. "Binge watching" the sumbitch is right out, a twelve or fifteen episode chapter play clocks in at over three hundred minutes. Just booking the venue for such a long program is nigh impossible and will a paying audience sit there in one go for material loaded with filler for such a long time? Doubtful. The Harvard Film Archive did it once back in the 1990's, dedicating an entire Saturday Afternoon to "Flash Gordon" (1936) in a marathon screening, it played to an audience of three as I recall (but it remains solid boasting rights on my part at least). The Brattle Theatre, in the summer of 1994 screened Victor Jory starring as "The Shadow" (1940) in five episode clumps over successive Monday evenings. Its worked but the Alec Baldwin "Shadow" was out that summer (more boasting rights, I saw it at the Drive In) and attendance certainly lagged that third Monday night. We love the serial format, even the misbegotten chapter plays like "Brick Bradford" (which features aggressive extraterrestrial moon-men in tee shirts and bermuda shorts, the sheer energy and violence of the better examples stand up even today against today's blockbusters. It should be noted that the first all-up comic book adaptations were serials notably "The Adventures of Captain Marvel" (1941) a CLASSIC Republic Serial full of that studios signature quality stunts and action. The irony is, that back in 1914 or so, at the outset of the silent chapter plays all the heroes in the early serials were all women! Pearl White in the "Perils of Pauline" had all sorts of agency, she operated locomotives, indulged in gun fights with bad guys and demonstrated all sorts of self rescuing independence before she ever had the right to vote! And no, she was never once tied to the railroad tracks! Republic Pictures with its spate of jungle girl chapter plays in the 1940's was merely hearkening back to the estrogen-laden heroics of early days of serials. Some of cinemas first male versus female fistfights, where the woman carried the day, are in serials. Linda Stirling, in particular has a robust judo toss in her repertoire. So after much debate, Channel Zero has decided to screen "Jungle Gold" (1944) a complete feature length film edited out of Republic's classic jungle girl serial "The Tiger Woman". Linda Stirling stars as a Jungle Queen defending her own personal lost tribe in the Brazilian Jungle from oil wildcatters. This film is literally "highlight reel" of Republic Studios stunts, action and general lightning paced mayhem! The Somerville Theatre (micro cinema) Friday, July 26th 8pm (sharp!) 55 Davis Square, Somerville Ma Admission: $7.50 (cash only) 617-625-5700