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Republic Pictures created "The Undersea Kingdom" (1936) for less than a third of what Universal spent on its tremendously popular Flash Gordon serial and, for fans of campy sci-fi, the results are entertaining as all get-out.
Ray "Crash" Corrigan (note that this sounds a lot like "Flash Go-or-don") stars as the "athletic" hero, a naval officer whose travels in a rocket-esque submarine lead to the lost realm of Atlantis. Along with his pals Professor Norton, Diana and Billy, he finds a realm embroiled in civil war as the power-mad Unga Khan seeks to usurp the rightful monarch, Sharad. In support of his claim to world domination, Unga Khan has nifty robots, flying machines, mind-altering devices and some simply fabulous black outfits for all his minions. Sharad has swords, arrows and…Crash. Fortunately, Crash is not only willing to exchange his naval officer's uniform for a smashing little gold number complete with a matching headdress, he's also (as the chapter intros keep reminding us) athletic.
The director, B. Reeves Eason, got his start in silent movies and participated in filming the legendary chariot race scene in "Ben Hur" (1925) and the panoramic destruction of Atlanta in "Gone With The Wind" (1939). His eye for the dramatic is particularly evidenced by the opening of "The Undersea Kingdom" Episode 9, in which Crash makes his grand entrance as the hood ornament of Unga Khan's ultimate vehicle of war, the Juggernaut, which has spikes (!).
UEN-TV will air the 12 episodes over 3 consecutive Fridays.
