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MYSTERY SERIALS

OCCULT, HORROR & MYSTERY SERIALS
The bizarre Ben Wilson serial THE TRAIL OF THE OCTOPUS and
Boris Karloff's earliest major appearance,
THE HOPE DIAMOND MYSTERY are offered exclusively by the Squadron and include new musical scores.

Visit the new
VANISHING SHADOWS site for more pre-code horror content!

The upgraded restoration of the superb Pearl White serial
THE HOUSE OF HATE is in production and will be released in 2021.

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IN PRODUCTION

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IN PRODUCTION

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Note: The opening title is obscured in the YouTube video above to prevent shpy-ink!

"Glad I happened to take a vacation day today; my PHANTOM CREEPS blu ray just arrived and, my gosh, it looks glorious on my 50” tv. I think we’ve got the definitive restoration here, folks. Toss out all those crappy DVDs and order from the Squadron, post haste. Zorka commands!" — Customer Lucas M.

"I'
m currently watching the PHANTOM CREEPS to review, which is the best version of the serial that I have ever seen.
Serial Squadron is to be commended for their superlative transfers." — Scarlet, the Film Magazine

Shipping Now:
THE PHANTOM CREEPS
ULTIMATE EDITION BLU-RAY
(1939, 12 Chapters)
Featuring
BELA LUGOSI and ROBERT KENT with DOROTHY ARNOLD

After his wife is killed in an accident for which he feels responsible, embittered scientist Dr. Alex Zorka, who has discovered a new powerful element that fell to Earth as a meteorite, becomes an insane megalomaniac. He plans to rule the world with an army of invincible robots and his invisibility device which he uses as "the Phantom." He is assisted in his mad schemes by an ex-crook named Monk he has sprung from prison and his "iron man," a ferocious robot. A military intelligence agent supported by a persistent and attractive reporter and his former partner, a benevolent scientist, stand against Zorka and his arsenal of scientific weapons, which include explosive spiders and a "Z-Ray," while at the same time a group of enemy agents led by DRACULA's Edward Van Sloan try to steal the secret of the meteorite for themselves.

The result is cliffhanger serial madness designed to thrill 10-year-old moviegoers in 1939, which has never had a decent video release and will be seen in superb original condition in the new Squadron HD Blu-Ray edition.

This edition is the Best quality ever made available of this serial, and will very likely be the best quality that it is even possible to create considering the condition of the original material.

It is also the first and only release ever to include the original Universal Pictures titles, which apparently exist nowhere else but in the print the Squadron has used for this transfer. It was fully transferred in HD from this original "pristine" print made from the Universal Pictures negative as it existed in the 1950s/60s before the "Commonwealth" TV/Re-release titles were cut into it and before decomposition damage set in to that negative and apparently destroyed some chapters. The transfer and restoration are complete and Blu-Rays are shipping now.

"Mine arrived around 4 pm. I just finished chapters 1-2. They are stunning!
Thanks, Eric Stedman!!!"
— Customer Carl B.

ORDER THE PHANTOM CREEPS ULTIMATE EDITION BLU-RAY
Shipping Now
CLICK HERE TO ORDER


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The Trail of the Octopus
UPGRADE COMPLETE
✦✦✦+ (Hallmark, 15 Episodes)
Ben Wilson, Neva Gerber D: Ben Wilson
DVD Release Sponsored by Henry Miyamoto
Blu-ray in production

Restoration by Eric Stedman
Musical Score by
Kevin McLeod


Seven daggers, when inserted into a cliffside cave wall, will reveal the ancient magic talisman called The Devil’s Trademark. Detective Carter Holmes tries to prevent it from falling into the hands of Asian mastermind Wang Foo or the mysterious masked Monsieur X.

Transfer Quality: Transferred from the original 35mm print, with full score and occasional color tints and audio effects
Contents: 15 near half-hour episodes; 6 1/2 hours

Now includes the previously missing scene which reveals the identity of Monsieur X!

Visit the
main page for more details!

View right now in any country or location on SmartTV, computer, Android device, AppleTV, Amazon, and other devices


View Photos:
Facebook discussion thread

15 episodes, most approximately 27 minutes long
1280 x 720 HD
6 1/2 hours total running time
All on one Blu-Ray (BD-R)
(Not a hybrid)


SHIPPING WEEK OF NOV. 28
PREORDERS ARE STILL ACTIVE AND WILL SHIP WITH SUBSCRIBER ORDERS


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The House of Hate
UPGRADE IN PRODUCTION
✦✦✦✦ (Astra/Pathé, 20 Episodes)
Pearl White, Antonio Moreno D: George B. Seitz
Restored by Eric Stedman
Special thanks to Thunder Rider Kim Deitch and research assistants Ron and Raisa Stephenson for helping to produce this release

When her father is murdered, Pearl, the illegitimate daughter of a wealthy inventor, inherits the Waldon fortune, the berserk masked maniac known as The Hooded Terror, who may be one of the spurned Waldon heirs, targets her and lover Harry Gresham for assassination.

NOTE: This serial is currently being upgraded to full resolution and corrected speed for Blu-Ray release.

Old Transfer Quality: Low resolution, digitally stabilized, 24fps
New Transfer Quality: Very Good, 18-20 fps (correct speed)

Contents:
Black and white, color-tinted, and with restored opening and closing titles, newly translated intertitles, new musical score and sound effects. Includes the first four chapters much as they were originally released, several chapters which combine the best of the action scenes from the middle of the serial, then the last two chapters present the key material from the last 3 chapters including the complete extended flashback which reveals the masked villain’s identity and horrific origin.

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The Mysteries of Myra
✦✦✦ (Wharton, 15 Episodes)
Jean Sothern, Howard Estabrook
D: Theodore/Leo Wharton
Restored by Eric Stedman
Historical Consultant Terry Harbin
Music by Kevin McLeod
VISIT THE MYSTERIES OF MYRA WEBSITE

Dr. Payson Alden, expert on psychic phenomena, defends young Myra Maynard from supernatural menaces dispatched by the Master of the secret and powerful devil-cult known as the Black Order.
The Mysteries of Myra, the first "paranormal-investigation" series, was extremely influential and the first to portray occult and supernatural phenomena in an up-to-date and realistic fashion, and to feature a black-robed devil-cult and included one of the earliest appearances of a Frankenstein-like monster. DVD includes:

Episodes 1- 6 RECONSTRUCTED with footage from
Episode 5: THE FUMES OF FEAR
The Master puts a spell on Myra, who discovers a secret chamber in the basement of her house. Professor Haji and Dr. Alden search for the Black Order and infiltrate their lair and Myra allows herself to be hypnotized to release her astral body. 18:52

Episode 12: THE ELIXIR OF YOUTH The Master gives an aging couple a magic elixir in exchange for their promise to kill Myra and Dr. Alden. 13:57

Episode 15: THE THOUGHT MONSTER The Black Order creates a monster from their combined evil thoughts which Dr. Alden then hypnotizes and turns against them. 20:41

Squadron-produced Trailer

Transfer Quality: From 35mm HD. The transfer of the original footage is excellent in quality, sometimes exhibiting signs of decomposition.

DVD Contents: 1-DVD Set. English - 1:33:1 - Full Screen - Black and White with color tinting - 1916 - 3+ Episodes restored with video footage and animated stills

Order DVD
Originally released October 2015
Second Edition UPGRADED December 2018



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Order
Hardcover Book or
Paperback Book from Lulu.com
Printed very high quality hardback or paperback book


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The Hope Diamond Mystery
✦✦✦ (Kleine/Kosmik, 15 Episodes)
Grace Darmond, Boris Karloff
D: Stuart Paton

Featuring Boris Karloff as / Dakar / High Priest of Sita
Grace Darmond as Mary Hilton / Bibi
George Chesebro as John Gregg / Jean-Baptiste Tavanier
Harry Carter as Sidney Atherton / Nang Fu / Ghung
The actors in this weird story of an ancient curse play dual roles and in 16th and 20th century characters based on real and historical figures battle to possess the jewel Boris Karloff’s character Dakar, the apparent reincarnation of the priest of the cult from which the jewel was stolen, tries to return it to its rightful home. Karloff's role here resembles his Im-ho-tep in The Mummy and his presence, sometimes sinister and sometimes heroic, is the highlight of the serial. Introduced by the real former Lady Frances Hope, ex-wife of the diamond’s real-life owner. One of few silent serials to survive completely intact.

Slideshow
View Online Video: / Ep. 1 / Ep. 8/9 Combined

View EPISODES 1-5 On Demand Runtime: 1 hour, 30 minutes
View EPISODES 6-10 On Demand Runtime: 1 hour, 34 minutes
View EPISODES 11-15 On Demand Runtime: 1 hours, 37 minutes

Transfer Quality and Content: Excellent, from 35mm original reels (3 episodes), and B/W 16mm printdown from the 35mm original. Many splices and defects have been digitally eliminated. The entire serial has been stabilized and color tinted as was the original, with occasional special color effects added, mostly in scenes involving the diamond, as were said to have also appeared in the original.

Blu-Ray Contents: 15 Chapters, approximately 5 hours; Black and white with color tints & effects & new musical score

Order Dual-Layer DVD
(Entire serial on 1 disk, full quality)

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THE HOPE DIAMOND MYSTERY
H-BLU-RAY UPGRADE
Read about Hybrid Blu-Rays before ordering

Featuring Boris Karloff, Grace Darmond and George Chesebro

A very dark story about the curse of the Hope Diamond, with introductory openings by one of its real-life former owners.

Death and terror follow in the path of the terrible jewel as it passes through many hands in two different ages.

This serial was Boris Karloff's first major film role and his part in it, the apparently immortal high priest Dakar who searches for the stolen jewel through the ages, foreshadows his character in THE MUMMY.

Upgrade to Blu-Ray for smoother motion and sharper picture.

Available Now

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The Green Archer
✦✦✦ (15 Chapters)
Victor Jory, Iris Meredith, James Craven
D: James W. Horne

A mysterious archer in medieval attire and his imitator—sometimes we don’t know which is which—prowl the grounds of the villain's modern castle while insurance investigator Spike Holland tries to make sense of the whole business. Operating from the castle is a jewel ring run by blackguard Abel Bellamy, who takes over the property after sending his innocent brother to prison for one of the ring's capers. Adapted from the novel by Edgar Wallace
Influenced by: The Green Archer silent serial, of which this was a remake.
Influenced: Green Arrow comic book character, which first appeared shortly after this serial's release.

View Online Video: Chapter 1: Prison Bars Beckon

Transfer Quality: Very good; restored picture & audio DVD Contents: Complete serial

Released October 2016

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Blake of Scotland Yard
✦✦✦ (Victory, 15 Chapters)
Herbert Rawlinson, Ralph Byrd
D: Robert F. Hill

Jerry Sheehan and Hope Mason perfect a death ray that retired Scotland Yard inspector Blake hopes will end wars. When a clawed rogue called the Scorpion makes off with the cumbersome device, "Jimmy" Blake comes out of retirement to catch him through ingenuity, amusing disguises, and plain old fisticuffs. This serial in original form is extremely rare if not impossible to find; this is the best source print of the complete chapter play in existence.

Influenced by: Blake of Scotland Yard silent serial

View Online Video: Chapter 1

Transfer Quality: Sourced from a new high-quality digital transfer of a rare well-worn but original film print from the 1940s, with stabilized and restored picture and audio.

Contents:
2-Disk Collector's Set includes all 15 Chapters, Theatrical trailer


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BLAKE OF SCOTLAND YARD
H-BLU-RAY UPGRADE

Featuring Ralph Byrd and Herbert Rawlinson
Read about Hybrid Blu-Rays before ordering

Restored edition of an extremely rare early sound crime/mystery serial complete with the future Dick Tracy as hero and a masked villain called the Scorpion. Original print was complete but worn and scratchy in places. This restoration is entirely stabilized and viewing it on Blu-Ray is a big improvement over the highly compressed DL-DVD version. Very sharp.

PROJECT COMPLETE
Available Now

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Zudora
✦✦✦ (Thanhouser, 1914, 9 Episodes)
Marguerite Snow, James Cruze D: Howell Hansell

Young Zudora solves intriguing mysteries at the prompting of her uncle, who poses as a mystic and secretly plots to claim her vast fortune for himself.
Contains the following episodes:
Episode 1: The Mystery of the Spotted Collar
Episode 2:
The Mystery of the Sleeping House
Episode 3:
The Mystery of the Dutch Cheese Maker
Episode 8:
The Fatal Elopement aka The Hypnotic Power of Mr. Chang
Bonus Chapter: The Ventures of Marguerite (Kalem, 1915) Episode 4: The Veiled Priestess featuring Marguerite Courtot, in which an Arab Shiekh attempts to lure a young American heiress into marriage and becoming part of his harem.

A Continuation of: The Million Dollar Mystery
Influenced: The Mysteries of Myra serial; self-contained episode format and storyline abandoned after 9 episodes and continued as The Twenty Million Dollar Mystery.

View Online Video:
Episode 1: The Mystery of the Spotted Collar

Transfer Quality: OK to excellent among different episodes; stabilized
DVD Contents:
4 Episodes + Bonus chapter, Black and white with color tones & reconstructed missing sections
New musical score & sound effects

Order DVD



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THE IRON CLAW
(1941, 15 Chapters)
Featuring
Charles Quigley, Charles King and The Iron Claw

Reporter Bob Lane and photographer Jack "Flash" Strong investigate mysterious doings at the Anton Benson mansion after the murder of Anton's brother and discover that a gangster called Silk and his hoodlums would like the treasure that Anton is desperately trying to move to safer territory. Equally active in mischief is the Iron Claw himself, who thrives on sliding panels and elaborate lethal devices. Inspired by the silent-era Pearl White serial, this one is full of frantic action and danger.

Status:
Print requires cleaning. In line for transfer to 1920 x 1080 HD

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The Mystery Mind
A Squadron re-creation of a lost 1920 serial
In Post-Production / Featuring
Adrian Booth

A telepathic young heiress is marked for death by a murderous gang of weird killers, led by the disembodied voice known only as “The Mystery Mind.” Her hypnotist fiance must rescue her and stop them from finding the Treasure of Atlantis. More villains than any other serial has ever contained; this serial was an attempt to outdo THE MYSTERIES OF MYRA with its cast of bizarre characters and it gets over the top early on as Violet, the heroine escapes numerous murder attempts and just doesn’t stop going from there until the cast ends up in a remote jungle temple where an unspeakable ritual is about to be led by black magician Evil Eye, a creature up to this point conceived by Violet only in nightmares.

A fully dramatized re-creation of the lost 1922 serial, as created for and performed over 4 years at SerialFest events, and featuring
ADRIAN BOOTH as the villainess, Vera “the Snake” Collins in her final serial performance.

The original stars of the serial were real-life hypnotist J. Robert Pauline, Violet MacMillan (best known for her appearances in the Frank Baum Oz films) and veteran serial villain Paul Panzer of THE PERILS OF PAULINE and THE MASKED RIDER.