THE PHANTOM CREEPS (1939)

[The Burgomaster]

This was originally a 12 chapter serial that was later edited into a feature-length film.  It is included in the TALES OF TERROR 50 MOVIE PACK and runs about 1 hour and 15 minutes.  The soundtrack has a hiss from beginning to end, but you can still clearly hear the awful dialogue.

Bela Lugosi stars as the brilliant Dr. Zorca who tries to take over the world with an invisibility belt, a ray gun, and a ponderous metal robot.  Bela hatches his evil plans in a great-looking, cheapo secret cave / laboratory.  My favorite part is when Bela and his henchman fly around in a bi-plane while Bela drops explosives out of the cockpit.  Every time he drops an explosive, you see stock footage of a naval ship, a building . . . even the Hindenburg . . . exploding.  Nice aim, Bela!

[Doc Daneeka]

Notice how Zorka is always threatening to kill Monk, but then he always lets him go on some stupid reason? and then at the end Monk is the one who leads to his downfall? Also notice how he gets shot like 20 times and it always does no more than knocks him out?

I tell you God has destined that man for something, never before has, and never again will such a nondescript henchman have such longevity.

[RCMerchant]

AWRIGHT,BELA! I have yet to see this.Love the robot.Rob Zombie has him featured in one of his videos,dancin'around!

[Andrew]

This is one of the great old serials.  It does fall into all of the normal traps that these had, like being repetitious and the hero continuing to survive only due to incompetence or incredibly complex plots by the villain.  If memory serves, we also have a nosy female reporter.  Another part of the plot that I vaguely remember, isn't Bela grieving for his departed wife?  I seem to remember that we find he was responsible for her death (inadvertently) in the course of the serial.

[Doc Daneeka]

isn't Bela grieving for his departed wife?

Yes, for about 10 seconds.