It's just scene after scene of influential moments.

An atmsospheric and ornate serial, brought down a bit by some slow moments and a really anticlimactic final chapter.

I loved this serial when I was a boy. Unfortunately, I just can't do this anymore. The cheap special effects can be excused by the small budget, and the era; the stiff acting, ludicrous dialogue, and lame action sequences cannot, particularly when action was the raison d'etre of serials. And why the dickens does everyone on the planet Mongo speak English?

Space opera as Grand opera in this, possibly the most iconic serial ever made. Although it flags a bit in the final chapters, it is the pinnacle of high camp and remains great fun all these decades later. Quite adult in its fetishism, too. Watch for King Vultan "torturing" Dale Arden with his horrifying display of -- get this -- shadow puppetry!