KING OF THE KONGO (1929) was rushed into production so that it could be promoted as the first sound serial. Sound means music and effects plus two short dialogue sequences in each chapter.
It’s principal reason of interest today is that Boris Karloff (who was not listed in the promotion material) appears as the villain.
Eric Grayson (Dr. Film: https://www.drfilm.net/ ) has done an incredible job restoring this.
How incredible I learned from one of the two commentary tracks (which include some words from Boris Karloff’s daughter, Sara).
Karloff said he made around 80 films before FRANKENSTEIN (1931) and that nobody saw them.
Thanks to Eric Grayson we can see this one.
Actors have dubbed in missing lines in several chapters.
They have done a good job.
This has been a long time coming.
The time was spent getting it as good as it can be got.
The result is excellent.
When I looked at the restoration before and after I saw that nothing less than a miracle has been done here.
Due to a technical glitch the chapters menu does not work.
This is a small cross to bear in the face of the Herculean effort to get this to my screen.
An Easter Egg shows the before and after. I am impressed.
Knocked my socks off.
–Reg Hartt
https://www.drfilm.net/blog/?tag=blogs
« Bela Lugosi in 3D. KID DRACULA [NOSFERATU (1922) to RADIOHEAD »