Miracle Rider (1935)

Great fun

If you are looking for realism in a western serial, this isn't it. Not even close. It has 1935 automobiles, a villain whose name begins with Z, a secret weapon that would change warfare, a bubbling laboratory, and a horse, Tony, that can out-lassie Lassie when it comes to seeking help and communicating. But most of all it has a great cowboy, Tom Mix, who was a fine rodeo and circus rider, doing his own stunts. He certainly could ride and was especially creative in getting on a horse. Once he even jumps out a window, and Tony is right there, situated perfectly, saddled and waiting.

The story doesn't really matter, now, does it? It's Tom Mix without the Ralston ads, and that's just about enough. He was supposedly John Wayne's mentor and severest critic. He could certainly outdo The Duke when it came to horsemanship.

It's crude. The story is predictable. But it's still great fun. August 10, 2007

"first serial and final film of our legendary hero ~ Tom Mix"

VCI Entertainment, Mascot Pictures and Nat Levine present "The Miracle Rider" (1935) (Dolby Digitally Remastered), 15 Chapters of vintage serial loaded with plenty of action, fist fights and hard riding... Tom Mix joins the Texas Rangers, can he avenge his father's death and help the Ravenhead Indians...what is X-94 and does Zaroff plan to rule the world with his secret weapon...will the use of the "Firebird" scare the Indians off the reservation...there is a great deal of entertainment here for the cliffhanger fans out there...you have to love the serial format when viewed over time in single or double chapter installments there is nothing better.
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Under director's Armand Schaefer and B. Reeves Eason with screenplay by Gerald Geraghty and Maurice Geraghty...the cast include Tom Mix (Tom Morgan), Joan Gale (Ruth), Charles Middleton (was Ming in the Flash Gordon series) (Zaroff), Niles Welch (Metzger), Edward Hearn (Emil Janns), Bob Kortman (Longboat), Charles King (Hatton - Henchman), George Chesebro (Crossman - Henchman), Tom London (Sewell - Henchman), Edmund Cobb (Vining - Henchman) and Edward Earle (Christopher Adams, Indian Agent)...another great serial provided by Mascot Pictures during their heyday in the early '30s... Tom Mix and his horse, Tony Jr make the perfect pair in this exiciting serial as he uses his rope as much as his gun in a few of the episodes...Charles Middleton was the perfect nasty cold blooded leader of this Mascot serial...any B-Western with Charles King as the heavy has to be good just because it has Charles King in it.. King plays the henchman Hatton on Zaroff's payroll...for once he didn't play the character they call "Blackie".

Tom Mix birth name was Thomas Hezikiah Mix...birth date was January 6, 1880 in Mix Run, Pa and left us Oct 12, 1940 in Florence, Arizona..."The Miracle Rider" is a top-notch serial inclusive of everything you would expect from our hero and legendary Tom Mix...this was Tom Mix farewell film performance...he retired from the screen and died in a car accident four and half years later.

CHAPTER TITLES: (Disc One)
1. The Vanishing Indian
2. The Firebird Strikes
3. The Flying Knife
4. A Race with Death
5. Double Barreled Doom
6. Thundering Hoofs
7. Dragnet

SPECIAL FEATURES: (Disc One)
1. Tom Mix Photo Gallery
2. Tom Mix Bio:

VCI CLIFFHANGER COLLECTION (Disc One)
1. Zorro Rides Again (John Carroll & Duncan Renaldo)
2. Zorro's Black Whip (George J. Lewis & Linda Stirling)
3. Adventures of Red Ryder (Don "Red" Barry)
4. Hurricane Express (John Wayne)

CHAPTER TITLES: (Disc Two)
8. Guerilla Warfare
9. The Silver Band
10.Signal Fires
11.A Traitor Dies
12.Danger Rides with Death
13.The Secret of K-94
14.Between Two Fires
15.Justice Rides the Plains

SPECIAL FEATURES: (Disc Two)
1. Tom Mix Photo Gallery
2. Tom Mix Bio:

VCI CLIFFHANGER COLLECTION (Disc Two)
1. The Fighting Marines (Grant Withers & Ann Rutherford)
2. Phantom Empire (Gene Autry & Smiley Burnette)
3. Shadow of the Eagle (John Wayne)
4. Lost Jungle (Clyde Beatty)

Own them now on DVD....if you crave action, drama and plenty of adventure then this is the place for all of the above...if you enjoyed this serial why not try another exciting western adventure featuring Johnny Mack Brown serial "Fighting with Kit Carson" (1933) from VCI Entertainment and Mascot Pictures (digitally remastered), 12 Chapters of hard riding cliffhangers blazing the trail of the pioneer west...mixed with hair breadth escapes ending each episode.

While you're at it check out Bobby J. Copeland's book on "Silent Hoofbeats", a salute to the horses and riders of the bygone B-Western era...finally a book listing each and every steed that carried our heroes over the dusty trails and plains...Copeland has composed each section in his book to perfection...names of our western stars with the most comprehensive information of movie and TV horses...Tom Mix and Tony appear several times...published by Empire Publishing and available on Amazon.

Great job by VCI Entertainment for releasing the digital transfere with a clean, clear and crisp print...looking forward to more of the same from the '30s vintage...order your copy now from Amazon or VCI Entertainment, stay tuned once again with a top notch serial from VCI...just the way we like 'em!

Total Time: 306 mins on 2 DVD's ~ VCI Entertainment 8316 ~ (2/24/2004) September 15, 2005

Very good serial and from a nice print too!

I've never been a big fan of the Mascot serials but this one is a good one! Tom Mix is past his prime but still fun to watch (along with his horse Tony of course!). Fine supporting cast headed by Joan Gale as the Indian heroine, Charles Middleton (the perfect villain for any serial!), Robert Frazer, Niles Welch and Jason Robards, Sr. 15 action packed chapters on 2 discs plus some bonus serial trailers. VCI's source material appears to be a fine grain 16mm print and it's very good. Highly recommended for serial or western fans! July 30, 2005

Worthwhile just to enjoy seeing the legendary Tom Mix

Tom Mix is probably the best known of the early western heroes. Besides his roles, he's also credited for being an early mentor for a hopeful young actor by the name of John Wayne.

This Mascot serial was made at the end of Tom Mix's career. He was one who suffered from the advent of sound.

One interesting facet of the serial is its foreshadowing of events in Europe. The bad guy is mining a powerful explosive for an unnamed European country which is preparing for war. I don't think I'm spoiling the ending by letting you know that Tom Mix, aided by his horse Tony, successfully thwarts the scheme by the final chapter.

Quite recommended for those who enjoy vintage western action. January 3, 2003

TOM MIX'S ONLY SERIAL AND HIS LAST MOVIE

One reviewer must've gotten the wrong video, because this is definitely Tom Mix, and Rin Tin Tin is nowhere to be seen in it! Besides Tom Mix, you get Charles Middleton as the villian. He's not nearly as menacing as he is in the Flash Gordon serials, but he's still a notable villian.

This is truly a contemporary western, taking place in 1935 when the movie was made. The bad guy is bent on chasing the indian tribe off their reservation so he can mine it for a secret explosive that he plans to sell to an unnamed European country. In one scene, he mentions the added power this powerful explosive would give a dictator, so if you know enough history to know what was happening in Europe in 1935, you can guess what country was being suggested here.

Tom Mix and Middleton together make this one of the better western serials, and I quite recommend it. August 6, 2002

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