4/5 I agree......mostly
  by jrc (Jonesboro, AR USA)
Agree with above review regarding the serial; it's fun and has some great cliffhangers. VCI did the best with materials they had to work with. The negatives for most of these serials no longer exist, so we are left with only 16mm television prints. This version has the Universal Presents plastered over by Krellberg et al. VCI has done a lot with the image, but the sound is distorted and noisy throughout (but all of the dialogue is discernable--only the music suffers). This is probably the best viewing experience you're going to have for this title unless Universal still holds the negatives and releases their own pristine versions (NOT!).

If you want to see what VCI can do with outstanding source material, look at the GREEN HORNET serials recently released. They are almost perfection. Interestingly, they note a "thanks" to Universal Pictures on the package--although I doubt that Universal provided negatives/prints--the ownership of those passed to the copyright holder years ago.

I greatly admire VCI for what they do and buy almost all of their releases. They should be greatly commended for releasing many of these Public Domain titles in decent transfers.

A question for the experts:
Are those chapter openings from the original 1937 release? The shot of the camera tracking in to the boy on the couch has a 50's setting look.

4/5 "Another collectible serial to add to your collection from the '30s"
  by J. Lovins (Missouri-USA)
VCI Entertainment and Universal Pictures based on the newspaper feature by Eddie Sullivan and Charlie Schmidt with King features Syndicate present..."RADIO PATROL" (15 October 1937) (Dolby digitally remastered), a 12 Chapter cliffhanger from a thrilling adventure of breath taking exploits and suspenseful Universal serial featuring a good cast --- story line has a row of questions being asked, beginning with an international criminal gang is trying to get their hands on the formula for a new bulletproof steel, will no one be able to stop them --- Can the fists flying hard hitting radio policeman Pat O'Hara (Grant Withers) make a dent in the crooks he's about to encounter --- What part does our canine smarter than some of the cast "Irish" (Silver Wolf the dog) play in this plot to steal the secret formula --- Will Grant Withers and Molly Selkirk (Katherine Hughes) be able to foil the plans to kidnap Pinky Adams (Mickey Rentschler) the son of inventor John P. Adams (Harry Davenport) --- Our hero Pat O'Hara eats, breaths and lives for pure excitement as he smashes the villains and their evil plans in every episode --- Don't leave the theater until the final chapter is over and done with "They Get Their Man".

The VCI restoration department did an exceptional clean up on this special edition with the picture and sound, very good --- Should please all the fans and collectors of this genre, Serials from the 1930s.--- As a collector myself, always on the lookout for rare and crisp copies of serials and B-Westerns that will make a wonderful addition to my collection.

Under the production staff of:
Ford Beebe - Director
Clifford Smith - Director
Wyndham Gittens screenplay
Norman S. Hall screenplay
Ray Trampe screenplay
Charlie Schmidt based on the comic strip by
Eddie Sullivan based on the comic strip by
Ben Koenig - Producer
Barney A. Sarecky - Producer
Jerome Ash - Cinematographer
Joseph Gluck - Film Editor
Louis Sackin - Film Editor
Alvin Todd - Film Editor
Ralph M. DeLacy - Art Director
Franz Waxman - Music Score
Louis Vokali - dog trainer

Special footnote, actor Grant Withers began his long career with the film "Fighting Hearts" (1926) along with such films as "Tailspin Tommy" (1934), "Jungle Jim" (1936), "Mr. Wong Detective" (1938), "Billy the Kid" (1941), "In Old Oklahoma" (1943), "My Darling Clementine: (1946), "Fort Apache" (1948), "Rio Grande" (1950), made various appearances on the TV show "Have Gun Will Travel" (1957) with Richard Boone.

BIOS:
1. Grant Withers (aka Granville G. Withers)
Birth Date: 1/17/1904 - Pueblo, Colorado
Died: 3/27/1959 - North Hollywood, California,

2. Ford Beebe - Director
Date of Birth: 26 November 1888 - Grand Rapids, Michigan
Date of Death: 26 November 1978 - Lake Elsinore, California

3. Clifford Smith - Director
Date of Birth: 22 August 1894 - Richmond, Indiana
Date of Death: 17 September 1937 - Los Angeles, California

CHAPTER TITLES:
1. A Million Dollar Murder
2. The Hypnotic Eye
3. Flaming Death
4. The Human Clue
5. The Flash of Doom
6. The House of Terror
7. Claws of Steel
8. The Perfect Crime
9. Plaything of Disaster
10.A Bargain with Death
11.The Hidden Menace
12.They Get Their Man

Take note of the automobile chases through the scenes in the city and on the outer roads, some classic cars that can really turn on the speed --- Directors Ford Beebe and Clifford Smith both veterans do a bang up job with this 12 episode cliffhanger --- These are not award winning films, but fun to watch --- Many serials are loaded with stock music, but much of this is by one of the best composers in the business Franz Waxman ("Bride of Frankenstein" (1935), "Sunset Boulevard" (1950) (Academy Award) and "A Place in the Sun" (1951) (Academy Award) --- Also watch for the veteran stunt men Eddie Parker and Tom Steele do their job in every exciting chapter, which keeps you on the edge of your seat --- just the way we like 'em!

Total Time: 220 mins on DVD ~ VCI Entertainment 8563 ~ (08/25/2009)