Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.5

Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov November 3, 2016

Produced by Republic Pictures, "Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe" (1953) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of independent distributors Olive Films. There are no supplemental features on the two-disc set. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

This is Commando Cody speaking

The main character, Commando Cody (Judd Holdren), is a young, very athletic, and supposedly incredibly intelligent scientist who has been hired by the U.S. government to investigate a series of bizarre atmospheric events. His findings lead him to believe that an alien race is quietly working on a plan to invade the U.S. and then take over the world. Eventually, Commando Cody discovers that secret agents are already working directly with the leader of the aliens, The Ruler (Gregory Gaye), and are trying to infiltrate the government. Together with his trusted assistants (William Schallert, Aline Towne, Richard Crane), Commando Cody begins identifying the agents and then methodically neutralizes them.

Republic Pictures produced Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe in 1953 and before its twelve episodes ended up on TV the studio also licensed it for theatrical exhibition. However, various reports reveal that the theatrical run was short and not as successful as expected.

All twelve episodes are part of one big story and have to be seen in chronological order, but each episode also tells a mini-story that ends with a logical finale. So while the main story gradually expands there really isn’t any direct overlapping of content that anticipates the next episode. (In other words, there are no classic TV cliffhangers).

The main appeal of Commando Cody’s adventures comes from the period environment in which he is placed to shine. There is an obvious B-grade element -- though the bulk of the material is not quite as kitschy as that seen in various sci-fi and monster horror films from the same era -- that defines it, but it is easy to tell that it also channels some of the real anxiety that the Cold War era produced in the U.S. For example, the idea that ‘alien’ agents are on the ground and are part of a grand plan to collapse the political system in the country can easily be traced back to the rise of McCarthyism during the 1950s. So perhaps like the infamous senator Commando Cody just happens to be a few steps ahead of everyone else and is capable of connecting the dots that reveal the dangerous truth. On the other hand, there is an obvious X-Files element of sorts that promotes the idea that perhaps the U.S. government has credible information confirming the existence of an alien race but is unwilling to reveal it. So the original concept for the show certainly pulls some interesting ideas from a number of different places and the end result isn’t quite as straightforward as it may appear.

The bulk of the action obviously looks dated, but it has plenty of old-fashioned charm. In fact, at times it can even look flat-out stylish, and this could very well be the reason why some viewers have speculated that director Joe Johnston might have borrowed a few ideas while working on The Rocketeer. (This reviewer also happens to believe that director Barry Sonnenfeld is very familiar with Commando Cody and his adventures).

Republic Pictures contracted three directors to work on the serial: Harry Keller (The Brass Bottle), Franklin Adreon (Cyborg 2087), and Fred C. Brannon (The Invisible Monster).

Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.37:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Olive Films.

The master that was used to produce the release is quite impressive. If I had to guess I would say that the serial was scanned fairly recently because excluding a few tiny flecks and very small scratches the visuals are indeed quite wonderful. Density in particular ranges from very good to excellent and a lot of the well-lit footage actually looks terrific (see screencapture #3). There are no traces of recent compromising degraining corrections. There are areas where ideally grain could be better exposed and resolved, but you won't see any distracting anomalies that would impact your viewing experience. Edge-enhancement is also not an issue of concern. The grayscale is convincing -- some rebalancing work could be appropriate in some segments, but the overall appearance of the the different episodes is definitely convincing. Image stability is excellent. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

I do not believe that the audio has undergone extensive remastering, but as I mentioned in the video section the show must have been rescanned fairly recently and the audio has also benefited because there are no signs of age-related deterioration. Clarity, depth, and stability are very good.

Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Most unfortunately, there are no supplemental features to be found on this Blu-ray release.

Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I had not seen Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe in its entirety prior to receiving Olive Films' two-disc set and was unsure what to expect from it. I was very pleasantly surprised. It is quite entertaining and it has a very charming retro vibe that makes it perfect for late night viewing. Olive Films' technical presentation of Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe is very good. (If you enjoy it, also consider picking up the label's recent release of The Invisible Monster). HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.