Zorro Swashbuckling News and Updates

Zorro Swashbuckling News and Updates
Showing posts with label Zorro Radio Dramas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Zorro Radio Dramas. Show all posts

Friday, September 23, 2011

Zorro and the Pirate Raiders - Zorro Rides Again Get Nice Reviews (Zorro Radio Drama)

The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio Blog site had some nice words to say about CRT's full-cast radio drama Zorro and the Pirate Raiders.



If you grew up in the 1950s, when you think of Zorro as Guy Williams in the Disney series. Or if you grew up in the late 80s and early 90s, Duncan Regehr may have provided your vision of Zorro. Others may remember Antonio Banderas as Zorro and for many classic film buffs, it is without a doubt Douglas Fairbanks who defines the character in the silent film version.
Zorro did make it to radio in 1957, in a short-lived serial based on the Curse of Capistrano, however only two episodes of this series survive.
Zorro has been interpreted and reinterpreted so many times throughout the years that it's hard to remember that Zorro originiated in the pulp magazines in stories by Johnston McCulley. may have passed Zorro by for the most part, modern producers of radio drama have picked up the torch.
The Colonial Radio Theatre  brought two of these stories to radio in Zorro and the Pirate Raiders and Zorro Rides Again.
Summaries
In Zorro and the Pirate Raiders, the commandante of the pueblo, Captain Ramon, forms an alliance with cutthroat pirates to  raid the pueblo and split the booty. Ramon also orders the pirates to kill Don Diego de la Vega and kidnap his bride-to-be. Zorro thwarts the attack on Don Diego with the help of other caballeros and then pursues the pirates across the sea.
In Zorro Rides Again, Zorro has retired after The Pirate Raiders but is forced to return when an imposter begins to commit injustices in the name of Zorro. Zorro must clear his name and find the imposter before friends turn against him and the government executes.
Review
These Zorro productions are superb swashbuckling adventures.  Each feature length adventure was filled with action, adventure, and surprise twists throughout the story. The sound effects were amazing, and help to transport you back to Old California.
There were differences between this production and most Zorro adaptations. The biggest was that Zorro had allies: twenty caballeros who fought alongside him. This is a stark difference between modern productions which have Zorro fighting a lone battle against evil, which has become the trend.  However, the CRT's version of Zorro remains faithful to the original vision of McCulley.
Zorro and his caballeros are courageous and gallant, living by a code of honor.  McCulley's vision of Zorro was as a North American version of the knights of old and this really shows through in the Colonial Radio Theater production.  The cast from the stars to their supporting players were all excellent. In particular, Sam Donato shined in the role of Sergeant Garcia.  Oftentimes, the role of the Sergeant in Zorro is often played as buffoon or coward, but Donato's portrayal was more nuanaced, and there was a lot more to Sergeant Garcia than meets these eyes.
There were very few flaws in these productions, and they were  a result of being faithful to the source material, so I can't complain about them. I will say that when a radio drama features a fight between two guys with knives in their mouths, the theater of the mind has to work overtime to supply the images.
Overall, these are great productions that represent Zorro as he was meant to be and provide hours of fun and excitement.

Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0
http://www.greatdetectives.net/detectives/zorro-comes-to-radio/

Zorro fans also be sure to check out The Mark of Zorro radio drama as well.

Thursday, May 19, 2011

The Mark of Zorro audio drama review by Audiofile


THE MARK OF ZORRO
Johnston McCulley, Yuri Rasovsky
Read by Val Kilmer and a Full Cast

Cunning, suave, fearless, and a friend to the poor, the masked El Zorro first appeared in the pulp magazine ALL-STORY WEEKLY in 1919. This sparkling full-cast audio adaptation of the original short story, "The Curse of Capistrano," provides the sounds of plenty of swords clashing and bullets ricocheting. Where the real sparks fly is in the wonderfully honed playful dialogue, performed by an A-List Hollywood cast. Val Kilmer uses subtle vocal changes to play both the aristocratic idler Don Diego de la Vega and Diego’s alter ego—the dashing El Zorro, who easily bests the villainous and foolish Captain Ramon and Sergeant Gonzalez, played with great energy by Keith Szarabajka and Meshach Taylor. But Zorro is no match for the stinging words of the lovely, proud Lolita Pulido, played with fiery grace by Ruth Livier. Good-natured fun. B.P. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2011]

http://www.audiofilemagazine.com/dbsearch/showreview.cfm?Num=61318

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Johnston McCulley Zorro Full-Cast Radio Drama Adventure


Johnston McCulley's first three Zorro novels come to life before your very ears with a full-cast of actors, music and sound effects in these outstanding audio dramatizations. Enjoy hours of  swashbuckling adventure with the original masked hero of Spanish California while traveling in the car; as a bedtime story; or gathered together as a family. No matter how you listen you'll find these productions highly entertaining. So turn the lights down and your imagination up because Zorro never sounded so good!

The first three of Zorro creator Johnston McCulley's novels come to sonic life.

Cover art collage featuring the posters of the The Mark of Zorro (Hollywood Theater of the Ear - Blackstone Audio Publishing); Zorro and the Pirate Raiders (Colonial Radio Theater - Brilliance Audio Publishing); Zorro Rides Again (Colonial Radio Theater - Brilliance Audio Publishing

For more on these audio dramas follow the link.
http://zorro-swashbucklingnewsandupdates.blogspot.com/2012/06/zorro-returns-to-world-of-radio-drama.html

http://zorro-swashbucklingnewsandupdates.blogspot.com/2011/04/zorro-radio-dramas.html

Saturday, April 30, 2011

Zorro Radio Dramas


Zorro creator Johnston McCulley's first three Zorro tales are now available as full-cast audio dramas. Below is a link to the publishers website allowing you to hear a sample of each production as well as a link to amazon.com.

The Mark of Zorro full-cast audio drama from Hollywood Theater of the Ear starring Val Kilmer, Ruth Livier, Elizabeth Peña, Armin Shimmerman, Mishach Taylor, Keith Szarabajka, Ned Schmidtke, Scott Brick, Stefan Rudnicki, Kristoffer Tabori, Philip Proctor, John Sloan, and Gordo Panzastarring. Published by Blackstone Audio. Available from Blackstone Audio, Amazon.com and fine book stores everywhere.
http://www.blackstoneaudio.com/audiobook.cfm?id=5603
http://www.amazon.com/Mark-Zorro-Full-Cast-Audio-Dramatization/dp/product-description/1441728902


Zorro and the Pirate Raiders produced by Colonial Radio Theater.Starring Kevin Cirone, Shonna McEachern, Hugh Metzler, J.T. Turner, Sam Donato, Joseph Zamperelli Jr., and Dan Powell. Now Available on CD from Brilliance Audio, Amazon.com and book stores everywhere.
http://www.brillianceaudio.com/library/product.asp?AuthorId=1551&TitleId=30995
http://www.amazon.com/Zorro-Pirate-Raiders-Radio-Dramatization/dp/144189215X

Zorro Rides Again produced by Colonial Radio Theater. Featuring Kevin Cirone, Jeremy Benson, Shonna McEachern, Shana Dirk, Sam Donato, and Hugh Metzler. Available on CD from Brilliance Audio, Amazon.com and book stores everywhere.
http://www.brillianceaudio.com/library/product.asp?AuthorId=1551&TitleId=31037
http://www.amazon.com/Zorro-Rides-Again-Radio-Dramatization/dp/1611062586

Coming Soon.......... The sequel to The Mark of Zorro!