With VCI scheduled to release THE PHANTOM EMPIRE (1935) in early 2008,
the Serial Squadron is trying to dump its version on the market at a
reduced price. I don't blame them, but this seems to be a little bit
over board, hyperbole-wise:

-- Scoring of action and cliffhanger sequences, completely absent
in the original, is now present, with cues from the original serial,
1930s library music and 78rpm

The result is the highest quality presentation of this serial possible
on the small screen. There is no higher quality or more entertaining
version of this serial available anywhere, and never will be!

That first bullet point is way down at the very bottom of the SS's
description of this title, instead of up at the top (I would think
that if a DVD-R release of a 72-year-old film contains newly added
music, that should be brought to the attention of potential buyers).
And golly, the SS forgot to mention that their version adds
"color" (purple ray gun blasts, for instance) and sound effects as
well as extraneous music, marring what was otherwise an excellent and
noteworthy true restoration of one of the great serials.

The last sentence of their blurb simply made me giggle. So order if
you want, but be aware that a better and truer version (I think they
should call it THE PHANTOM EMPIRE: THE ULTIMATE EDITION) will be
available from VCI Entertainment in a couple of months. Plus, you'll
get bonus material with the true story of Gene Autry's visit to
Murania, written by....

Yours truly,
Laughing Gravywww.inthebalcony.com