Review Superman Volume 1/ Chapters 1-7 [Serial] (1948) / Warner Studios:The best parts of SUPERMAN (1948), a 15-chapter serial produced by Columbia Pictures, are found in the first three or so chapters when we see a lot of Superman lore adapted to film, including the destruction of Krypton, young Clark growing up on a farm with the Kents, and Clark coming to Metropolis and joining the staff of the Daily Planet. We also get to see Superman do lots of superheroic deeds such as rescuing people from disasters. Afterwards, however, it settles into a standard cliffhanger formula with Superman battling the Spider Lady (Carol Forman), a conventional serial villainess and criminal gang leader who sends her standard-issue thugs and henchmen (middle-aged guys in suits, ties and fedoras) out to kidnap Lois and knock out Jimmy Olsen with growing monotony in every episode. On the plus side, the Superman flying effects are carried out through cartoon animation. This enables Superman to be seen flying through a variety of locales. (If Republic Pictures had shot this, they would have repeated the same shot over and over of a stuntman in costume flying on a wire strung from one rock in the San Fernando Valley to another. ) Also, Noel Neill's Lois is as spunky here as the character ever got. Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, the ever-smiling Lois plunges into the action wholeheartedly time and time again, frequently making Superman look weak and overly cautious in comparison. Neill played the part again in the sequel, ATOM MAN VS. SUPERMAN, and later in all but the first season of the TV series.
Release date: 1995-07-11
Run time: 120 min.
List Price: $19.99
Price: $49.99
Review Locke the Superman / Best Film And Video:
Review Superman:Richard Donner's 1978 epic about the Man of Steel showed how a film about a superhero could be a moving and romantic experience even for people who long ago gave up comic books. Beginning on the icy planet Krypton, the story follows the baby Kal-El, whose rocket ship lands in Smallville, Kansas. He is found there by a childless couple and raised as the shy Clark Kent (the young Kent is played by Jeff East). The film is perhaps most touching in these sequences, with expanses of wheat fields blowing in the wind and with a young man who can't figure out what part in destiny his great powers are meant to play. The second half, with Reeve taking over as Clark/Superman, is bustling, enchanting (the scene in which Superman flies girlfriend Lois Lane-played by Margot Kidder-through the night sky is great date material), and funny, thanks largely to Gene Hackman's sardonic portrayal of nemesis Lex Luthor. -Tom Keogh.
Review Popeye Superman:
Actors & Directors
- Bruce W. Timm
- Michael Dorn
Review Superman:
Review Superman:Richard Donner's 1978 epic about the Man of Steel showed how a film about a superhero could be a moving and romantic experience even for people who long ago gave up comic books. Beginning on the icy planet Krypton, the story follows the baby Kal-El, whose rocket ship lands in Smallville, Kansas. He is found there by a childless couple and raised as the shy Clark Kent (the young Kent is played by Jeff East). The film is perhaps most touching in these sequences, with expanses of wheat fields blowing in the wind and with a young man who can't figure out what part in destiny his great powers are meant to play. The second half, with Reeve taking over as Clark/Superman, is bustling, enchanting (the scene in which Superman flies girlfriend Lois Lane-played by Margot Kidder-through the night sky is great date material), and funny, thanks largely to Gene Hackman's sardonic portrayal of nemesis Lex Luthor. -Tom Keogh.
Price: $28.95
Review Lois & Clark The New Adventures of Superman: Illusions of Grandeur & Ides of Metropolis / Columbia House:Airdates January 23, 1994 and February 6, 1994
Actors & Directors
- Guest stars: Matt Roe, Jim Beaver
Review Lois & Clark The New Adventures of Superman: I'm Looking Through You & Requiem For a Superhero / Columbia House:Airdates October 10, 1993 and October 17, 1993.
Run time: 60 min.
Creator: George Reeves
Price: $47.50
Review TV's Best Adventures of Superman 3 [ with Two Classic Episodes from the Live-Action TV Series: PANIC IN THE SKY and THE BIG FREEZE plus THE MAGNETIC TELESCOPE cartoon ] / Warner Home Video:
Price: $24.00
Review Superman 4 Color Animated Cartoons:
Price: $24.09
Review Superman Gold Anniversary 50th Collection 17 Cartoons the Original Animated Full-color Adventures of the Man of Steel By Max and Dave Fleischer / Bridgestone Productions:This special 50th birthday collectors inclusdes all 17 original vivid full color cartoons. The Man of steel was introduced to the public in June of 1938 by Action Comics. After a successful transition to radio, he made the leap into movies starring in these spectacular science fiction stories These episodes represent the pinnacle of anmation during its Golden Age.
Review Superman:Richard Donner's 1978 epic about the Man of Steel showed how a film about a superhero could be a moving and romantic experience even for people who long ago gave up comic books. Beginning on the icy planet Krypton, the story follows the baby Kal-El, whose rocket ship lands in Smallville, Kansas. He is found there by a childless couple and raised as the shy Clark Kent (the young Kent is played by Jeff East). The film is perhaps most touching in these sequences, with expanses of wheat fields blowing in the wind and with a young man who can't figure out what part in destiny his great powers are meant to play. The second half, with Reeve taking over as Clark/Superman, is bustling, enchanting (the scene in which Superman flies girlfriend Lois Lane-played by Margot Kidder-through the night sky is great date material), and funny, thanks largely to Gene Hackman's sardonic portrayal of nemesis Lex Luthor. -Tom Keogh.
Run time: 60 min.
Review Superman / sutton 31106:animated superman cartoon
Actors & Directors
- Jack Mercer
- Bud Collyer
- Dave Fleischer
- Noa
- Joan Alexander
- Jackson Beck
Review Superman:This collection of fully restored, 1930s animated shorts from the legendary Max Fleischer are a real treat. For anyone who has grown up associating the Superman character with different phases of art direction in Superman comic books over the last 50 years, or best remembers the look of the Christopher Reeve films or the old television show, these 'toons will be a mini-revelation. Expanding on cues from the first generation of Superman comics, Fleischer immerses the man from Krypton in a marvelous blend of art deco, William Cameron Menzies-inspired sets, and edgy compositions that can't help but remind one of Fritz Lang-ian paranoia. Everything is oversized, blocky but rounded, ferociously modernist, and all too vulnerable. Superman's very function as a character in these highly dramatic and richly colored fables is both defending the overbearing, urban progressiveness and capital excesses of a young 20th century while also reassuring us that progress is not as indomitable as a man-at least a Superman. The DVD includes a bonus Fleischer short, "Play Safe," plus information about the restoration process, three choices of sound, complete history, synopsis, and credits. -Tom Keogh.
Actors & Directors
- Neal Ahern Jr.
- Michael Vejar
Review Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman:
Price: $55.00
Review Superman Complete 4 Pack:
Review Superman II:Director Richard Lester (A Hard Day's Night) took over the franchise with this first sequel in the series, though the film doesn't look much like his usual stylish work. (Superman III is far more Lesteresque. ) Still, there is a lot to like about this movie, which finds Superman grappling with the conflict between his responsibilities as Earth's savior and his own needs of the heart. Choosing the latter, he gives up his powers to be with Lois Lane (Margot Kidder), but the timing is awful: three renegades from his home planet, Krypton, are smashing up the White House, aided by the mocking Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman). The film isn't nearly as ambitious as its predecessor, but the accent on relationships over special effects (not that there aren't plenty of them) is very satisfying. -Tom Keogh.
Actors & Directors
- Vass Anderson
- Jackie Cooper
- Marlon Brando
- Harry Andrews
- Ned Beatty
Run time: 271 min.
Price: $39.98
Review Superman 1 & 2 (2pc) / Warner Home Video:
Review Adventures of Superman - The Collector's Edition (Jimmy in Jeopardy):
Actors & Directors
- Dan Riba
- Dana Delany
- Malcolm McDowell
- Tim Daly
- Clancy Brown
- Scott Jeralds
- Christopher McDonald
- Curt Geda
Review Superman: The Last Son of Krypton:
| Models & Brands:
Superman Volume 1/ Chapters 1-7 [Serial] (1948), Locke the Superman, Superman, Popeye Superman, Superman, Superman, Lois & Clark The New Adventures of Superman: Illusions of Grandeur & Ides of Metropolis, Lois & Clark The New Adventures of Superman: I'm Looking Through You & Requiem For a Superhero, TV's Best Adventures of Superman 3 [ with Two Classic Episodes from the Live-Action TV Series: PANIC IN THE SKY and THE BIG FREEZE plus THE MAGNETIC TELESCOPE cartoon ], Superman 4 Color Animated Cartoons, Superman Gold Anniversary 50th Collection 17 Cartoons the Original Animated Full-color Adventures of the Man of Steel By Max and Dave Fleischer, Superman, Superman, Superman, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Superman Complete 4 Pack, Superman II, Superman 1 & 2 (2pc), Adventures of Superman - The Collector's Edition (Jimmy in Jeopardy), Superman: The Last Son of KryptonTop headlines: Charges dropped against cyclist hit by cop: Capitol Police said Friday they had detained a man after a rifle and an improvised explosive device were discovered in his vehicle near the Capitol building. ›16:02 5 Sep, Fri Video: Unemployment rate hits five-year high: Sept. 5: The unemployment rate in August jumped to 6.1 percent from 5.7 percent in July, with businesses cutting 84,000 jobs the eighth month in a row of shrinking staffs. NBC's Brian Williams reports.(Nightly News) ›22:52 5 Sep, Fri Rampage suspect in court: 'I kill for God': "I kill for God. I listen to God," a man accused of a northwest Washington shooting rampage said Friday at a hearing where six charges of first-degree murder and four of first-degree assault were filed against him. ›00:58 U.K. army to reconsider bearskin hats: After meeting with animal rights activists, the British military said Tuesday that it will study alternative materials to replace the bearskin hats worn by the soldiers who guard Buckingham Palace. ›12:22 3 Sep, Wed Industry files lawsuit over polar bear rule: Five industry groups have sued the Interior Department over a rule to protect the polar bear that they say unfairly singles out business operations in Alaska for their contribution to global warming. ›00:08 29 Aug, Fri Are you smart? Take our weekly news quiz: O.J. Simpson and co-defendant Clarence "C.J." Stewart go on trial Monday in Las Vegas on armed robbery and kidnapping charges. ›19:43 20 Mar, Thu Scoop: Readers dump Us Magazine over Palin: Three celebrity weeklies OK!, People and Us Weekly featured Sarah Palin on their cover, but one of those magazines is reportedly losing subscribers because of it. ›13:08 5 Sep, Fri Cleaner mower, speedboat engines ordered: Gasoline-powered lawnmowers that are a big cause of summertime air pollution will have to be dramatically cleaner under rules issued Thursday by the EPA. ›20:56 4 Sep, Thu Shooter's rampage shows pitfalls for mentally ill: A man who as a teen helped shoot and kill five people in a schoolyard ambush was sentenced Thursday to four years in prison on an unrelated federal weapons charge. ›14:58 5 Sep, Fri U.S. spied on Iraqi leaders, book says: Journalist's new book reveals sharp dissent within administration and points to "groundbreaking" covert techniques that shaped course of the war. ›11:55 5 Sep, Fri Rower crossing Pacific to combat plastic: A British environmentalist arrived in Honolulu early Monday, completing the initial leg of her journey as she tries to become the first woman to row alone across the Pacific Ocean. ›01:52 2 Sep, Tue Video: Obama on McCain's speech: Enough about you: Sept. 5: Pointing to new unemployment figures, Sen. Barack Obama criticized Sen. John McCain for being "out-of-touch" and focusing too much on his own biography in his RNC speech. NBC's Lee Cowan reports.(Nightly News) ›22:51 5 Sep, Fri Video: Hanna, Ike packing a one-two punch: Sept. 5: Hurricane Ike, still several days from landfall in the U.S., weakened slightly Friday but still threatens to hit the oil-producing Gulf of Mexico and Miami. The Weather Channel's Jim Cantore reports.(Nightly News) ›22:47 5 Sep, Fri Government questions plastic bottles' safety: Government toxicologists have reiterated safety concerns about a chemical used in baby bottles and food containers, just weeks after the Food and Drug Administration declared the substance safe. ›23:48 3 Sep, Wed Huge ice shelf breaks loose in Canada: A chunk of ice shelf nearly the size of Manhattan has broken away in Canada's northern Arctic, another indication of how warmer temperatures are changing the polar frontier, scientists said Wednesday. ›02:48 4 Sep, Thu Simpson goes to trial in Vegas: Investigators say a large black bear raided a clandestine marijuana growing operation so often that it chased the grower away. ›14:59 5 Sep, Fri Jonas Brothers set to rock new TV series: The Jonas Brothers will begin filming a new Disney Channel series in mid-September, Joe Jonas told ELLEgirl magazine. ›16:15 5 Sep, Fri Experts scale back sea level rise forecast: Worldwide sea levels may rise by about 2.6 to 6.6 feet by 2100 thanks to global warming, but dire predictions of larger increases seem unrealistic, U.S. scientists said on Thursday. ›22:28 4 Sep, Thu Tidbits: Duchovny allegedly cheated before rehab: The National Enquirer reports that the Californication star cheated on wife Ta Leoni multiple times throughout their marriage. ›02:19 5 Sep, Fri Alaska voters decide mining over fish: Alaskans were given an option when voting for an initiative in their primary election: mining or fish. ›23:56 28 Aug, Thu Jesse Jackson released from hospital: ›18:43 5 Sep, Fri World Blog: Pakistanis worry about Zardari rule: Asif Ali Zardari, widower of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, is poised to win Pakistans presidency Saturday. But critics say he is too corrupt to turn this reeling nation around. ›16:17 5 Sep, Fri Palin church promotes converting gays: Gov. Sarah Palin's church is promoting a conference that promises to convert gays into heterosexuals through the power of prayer. ›01:08 Afghans fed up with government, U.S.: The bearded, turbaned men gather beneath a large, leafy tree in rural eastern Nangarhar province. When Malik Mohammed speaks on their behalf, his voice is soft but his words are harsh. ›19:53 5 Sep, Fri |
