Tag Archives: Joe Shuster

Superman and the Mole-Men (1951, Lee Sholem)

Posted on 5 March 2013 | Leave a comment

Superman and the Mole Men is somewhat hard to watch–and not because of the goofy mole people costumes. The bad guys in the film aren’t the mole men, but the evil redneck townspeople who hunt them down. Mole Men runs less than an hour (a theatrical pilot for the “Adventures of Superman” TV series) but the constant hounding of the cute little mole men and unrelenting viciousness of main villain Jeff Corey makes it constantly uncomfortable.

The other problem is how ineffectual Superman’s presence is to quelling the viciousness. While George Reeves is pretty good as Superman, except the fists to hips stance, Robert Maxwell’s script doesn’t know what to do with him. Being super has nothing to do with Superman’s role in the picture. So an added frustration is knowing Superman should be saving the little mole men, but isn’t because Maxwell’s got him giving nonessential speeches.

As Kent, Reeves’s wink-wink performance doesn’t play well. When he’s giving a straight performance as a newspaper reporter, he’s a lot better. Phyllis Coates is barely present as Lois Lane; she’s not very good. Besides Corey, the best supporting work is from Walter Reed.

Clark Ramsey’s photography is weak. Sholem’s direction is competent enough. Mole Men‘s real villain is its small budget. The mole men had been running around ten minutes before I realized their sweatsuits were supposed to be their fur.

Darrell Calker’s score is nice.

Mole Men isn’t good, but it’s definitely has some good things about it.

CREDITS

Directed by Lee Sholem; screenplay by Robert Maxwell, based on characters created by Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel; director of photography, Clark Ramsey; edited by Albrecht Joseph; music by Darrell Calker; produced by Barney A. Sarecky; released by Lippert Pictures.

Starring George Reeves (Superman / Clark Kent), Phyllis Coates (Lois Lane), Jeff Corey (Luke Benson), Walter Reed (Bill Corrigan), J. Farrell MacDonald (Pop Shannon), Stanley Andrews (The Sheriff), Ray Walker (John Craig), Hal K. Dawson (Chuck Weber), John Baer (Dr. Reed), Frank Reicher (Hospital Superintendent) and Beverly Washburn (Child).

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Posted in 1951, Action, Black and White, Drama, English, Family, Fantasy, Lippert Pictures, Sci-Fi, USA

Tagged Albrecht Joseph, Barney A. Sarecky, Beverly Washburn, Clark Ramsey, Darrell Calker, Frank Reicher, George Reeves, Hal K. Dawson, J. Farrell MacDonald, Jeff Corey, Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, John Baer, Lee Sholem, Phyllis Coates, Ray Walker, Robert Maxwell, Stanley Andrews, Walter Reed

The Adventures of Superpup (1958, Cal Howard)

Posted on 2 August 2012 | Leave a comment

What better way to capitalize on the success of TV’s “The Adventures of Superman” with a kid’s show recasting the characters as dogs. What’s strangest about “The Adventures of Superpup”–not surprisingly, it never went past pilot–isn’t the Little People in gigantic dog helmets (no, “Superpup” isn’t a cartoon), but how it handles the Superman mythos.

The dog costumes are just weird–especially since the script’s for a cartoon–the characters are a lot more interesting.

First off, Bark Bent has a mouse (or rat) living in his drawer at work. This rodent is the real hero. See, Superpup isn’t much of a superhero. He mostly loafs about at work, napping at his desk. The rodent is the real hero.

“Superpup” isn’t even schlocky bad. It’s just a terrible idea, incompetently produced and directed.

Well, I guess it does show what a real live action cartoon would look like.

CREDITS

Directed by Cal Howard; screenplay by Howard and Whitney Ellsworth, based on a concept by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster; director of photography, Joseph F. Biroc; edited by Sam E. Waxman; produced by Ellsworth.

Starring Billy Curtis (Super Pup/Bark Bent), Ruth Delfino (Pamela Poodle), Angelo Rossitto (Terry Bite), Frank Delfino (Sergeant Beagle), Harry Monty (Professor Sheepdip) and Sadie Delfino (Wolfingham / Montgomery Mouse).

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Posted in 1958, Color, English, Short, USA

Tagged Angelo Rossitto, Billy Curtis, Cal Howard, Frank Delfino, Harry Monty, Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, Joseph F. Biroc, Ruth Delfino, Sadie Delfino, Sam E. Waxman, Whitney Ellsworth

Superman Classic (2011, Robb Pratt)

Posted on 21 July 2012 | Leave a comment

While it only runs a minute (I think), Superman Classic–which director Pratt describes as a “super fan film”–is pretty, well, super. Only the final moment disappoints, mostly because it’s a promise Pratt’s not going to keep.

Classic is mostly hand drawn animation, which gives the cartoon the “fan film” feel occasionally, but Pratt professionally packages it. The music is from the old serials and sets a certain tone. But the backgrounds remind of the Fleischer cartoons. And Pratt gives Clark Kent mannerisms straight out of Christopher Reeve’s essaying of the character.

Not to mention John Newton (who once played Superboy on TV) voices Superman.

Classic feels like a thoughtful, warm homage to the various Superman moving pictures.

The first moments, between Clark and Lois are the best. In a few lines, Pratt establishes the classic banter with some modern details.

I wish Classic were just twenty seconds longer….

CREDITS

Produced and directed by Robb Pratt; screenplay by Pratt, based on characters created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster; animated by Pratt, Steven Pierre Gordon and James Baker.

Starring John Newton (Clark Kent / Superman) and Jennifer Newton (Lois Lane).

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Posted in 2011, Animation, Color, English, Sci-Fi, Short, USA

Tagged James Baker, Jennifer Newton, Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, John Newton, Robb Pratt, Steven Pierre Gordon

All-Star Superman (2011, Sam Liu)

Posted on 14 February 2011 | Leave a comment

All-Star Superman, the comic book, is maybe the best Superman comic book. Based on empirical observation (i.e. the other animated DC Comics movies from Warner Premiere), I assumed All-Star Superman, the animated movie, would be awful.

I was wrong. It’s wondrous.

It’s not without its problems, of course. The movie is based on the comic, but it feels like one of the Superman movies. It needs better music. Christopher Drake has the chops to do a video game score, not this film.

Second, the character designs are often weak. Proportions are absurd.

Third, Alexis Denisof is terrible. He doesn’t have a big part, but he opens and closes the movie. It hurts.

Now, on the good stuff. All-Star Superman is about two things–Superman and Lois and Superman and Lex Luthor. About twenty-five minutes is just Superman and Lois having a date. Sure, she’s got temporary superpowers and they’re flying around, but it’s just a date. It’s lovely.

The Lex Luthor stuff comes later and is consistently entertaining.

James Denton is great. Anthony LaPaglia gives the film’s best performance. Christina Hendricks is all right (she’s best in her scenes with Denton, which is odd, since they probably didn’t record together). Everyone else is solid–Arnold Vosloo is excellent.

The script hurries a lot, but manages to sell every sequence, even if it starts problematically.

The movie does what the comic book did–it turns the traditional Superman story into a fable of unbridled enthusiasm.

It’s great.

CREDITS

Directed by Sam Liu; screenplay by Dwayne McDuffie, based on a comic book by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely and a character created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster; edited by Margaret Hou; music by Christopher Drake; produced by Bobbie Page and Bruce W. Timm; released by Warner Premiere.

Starring James Denton (Superman / Clark Kent), Christina Hendricks (Lois Lane), Anthony LaPaglia (Lex Luthor), Alexis Denisof (Dr. Quintum), Edward Asner (Perry White), Matthew Gray Gubler (Jimmy Olsen), Kevin Michael Richardson (Steve Lombard), Steve Blum (Atlas), John DiMaggio (Samson), Linda Cardellini (Nasthalthia), Arnold Vosloo (Bar-El), Finola Hughes (Lilo-El), Robin Atkin Downes (Solaris), Michael Gough (Parasite) and Frances Conroy (Ma Kent).

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Posted in 2011, Animation, Color, English, USA, Warner Premiere

Tagged Alexis Denisof, Anthony LaPaglia, Arnold Vosloo, Bobbie Page, Bruce W. Timm, Christina Hendricks, Christopher Drake, Dwayne McDuffie, Edward Asner, Finola Hughes, Frances Conroy, Frank Quitely, Grant Morrison, James Denton, Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, John DiMaggio, Kevin Michael Richardson, Linda Cardellini, Margaret Hou, Matthew Gray Gubler, Michael Gough, Robin Atkin Downes, Sam Liu, Steve Blum

Superman/Shazam!: The Return of Black Adam (2010, Joaquim Dos Santos)

Posted on 20 January 2011 | Leave a comment

Superman/Shazam!: The Return of Black Adam is not particularly good. It has a lot of problems, which I’ll enumerate, but it also has a lot of undeniable strengths.

I’ll start with those….

I mean, it’s got James Garner voicing an old wizard. That casting alone makes it worth some kind of look.

And Dos Santos conceives some good action sequences (they’re all based on Superman and Superman II), but set to the delicate electronic score, they work.

Unfortunately, the writing’s weak. Michael Jelenic is fine on dialogue, but the plotting is dumb (why is a thirteen year-old living alone—who pays rent, buys groceries?).

Additionally, there’s some terrible CG and acting. Arnold Vosloo does a Bela Lugosi impression and George Newbern’s a weak Superman.

Plus, the end is—from Superman II again—a superhero beating up a regular person for kicks.

Still, it only runs twenty-five minutes….

CREDITS

Directed by Joaquim Dos Santos; screenplay by Michael Jelenic, based on DC Comics characters created by Joe Shuster, Jerry Siegel, C.C. Beck and Bill Parker; edited by Margaret Hou; music by Benjamin Wynn and Jeremy Zuckerman; produced by Bobbie Page and Dos Santos; released by Warner Premiere.

Starring George Newbern (Superman / Clark Kent), Jerry O’Connell (Captain Marvel), Arnold Vosloo (Black Adam), Zach Callison (Billy Batson), Josh Keaton (Punk), Kevin Michael Richardson (Mister Tawky Tawny), Danica McKellar (Sally) and James Garner (Shazam).

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Posted in 2010, Action, Adventure, Animation, Short, USA, Warner Premiere

Tagged Arnold Vosloo, Benjamin Wynn, Bill Parker, Bobbie Page, C.C. Beck, Danica McKellar, George Newbern, James Garner, Jeremy Zuckerman, Jerry O'Connell, Jerry Siegel, Joaquim Dos Santos, Joe Shuster, Josh Keaton, Kevin Michael Richardson, Margaret Hou, Michael Jelenic, Zach Callison

Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987, Sidney J. Furie)

Posted on 15 October 2010 | Leave a comment

Roughly a third of Superman IV is missing, so it’s a little difficult to really form an opinion of the filmmakers’ intentions. I mean, it was an anti-nuclear proliferation movie… which suggests they were well-intentioned, but it’s impossible to know what they were trying to do with it as a film. For instance, it doesn’t have an ending. It also doesn’t have any real drama, but you can have an ending without a drama.

Some of the edits make me curious if anyone noticed, while it was being cut and recut and so on, if there’s the serious implication Lois Lane knows Clark Kent is Superman. There’s this weird scene at the beginning where we find out Superman takes Lois Lane out on flying dates then brainwashes her with the magic kiss (last seen in Superman II) whenever the date’s over. But the later scenes with Margot Kidder and Christopher Reeve… it’s like they’re playing it like she knows. There’s a definite subtext. It’s nearly interesting.

The opening actually seems like the first real Superman sequel. It’s not awkward like II or gimmicky like III, as a tabloid tycoon swoops in to buy out the Daily Planet. It gives drama to the Clark Kent side of things and lots of opportunity for returning cast members Jackie Cooper and Marc McClure… then doesn’t do anything with them.

Furie’s actually got some good shots and the effects are–while terrible–occasionally ambitious.

And Hackman… even with terrible lines, he’s great.

CREDITS

Directed by Sidney J. Furie; screenplay by Lawrence Konner and Mark Rosenthal, based on a story by Christopher Reeve, Konner and Rosenthal and on characters created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster; director of photography, Ernest Day; edited by John Shirley; music by Alexander Courage; production designer, John Graysmark; produced by Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus; released by Warner Bros.

Starring Christopher Reeve (Superman / Clark Kent), Gene Hackman (Lex Luthor), Margot Kidder (Lois Lane), Jackie Cooper (Perry White), Marc McClure (Jimmy Olsen), Jon Cryer (Lenny), Sam Wanamaker (David Warfield), Mark Pillow (Nuclear Man), Mariel Hemingway (Lacy Warfield), Damian McLawhorn (Jeremy), William Hootkins (Harry Howler), Jim Broadbent (Jean Pierre Dubois), Stanley Lebor (General Romoff), Don Fellows (Levon Hornsby) and Susannah York (Lara).

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Posted in 1987, Action, Adventure, Color, English, Family, Fantasy, French, Italian, Russian, Sci-Fi, UK, USA, Warner Bros.

Tagged Alexander Courage, Christopher Reeve, Damian McLawhorn, Don Fellows, Ernest Day, Gene Hackman, Jackie Cooper, Jerry Siegel, Jim Broadbent, Joe Shuster, John Graysmark, John Shirley, Jon Cryer, Lawrence Konner, Marc McClure, Margot Kidder, Mariel Hemingway, Mark Pillow, Mark Rosenthal, Menahem Golan, Sam Wanamaker, Sidney J. Furie, Stanley Lebor, Susannah York, William Hootkins, Yoram Globus

Superman III (1983, Richard Lester)

Posted on 8 October 2010 | Leave a comment

Superman III–deservedly–gets a lot of flak, but it’s actually the most faithful to the comics in a lot of ways. It plays out like a late sixties, early seventies Superman comic–”The Man Who Killed Superman,” turning out to be a bumbling, generally well-meaning guy like Richard Pryor, or “Superman Versus the Ultimate Computer.”

Superman III is also Superman versus the neo-cons (one has to wonder if, while the computer hijinks influenced Office Space, the oil plotting influenced Dick Cheney). The film’s villains are constantly weak, with Robert Vaughn (whose character has some great lines) and Annie Ross turning in dreadful performances.

But it didn’t have to be bad, which is what’s so upsetting about it. The stuff in Smallville with Clark Kent meeting up with his high school crush is often fantastic–it lets Christopher Reeve add a facet to the performance and Annette O’Toole’s great as the love interest. Even better is when she gets to Metropolis–it’s only one scene (she wasn’t back in IV) but the dynamic with her and Margot Kidder seems like it would have been outstanding.

Poor Marc McClure gets a lot of screen time at the beginning… then disappears. But the same goes for Reeve. Once Superman turns into evil Superman, he’s in the movie even less.

Pryor’s good. His dialogue’s weak, but his performance isn’t.

Lester’s direction is mostly good, though the slapstick fails–cinematographer Robert Paynter is a disaster.

But then, disaster is Superman III‘s keyword.

CREDITS

Directed by Richard Lester; screenplay by David Newman and Leslie Newman, based on characters created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster; director of photography, Robert Paynter; edited by John Victor-Smith; music by Ken Thorne; production designer, Peter Murton; produced by Pierre Spengler; released by Warner Bros.

Starring Christopher Reeve (Superman / Clark Kent), Richard Pryor (Gus Gorman), Jackie Cooper (Perry White), Marc McClure (Jimmy Olsen), Annette O’Toole (Lana Lang), Annie Ross (Vera), Pamela Stephenson (Lorelei), Robert Vaughn (Ross Webster), Margot Kidder (Lois Lane), Gavan O’Herlihy (Brad) and Nancy Roberts (Unemployment Clerk).

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Posted in 1983, Action, Adventure, Color, Comedy, English, Fantasy, Italian, Sci-Fi, Spanish, UK, USA, Warner Bros.

Tagged Annette O'Toole, Annie Ross, Christopher Reeve, David Newman, Gavan O'Herlihy, Jackie Cooper, Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, John Victor-Smith, Ken Thorne, Leslie Newman, Marc McClure, Margot Kidder, Nancy Roberts, Pamela Stephenson, Peter Murton, Pierre Spengler, Richard Lester, Richard Pryor, Robert Paynter, Robert Vaughn

Superman II (1980, Richard Lester)

Posted on 1 October 2010 | Leave a comment

There are, now, three versions of Superman II. The theatrical, an extended television version (not officially released) and original director Richard Donner’s take on it. Unfortunately, Superman II is–as a narrative and a sequel–rife with problems. Drawing attention to these problems is a bad idea. And the version with the least emphasis on them? Richard Lester’s original.

Whatever Lester’s problem with the Superman character, it’s not really apparent here. Superman II feels like a good Superman movie should feel–some of the campy humor works, some of it doesn’t. I’d say about fifty percent of Terence Stamp’s lines fail. The successful ones, however, are great. And Sarah Douglas is fantastic.

Most importantly, Lester gets some wonderful acting out of Margot Kidder and Christopher Reeve. The somewhat nonsensical romance doesn’t fit in the picture–and never will, no matter how many revisions people make–but it makes the film singular. Superman wasn’t a particularly long film series and the familiarity Lester gets out of Kidder and Reeve in this one, the first sequel, is something television shows usually have to go three or four seasons to achieve.

The special effects–particularly the flying sequences–are occasionally weak. There are a lot more complicated rear projection sequences than in the first film and they don’t work out very often.

Like I said before, Superman II‘s basically a bad idea for a movie. But it works out in the end, thanks to the actors and, yes, Lester.

That Paris opening’s great.

CREDITS

Directed by Richard Lester; written by Mario Puzo, David Newman and Leslie Newman, from a story by Puzo, based on characters created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster; creative consultant, Tom Mankiewicz; directors of cinematography, Robert Paynter and Geoffrey Unsworth; edited by John Victor-Smith; music by Ken Thorne; production designers, John Barry and Peter Murton; produced by Pierre Spengler; released by Warner Bros.

Starring Gene Hackman (Lex Luthor), Christopher Reeve (Clark Kent/Superman), Ned Beatty (Otis), Jackie Cooper (Perry White), Sarah Douglas (Ursa), Margot Kidder (Lois Lane), Jack O’Halloran (Non), Valerie Perrine (Ms. Teschmacher), Susannah York (Lara), E.G. Marshall (The President), Marc McClure (Jimmy Olsen) and Terence Stamp (General Zod).

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Posted in 1980, Action, Adventure, Color, English, French, Romance, Russian, Sci-Fi, UK, USA, Warner Bros.

Tagged Christopher Reeve, David Newman, E.G. Marshall, Gene Hackman, Geoffrey Unsworth, Jack O'Halloran, Jackie Cooper, Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, John Barry, John Victor-Smith, Ken Thorne, Leslie Newman, Marc McClure, Margot Kidder, Mario Puzo, Ned Beatty, Peter Murton, Pierre Spengler, Richard Lester, Robert Paynter, Sarah Douglas, Susannah York, Terence Stamp, Tom Mankiewicz, Valerie Perrine

Superman (1978, Richard Donner), the director’s cut

Posted on 24 September 2010 | Leave a comment

If watching Richard Donner’s director’s cuts have taught me one thing, it’s Donner probably shouldn’t have final cut. His director’s cut of Lethal Weapon, for example, is atrocious.

He adds about nine minutes to Superman and, much like Coppola’s revision of Apocalypse Now, it’s a testament to the original film it can weather the additions. For the most part, Donner’s additions are small–I think the longest sequence is Superman versus Lex Luthor’s weapon gadgets–but these additions all go into the rather iconic sequences at the beginning of the film. In other words, Donner intrudes on the film in progress… it’s kind of like talking during the movie (or a big CG Jabba the Hutt all of a sudden appearing).

Worse, director’s cut editor Michael Thau can’t compare to original editor Stuart Baird (Superman‘s just an exquisitely edited film, an aspect I don’t think it ever gets recognized). And don’t get me started on the awful new sound mix.

But it can’t muck it up.

If anything, the director’s cut just shows Superman is bigger than the director and his troubles with the producers. The elements–the cast, the script, the effects crew and John Williams–are in place. Donner does a great job directing the picture, no doubt, but it’s never fit in his filmography. He’s never made anything half as good as a film and nothing a quarter as good as a director.

So, even though none of the additions add anything, Superman succeeds.

Wonderment outweighs bloating.

CREDITS

Directed by Richard Donner; screenplay by Mario Puzo, David Newman, Leslie Newman and Robert Benton, story by Puzo, from characters created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster; creative consultant, Tom Mankiewicz; director of photography, Geoffrey Unsworth; edited by Stuart Baird and Michael Ellis; music by John Williams; production designer, John Barry; produced by Alexander Salkind and Pierre Spengler; released by Warner Bros.

Starring Marlon Brando (Jor-El), Gene Hackman (Lex Luthor), Christopher Reeve (Superman/Clark Kent), Ned Beatty (Otis), Jackie Cooper (Perry White), Glenn Ford (Pa Kent), Trevor Howard (First Elder), Margot Kidder (Lois Lane), Jack O’Halloran (Non), Valerie Perrine (Eve Teschmacher), Maria Schell (Vond-ah), Terence Stamp (General Zod), Phyllis Thaxter (Ma Kent), Susannah York (Lara), Jeff East (Young Clark Kent), Marc McClure (Jimmy Olsen), Sarah Douglas (Ursa) and Harry Andrews (Second Elder).

Alternate versions:

Superman (1978, Richard Donner), the theatrical cut

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Posted in 1978, Action, Adventure, Color, English, Family, Sci-Fi, UK, USA, Warner Bros.

Tagged Alexander Salkind, Christopher Reeve, David Newman, Gene Hackman, Geoffrey Unsworth, Glenn Ford, Harry Andrews, Jack O'Halloran, Jackie Cooper, Jeff East, Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, John Barry, John Williams, Leslie Newman, Marc McClure, Margot Kidder, Maria Schell, Mario Puzo, Marlon Brando, Michael Ellis, Ned Beatty, Phyllis Thaxter, Pierre Spengler, Richard Donner, Robert Benton, Sarah Douglas, Stuart Baird, Susannah York, Terence Stamp, Tom Mankiewicz, Trevor Howard, Valerie Perrine

Superman/Batman: Apocalypse (2010, Lauren Montgomery)

Posted on 17 September 2010 | Leave a comment

Kevin Conroy has been doing the Batman voice for, off and on, almost twenty years. If his work in Apocalypse is any indication, he’s gotten a little tired of it. At least there’s only one aspect of a phoned-in voice performance. Some of it might be the awful script from Tab Murphy (probably taken verbatim from the awful comic book by Jeph Loeb), but Superman-regular Tim Daly manages to be earnest–even with the absolutely dreadful animation.

Montgomery’s direction is occasionally okay–she did a fine job on the Wonder Woman animated (unfortunately she handles that character terribly here)–especially at the beginning, with a complex action sequence involving Supergirl arriving on Earth. It’s idiotically written, but choreographed well.

Besides Daly, the voice work is pretty lame. Andre Braugher is terrible as the big bad guy, who looks like he should sound like Darth Vader but instead sounds like Frank Pembleton. The animation on that character, Darkseid, looks unfinished and just plain cheap.

Summer Glau might be good as Supergirl, but it’s hard to tell, since the character is so reprehensible. She’s vapid and materialistic–I’m shocked no one at Warner has thought of making an animated “Simple Life” for the character.

Apocalypse fails at really simple stuff–the big joke of having Ed Asner play an ugly woman doesn’t work when the animation is so bad it’s unclear she’s supposed to be female.

These Warner superhero cartoons are just getting worse and worse.

Besides Daly, of course.

CREDITS

Directed by Lauren Montgomery; screenplay by Tab Murphy, based on comic books by Jeph Loeb and Michael Turner and characters created by Bob Kane, Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, William M. Marston and Jack Kirby; edited by Margaret Hou; music by John Paesano; produced by Bobbie Page and Montgomery; released by Warner Premiere.

Starring Tim Daly (Clark Kent / Superman), Kevin Conroy (Bruce Wayne / Batman), Andre Braugher (Darkseid), Summer Glau (Kara Zor-El), Susan Eisenberg (Wonder Woman), Julianne Grossman (Big Barda), Rachel Quaintance (Lyla) and Edward Asner (Granny Goodness).