The Shadow

Authentic 1930s sets, clothing, cars, interiors, etc. A deja-vue trip for those over 60, and a great visual experience for anyone at any age. Really good script! Nicely done! Alec Baldwin could be really menacing at times--notice his eye color change from blue to deep brown when he was feeling vibes of his past life of evil. This movie is super for the whole family! When I first got it, I watched it twice in 24 hours--and that was just the start of something good.... I think I can safely say--you will really enjoy it too!!

Before mentioning the story, I have to warn potential buyers of this DVD:

Universal Studios committed the unbelievable "sin" of photographing this in the original 1.85:1 widescreen but only offering it on DVD in formatted-to-TV, so you miss a good percentage of the great visuals. Not only that, they zoom the picture to fill the screen so it isn't sharp, either. I hope this situation is rectified. It's a disgrace.

As for the story, it's simply a very hokey-but very entertaining fantasy/adventure, based on the popular radio hero of the 1930s.

This is just pure escapism, not to be judged seriously because it's a dumb story. It's cartoon-like, an outlandish story that mixes action, comedy and a superhero with time-travel and all sorts of strange happenings. For someone who likes to gawk at the sights and sounds of the '30s and '40s, this is a fun film. The surround sound in here is fun, too, especially when The Shadow (Alec Baldwin) speaks.

A short comment about this movie from a German point of view, which may make a difference when we're talking about radio plays/comics adapted to the silver screen:

"The Shadow" as a radio play is virtually unknown around here. (I used the opportunity to check out some old recordings on the web, and it's _awesome_ to listen to!) So, German audiences will just walk into the theatre without any proconceived ideas about how it should be, expecting just any other adventure movie.

As such, IMHO it stood up well. Baldwin is cool; of course his demi-dark side begs for a comparision to Batman, but I think Baldwin wins in terms of credibility and depth of character. The gimmicks and gadgets are neat, Tim Curry as the half-villain is entertaining to watch as always (though he overdoes it a bit at times), the script is well-paced, the action is staged superbly, the music is gripping.

But most of all: Kudos to the production design/special effects/makeup team! They did a superb job in transforming the Shadow's 'invisibility' (as well as his overall looks) from a radio idea to the screen. It was awesome to watch, and at the same time a bit chilling and frightening.

Drawback: Beside the intentional jokes ("I'm not interested in your balls..."), some takes just seemed to be unintentionally funny- perhaps they went a little too far in trying to create a gloomy atmosphere...

Along with _The Rocketeer_, this one's also one of the unfortunately widely underrated films. Certainly not a milestone in film history, but a good and entertaining flick to watch with a bag of popcorn and a girl to hold in your arms during the scary moments. But I'm pretty sure- The Shadow... knows!

I have watched the movie several times now after purchasing it and it actually gets better each time I view it. I would highly recommend the film to everyone.

At first (see my earlier comment) I found John Lone's villain to be too weak...but I see now why. The REAL foe in the film is not Khan..but the SHADOW himself. His inner darkside vs his good side. Lone is just there to show you what the darkside could be. HE isn't what scares the Shadow. It's his own past, his evil side, loss of control that plagues the hero.

I wish this had been better received because we could've enjoyed a few sequels by now. And the same goes for THE PHANTOM and THE ROCKETEER.

This movie was the best effort to bring this unique hero to the big screen. Granted, although I like her in general, Penelope Ann Miller was not as strong a Margo as I would have liked, otherwise, I thought this was an outstanding achievement. The look and feel are perfect and I loved how they made sure many of The Shadow's regular crew made their appearances... Shrivey, Roy Tam, Burbank.

The main reason I wanted to comment on this movie, however, was because of the question raised by Patrick in London about why Baldwin's nose changed shape when he became The Shadow. Lamont Cranston's hawk-nosed profile was one of the most famous trademarks of The Shadow. Alec Baldwin, however, does not naturally have that kind of look (to be honest, Lee Van Cleef may be the only movie actor in history with the correct look to have been able to portray The Shadow without resorting to make-up or special effects). Personally, I thought it was a brilliant touch to make that profile an illusion which Cranston utilizes when he becomes The Shadow. It makes it more believable that no one would be able to figure out he is The Shadow. A profile as distinct as Cranston's traditional look would make it difficult to believe that no one could put two and two together... kind of like believing that no one could figure out that Clark Kent is Superman just because he wears glasses. To me, it was just one more thing that elevated this movie above the usual superhero genre flick because it showed an appreciation and respect for the source material that Hollywood is not necessarily known for.