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View Full Version : So anyway, The Shadow is a pretty fun movie.


tacticslion
05-03-2012, 09:47 AM
I mean, of course the '94 film (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shadow_(1994_film)), though I also enjoyed the radio dramas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shadow) whenever I hear them (which is sadly very infrequently).

It's kind of corny or overly dramatic in places, and the dialogue is occasionally just silly, but it's aware of that, takes it all in stride and incorporates it all into its own kind of charm. I wouldn't call it a "good" movie, but I liked it.

Kind of similar to the Rocketeer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rocketeer_(film)) (the film, not the 80's comics (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocketeer), though the latter is obviously an homage to the Shadow and its era of stories) in that way. (As opposed to The Phantom (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Phantom#The_Phantom_.281996.29), which, while fun, just wasn't as good a movie/as much fun, I think, as the others - as a complete aside, does anyone else find the idea of the early script for the sequel really stupid/suceptible to narm, and really hoping it doesn't go there?).

Anyway, I was just wishing I owned The Shadow recently (I thought I'd had an old VHS, but apparently not) and reminiscing about it, and thought I'd share. What about you guys? Do you like it? Hate it? Feel ambivalent toward it? What about the other two movies I mentioned above, or similar "Pulp"-style movies?

Krylo
05-03-2012, 01:38 PM
Request thread title change to "What evil lurks in the hearts of men."

Seil
05-03-2012, 02:13 PM
The Rocketeer is so much cooler. I mean, what kind of superhero movie casts Alec Baldwin as the lead?

Magus
05-03-2012, 06:49 PM
Blah, no, I thought this movie was pretty bad. The Rocketeer was pretty good though. So was Darkman. But The Shadow? I just can't accept it as being described as "good". Perhaps "passable", since I know crap all about the actual origin they were working with besides the whole "The Shadow knows!" schtick. But somehow I feel that Genghis Khan's great great great great great great great great great great great great great grandson was not actually the villain in the original radio drama.

Premmy
05-04-2012, 12:04 AM
Blah, no, I thought this movie was pretty bad. The Rocketeer was pretty good though. So was Darkman. But The Shadow? I just can't accept it as being described as "good". Perhaps "passable", since I know crap all about the actual origin they were working with besides the whole "The Shadow knows!" schtick. But somehow I feel that Genghis Khan's great great great great great great great great great great great great great grandson was not actually the villain in the original radio drama.

I listened to the original radio dramas. The villain was spooky niggers.

Marc v4.0
05-04-2012, 01:25 AM
I listened to the original radio dramas. The villain was spooky niggers.

Corny Asian Cliche an obvious improvement, I guess

tacticslion
05-04-2012, 11:16 AM
Corny Asian Cliche an obvious improvement, I guess

You mean a corny Asian Cliche like the Tulku (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulku) who took the literally evil white man, crushed his soul, and then reforged it into a weapon against evil? Man, yeah, the movie seriously hates Asians, I guess.

Oh, and before, "but the Tulku died and the white man succeeded," I would like to one-up that with, "Oh no! They used a completely normal trope that deals with the very stereotypical hero's journey! Not that!" I mean I just don't see it having anything to do with race, here. Yeah, you could read things into it, but that doesn't seem to be its point. Otherwise, why would Tim Curry be a really stupid villain? Shouldn't he be more competent? Or why was the Shadow unable to hypnotize Margo Lane when "the Asian Cliche" clearly could? The entire point was that they were both trained by the same master, and the Shadow was the lesser of the two.

Premmy: First, as I said, I haven't heard most of the old radio dramas. Did you mean, like, "all of them", "most of them", or "some of them", 'cause I don't remember that.

Also, Mags:
I wouldn't call it a "good" movie, but I liked it.
I just can't accept it as being described as "good".

Um?

No question it's not a "good" movie. But I liked it. That's an important difference. :)

NEAR INSTA EDIT:
I could totally go with Krylo's suggestion. Mods can make it happen!

Magus
05-04-2012, 05:23 PM
I just wanted preemptively to stave off anyone describing it as good, clearly. For I am infallible! :D

tacticslion
05-05-2012, 01:13 PM
I just wanted preemptively to stave off anyone describing it as good, clearly. For I am infallible! :D

:)