The Shadow [DVD] [1994]

Description

Another masked avenger is reincarnated as a big budget movie. Idle playboy Lamont Cranston (Alec Baldwin), schooled in Tibetan mysticism, fights crime in late '30s New York while wearing a natty hat and false beak. He finds time to romance telepathic sweetie Margo Lane (Penelope Miller), whose crusty old scientist Dad (Ian McKellen) has just invented an atom bomb which is in danger of falling into the hands of Shiwan Khan (John Lone), conquest-happy last descendent of Genghis Khan.

Director Russell Mulcahy turns out the regulation death traps (a locked chamber filling with water, a bomb timer which ticks away during the climax) and the Shadow breezes through via nifty "invisible" effects. It evokes the conventions and charms of 1930s' pulp fiction in rather more nostalgic mode than Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction, and adds little of its own attitude, although a sly camp sensibility (notably in the extremely chi-chi Tim Curry and John Lone as the villains) goes for snickering at the expense of tension. A pleasant, eye-pleasing movie but, after the super-heroic likes of Batman, The Crow and The Mask, the merely mysterious Shadow seems somewhat grandfatherly and remote. --Kim Newman

Reviews of The Shadow [DVD] [1994]:

A very fun film
This entertaining film based on the classic pulp fiction character is surprisingly good despite some terribly cheesy moments. The film follows Lamont Cranston as he uses his mental powers to fight crime in 1930's New York as the mysterious Shadow but when the last descendent of Genghis Khan with similar powers comes to town looking to finish his ancestors conquest of the world.

I do have something of a soft spot for this film as although it is terribly cheesy and camp in places it is still never less than entirely entertaining. The film stars such as Alec Baldwin, Ian McKellen and Tim Curry all look like they are having a great time making the film. The special effects are somewhat hit and miss with some being very good for the time while others have dated poorly.

Overall, although I have never read the original pulp fiction the film is based on, I still enjoy this film and would recommend it to anyone looking for a nice light and fun film.

Good movie
If you like comic type movies from the 90's, this is one you should watch

Good movie, but what's going on with the credits?
The Shadow is a movie I was introduced to by a friend about 14 years ago, and I really like it. I bought it on Laserdisc back then, and now I've got it on DVD. But although the movie is in 16:9 widescreen, why have they compressed the image with black bars on the left and right during the opening scenes (the ones with the opening credits on them)... It doesn't entirely spoil the film but it does look very weird!

Otherwise the transfer does show its age a little with dust, etc, on the original print, and some artifacts around the smoke effects that are used extensively throughout. Otherwise it's all looking good!

Just Awful!
I bought this to watch with my family.
It is a truley terrible film, but not so bad that you can enjoy it in an ironic way.
Don't listen to the positive reviews, you will be appalled.
It is now a standing joke in our house.
My son has even nomiated it for a 'worst ever film to be released' title.
Bad acting, terrible script.


How did this not become a monster hit?
Perhaps because The Shadow was made in a time before every studio with a dime climbed on the comic book bandwagon. Anyway, maybe it's the franchise which got away.

Alec Baldwin is fantastic and charismatic as the eponymous hero, in a stylish and atmospheric film which manages to combine humour, romance, and thrills and spills galore. Set in a golden-age 1920's-30's San Francisco, The Shadow is the alter-ego of a man who has seen the dark side of his personality, and is given the chance to atone.

The special effects are small-scale by today's standards, but are used effectively and never become clunky.

If you want a family film with a little edge to it, and 100% enjoyability, then take a chance on this unsung gem!

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