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This was the first tv series for Superman.I love the Stolen Costume episode.I still believe George Reeves was murdered.This is probably what led to Jerry Seinfeld's love of Superman.
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i just picked up the adventures of superman dvd yesterday. i did notice that one fo the shows the stolen costume the print and sound was all faded. i like to to ask warner brothers why this happened. it seemed this was run off a television show print. all in all most of the shows were n good quality except for this show.
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Warner Brothers has finally released it's first DVD set for "The Adventures Of Superman."
Like many baby boomers, I was anticipating an awesome set. What we got instead was a pretty good set.
The packaging is attractive with it's prominent George Reeves picture and it's glittering backround effect, but inside, the DVDs are mounted in a cardboard foldout that places the DVD's over one another. To me this presents a GREAT scratch potential.
The DVD menu is unique and easily navigated. All 26 first season episodes are here. The extras include 3 Kelloggs Frosted Flakes commercials starring George Reeves, a 1940 technicolor short, "Pony Express Days" featuring Reeves, audio commentary in several episodes, the feature movie "Superman and the Mole Men" and the Superman retrospective "From Inkwell to Backlot." These are all nice, entertaining additions to this set.
Unfortunately, the picture quality for the 26 episodes isn't as good as it could have been. Like many, I had hoped for a 35mm master transfer which would have yielded pristine, sharp prints. What we got instead, was what appeared to be cleaned up 16mm prints of good, but not great, quality. There were several episodes that looked worn, most likely due to poor source material. The good thing here regarding the episodes was that they were the unedited versions.
The sound which is Dolby Digital mono, sounds good with no hiss apparent.
This set despite it's shortcomings, is a must have. It's TV adventure at it's best.
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Childhood memories are funny, aren't they? In retrospect, things seem sweeter, kinder, more free than they really were. Those chocolate malts were not as delicious as we remember. The local candy shop wasn't as magical. Our first bicycle wasn't as fast. And this show was no good, no how.
I am aghast - now there's an old word - by how bad this show is. The presentation is wonderful. The restoration has been done by people who really care. George Reeves is a very likable actor, and so is Jack Larson. Phyllis Coates is very sexy.
But the show. . . oh my. Here in Metropolis, the stories don't resolve. They just end. (Usually with some wry comment by Clark Kent about getting some help from Superman, wink wink.) Different evil characters are played by the same actors week in and week out. (Why? There must have been loads of fine, out-of-work character actors available in L.A., circa 1951.) There are 26 episodes in the first season and perhaps 3 different stories. (The one they used most is about some house, hotel, barn or entire city now mysteriously closed-up - because there's gold in them thar' hills!) The comedy is rife throughout - unintentionally.
There is something fascinating about "The Adventures of Superman", however. It seems to have been created by an insane person, someone who was plugged into the sub-conscious of a guilty, sick, and insecure culture - the United States 1951. We keep being told by the voice-over person(as if there is something shameful about creating first-class television) "These episodes are not TV. They are mini-movies."
They sure are. Of the Ed Wood variety.
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"Adventures of Superman" DVD set, released today, October 18, 2005. It is fantastic! Originally shown on TV in 1952, yet the crisp BW episodes, with dynamic scripts, great acting, and the best portrayal of Superman ever on the big or little screen by George Reeves makes today, a red letter day for Superman fans all over the world. Noteworthy of the series was its special effects. In those days, the TV special effects were primitive at best, but in the "Adventures of Superman" the attempts to make man fly were far superior than those of the current or even future attempts to show a man fly. George Reeves, in the first season, was rigged to a harness and literally pulled through the air. The effects were realistic and even outstrips modern day movie techniques. Among the special features in this DVD set is a retrospective done by Jack Larsen (Jimmy Olsen), himself. Also, there are commentaries done in four of the episodes (Haunted Lighthouse, The Stolen Costume, the Evil Three, & Crime Wave by a George Reeves biographer and a Superman book author................ ........ ................................................. .. .........................Of the entire series 104 episodes, Season One's 26 episodes contained here are arguably the best season of all (Season Two is a close second). ......................................................... Highlight episodes included in this DVD set, are "Superman on Earth" (the origin tale, where Jor-El can be seen wearing a Golden Age Flash Gordon costume, while other Kryptonians are wearing the costumes of Capt.Marvel & Capt. America!) "The Mind Machine" highlight here is the flying sequence where Superman flies to capture a runaway bus via special effects using the harness flying device. "The Stolen Costume" a seemingly darker side of Superman is seen as he ponders a solution, "Crime Wave" is action-packed (with takes from earlier epidsodes) and in a spectacular finale, uses lighting bolts special effects, and the "Unknown People" where animation is used in one scene as he flies to rescue a falling man................................... ..................................................... Most of the episodes were thrilling, suspenseful and dramatic; while the stunts were "far beyond those of mortal men", in other words, very realistic. The fim noir lighting of the sets, the superior acting, the seriousness of the dialogue, and the superb scripts themselves, and the excellent Superman costume, with the uniquely depicted stiched "S", made the "Adventures of Superman" live on for over 50 years and with this DVD set, far beyond that as well!
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