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FIRST THOUGHTS - I NEVER MISSED THIS SHOW WHEN IT WAS ON T.V. IN THE 1950s!
The first season is really different from the others, as Phyllis Coates as Lois Lane gives these first episodes more of an appeal to adults and older kids. Of course, when this DVD Set came in the mail I had a Superman marathon which meant I played all the episodes round the clock. Yes, this series is that good, and especially this first season, which I recall well, although I had not seen the episodes for decades.
Of course I still get a chill during the introduction as the announcer zips through the usual discourse of: "faster than a speeding bullet", "more powerful than a locomotive", "able to leap tall buildings in a single bound", "can change the course of mighty rivers" etc.!
ABOUT THE FIRST SEASON: Phyllis Coates as Lois Lane just can't stay out of trouble! She really had a nack for getting into trouble and she behaved like a very independent woman. Only a super-man could keep this Lois Lane out of trouble!
Without giving too much away about the plots, this first season is filled with mystery adventures and, as others have pointed out, has a film-noir quality that is hard to miss. Phyllis Coates as Lois Lane is rather over-the-top but she has always been my favorite Lois, perhaps because I saw her in that role first. George Reeves *is* Superman, make no mistake about it, as he plays the role without overdoing the hapless Clark Kent role. In fact, he plays a rather strong and emotional Clark Kent which is nice to see and fits the role quite well.
5th DISK HAS FEATURE LENGTH TREAT: "SUPERMAN AND THE MOLE MEN"!
Disc One:
"Superman on Earth"
"The Haunted Lighthouse"
"The Case of the Talkative Dummy"
"The Mystery of the Broken Statues"
"The Monkey Mystery"
"A Night of Terror"
Disc Two:
"The Birthday Letter"
"The Mind Machine"
"Rescue"
"The Secret of Superman"
"No Holds Barred"
"The Deserted Village"
Disc Three:
"The Stolen Costume"
"Treasure of the Incas"
"Double Trouble"
"Mystery in Wax"
"The Runaway Robot"
"Drums of Death"
Disc Four:
"The Evil Three"
"Riddle of the Chinese Jade"
"The Human Bomb"
"Czar of the Underworld"
"The Ghost Wolf"
"Crime Wave"
Disc Five:
"SUPERMAN AND THE MOLE MEN", THEATRICAL RELEASE [same as 2-part episode, different opening]
"SUPERMAN AND THE UNKNOWN PEOPLE, PART ONE"
"SUPERMAN AND THE UNKNOWN PEOPLE, PART TWO"
ABOUT THE DVDs: Excellent transfer, Features, Value!
A fantastic transfer of a 55-year-old TV show is too good to be true, but true it is. The episodes appear to be uncut, as the lengths run about 25 minutes and some seconds which is consistent with their original running times. There is commentary for a few of the episodes, but frankly I have been too anxious to see all the episodes a few times first. The package is nice too! Subtitles are available in English, French, and Spanish.
A LITTLE ABOUT THE SPECIAL FEATURES:
RETROSPECTIVE DOCUMENTARY - Made in 2005 and runs about 18 minutes. Includes footage from most of the first year's episodes and interviews with Leonard Maltin and an nicely-aged Jack Larson [Jimmy Olson].
*COMMENTARY ON 4 EPISODES [2 by Gary Grossman - 2 by Chuck Harter]
*ORIGINAL KELLOGG'S CEREAL COMMERCIALS
*PONY EXPRESS DAYS: "VINTAGE WARNER BROTHERS HISTORICAL SHORT", Starring George Reeves
*THE 2 PART EPISODE, "The Unknown People", which had been theatrically released earlier as "The Mole Men", is included as well.
RECOMMENDED: SEASON TWO, PLUS SEASON THREE/FOUR, which has just been released in one DVD set. I will be getting that one this month, as I pre-ordered it from Amazon in March! The 3rd and 4th season set has many of my favorite episodes, [eg. "The Big Chill"] and both years are within 1 DVD boxed set as they made only half as many episodes during the third and fourth seasons as the previous two. Although color TVs did not exist 50 years ago, the shows from these later seasons were shot in color, unlike the first two seasons, giving them a warmer, and more modern look when seen today on color TVs.
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What a hoot!! I loved it. I watched this television series as a little kid but the stories in this first season were so old (almost 55 years ago!), I didn't remember more than a few scenes, although they sure brought back memories.
The special effects and the credibility (picking a scene apart) were beyond bad. Apparently, they had an extremely cheap budget so you'd see the same scene over and over in various episodes. I could write volumes on all the ludicrous scenes that made no sense but that's what helps make this so entertaining. It's so bad, it's good! I don't want to sound like I am criticizing this because I thoroughly enjoyed it and am almost finished with the second season DVD, which also is excellent.
It was especially fun to see the first show, the TV version of the origins of Superman. Then, as the episodes continued, to hear the innocence of a young Jimmy Olsen saying, "Jeepers, Mr. Kent," "Golly, gee whiz" and other similar exclamations. I laugh every time I hear those. Wow, compare that to today's TV.
Phyllis Coates was good as Lois Lane. It's too bad she left after one year. I'd rate her a slightly better Lane than Noel Neill, but Noel was good, too. Lois and Jimmy, with their nosiness, naivet? and just plain stupidity would have to be bailed out by Superman show after show.
Each episode was completely different and entertaining on this DVD package. No complaints about the transfer quality, either. This is great stuff for nostalgia buffs and well worth your money.
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I can't believe i am watching this again!, i used to watch it back at the end of the 70th when i was only 5, i used to come from kindergarden ad turn on the T.V (black and white) to watch superman. I used to watch it spanish, now that i speak English i can hear their real voices:-)
Looking forward buying the other series
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I very much enjoyed watching these DVD's because I had not seen them since I was a kid growing up in Pennsylvania. Anyone who enjoys old TV shows will enjoy this set of DVD's.
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I was very pleased with my purchase and would do buisness with Amazon again.
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