DVD : Adventures of Superman - The Complete Third and Fourth Seasons

In association with Amazon.com

Rating:

- Wow! Is right
I can't believe all of the boo-hooing about the quality of these prints. So the opening segments aren't what they should be... but what follows is exactly what the reviewer "Wow" said it is...i.e. "WOW!" Beautiful prints, wonderfully presented.

As for the episodes themselves...I'm going out on a limb and announce that I perversely perhaps prefer these to the earlier, more noir-ish entries. You can see that by this point in the series the creators had nothing to prove and let a healthy sense of humor enliven the proceedings. To be honest I never looked to "Superman" for detective adult-type entertainment....I'm much more fascinated by the outrageous half-camp/half-serious plots you get in these seasons (that, truth to tell, often verge on the deeply serious themselves...see the episode about the chief suspecting he is losing his mind, in "Great Caesar's Ghost.")

My favorite addition to the "Superman" canon so far.

Rating:

- Still Great Fun
I have to say that seasons 3 and 4 are different in tone than the first 2 seasons. One reviewer said that in many respects it looks like a different show. I have to agree. I'm not in favor of the decision made to shoot these subsequent seasons in color although I understand the economic reasons why the decision was made. Still the show remains fresh and top notch compared to other series and there are some more adult-like episodes to match the black and white seasons. "The Seven Souvenirs" is a prime example and is, to my mind, the most perfectly paced episode of the whole series. It glides along and George Reeves is at the very top if his game, acting-wise, throughout the episode. Watch his delivery during the climax when he is revealing what the thefts are really about. Jimmy Olsen playing a twin bad guy, in another episode, is a riot in that part. Many of the villians are played in a more Damon Runyon style and are very funny. There's plenty to enjoy from these episodes. After seasons 1 and 2, you just need to do a little adjustment and enjoy the shows on their terms. They're still an absolute joy.

Rating:

- Superman in Living Color!
By the time "Adventures of Superman" was filmed in color, the series had evolved from a hard-hitting crime drama to a family-oriented show. Despite the change in tone, George Reeves looked terrific in blue, red and yellow - abetted by Thol Simonson's imaginative special effects. The 1955-56 seasons were uneven in quality, but featured its share of memorable episodes: "Clark Kent, Outlaw," "The Seven Souvenirs," "The Big Freeze," "Jimmy the Kid," "The Wedding of Superman" and "The Phantom Ring." This five-DVD set was transferred from the best existing 35mm print material (some of the original color stock had obvious defects) with stunning results. The extras include two enjoyable mini-documentaries, but no commentary tracks.

Rating:

- Now in color!
"The Adventures of Superman" never looked any better. Great episodes, great fun, great excitement. Fun for all ages.

Rating:

- Look up! It's a rainbow! It's aurora borealis! It's Superman in color!
Superman in color but still from the 1950s is a pretty cool and rare combination. These are shows for both old and new audiences. Alot of people say that with season 3, the shows became more for the kids. I don't think the change was anything drastic enough to really stand out from the other two seasons (with the exception of the cave-men and pirates episodes). They explain on the special features that although everyone had B&W televisions and that the networks broadcast the show in B&W they made them in color knowing that in the future the reruns would be ready to be seen alongside other colored shows and continue to keep up. Pretty smart. For any Superman fan or any fan of old classic shows purchase this and enjoy. I noticed that on the box they show George Reeves eyes as brown but on the show they are actually blue.

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