Paul_Scott
Senior HTF Member
- Joined
- Jul 19, 2002
- Messages
- 6,545
having grown up a big comic book fan, i was surprised and delighted the first time i finally saw this film, as it was (along with Zorro) the basic prototype for the big golden age superheros like Superman and Batman.
for anyone who hasn't seen the movie, or avoided it thinking it would be 30s creaky and dull, you are missing out on a very lively and fun costume actioner. Howard is fantastic as the dashing night rider/justice avenger who hides his identity behind an effete disguise. and Merle Oberon (sadly underrepresented on DVD) is at her most beautiful and luminous as his decieved wife.
now i know this has been released on a cheap budget disc from madacy, which i avoided due to that label rep, and i've also seen it for a $1 from some no name label in Wal-Mart- which i also never picked up.
last night i stumbled across a showing of it on TCM and was startled to see what looked like an excellant print of the film. it looked spectacular for its era with a rich, deep greyscale and little to no print damage that i could detect.
if this is really in the public domain, like the madacy and other rleases would suggest, why doesn't someone like WB or Criterion release this, especially given that such a fine transfer seems to exist and the current exploitable potential of a superhero prototype property?
for anyone who hasn't seen the movie, or avoided it thinking it would be 30s creaky and dull, you are missing out on a very lively and fun costume actioner. Howard is fantastic as the dashing night rider/justice avenger who hides his identity behind an effete disguise. and Merle Oberon (sadly underrepresented on DVD) is at her most beautiful and luminous as his decieved wife.
now i know this has been released on a cheap budget disc from madacy, which i avoided due to that label rep, and i've also seen it for a $1 from some no name label in Wal-Mart- which i also never picked up.
last night i stumbled across a showing of it on TCM and was startled to see what looked like an excellant print of the film. it looked spectacular for its era with a rich, deep greyscale and little to no print damage that i could detect.
if this is really in the public domain, like the madacy and other rleases would suggest, why doesn't someone like WB or Criterion release this, especially given that such a fine transfer seems to exist and the current exploitable potential of a superhero prototype property?
