The Shadow, the Phantom or Dick Tracy?

[Darthkush]

Dick Tracy is the best by far in nearly every conceivable way. I love the Rocketeer but it's not as good as Tracy. Phantom i've never seen and the shadow i've never been able to sit through the entire flick. think it's boring.

[Kevin Roegele]

Originally Posted by Darthkush

Dick Tracy is the best by far in nearly every conceivable way. I love the Rocketeer but it's not as good as Tracy. Phantom i've never seen and the shadow i've never been able to sit through the entire flick. think it's boring.

How can you say The Shadow is boring when Dick Tracy is one long self-indulgent love-letter to the character on behalf of Warren Beatty? There is virtually no momentum to the story, almost no action whatsoever...the movie is basically a series of bright coloured sets and big stars camping it up under hideous latex masks. It looks good, but that entertains for about five minutes.

[C. Lee]

Originally Posted by Nepenthes

I have most of that series of novels...they came out in the 70's. I haven't read them since back then...but I remember them as being pretty good.

As for the movies....the Shadow, Phantom, and then Dick Tracy is my order of preference.

[BATS N' HORNETS]

DICK TRACY... only because it was done with style, taste & dignity! ! !

NO ONELINERS

the phantom was true to the material but badly acted... Billy Zane played himself.. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN DONE SO MUCH BETTER...

The Shadow, I'm sorry to say (BEING ONE OF MY FAVORITES) didn't hit the mark...it could have been as Dark as 1997's Spawn, but they chose to go the fun, campy route! ! ! They used some Aussie guy who had only done music videos up to that point to direct! ! !

Alec Baldwin could have been a much better Shadow if the script was better... WHEN I THINK THE SHADOW, i think the 1940 movie serial.SUCH A BETTER FILM

[Nepenthes]

Yeah I adore those Avon covers. Never found the books though, I've always wanted to see what they were like. I wish they'd relaese posters of the covers.

[BATS N' HORNETS]

i think if anyone is going to say anything about the Shadow or the Phantom, then they need to know the characters... These aren't generic well known comic heroes like Spidey or Batman... they are living legends... I mean the Shadow is from 1931 & the Phantom from the 40's... They haven't recieved nearly enough attention but are still as strong as Batman.


I think the reason that films made about the pulp heroes are and will always be doomed from the start. They are not as well known and can't be adapted properly...

The pulps had sex & violence and death and murder that is too strong for some generic hollywood adapted PG-13 film... They should all have a SIN CITY feel to them...

[BATS N' HORNETS]

if we're talking Rocketeer, then that is my #2

dick tracy
rocketeer
the phantom
the shadow

[deathshead2]

Originally Posted by BATS N' HORNETS

DICK TRACY... only because it was done with style, taste & dignity! ! !

NO ONELINERS

the phantom was true to the material but badly acted... Billy Zane played himself.. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN DONE SO MUCH BETTER...

The Shadow, I'm sorry to say (BEING ONE OF MY FAVORITES) didn't hit the mark...it could have been as Dark as 1997's Spawn, but they chose to go the fun, campy route! ! ! They used some Aussie guy who had only done music videos up to that point to direct! ! !

Alec Baldwin could have been a much better Shadow if the script was better... WHEN I THINK THE SHADOW, i think the 1940 movie serial.SUCH A BETTER FILM

Hey that guy did the awesome Highlander movie before the Shadow.

[Kevin Roegele]

Originally Posted by BATS N' HORNETS

The Shadow, I'm sorry to say (BEING ONE OF MY FAVORITES) didn't hit the mark...it could have been as Dark as 1997's Spawn, but they chose to go the fun, campy route! ! ! They used some Aussie guy who had only done music videos up to that point to direct! ! !

Okay, so you're saying The Shadow was fun, but it should have been dark, therefore it would have been better? Dark = superior? Really?

As for inexperienced directors, the 'director' of Spawn had never made a movie before, but amazingly, has made several since.

Whereas The Shadow is directed by Russell Mulcahy. Anything but inexperienced, he did Razorback, Highlander, The Real McCoy and Blue Ice all before The Shadow.

[SurfDUI]

Originally Posted by BATS N' HORNETS

i think if anyone is going to say anything about the Shadow or the Phantom, then they need to know the characters...they are living legends... I mean the Shadow is from 1931 & the Phantom from the 40's... They haven't recieved nearly enough attention but are still as strong as Batman.


I think the reason that films made about the pulp heroes are and will always be doomed from the start. They are not as well known and can't be adapted properly...

The pulps had sex & violence and death and murder that is too strong for some generic hollywood adapted PG-13 film... They should all have a SIN CITY feel to them...

Mkay, but when these people take on these projects the do research the characters. I mean the Shadow was in the '30's '40s but still aimed at a young audience. Sin City was for adults. That don't mean you can't make a dark picture.

NOTHING was done before Batman '89. Alot of films owe that movie a debt of thanks for chaning the game. It was way dark. Yet after that came this short boom of mid level characters. Nobobody compares Swamp Thing or Return, casue for the most part the movies left you lacking. The dark tone was I think much for the genre at the time, Bat '89 was dark enough for a couple of films.

I don't know how legendary any of them are, considering anyone w/ actual first hand knowledge of the characters original incarnations is likely 70 years old now. I'm glad those movies got made, except for Phantom, That movie was way to light harted. I'm also glad no sequels were done.

[Kevin Roegele]

Originally Posted by SurfDUI

Mkay, but when these people take on these projects the do research the characters. I mean the Shadow was in the '30's '40s but still aimed at a young audience. Sin City was for adults. That don't mean you can't make a dark picture.

NOTHING was done before Batman '89. Alot of films owe that movie a debt of thanks for chaning the game. It was way dark. Yet after that came this short boom of mid level characters. Nobobody compares Swamp Thing or Return, casue for the most part the movies left you lacking. The dark tone was I think much for the genre at the time, Bat '89 was dark enough for a couple of films.

I don't know how legendary any of them are, considering anyone w/ actual first hand knowledge of the characters original incarnations is likely 70 years old now. I'm glad those movies got made, except for Phantom, That movie was way to light harted. I'm also glad no sequels were done.

I don't think The Phantom was too light hearted, it was just too....tepid. Meek. There was no sense of danger or drama and the biggest stunt was someone getting off a plane onto a horse. Laaaame.

[Eggyman]

The Shadow

[Kevin Roegele]

Another problem with the Phantom is the characterisation of the lead character.

Billy Zane apparently worked out for two years to get in shape, and he certainly looks perfect for a 30's matinee hero. However, much effort is made to build up the Phantom as a menacing, awe-inspiring figure - and then it turns out he's the nicest, smiliest, politest gent on the block. He's even softly spoken!

[ShaneHelms]

I Enjoy all of the films.

But The Phantom has to be favorite of the three. I still read his strip in my paper every sunday. I've just always had a love for that character including Phantom 2040 and I thought Billy Zane did a good enough job and Catherine Zeta is always nice.

The Shadow looked great visually but i felt it really lacked in story and like some have said the ending was pretty dull.

As for Dick Tracy i liked the film a lot when i was younger but not so much now for it's constant campyness but i do enjoy watching Al Pacino's performance as Big Boy and the set design is wonderful.

[Mr. Socko]

Oh man I love the string of b-rate pulp comic films we got in the 90s. Shadow, Rocketeer, Phantom, Tracy. I liked 'em all.

[Kevin Roegele]

Originally Posted by Mr. Socko

Oh man I love the string of b-rate pulp comic films we got in the 90s. Shadow, Rocketeer, Phantom, Tracy. I liked 'em all.

The Shadow had the best costume. Somehow Alec Baldwin with a fake nose and hankerchief around his mouth looks ****ing badass.

Intrestingly (or not), none of the above films are based on comicbooks. The Phantom and Dick Tracy are comic strips from newspapers, Rocketeer was a graphic novel, and The Shadow was a radio show.

[3dman27]

ah but graphic novels are a FORM of comic books comics on steroids if you will

[Kent Allard]

Originally Posted by Kevin Roegele

...The Shadow was a radio show.

While there was a famous radio show based on The Shadow - that is not where the character was really created.

The Shadow was a pulp hero; The Shadow Magazine was published twice a month for the majority of the magazine's run. The famous radio show would debut only after the pulp fiction magazine had been published for 6 years.

Now before anyone comes along with 2 cents, yes the vague notion of a mysterious character called The Shadow first premiered on July 31, 1930 as a host/narrator for Street & Smith's Detective Story Hour. The host proved unexpectedly popular and some smart executive knew a great opportunity when he saw it. The creation of The Shadow as a character/property happened when Walter Gibson was paid to do so by S&S and made history.

[Nepenthes]

Gaberiel Bryne would make a good Shadow. that looks like him in the pic^

[Kevin Roegele]

Originally Posted by Kent Allard

While there was a famous radio show based on The Shadow - that is not where the character was really created.

The Shadow was a pulp hero; The Shadow Magazine was published twice a month for the majority of the magazine's run. The famous radio show would debut only after the pulp fiction magazine had been published for 6 years.

Ah yes, but....

Originally Posted by Kent Allard

Now before anyone comes along with 2 cents, yes the vague notion of a mysterious character called The Shadow first premiered on July 31, 1930 as a host/narrator for Street & Smith's Detective Story Hour. The host proved unexpectedly popular and some smart executive knew a great opportunity when he saw it. The creation of The Shadow as a character/property happened when Walter Gibson was paid to do so by S&S and made history.

Well, the character began on a radio show, it wasn't a 'vague notion'. The Shadow was the narrator. You're absolutely correct that the pulps turned him into a proper character, but he was invented for the radio show.

[Kevin Roegele]

Originally Posted by Nepenthes

Gaberiel Bryne would make a good Shadow. that looks like him in the pic^

It does look like him....but he's too old. Plus, he's not very mysterious. And he's Oirish.

[Kent Allard]

Originally Posted by Kevin Roegele

Well, the character began on a radio show, it wasn't a 'vague notion'. The Shadow was the narrator. You're absolutely correct that the pulps turned him into a proper character, but he was invented for the radio show.

I still must disagree, while indeed true Detective Story Hour was where the journey began [so to speak] I do not consider it accurate to say that The Shadow [as in the character, rather than the name of a voice] was invented for a radio show. All that the Shadow was for Detective Story Hour was just a narrator - he wasn't a character, didn't take part in any of the stories, and never appeared in Street & Smith's Detective Story Magazine [from which the show's stories were taken].

The real invention of the character didn't happen until Gibson was paid to create The Shadow in S&S's new Shadow Magazine, ergo The Shadow is a pulp hero. I think the distinction about The Shadow's creation/original format must be made because are clear examples of hero characters created for radio shows - of which The Lone Ranger and The Green Hornet are prime examples.

[C. Lee]

Originally Posted by Kevin Roegele

The Shadow had the best costume. Somehow Alec Baldwin with a fake nose and hankerchief around his mouth looks ****ing badass.

Intrestingly (or not), none of the above films are based on comicbooks. The Phantom and Dick Tracy are comic strips from newspapers, Rocketeer was a graphic novel, and The Shadow was a radio show.

Originally Posted by Kent Allard

While there was a famous radio show based on The Shadow - that is not where the character was really created.

The Shadow was a pulp hero; The Shadow Magazine was published twice a month for the majority of the magazine's run. The famous radio show would debut only after the pulp fiction magazine had been published for 6 years.

Now before anyone comes along with 2 cents, yes the vague notion of a mysterious character called The Shadow first premiered on July 31, 1930 as a host/narrator for Street & Smith's Detective Story Hour. The host proved unexpectedly popular and some smart executive knew a great opportunity when he saw it. The creation of The Shadow as a character/property happened when Walter Gibson was paid to do so by S&S and made history.

Originally Posted by Kevin Roegele

Ah yes, but....

Well, the character began on a radio show, it wasn't a 'vague notion'. The Shadow was the narrator. You're absolutely correct that the pulps turned him into a proper character, but he was invented for the radio show.

Originally Posted by Kent Allard

I still must disagree, while indeed true Detective Story Hour was where the journey began [so to speak] I do not consider it accurate to say that The Shadow [as in the character, rather than the name of a voice] was invented for a radio show. All that the Shadow was for Detective Story Hour was just a narrator - he wasn't a character, didn't take part in any of the stories, and never appeared in Street & Smith's Detective Story Magazine [from which the show's stories were taken].

The real invention of the character didn't happen until Gibson was paid to create The Shadow in S&S's new Shadow Magazine, ergo The Shadow is a pulp hero. I think the distinction about The Shadow's creation/original format must be made because are clear examples of hero characters created for radio shows - of which The Lone Ranger and The Green Hornet are prime examples.

Just wanted to quote a discussion where two people are disagreeing with each other....but doing it without being rude to each other. It's refreshing to see.

[Figs]

I remember seeing all three in the theatre and I would have to say I liked Dick Tracy the best. Then The Shadow then The Phantom.

No disrespect to the man Billy Zane but like Kevin Roegele said, the action in it was pretty lame.

I think The Rocketeer as Mr. Socko mentioned, should have been added to the thread but I guess it doesn't matter since there is no poll.

If that one was included it would get first pick for me. I liked them all but The Rocketeer was the funnest for me.

[The Techno Bat]

Definitely The Shadow is the better film out of the three picks