Spoilers only know what lurks inside the fridge.
I have a category of films that I know are indefensible, but they’re still a guilty pleasure to watch. Another one from this category is this particular early superhero feature from the 90s. And yes, this is one of those superheros from the era of radio dramas that obviously influenced the stereotypical dark avenger trope. It obviously influenced Bob Kane and Bill Finger’s Batman. All that being said, this feature does hit the mark in some aspects, even though it was a commercial failure.
The Shadow (1994) is directed by Russell Mulcahy and written by David Koepp. It’s based on the character created by Walter B. Gibson. New York, 1930s. Lamont Cranston (Alec Baldwin) returns after spending seven years in Tibet, where his past as a criminal kingpin took a drastic turn after being trained in the mystic arts. Now Cranston takes the guise of The Shadow, a vigilante capable of hypnotizing and terrorizing criminals, appearing to become invisible in their minds. The Shadow has spies everywhere, as he recruits from the people he has saves from the clutches (I have to write this with flare or not at all) of the evil criminals. No word on whether or not these victims ever turn him down.
In case you haven’t noticed the lack of subtlety, this character has more in common with the Phantom of the Opera than any dark knight you might be expecting. He’s theatrical, he laughs loudly and maniacally as if he were a supervillain, and his entire persona is completely over the top. He seems to have no equal until we meet his nemesis, Shiwan Khan (John Lone). The last descendant of Genghis Khan himself, Khan is another user of the mystical arts and has plans to conquer the world. To do that he has abducted scientist Dr. Reinhardt Lane (Ian McKellen) to make a nuclear bomb. Why do you need a bomb if you can hypnotize everyone to do your bidding… Must be in the supervillian manual.
Enter Margo Lane (Penelope Ann Miller), daughter of Dr. Lane and a breath of fresh air. Margo is a socialite who happens to be telepathic. With his father in the grips of an evil mastermind (again, flare) and after being hypnotized by Khan to kill Cranston, one would think she’d be going mad. But, as soon as she’s able to read Cranston’s mind and know what he does at night, she’s rather cheerful. I’m not criticizing, she’s actually lightening up the theme. We also get a group of colorful characters with Farley Claymore (Tim Curry), the sniveling assistant to Dr. Lane now a servant of Khan; Moe Shrevnitz (Peter Boyle), a cab driver who’s an agent of The Shadow and his chauffeur; Police Commissioner Wainwright Barth (Jonathan Winters) who also happens to be Cranston’s uncle, along with others.
Does it work? Well, not with a straight face. But as an over the top it can be both intentionally and unintentionally funny at best and cringy at its worst. A lot of times it can feel like a parody. I couldn’t help but find Shiwan Khan’s backstory a lot more intriguing, although John Lone plays the character very stoic. The only one that seems happy to be there is Penelope Ann Miller’s character Margo Lane, which makes me think she’s a pretty good actress (and perhaps she loved the character as well). But the best is the 1930’s setting, which is infinitely appreciated in all its details, properly situating the characters in the proper era where they have existed instead of trying to adapt them to a modern setting.
Unashamedly recommended for fans of the old style superheros of the radio era. Also recommended for comic book fans that can appreciate the superhero lore from its beginnings. Casual audiences can skip this one for sure. Worth a watch only for an appreciative crowd of the 30’s superhero style.
That will do for now.
Never Think Impossible 