zardoz-13 Seasoned serial directors Spencer Gordon Bennett and Thomas Carr contended with several complications to bring the DC Comics' character Superman to the silver screen as a live-action yarn. This serial contained 15 episodes. The weaknesses grow out in the primitive technology and the lackluster, sometimes sloppy scriptwriting. Ultimately, despite its distinction as the first screen appearance of the Man of Tomorrow, "Superman" ranks as a lame serial with fleeting moments of humor. The story suffers from lapses of logic the size of a black hole. Performances are good enough, considering the sketchy characterization. Kirk Alyn looks like Clark Kent's double. Alyn makes a better impression as the perspicuous Clark Kent than he does Superman with his booming voice. His Superman behaves as if he were rehearsing for the ballet after he dons his distinctive outfit. He tilts his arms away from his hips as if he were performing a balancing act. Of course, this serial was designed for adolescents whose critical faculties lacked sophistication. Noel Neill plays a smart aleck Lois Lane. She likes to play jokes on Clark. Tommy Bond makes his Jimmy Olsen a presumptuous pup who typically succumbs to the first blow that a henchman delivers. Pierre Watkin is feisty as cigar-smoking Daily Planet editor Perry White. I. Stanford Jolley has a bit part as a skeptical jailer. The humorous finale when White, Olsen, and Lois find Clark sleeping and he claims that he was dreaming about being Superman is cute. Of course, Superman doesn't kiss Lois and Lois doesn't daydream about the Last Son of Krypton the way she did in the graphic counterpart.Initially, neither leading man Kirk Alyn nor the special effects crew could conjure up a way to make Superman fly. Producer Sam Katzman resorted to the alternative of cartoon Superman. Any feats of derring-do that Alyn couldn't physically perform, the cartoon Superman carries out. Usually, Superman is shown flying, but one time he smashes through a wall. This novel effect of morphing an individual into a cartoon is clever. Sometimes, the transitions are neat. When Alyn leaps toward the camera, the filmmakers reverse the perspective so that his cartoon counterpart appears sweeping over our heads and to fly into the image. This gimmick, however, serves to undermine your "willing suspension of disbelief." Furthermore, whenever the cartoon Superman lands, he touches down behind objects such as trees, rocks, buildings, or other obstructions. This exemplifies the 'Texas Switch' where a stunt does the stunt and then disappears behind something without revealing his face and the actor walks out. At the heart of any serial were the inevitable cliffhanger conclusions. For example, as his first feat of heroism, Superman prevents a train from derailing by bending the rail back into conformity. Bennett and Carr put the action on pause with a train bearing down on Superman. The common complaint about most serials is the heroes appear in jeopardy, but they are rarely in jeopardy. In other words, like skilled magicians, Bennett and Carr set up predicaments that generate considerable suspense and tension. Unfortunately, they don't consistently pay off these incidents with credible resolutions. Superman spends his most of his time rescue Lois Lane or Jimmy Olsen from peril. This complaint concerns Superman's incredible escape from Kryptonite in the final chapter. Sometimes, they goof up the cliffhangers as when Jimmy Olsen hides in a packing crate and the consequences are depicted inconsistently. First, two men are shown firing into the packing crate and in the next episode only one man is shooting at the packing crate while his accomplice is just climbing out the truck to admire his handiwork!As a narrative, "Superman" works best when The Man of Steel demonstrates his unique abilities. Unfortunately, Superman is rarely called on to do anything truly extraordinary like he did in the Max Fleischer cartoons. Alyn doesn't swap blows with ray guns; keep skyscrapers from falling, or battle robots. Indeed, he does save a woman by flying with her in his arms from a smoke-filled house. When he peers into the camera, we see his X-ray vision penetrating opaque objects. Naturally, when he is ogling Lois, his vision doesn't undress her. Typically, Clark Kent must conceal himself before he changes his wardrobe. The chapter where he is imprisoned for stealing Lois' car creates an interesting challenge and serves efficiently to conceal his transition. Scenarists George H. Plympton and Joseph F. Poland pit the Man of Steel against the treacherous 'Spider Lady.' She is a harmless looking dish in a wig with a cocktail party mask that exposes her nose. Hardly a disguise! We never learn her true identity. The villainous Spider Lady is after the Relatively Reducer Ray, a weapon whose potential far exceeds the destructive capability of an atomic bomb. An unscrupulous scientist Dr. Hackett (Charles Quigley) abets her in her criminal endeavors. Of course, neither are matches for the Man of Tomorrow. The filmmakers do a fine job of establishing Superman's origins on planet Krypton with his father warning his peers about their impending disaster. Bennett and Carr have neatly encapsulated Superman's upbringing with Ebem Kent and his wife. Ebem is a pipe-smoking good old boy who doesn't look a gift horse in the mouth when he sees it. The childless couple appropriate the baby. They raise Superman and exhort him to protect "truth, justice, and tolerance." As an adult, Clark Kent, a.k.a. Superman, tangles with the Spider Lady. She manages to hold sway over several men who could easily overpower her. Sadly, the scenarists don't provide the Spider Lady with any backstory. She kidnaps the scientist, Dr. Graham (Herbert Rawlinson of "Perils of Nyoka"), and forces him against his will to operate the Reducer Ray. Later, Graham refuses to cooperate, and Hackett devises some mysterious way of coercing him.Happily, the heinous Spider Lady gets her just comeuppance in her own web of intrigue. Although she never actually kills anybody, she orders the deaths of several characters without a qualm.

disdressed12 (note:this is not the 1950's George Reeves series)how this has not been given the MST3K treatment,i don't know.it's astoundingly bad.my roommate and i laughed our a#%es off.it definitely falls under the category of so bad,it's good.i don't want to give too much away,lest i spoil anyone's enjoyment.suffice to say,it is definitely worth watching if you have a chance.i bought the whole 15 chapter serial cheap and i don't regret it for a minute.i'm guessing budget constraints had something to do with how bad the show was,but that doesn't explain away every thing.all i know is,it's endlessly entertaining,and a great cure for depression.for me,Superman is a 10/10

shrfchasg I remember for years this serial being titled "Superman Vrs. The Spider Lady". I was fortunate enough, to have lived in the nick of time to see this at a theater. I have read articles through the later year since, discussing all the Superman related creations. One, for example, was in TV Guide, listing all who played the hero. Included the title "...Vrs. The Spider Lady". I also have noticed it elsewhere, too. What happened now this is not acknowledged? When I looked to order it on DVD I therefore had a problem to recognized it. I've always have believed Kirk Alyn is the best convincing actor to portray him. To me he would be able to not be detected while in his Clark disguise with his glasses. The others who has since took the role, has distinct voice or features enough to be discovered.

beejer This is a great serial. What people tend to forget when watching it today, is that it was made in 1948 and was aimed at the Saturday matinee crowd.The special effects, to be sure, are primitive by today's standards, but take a closer look. Remember this was 1948. The opening sequence and Superman's flying effects were achieved through some excellent animation.Don't forget that Superman IS a comic book character. The transition from live action to animation in the flying sequences, is performed seamlessly and realistically. I thought that this was pretty innovative for its' time.Kirk Alyn was born to play Superman. He gives a realistic and credible performance as both Superman and Clark Kent. The diminutive Noel Neill makes an excellent Lois Lane, girl reporter, Timmy Bond (Formerly "Butch" of the Our Gang comedies) is good as Jimmy Olsen and veteran Pierre Watkin is suitably cranky as Perry White.Carol Forman brings a cold and icy sexiness to the role of the Spider Lady, Superman's chief nemesis. Serial veterans Charles Quigley, Charles King, Terry Frost and Rusty Wescoatt round out the cast in various villain roles.