Kelly WandThe Shadow
October 17th 2006 06:53
Who knows what evil lurks in the heart of a man? Well, there’s every chance that that would be me. It’s not like I haven’t seen my share.
Exhibit one. “The Shadow”. Hard boiled pulp fiction hero of the nineteen thirties. A young Bob Kane was obviously reading this when he dreamt up “Batman”. There was the radio serial that made him a pop culture icon but Lamont Cranston and his large nosed alter ego never got the call for the Hollywood A list.
Fifty years on and the Shadow was all but forgotten by everyone except the creepy nerds who run comic shops. Stars, however, were realigning. Frank Miller’s “Dark Knight” comic had pointed the way for Tim Burton’s film about the caped crusader. Hollywood wanted more of the same only different. Howard Chaykin had just written a successful mini-series about the Shadow for DC comics. Russell Mulcahy, director of “Highlander” seemed an ideal choice to helm the project. David Koepp managed an excellent and well researched script that remained true to the source material.
The Shadow was not a nice guy. He’d turn up at some poor sap’s execution. He’d say he’d save the condemned man if he gets the information he needs. After he got the facts, the Shadow would just pull the lever on the electric chair and laugh.
So what went wrong with the film? I’d like to just blame it on Alec Baldwin and be done with it but he is one of the few people in the film who are taking it seriously. Everybody else seems to have their tongues firmly shoved in their cheeks. Then they point at the bulges on the sides of their faces and they wink.
Leave your brain on hold. Go for the ride. It is entertaining enough. Unfortunately, some of us wanted more. This is not “The Shadow” movie I wanted. I doubt that it is “The Shadow” movie anyone wanted. If someone had the guts to film the Chaykin mini series then we’d have something special. Meanwhile, the weed of crime continues to bear bitter fruit. As soon as Hollywood learns that such crimes do not pay, the better.
Exhibit one. “The Shadow”. Hard boiled pulp fiction hero of the nineteen thirties. A young Bob Kane was obviously reading this when he dreamt up “Batman”. There was the radio serial that made him a pop culture icon but Lamont Cranston and his large nosed alter ego never got the call for the Hollywood A list.
Fifty years on and the Shadow was all but forgotten by everyone except the creepy nerds who run comic shops. Stars, however, were realigning. Frank Miller’s “Dark Knight” comic had pointed the way for Tim Burton’s film about the caped crusader. Hollywood wanted more of the same only different. Howard Chaykin had just written a successful mini-series about the Shadow for DC comics. Russell Mulcahy, director of “Highlander” seemed an ideal choice to helm the project. David Koepp managed an excellent and well researched script that remained true to the source material.
The Shadow was not a nice guy. He’d turn up at some poor sap’s execution. He’d say he’d save the condemned man if he gets the information he needs. After he got the facts, the Shadow would just pull the lever on the electric chair and laugh.
So what went wrong with the film? I’d like to just blame it on Alec Baldwin and be done with it but he is one of the few people in the film who are taking it seriously. Everybody else seems to have their tongues firmly shoved in their cheeks. Then they point at the bulges on the sides of their faces and they wink.
Leave your brain on hold. Go for the ride. It is entertaining enough. Unfortunately, some of us wanted more. This is not “The Shadow” movie I wanted. I doubt that it is “The Shadow” movie anyone wanted. If someone had the guts to film the Chaykin mini series then we’d have something special. Meanwhile, the weed of crime continues to bear bitter fruit. As soon as Hollywood learns that such crimes do not pay, the better.
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