Ultimate DVD Collection #1 The Shadow

Now, I'm not saying these are the greatest films ever, I'm not even saying they're particularly very good but I love them for one reason or another and they get watched a fair bit in our household. You'll probably have heard of them but have you watched them all? Maybe you've even gone out your way to ignore some of them.

This is my Ultimate DVD Collection so let's start with this Alec Baldwin classic, The Shadow.

Okay, some people think The Shadow isn't Alec Baldwin's finest moment (I'm not one of them) but it's a really entertaining film. I put it with The Phantom and The Rocketeer as cheesy blockbusters which no one cared about at the time but are actually pretty fun. They are all in the same vein as they are pulp magazine or comic adaptations. In fact I've had a double bill of The Shadow/The Phantom before and they were both splendid.

Set sometime in the 1930s the film opens up in Tibet where Lamont Cranston (what a name!) is king of an opium den. Something to do with him being a bit of a bastard during the war, he just goes to Tibet to continue being a bit of a bastard, while sporting some horrendously long finger nails. He then gets kidnapped and taken to the Tulka, a high ranking lama. The Tulka tells Cranston that he's going to start being a good guy, I have no idea why. What's it to do with him? Why is he bothered about Cranston? Maybe he's causing too much aggro as an opium lord. Let's go with that. 

What amazing finger nails!

There's a talking knife that stabs Cranston and that's all it takes for him to go "Alright then." He then gets taught how to cloud men's minds, which takes about 7 years apparently. He then returns to New York as a playboy by day, The Shadow by night. This is all explained in a neat little title card; maybe they didn't have the budget for a montage. 

It's a bit like Batman Begins, don't you know. 

The story then goes on about some descendant of Genghis Khan and an atomic bomb The Shadow has to stop from blowing up the city. Whatever. 

So what else is awesome about The Shadow? It's got Tim Curry in it. As a shifty guy who turns bad! Who would have guessed?? I totally forgot that Ian McKellen is in it too. Now there's a great Pointless answer. Also everyone has a cool name; Lamont, Margo, Claymore. 

I think the main reason Alec Baldwin wanted to be in The Shadow though is because he got to wear a tuxedo everyday. ("Why are you wearing a tux?" "It's after 6. What am I, a farmer?")

Baldwin in HD.

The thing I'm not sure I still understand is The Shadow's weird face. At the end they say it's something to do with his concentration failing but why didn't he make himself look completely different? And why wear a scarf over your mouth if you can change your appearance?

Also why does he make everyone his servant, "I saved your life... it belongs to me." Maybe they don't want to help you, it does seems quite the commitment to me. You'd rather the police have been there. 

The talking dagger is rubbish, with its sharp little teeth. Just lock it in a box. The CGI is pretty terrible in places too. But the overall design of the film is fantastic. 

I do like his Morticia Addams moments when he is clouding men's minds; a strip of light across his eyes and some black contact lens. It's great. 

Morticia. 

Written by David Koepp (Jurassic Park screenwriter) and directed by Russell "Highlander 2: The Quickening" Mulcahy the critics weren't overly kind to it on its release. It made a profit (just) but it wasn't enough to turn it into a franchise that the studio had it's eye on.

Although they did turn it into a pinball machine so, swings and roundabouts. I like the gun bit where you release the pinball. I would buy this and put it next to my Donkey Kong arcade machine in my games room of dreams.

WANT.

Not the run away hit that Universal wanted but still a fun film, perfect for a lazy Sunday.

One last thing. Why does he say "The Shadow knows!" the way he does? The Shadow knows what? What does The Shadow know? Tell me!!

Best time to watch? I'd say get The Phantom ("Slam evil!") and watch them back to back. Maybe with a beer, definitely with some friends.