Superman - The 1948 & 1950 Theatrical Serials Collection (1948)

Kirk Alyn sets the herioc standard for generations to come portraying Superman in these multichapter cliffhanger adventures that kept Saturday matinee crowds coming back for more. The 15-chapter Superman (1948) spans our hero's first arrival on Earth to his alter-ego role as reporter Clark Kent through his battle with sinister Spider Lady. In the 15-part Atom Man vs. Superman (1950) a UFO and A-bomb imperil MetropolisFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/CLASSICS UPC: 012569821255 Manufacturer No: 82125 Product Description

nice old threatical serials

Very cute special effects, considering the year of the production. The plot is also interesting, although I don't get used to cliffhangers. This kind of serials weren't shown on theaters when I was a kid, but some of them were lately broadcasted on TV, 3 or 4 episodes put together like a 90 minutes movie. The quality of both sound and image is good. I missed more extras. August 15, 2008

Superman-The 1948 & 1950 Theatrical Serials Collection.....

The 15-chapter 1948 serial of Superman spans our hero's first arrival on Earth to his alter-ego role as reporter Clark Kent through his battle with sinister Spider Lady. Whereas, the 1950 serial(also 15 chapters) sees our hero facing off against The Atom Man(aka Lex Luthor) in a variety of ways as The Atom Man threatens to destroy Metropolis. Directed by Spencer Gordon Bennet(known for his Batman serial) & Thomas Carr; the serials star Kirk Alyn, Noel Neill, Carol Foreman, Tommy Bond, Forrest Taylor, & Lyle Talbot(also a Batman serial alumni). This is the first 'live' appearance of Superman in the movies but don't expect too much out of the serials(although they are great) as they were made on shoe-string budgets back in the day. True, Superman has come along way since then but cut him some slack while watching these serials. All in all, this is a great purchase sure to satiate Superman fans waiting patiently for their next Superdude fix(lol).

If I had any gripes, it'd be that they could have included some special features of some sort. Commentary from DC Alumni on the serial or something like that. August 11, 2008

good memories

This brings back fond memories of childhood Saturday afternoons at the movies. A few serials and cartoons and a good action movie! The production values are of course rough by today's standards, but it has an original charm and I'm enjoying the series. I've only had a chance to watch a few episodes so far, but as a collector of old movie serials I'm glad I added this to the collection.

Barry Eaton
Actor and Broadcaster, Sydney, Australia July 17, 2008

The early series

If your really into Superman then you have to have this dvd in your collection. Its a bit corny compared to what we see these days on the big screne but for its time it was great viewing. I had it on VHS but these days you have to have everything on DVD. Much better viewing April 9, 2008

The Dud of Steel

Don't let the positive reviews fool you. The "Superman" serials are poorly made and not even good for laughs. Kirk Alyn looks OK as the Man of Steel, but gives a rather cheesy performance. I'll stick with George Reeves. February 23, 2008

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