|
Adventures of Superman - The Complete Second Season :: 1419816810
Description
| Product Description |
|
| A detailed product description is unavailable at this moment. Email us on sales@shopinhk.com if you need more information about this product. |
Reviews
Customer feedback
|
|
Voting |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Author: Guest
It brings back fond memories. I still find it entertaining, even though I've gotten much older. He is still my hero. In a silly way I feel like a kid again watching Superman in action.
|
Author: Guest
I've been a fan of The Adventures of Superman since I was five years old, and it may have in fact been the first TV show I ever saw. I have very vivid memories of seeing the first part of "The Unknown People" at a friend's birthday party, eating cake and ice cream as all the partiers gathered around the old Zenith and gaped in wonder at George Reeves in costume. Whatever George's feelings were about playing the comic book hero, he gave 100 per cent of himself in anything he did, and there wasn't a kid in that bunch who didn't believe in Superman. Reeves remains for me the definitive live-action Man of Steel.
The second series' box set is what I truly believe to be the best of the Adventures of Superman. With nearly three years seperating the first and second seasons and a new producer in Whitney Ellsworth, the shift in tone from a hard-edged crime drama to a more humorous atmosphere was the right move. But there were still quite a few dramatic episodes, including the apex of the series, "Panic in the Sky", "Superman in Exile", and "The Defeat of Superman" (As a child, I was in tears as Lois and Jimmy valiantly scrambled to find a way to protect Superman from the artificial Kryptonite).
Aside from the episodes, the best thing about this collection are the few, but excellent, features, a Valentine to the best Lois Lane in any version of the TV or movie exploits, Noel Neill. Besides a nice interview with this delightful lady that I've had the privilege to meet in person, she's also paired with her old partner in crime, Jack Larson, to do audio commentary on their two favorite episodes, the aforementioned "Panic" and Larson's showcase for his wonderful comic talents, "Semi-Private Eye" (also featuring character actor Elisha Cook, Jr.).
The only reason that this set doesn't garner more than four stars is that there are clearly missing segments from certain episodes. I can only guess that most of these are taken from the syndication package from its run on TV Land. It still beats regular network TV (our local affiliate WTTV regularly cut four to five minutes out of each episode for commercials), but it's still disappointing to see key moments missing that are so vividly planted in my memory.
Nevertheless, this is a true treasure trove of Superman's TV exploits at their very best. The following year, the series would start its slow decline to overall camp, a reduction in quality and the number of produced episodes that not even the change to full color would be able to help. There would still be a few more memorable stories in the remaining years, but none that would have the impact that this particular season yielded.
|
Author: Guest
If there was no other way to get it, I would've paid the full price just for the "Panic in the Sky" episode! A bit light on accurate science, heavy on cheesey, not-so-special effects, it's a great story! It was obviously Superman's greatest challenge.
Everyone loved the episode so much that the basic idea was used in "The Adventures of Superboy" and "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman."
Chills run down my spine when I watch the scene where Clark Kent is wearing his glasses with the costume. He sits in the chair, trying to remember. In total frustration, he strikes the end table with his steely fist. It shatters, and his memory returns. To me, this single episode, with all of its obvious flaws, is better than any of the movies. This episode takes me back to five years of age, something the movies didn't.
Superman is obviously the greatest superhero. My girlfriend made this clear. "Spider-Man saves cities," she said, "but Superman saves planets!" YES!
The quality is good, but don't expect perfection. I think extreme measures could've helped the sound in places, and the video had occasional imperfections. In one episode, the picture was so bad that they opted to just freeze-frame the last good frame for a couple of seconds. In another episode, I noticed a "jump" when a couple of frames are missing. I'd like to think that SOMEWHERE, there must be pristine prints of the episodes, but I guess they weren't found. All in all, we're lucky to have this.
|
Author: Guest
Having grown up with this series way back when I was a kid, I have enjoyed rewatching every episode of the first 2 seasons released to DVD thus far. Well, at least MOST of the episodes. This season starts broadcasting some of the episodes aimed more at "kids". "THE DOG THAT KNEW SUPERMAN", for instance, isn't one of my all time favorites. However, with 26 full length episodes to choose from in this 2nd season, there are definitely many that are true classics, most notably "PANIC IN THE SKY" where we get to see Superman actually fly into space! This was always one of my favorite episodes. The two things I wanted to see when I was a kid were Superman beating criminals up, and Superman flying all over (the longer the flight, the better). Well, needless to say, Superman had a lot of "fly time" in the "PANIC IN THE SKY" episode.
One great bonus included with the 2nd season is the "STAMP DAY FOR SUPERMAN" episode. Through the years I had only seen short clips from this and am really amazed to find that this is an actual 17+ minute episode of Superman! He doesn't just try to get kids to buy Savings Stamps, but there are the usual "bad guys" he has to deal with as well. A WONDERFUL inclusion. Don't miss it.
While the episodes appear to be full uncut episodes (without the "We'll Return To The Adventures Of Superman In Just A Moment" bumper from the middle of each), and the quality of each is pretty good overall, I think Warner could have cleaned up more of the specks from the film before the transfer to DVD. Granted, this is a time-tedious task, but it CAN be done (it was done for the recent release of the Wizard of Oz, for example). Still, I am SO glad to get what is here in the package, and can't wait for Season 3 (anyone know a release date for that one yet?).
One thing about viewing now as an adult, rather than back then as a kid, is that I notice more of the "flukes" that they just allowed, some of which were cost-cutters. For example, whenever Superman is flying towards the right side of your screen, or running to leap through a window on the right side of your screen, take a look at the S on his chest. Yep. They just used old footage in reverse, so the S is actually backwards! And here's one more for you: In "PANIC IN THE SKY" when Superman takes the detonating device with him to blow the meteor out of the sky once and for all, listen closely when he lands on the meteor. There are birds chirping in the background! Birds? Clear out on that meteor? Hmmm.
In any event, flukes, episodes for kids, or whatever, this is still one of, if not THE best TV series of the '50s and definitely worth a spot on your DVD shelf.
In closing I have to agree with one thing Jack Larson (Jimmy Olson) says. The George Reeves' Superman flying take offs and landings (which he did on his own) are still the best and most realistic to this day! The Superman of movie fame (Christopher Reeve) always appeared to be floating like Peter Pan rather than taking off with the speed of Superman!
To me, George Reeves is and always will be Superman!
|
Author: Guest
IN A NUTSHELL: DIFFERENT THEMES + A DIFFERENT LOIS = A NEW TONE
We are treated to more of the same GREAT STUFF as was presented in the first season; however, Noel Neill replaced Phyllis Coates as Lois Lane and we see a true diversity of themes. Whereas the first season had focused on mobsters and crime, the second toned down the violence and added a wide range of themes to the growing Superman universe. In the process, the second season was more kid-friendly at the expense of some of the film-noir ambience.
All and all, this is a great addition and companion to the first season.
SEASON TWO has just been released. I pre-ordered it from Amazon prior to its release and and I have just completed viewing the 5 disks of the second season. The quality is the same as the first season -- almost unbelievably good. Episode 12, "Panic In The Sky" on the second disk, is a standout that also has an interesting and informative commentary track narrated by Noel Neill and Jack Larson.
If there is a difference between the first and second season, it is probably caused by several obvious differences;
---1] LOIS LANE:
Noel Neill is much lighter and more of a kid-viewer-friendly sidekick for Clark Kent, whereas Pyllis Coates was much more Kent's equal and rival. My daughter, watching parts of many of these shows -- but whole shows of none -- as she sort of flits in and out seeing parts of many and whole shows of none, stated that in "The Defeat Of Superman" if Phyllis Coates were still Lois then she would have been the one who got hit with the Kryptonite bullet instead of Superman. That's it exactly. Many of the crooks in the first season were literally mauled by Lois Lane, wildcat, as they tried with great difficulty to subdue her. Often, Phyllis Coates as Lois was physically assaulted as one would expect a man to be and the bad guys often came out of it bleeding and hurting. When that failed, there was the famous Lois Lane scream that is still reverberating all over the galaxy.
Obviously, I think a lot of Phyllis Coates as Lois but, in fairness, Noel Neill does a great job of showing a compassionate and vulnerable Lois who would surely perish if Superman were not there to save her, OFTEN.
---2] THE SCRIPTS:
The dark, "film-noir" style of the first season was definitely geared more for adults than for kids, though as a kid at the time I didn't know -- until now. Mobsters and corrupt politicians dominated that first season, with only traces of the humor that was to come in future seasons from Jimmy Olsen, and most of all from the new Lois [Noel Neill]. The new Lois did present the opportunity to change the tone of the show to the lighter side without ruining the Superman Universe in the process. Noel Neill, although five years older than Phyllis Coates, acted younger and more like she needed Superman's help while basically tagging along with Kent instead of blazing her own trail as Lois had in the first season. I have read that she was more palatable to young viewers, especially boys who found her likably obnoxious and bratty mannerisms to be cute and compelling. I guess they wanted to be Superman and save Noel. I was not one of them, and I always hoped that Phyllis Coates would return as Lois, but I had to wait until reruns for that.
---3] RUNNING TIME ON SEASON TWO IS LONGER:
Another difference from the first season is the length which ran about 25 minutes for the 1st season and has averaged over 26 minutes for the second.
COMMENTARY FOR SECOND SEASON BY NOEL NEILL {LOIS} & JACK LARSON [Jimmy}
THE EPISODES ON SEASON TWO ARE AS FOLLOWS; [Picture & Short description inside boxed set for each episode are included];
----- DISK ONE:
"Five Minutes to Doom"
"The Big Squeeze"
"The Man Who Could Read Minds"
"Jet Ace"
"Shot in the Dark"
"The Defeat of Superman"
----- DISK TWO:
"Superman in Exile"
"Ghost for Scotland Yard"
"The Dog Who Knew Superman"
"The Face and the Voice"
"The Man in the Lead Mask"
"Panic in the Sky" [PLUS OPTION TO CHOOSE COMMENTARY TRACK WITH LOIS & JIMMY]
----- DISK THREE:
"The Machine That Could Plot Crimes"
"Jungle Devil"
"My Friend Superman"
"The Clown Who Cried"
"The Boy Who Hated Superman"
"Semi-Private Eye" [PLUS OPTION TO CHOOSE COMMENTARY TRACK WITH LOIS & JIMMY]
----- DISK FOUR:
"Perry White's Scoop"
"Beware the Wrecker"
"The Golden Vulture"
"Jimmy Olsen, Boy Editor"
"Lady in Black"
"Star of Fate"
----- DISK FIVE:
"The Whistling Bird"
"Around the World with Superman"
"Documentary - "The First Lady of Metropolis" examines Noel Neill as Lois Lane - recently filmed and just 7 minutes, but quite interesting and features Jack Larson, Noel Neill and others.
>"Stamp Day For Superman": Special 18 minute episode promoting savings stamps for school kids backed by Superman. That's right -SAVINGS STAMPS - NOT BONDS!
BOTTOM LINE: [I have never been happier with a DVD boxed-set purchase]
--------------- WHY IS THIS IS AN EXCELLENT BOXED SET?
* ONE-SIDED DVDs [each with cool art-work]
* INCREDIBLE DVD TRANSFER - RESTORED TO ORIGINAL LENGTH
* SPECIAL FEATURES [2 EPISODES INCLUDE OPTIONAL COMMENTARY TRACKS + "STAMP DAY WITH SUPERMAN" + "THE FIRST LADY OF METROPOLIS" - documentary]
* DVD INSIDE COVER INCLUDES NEAT PHOTOS & BRIEF NOTES ON EACH EPISODE
* STURDY ATTRACTIVE BOXED SET [same size as 1 VHS + includes outer sleeve]
* "REEL" CLASS ACT + AFFORDABLE PRICE [can't wait till the 3rd season comes out!]
* SUBTITLES AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH - FRENCH & SPANISH
FINAL THOUGHTS: Sometimes Christmas comes at the end of January, but whenever the 3rd season is released will be Christmas too!
|
Send to Friend
Send to friend
|
|
