Still lurking in the hearts of Fans.
The Shadow landed on home video today in 1995, after a lukewarm July 1st, 1994 theatrical release.
The shadow cast by 1989’s Batman loomed large in the 90’s, and Hollywood spend most of the decade scrambling for the next big super-hero-esque blockbuster franchise. While Underoo A-listers like Superman or Spider-man were doomed to sit out the decade, the focus on crime-busters and mystery men from the Pulp era seemed the perfect way to infuse some nostalgia into the mix. Dick Tracy, Zorro, The Phantom – along with loving tributes like Darkman, The Mask, and The Rocketeer – all threw their silhouette on the silver screen with wildly varying degrees of success. The Shadow, and it’s mega-marketing campaign, didn’t lurk in movie-goers hearts for very long.
The reviews at the time were very fairly unforgiving, but I’ve always enjoyed the messy serial-noir vibe that proudly shrouds itself in its own pulpy legacy. It deserves a place on the shelf somewhere between Mask of the Phantasm and Mystery Men.