Customer Reviews

Shadow: Shadow Strikes/International Crime

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Before I discuss the film plots, let me state that Marengo Films has done a great job returning two long lost films to consumers. The public domain prints were better than I expected, a few digital quirks aside (some freezing and pixalating here and there). These are scarce films from the late 1930's, so don't expect miracles, but don't assume they are poor either. For the price you can't go wrong.

Now for movie content. If you were expecting to see the cloaked figure you've come to love in the pulps and film serials, guess again. "The Shadow Strikes" is the ONLY film in this collection where Lamont Granston (not Cranston) puts the costume on, and only at the very end of the film.

In "International Crime," forget it. All you see is a framed illustration of "The Shadow" on the wall of the radio station in which Lamont Cranston works as a crime reporter. He publishes a column and hosts a radio program as "The Shadow." Everybody knows who he is, and not once does he "cloud men's minds" while dressed in black. He does say the line "crime does not pay," but nothing more.

In fact, nearly all of the charm from the pulps and radio programs is lost in these two films. No costume, no ring, no Cobalt Club, no sinister laugh, and not once do we ever hear "Who know's what evil lurks in the hearts of man...." You will find all of the above and more however in the 15 chapter serial collection (available as a double VHS set) and the 90's film "The Shadow" with Alec Baldwin.

Shadow completists will welcome these films, as will fans of film noir mysteries in general. But for those of you looking for the hero you've been reading about or listening to in the old radio programs, look elsewhere.

I love old movies and for Marengo Films to find these two forgotten films is fantastic. There are some minor flaws... but heck the darn things were filmed in the 1930's and the films are perfect if you love Comic Book or Pulp Heroes. These two detective movies are great examples of the old "Who Done-its" in the genra of The Thin Man Series... I devoured them. Marengo has obviously cleaned the sound which is surprisingly good and the prints are better than I ever expected.

It looks as if Marengo Films rescued these two old movies from obscurity. I was thrilled to see they were on DVD and was not disappointed. Grand National Pictures was bought by another film company after putting these two marvelous films out. That answers why there are no other films which followed. These movies are fun to watch and are similar to such greats as Mr.Wong, Charlie Chan, Dick Tracy and the Thin Man... Oh, how things have changed in acting and style... though Hollywood did honor the style I think with LA Confidential... Both films are A MUST FOR COLLECTORS and the DVD is truly a CLASSIC. Technically, the prints are pretty darn good and the sound is perfect.

As others have stated the two films do not much follow the "Pulp" magazine story line. However the two films are pretty keen movies along the line of The Thin Man, Mr. Wong, Charlie Chan...etc. So if you like those you will like these. Any avid collector of Shadow memorabilia should have these historic films. Grand National Pictures was bought by Astor Pictures in NYC... they went broke and the original prints were actually thrown into the East River by the company warehousing them... for non-payment of rent. We found these two "lost" prints rotting in a collector's house... We spent a fortune to clean and restore them to the best possible condition... we did 4 digital sound passes, sound sync, color corrections, wet-gate, DVNR, and encoded twice. So while not perfect... we guarantee they are the finest on the market... Who knows where the Shadow lurks? ... MARENGO FILMS

Whether or not you prefer The Shadow of radio or the pulps, this is not the invisible crimefighter or the black-clad crime-buster. Rod La Rocque plays a more mild-mannered, Clark Kent-style of alter ego to The Shadow. The Shadow (in disguise) only makes two brief appearances in the first film, THE SHADOW STRIKES (1937).

INTERNATIONAL CRIME (1938) is better than the first. Rod reprises his role as Lamont Cranston, only this time he is both a radio announcer and a one-man detective agency. Astrid Allwyn plays the ditzy Phoebe Lane. There is also appearances from Commissioner Weston (portrayed as an old grouch) and cabbi, Moe Shrevnitz.

I recommend this double feature (which is brilliantly restored, by the way) DVD to any lovers of mysteries, old films, B-Movies, or those of you will take a chance on seeing The Shadow's first two movie appearances.

These are okay detective movies, but it's really not The Shadow.
Lamont Cranston has been turned into Lamont Granston and he's an ordinary joe who's a crime reporter. That's as exciting as it gets. There's nothing in these movies that has anything to do with The Shadow so you've been warned.
You might want to save your money since these two "Shadow" movies aren't what they claim to be. The Shadow serial and the Alec Baldwin movie are the way to go for fans of The Shadow. The Invisible Avenger isn't as close to the mark as the serial and Baldwin film, but it's worth a look too.

Bought it as a gift for my girlfriend's Dad and he loves it. Sweet quality, good sound, and he actually was happier the next day after watching it. Very, very happy with the whole presentation of this product.

This was my first viewing of a Marengo Films DVD. I was relieved to see that the quality is quite good and they don't use a watermark. The Shadow Strikes has the best quality of the two and has no real problems. International Crime is a bit rougher with a few splices and minor picture issues. However, this is probably the best print available.

SHADOW STRIKES (1937) - ** stars. A millionaire is murdered and relatives and an underworld goon or two circle in for the spoils. In this one the Shadow is a lawyer/amateur criminologist, appears in a strange cape/hat/cowl outfit in the denouement scene and has his shadow thrown provocatively against a couple of walls, but that's about it.

INTERNATIONAL CRIME (1938) - *** stars. A wealthy businessman is the murder victim in this one. Lamont Cranston (the Shadow) is an amateur criminologist/newspaper columnist/radio announcer. The beautiful Astrid Allwyn co-stars in this one as an eager beaver aspiring newspaper woman. Directed by veteran Charles LaMont, who would go on to direct a number of Abbott & Costello and Ma & Pa Kettle movies. The mood is definitely lighter in this superior movie.

Rod LaRocque plays Lamont Cranston in these two early Shadow films. Most of the juicy aspects of the radio character are absent here. No clouding men's minds. No bitter fruits borne by the weeds of crime. No invisibility. No distorted voice and manic cackle. No real reason to go out of your way to see them, either.