Alec Baldwin

John Lone

Penelope Ann Miller

Peter Boyle

Ian McKellen

Tim Curry

Jonathan Winters

Sab Shimono

Brady Tsurutani

James Hong

Joseph Maher

John Kapelos

Max Wright

Aaron Lustig

Ethan Phillips

Larry Hankin

Larry Joshua

Al Leong

Gerald Okamura

Abraham Benrubi

Steve Hytner

Patrick Fischler

Lily Mariye

Garret Sato

Andre Gregory

Arsenio "Sonny" Trinidad

Kate McGregor-Stewart

Joe D'Angerio

Wesley Mann

Woon Young Park

Frank Welker

Darryl Chan

James Lew

Toshishiro Obata

Bruce Locke

Leo Lee

Nils Allen Stewart

Jimmy Taenaka

Jen Sung

Al Goto

Stuart Quan

Nathan Jung

Russell Mulcahy

David Koepp

Willi Bär

Martin Bregman

Michael Bregman

Stephen H. Burum

Peter Honess

Kenny Endoso

Dick Ziker

Norman Howell

Alexandra Root

Dana Hee

Walter B. Gibson

Beth Jochem Besterveld

Mary Colquhoun

Joseph C. Nemec III

Jack Johnson

Dan Olexiewicz

Steven Wolff

Garrett Lewis

Bob Ringwood

Bridget Bergman

Shirley Crawford

Carl Fullerton

Jene Fielder

Candace Neal

Rick Provenzano

Janine Rath-Thompson

Jo-Anne Smith-Ojeil

Ronnie Specter

Patricia Churchill

Cordy Rierson

Louis D'Esposito

Steve Callas

Gordon Huggins

Allan Johnson

William J. Law III

Peter Olexiewicz

William H. Phen Jr.

Mike Reiber

Carl J. Stensel

Robert L. Thompson

James E. Tocci

Robert Webb

Mark Woods

John Zemansky

John Benson

Gary C. Bourgeois

Jeff Bushelman

Don Digirolamo

Christopher Flick

Laura Graham

Allen Hartz

Shelley Rae Hinton

Richard King

Phillip Linson

Larry Mann

Martin Maryska

Lauren Palmer

E. Jeane Putnam

Timothy P. Salmon

Brad Sherman

Bruce Stubblefield

Donald Sylvester

Jay Wilkinson

Karen G. Wilson

Albert Delgado

Ken Pepiot

Gintar Repecka

Christer Hokanson

Leslie Huntley

Hiroshi 'Kan' Ikeuchi

Carmen M. Miller

Bret Mixon

Steven T Puri

Alison Savitch

Tully Summers

Gene Warren Jr.

Scott Hubbell

Rick A. Benedetto

Alan S. Blauvelt

Dustin Blauvelt

Mike J. Campbell Jr.

Dwight Campbell

Keith Claridge

James B. Crawford

John Dumas

Carlos M. Gallardo

Patrick James Grosswendt

Jimmy Keys

Raymond Michels

Ralph Nelson Jr.

Mark O'Kane

Stephen Shultz

Todd R. Smith

Bruce D. Spellman

O'Shana Walker

Frank Peterson

Brian Sata

The Shadow Collection

Fantasy

Action

The Shadow

Bregman/Baer Productions

Universal Pictures

United States of America

English

new york city

atomic bomb

superhero

ladykiller

hypnosis

based on comic

radio series

invisibility

the shadow

neo-noir

What's that in the shadow?

The Shadow is directed by Russell Mulcahy and is based on the character of the same name created by Walter B. Gibson. It stars Alec Baldwin in the title role and support comes from John Lone, Penelope Ann Miller, Peter Boyle, Ian McKellen & Tim Curry. It's written by David Koepp who was a fan of the radio show that was re-run when he was a child. The plot basically sees Lamont Cranston (Baldwin) gain an alter ego (The Shadow) in mystical Tibet and with his new powers sets about fighting crime back in the states. All is going well until Shiwan Khan (Lone) shows up. He's the last descendant of Gengis Khan, and in keeping with that particular family tree, he's intent on global domination.

There's a lower tier of super hero movies that have either been poorly received in comparison to the big hitters like Bats, Supes and Spidey, or simply forgotten on account of how bad they are. The likes of "Daredevil", "The Phantom", maybe even "Darkman" and this here 94 piece, "The Shadow", are rarely mentioned by the super hero fan. Perhaps rightly it could be argued? But in spite of the tepid and unimaginative plot, "The Shadow" is an above average time filler that's at the least visually impressive. The 1930s Manhattan setting is excellently brought to life by the makers, and a pat on the back is due to them for not over doing the special effects. It looks and feels pulpy, and really there's nothing wrong with that at all. The cast in truth are just about OK, either under written or merely swamped by the production design, they turn up and play the movie as best they can.

Hardly ground shaking and not really pumping the blood as an action movie should. "The Shadow" does however have a dreamy quality that makes it worth a watch. Perhaps a sequel or a remake with a better story may just arrive one day? 6/10

_**Genghis Khan’s descendant intrudes upon The Shadow’s urban world in 1930**_

After some kind of epiphany and receiving training in Tibet in the 20s, Lamont Cranston (Alec Baldwin) fights corruption in New York City in 1930-31 as the mysterious Shadow. When the last descendant of Genghis Khan comes to town (John Lone) Cranston sets out to stop his diabolic plans. Penelope Ann Miller plays a socialite, Ian McKellen her father, Tim Curry a mad scientist, Peter Boyle the Shadow’s cab-driving partner and Jonathan Winters the police commissioner.

"The Shadow" (1994) is a worthy enough cinematic version of the radio/pulp/comic character that debuted in 1930. The movie obviously borrowed from “Batman” (1989), which is ironic since The Shadow partially inspired the character of Batman, who debuted almost nine years later in 1939. Anyone who likes the Batman tetralogy, “Dick Tracy” (1990) and “The Rocketeer” (1991) should appreciate this.

The best parts beyond the superb recreation of New York City circa 1930 are Alec Baldwin as the shadowy crime-fighter and the authentic look of the Shadow. Baldwin was still lean & mean at the time and has that dark side to his personality to pull off Lamont Cranston. Meanwhile the look of the Shadow is perfect (with a prosthetic nose).

While I liked the movie, it would've been better if they removed the campy elements (e.g. Tim Curry) and shot for the more serious, darker air of the future "Batman Begins" (2005), which was obviously influenced by this movie. Don’t get me wrong, the flick is serious and dark to a point, but there’s some eye-rolling comic book camp that plagues the proceedings. 

Since Cranston/the Shadow is easily the most interesting character, more focus needed spent on him. Instead we get this jarring supervillain when the story would’ve worked better with a more mundane rogue akin to Marvel’s Kingpin.

The film runs 1 hour, 47 minutes, and was shot at the Universal backlot in Hollywood on five sound-stages with a five-day mini-unit tour of location shooting at Ambassador Hotel & Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles, Mayfield Senior School in Pasadena and Alabama Hills in Lone Pine, California. 

GRADE: B-

A tongue-in-cheek nostalgic throwback to the thirties and forties. Love the style, the imagery and the period. Heaps of fun!

Michael Schlesinger on THE SHADOW

The Shadow Trailer 1994

The Shadow (1994) Alec Baldwin and Cinematographer Stephen Burum Talk Production Design HD

The Shadow (1994) Alec Baldwin, David Koepp, and Penelope Ann Miller Interview HD

Official Trailer

The Shadow (1/1) Bridge Fight Scene (1994) HD

The Shadow (1994) US Teaser Trailer

The Shadow( 1994)

Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?

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A review by John Chard

Written by John Chard on Tue Sep 24 2019

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