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| Adventures of Superman - The Complete Third and Fourth Seasons |
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List Price: $39.98
Buy New: $27.88
You Save: $12.10 (30%)
Avg. Customer Rating:  (based on 14 reviews)
Sales Rank: 35
Category: DVD
Authors: George Reeves, Jack Larson, Noel Neill
Publisher: Warner Home Video
Studio: Warner Home Video
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
Label: Warner Home Video
Format: Box Set, Closed-captioned, Color, Subtitled, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), French (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Media: DVD
Running Time: 706 minutes
Number Of Items: 5
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 7.4 x 5.5 x 0.9
UPC: 012569763159
EAN: 0012569763159
ASIN: B000EU1Q3Q
Release Date: June 20, 2006 (New: This Week)
Theatrical Release Date: September 19, 1952
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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Editorial Reviews:
Description
George Reeves returns as Superman (aka Clark Kent) in 26 episodes comprising Season 3 and Season 4 of the program that ran six seasons total. This time his exploits take him to stuffy European monarchy, a remote desert isle and even a cave in the year 50,000 BC. And now for the first time the Man of Steel's exciting flights, fights, and super heroics are presented in color!
DVD Features:
Documentaries
Featurette
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Customer Reviews: Read 9 more reviews...
 Still Great Fun June 26, 2006
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I have to say that seasons 3 and 4 are different in tone than the first 2 seasons. One reviewer said that in many respects it looks like a different show. I have to agree. I'm not in favor of the decision made to shoot these subsequent seasons in color although I understand the economic reasons why the decision was made. Still the show remains fresh and top notch compared to other series and there are some more adult-like episodes to match the black and white seasons. "The Seven Souvenirs" is a prime example and is, to my mind, the most perfectly paced episode of the whole series. It glides along and George Reeves is at the very top if his game, acting-wise, throughout the episode. Watch his delivery during the climax when he is revealing what the thefts are really about. Jimmy Olsen playing a twin bad guy, in another episode, is a riot in that part. Many of the villians are played in a more Damon Runyon style and are very funny. There's plenty to enjoy from these episodes. After seasons 1 and 2, you just need to do a little adjustment and enjoy the shows on their terms. They're still an absolute joy.
 Superman in Living Color! June 26, 2006
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
By the time "Adventures of Superman" was filmed in color, the series had evolved from a hard-hitting crime drama to a family-oriented show. Despite the change in tone, George Reeves looked terrific in blue, red and yellow -- abetted by Thom Simonson's imaginative special effects. The 1955-56 seasons were uneven in quality, but featured its share of memorable episodes: "Clark Kent, Outlaw," "The Seven Souvenirs," "The Big Freeze," "Jimmy the Kid," "The Wedding of Superman" and "The Phantom Ring." This five-DVD set was transferred from the best existing 35mm print material (some of the original color stock had obvious defects) with stunning results. Unfortunately, the extras consist solely of two brief documentaries.
Now in color! June 25, 2006
0 out of 4 found this review helpful
"The Adventures of Superman" never looked any better. Great episodes, great fun, great excitement. Fun for all ages.
Look up! It's a rainbow! It's aurora borealis! It's Superman in color! June 24, 2006
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
Superman in color but still from the 1950s is a pretty cool and rare combination. These are shows for both old and new audiences. Alot of people say that with season 3, the shows became more for the kids. I don't think the change was anything drastic enough to really stand out from the other two seasons (with the exception of the cave-man episode). They explain on the special features that although everyone had B&W televisions and that the networks broadcast the show in B&W they made them in color knowing that in the future the reruns would be ready to be seen alongside other colored shows and continue to keep up. Pretty smart. For any Superman fan or any fan of old classic shows purchase this and enjoy. I noticed that on the box they show George Reeves eyes as brown but on the show they are actually blue.
 Great to have on DVD June 24, 2006
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
Having just read the other reviews, it seems to me that there's a blur between reacting to the quality of the picture and the stories themselves. So, I'm going to try here to put things in perspective.
In terms of the picture quality, i agree that the transfers could have been better. Although in color, the picture looks rather faded and washed out, and there are many imperfections. On the other hand, we're assuming here that Warners had the capability of cleaning the picture. Perhaps they did not, and were limited to less than perfect source material. So I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.
As far as the episodes themselves, my fondness for them is mainly based on a sense of nostalgia, as I used to watch the show every day back in the 1960s. In terms of the stories, they can't compare to the first seasons. In fact, despite the same cast (with the exception of Lois Lane) it feels like two completely different shows. The first seasons scripts, which featured Phyllis Coates as Lois, were well written dramas, with a no-nonsense Superman acting as an avenging angel, ringing in the bad guys (who were actually quite menacing) The drama was tense, the dialogue crackled, the acting and direction was great, as was the background music. The second season stories were toned down a bit, but there were still some great episodes("Panic in the sky", "A Ghost for Scotland Yard", "The Face and the Voice", etc.) By the time the series went to color, the scripts were toned down even further. the bad guys were no longer punched out by Superman, and were more comic than menacing. Still, there were some good episodes in seasons 3 and 4, including "Great Caesars Ghost", "Test of a Warrior", and "the wedding of Superman". Basically, the episodes written by Jackson Gillis are the best (same goes for season 2)The episodes written by David Chantler are worse...some are downright boring. The dialogue and direction in season 3 and 4 also were vastly inferior to seasons 1 and 2. (I guess when Tommy Carr read the new scripts, he wanted nothing to do with them.) Having said all that, I don't want to seem hypocritical. I did buy the set, and have no regrets that I did.It was a great series, albeit one that went through many changes during its six year run. Unfortunately, the only change for the better was going to color. Otherwise, these episodes are still enjoyable, but pale in comparison with seasons 1 and 2.
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Copyright Runningonkarma.com 2006
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