THE SHADOW / CERT: PG (AUS) / DIRECTOR: RUSSELL MULCAHY / SCREENPLAY: WALTER B. GIBSON, DAVID KOEPP / STARRING: ALEC BALDWIN, JOHN LONE, PENELOPE ANN MILLER / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW (AUS)
Many will know The Shadow as one of the original “pulp fiction” characters of the 1930s. In 1994, an adaptation of The Shadow was released, starring Alec Baldwin, Penelope Ann Miller, Ian McKellen and Tim Curry. It was neither critically nor commercially successful but, over the last twenty-five years, it has achieved cult status amongst fans and has now been released on Blu-ray.
The Shadow starts off in Tibet where opium trader Lamont Cranston (Baldwin) is reformed by the mysterious Tulku and given the ability to cloud, manipulate and read the minds of others. He returns to New York City to fight crime as The Shadow and to live the life of a millionaire playboy, which is initially almost uncovered by Margo Lane (Penelope Ann Miller) who, it transpires, has telepathic skills like Cranston. Meanwhile, Shiwan Kahn (John Lone), the last descendent of Genghis Kahn, secretly arrives in New York and begins his plot for world domination, kidnapping research scientist Dr. Reinhardt Lane (Ian McKellen) to begin development of what will become an “atomic bomb”…
If you’re expecting profound storytelling with the sort of thought-provoking dialogue and brooding angst that comes with modern comic book adaptations, The Shadow will not be for you. However, if you’re wanting pure cheesy escapism – a film that is incredibly entertaining with some (unintentional) tongue in cheek moments – then this is definitely for you. Alec Baldwin suits the dual role of The Shadow (hence why rumours of him being offered Batman at the time were abound) and the supporting cast is excellent, with Ian McKellan as the humble victim scientist and Tim Curry playing the villainous stooge Farley Claymore with completely lunacy (the best scene of the entire film sees Farley unloading a machine gun into thin air as he is stalked by The Shadow). John Lone and Penelope Ann Miller also do a good job in what are very one-dimensional roles.
Overall, The Shadow is enormous fun, if you’re prepared to just let go.
