The Shadow Strikes! (The Shadow 1994) by BionicBob
The 1994 pulp flick receives an overhaul, courtesy Fanedit.
Silliness and bad jokes are excised, and the look is rendered black and white.
Instead of a lame imitation, the film is now dark homage to 30s action films.
The movie remains marred by poor script and bad direction, but Alec Baldwin is great, flashing more charisma than Zane (The Phantom), Campbell (The Rocketeer), and Beatty (Dick Tracy), as studios tried to cash in on nostalgia during the mid 90s.
Baldwin and Penelope Miller also sparked undeniable chemistry, perhaps not romantic, but they definitely worked as a couple.
Unfortunately, the original movie was undermined by poor writing and sloppy direction. The Shadow seemed aimed at eight year olds, circa 1950s. The narrative was gauzed in fuzzy, misplaced nostalgia. No one bought in, not adults, not teens, not children.
Bionic Bob has done a remarkable job, raising the enjoyment level. The black and white sheen is perfect, not only with the foggy Manhattan set design, but with attire. Gowns and tuxedos resemble Nick & Nora Charles’ wardrobe. Plus, the retro gizmos look pretty cool.
The sound mix is a dynamic, often aggressive, two channel LPCM. Too loud during action sequences, too quiet with dialogue. I ended up using headphones. I hate suggesting this, especially as a music geek, but I think normalized audio might have worked here.
The black and white seems inconsistent. Pristine sharp in some scenes, soft focus in others, and scratchy and dirty in others. I didn’t mind, but every time a scratch appeared I noticed.
Aside from those quibbles, BB’s The Shadow Strikes! is a classy improvement, easily recommended.