The Shadow (1994)

Director:

Russell Mulcahy

Writers (WGA):

Walter B. Gibson (character The Shadow from stories)
David Koepp (written by)

Release Date:

1 July 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Fantasy | Horror | Mystery

Tagline:

The Shadow Knows!

Plot:

In 30's New York City, the Shadow battles his nemesis, Shiwan Khan, who is building an atomic bomb.

Plot Keywords:

City | Bomb | The Shadow | New York City | 1930s

Awards:

4 nominations

Cast

Alec Baldwin	...	Lamont Cranston / The Shadow
John Lone	...	Shiwan Khan
Penelope Ann Miller	...	Margo Lane
Peter Boyle	...	Moe Shrevnitz
Ian McKellen	...	Dr. Reinhardt Lane
Tim Curry	...	Farley Claymore
Jonathan Winters	...	Wainwright Barth
Sab Shimono	...	Dr. Tam
Andre Gregory	...	Burbank
Brady Tsurutani	...	Tulku
James Hong	...	Li Peng
Arsenio 'Sonny' Trinidad	...	Wu
Joseph Maher	...	Isaac Newboldt
John Kapelos	...	Duke Rollins
Max Wright	...	Berger

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for fantasy action violence.

Runtime:

108 min | Canada:93 min (edited version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS-Stereo | DTS

Certification:

Australia:M (TV rating) | Australia:PG | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Iceland:14 (original rating) | Iceland:16 (video rating) | South Korea:15 | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-14 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:12 | USA:PG-13 | Germany:12 (video rating) | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California, USA

Company:

Bregman/Baer Productions

Trivia:

When Shiwan Khan and Lamont Cranston first meet, their dialog about where Cranston purchased his tie is a spoof on product placement during the radio airing of The Shadow.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the investigation of the murder at the museum, a policeman working for The Shadow alternately wears his "Shadow" ring on his right/left hand as he leaves to send a message to The Shadow (the establishing shot shows it to be worn on his right hand).

Quotes:

The Shadow: I'll be there... around every corner... in every empty room... as inevitable as your guilty conscience...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Todd McFarlane: Chapter & Verse (1998) (V)

Soundtrack:

BART'S BOUNCE

A misunderstood gem

This movie got poor-to-middling reviews when it was released in 1994 but I still hold out hope that it eventually gets its proper respect in TV and Cable reruns, because it's a terrificly entertaining film. Maybe it just takes a certain frame of mind or background to enjoy this movie, but I absolutely love it and frequently go back to it when I want to see how a dark, edgy, and FUN movie is done right.

Alec Baldwin is excellent as Lamont Cranston/The Shadow. Baldwin has never achieved the commercial sucess many predicted for him and this movie perhaps shows why; Baldwin doesn't play a straight protagonist. The movie begins with Cranston as a hedonistic warlord in China and then jumps to his reformed Shadow persona is 1930's New York, and it is Baldwin's performance, which teeters between serious and funny, nice and cruel, that bridges the gap.

Russell Mulcahy and crew did an excellent job creating a 1930's-noir feel to the picture. One of my friends complained that the movie sets were "too obviously fake", I think he missed the point. They re-created the feel of a 1930's movie set, not the 1930's itself!

The movie is a bit campy at times but thankfully maintains the dark edge of the Shadow character, who has no qualms about killing or maiming his opponents (hey, this guy was a bloodthirsty killer in his previous life, you think he's going to forget how to use that power when he changes sides?). John Lone does a nice job as the Shadow's opposite number, Shiwan Khan. The supporting cast is excellent as well (Jonathon Winters, Ian McKellan, Tim Curry) with perhaps the exception of Penelope Ann Miller, whose character and performance were rather annoying, but I can live with it.

Overall I give this movie a BIG thumbs up and recommend it to anyone that enjoys fun movies. I've gotten a mixed reaction from friends I've recommended it to but I think this is the kind of movie where if you like it all, you'll love it.