Adventures of Captain Marvel (1941)
Created the year after Superman by C.C. Beck and Bill Parker, Captain Marvel is the alter ego of newspaper boy Billy Batson, who gains the powers of Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles and Mercury when he says “Shazam!” He was created when Fawcett Comics’ circulation director Roscoe Kent Fawcett said, “Give me a Superman, only […]
KINO LORBER BLU RAY RELEASE: Back Street (1941)
Adapted from the 1931 Fannie Hurst novel and the 1932 film version — which it follows nearly scene-for-scene — this sympathetic tale of an adulterous couple was pretty unique for 1941, as you wouldn’t think this type of behavior would play well then. It was also remade in 1961 with Susan Hayward and John Gavin […]
Spooks Run Wild (1941)
Phil Rosen made a ton of movies — six entries in the Charlie Chan series alone — but this is his only East Side Kids movie, made for Sam Katzman and Banner Pictures. There had been six films in the series since 1940 — yes, a year — and the movies before this balance comedy and […]
The Blood of Jesus (1941)
Before drive-in exploitation filmmaker Ron Ormond found faith and made a series of films with Southern Baptist pastor Estus Pirkle (The Burning Hell), there was this early “Christploitation” classic, a low-budget concern with an all-Black cast (and crew) regarding a newly baptized, Baptist-believing woman accidentally shot by her atheist husband. Upon her death, she’s greeted […]
The Ghost Train (1941)
Okay, so I’ve absconded with this end of the month throwaway week for some celluloid odd n’ sods and turned into an unofficial “Good Life TV Network” week. Yep, it’s more “good life” memories of watching old movies with good ‘ol pop. This, like The Rogues’ Tavern we previously reviewed this week, is another dark […]
The Wolf Man (1941)
As you watch this movie, understand the pains that Lon Chaney Jr. had to go through for your entertainment. While the stories got exaggerated over the years, even a portion of their truth is a testament to the actor’s herculean patience. Although the effects improved with each movie, this makeup — which was originally developed […]
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