Superman

Rating:
Summary: Okay for the price but could have been better.
Review: When I saw this DVD offered I was hoping that this would be the definative and final version of the Superman cartoons available. I had bought the episodes several times on tape but was never satisfied with the video and audio. I was hoping that the DVD would be in widescreen as well.

What I found on the DVD was a beautiful "scan and panned" picture and so so sound. I was very disapointed in the lack of the full screen image which is apparent during the initial credits of each cartoon.

As for the sound, it is better than the unrestored tape versions but the sound level has a very uneven quality about it. The explosions sound more realistic than the rest of the soundtrack and as such, are very distracting. It reminds me of the old analog laserdisks with their inherent volume level problems.

The preview material on this DVD is only mildly amusing and so badly edited, it is difficult to watch. Why it is included on this DVD is a mystery to me (other than to tell you it is available).

I really wish the restoration team would have recorded audio to go with the visuals on the 5 minute "restoration demo" part of the disc. This would have made an otherwise mildly interesting disc into a work of historical significance.

At this discounted price, it is an okay buy but only if that is the only way you can find the episodes. The restored video is very good but the "enhanced" AC3 audio is barely worth the effort and very distracting. The extra material is mildly amusing at best.

Rating:
Summary: Finally, all of the Fleischer Studio's SUPERMAN on one disk!
Review: Fans of the Man of Steel will not be disappointed with this DVD. All seventeen Superman shorts from the 1940s are compiled together in the order they were released. Watching these animated shorts, one realizes exactly where BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES was influenced. The final eight shorts are basically World War Two propaganda. The Japanese and Germans are stereotyped as Superman saves the Allied Forces. It should be noted that Fleischer Studios did not produce the WWII storylines. This disk is a bargain-- why buy two seperate disks when you can have all on one DVD.

Rating:
Summary: My 3 and half year old is now crazy about Superman.
Review: My son can watch it over and over. It's strenght is in episodes, so you can watch it for 10 minutes or for an hour. With short attention span of toddlers this is a big plus. One of our favorites.

Rating:
Summary: Best dolby digital sound I ever heard in a classic cartoon
Review: The dolby digital sound's are incredible. they seem to come from all over the room. The bass is thundering. The color is bright and sharp, which is amazing for a restoration of a pre WWII cartoon series. "Geeper's Mr. Kent" these look like the best version of these cartoons I've ever seen.

Rating:
Summary: Great animation. Remastered audio overdone
Review: This is the most beautiful example of Superman animate, and is worth the price for the stunning visuals. The problem is with the remastered soundtrack and audio effects. Instead of bringing depth and realism to the audio. The remastering has amplified the tinny quality of recorded music of this era. The audio is distracting at best, annoying at worst.

Rating:
Summary: A good restoration of some great cartoons
Review: Having owned this on VHS, I can say that the restoration of both sound and color (the color was so dark that I had to change the contrast on my TV to watch it) made this DVD worthwile. These cartoons are great, and if you are a cartoon fan, then you should own this DVD.

Rating:
Summary: Went to far with remastered audio
Review: This is a collection of great cartoons. When Disney was having trouble animating the human form, Fleischer Studios used Superman to make masterful cartoons with anitomical motion that flows as well as anything computer generated today. The problem with the collection is with the re-mastered audio. The effects are amplified to the point that they're annoying. The music retains the "tinny" quality that recorded music of the period has. But, instead of given a more rounded sound, the music has been made sharper. The strings almost screeching. Lastly. I think some political correctness has reared it's ugly head. I believe that some dialogue has been changed. In the first cartoon, Clark says to Perry White "Isn't that a dangerous assignment?" (or something to that effect) speaking of Lois. I believe that the line should be "Isn't that a dangerous assignment for a girl?". I could be wrong, but the line has bothered me sence I first viewed the tape.

Rating:
Summary: A great find for Superman fans, and a steal at $14.00!
Review: The animation in Fleischer's Superman cartoons is fabulous, made more amazing by the fact that these were produced in the 1940's! This is a must have for any Superman fan, and a great collection for any cartoon fan. The realism achieved in this animation is amazing. I've seen other episodes aired on the Cartoon Network recently, and hope to see another collection of Fleischer's Superman cartoons before long. The fact that this DVD is DVD ROM compatible simply seals the deal for me. END

Rating:
Summary: A dvd with some of the greatest animation ever
Review: If you are a comics or Superman fan, you need to buy this dvd which present the first version of the all-american hero. Although is not a perfect remastering of the series, it has a good price price and boast this great cartoons which deserve to be in your dvd collection. END

Rating:
Summary: Classic 1940's Superman soars in Max Fleischer's Superman!
Review: The Fleischer Studio, ran by Max Fleischer, along with his brother Dave, were responsible for the classic 1930's cartoons of Betty Boop and Popeye, among others. In 1940 Paramount, already a backer of the Fleischer Studio, contracted with the Fleischer's to animate the adventures of the rising comic book star, Superman. The cartoons cost over $100,000 a piece, making them one of the most expensive cartoons of all time. The familiar characters of the Daily Planet, Lois Lane, Clark Kent and Perry White were based upon the Joel Shuster artwork. Joel Shuster, along with Jerry Siegel, were Superman's creators. Superman/Clark Kent used the voice talents of Clayton "Bud" Collyer, the voice of the radio Superman series. Seventeen cartoons were produced up till 1942. These are the first nine. Sit back, watch and enjoy! END