You won't be disappointed!

Most undeservingly overhyped movie of all time??

It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

I have been watching the original Superman series, Season 1-4, and although it was on TV 10 years before I was born, I do have vague memories of watching it as a kid in the 60's. I really need to put into the context that it was made in, 1950's TV. Looking at it now, it is really quite funny. You can see Superman in certain episodes jumping onto the springboard, the gangsters are stereo typed as 1930's gangsters, even the episode The Last Warrior, there is the line "how" for when Jimmy meets an Indian, and the Indian Chief has gone to the "happy hunting ground". But taking it all into consideration the series it self is enjoyable to watch. Clark Kent occasionally smiling straight at the camera and saying lines to indicate that only him and the audience know he is Superman, almost like he is sharing his secret directly with you. If you a Superman fan, then it's worth taking a look at these episodes, they are more realistic than the way Batman was portrayed in the late 60's, and the villains are more in lined with the Golden Age of Comics.

So I'm on Amazon and i notice that there is now a DVD of the original Superman TV series that I loved as a kid. I went to the reviews, and they were resoundingly 5 Stars. And as i thought back, i remembered how much i loved George Reeves as Superman, and how much simpler things were back then. I thought about the changing room and him flying out of the Daily Planet. Then i remembered Jimmy Olsen, Lois Lane and Perry White. There was a quiet strength in George Reeves that to me has always been the 'real' Superman though i was a big fan of Christopher Reeve as well. And when i realized i had a credit balance at Amazon, i ordered it.Last night my wife and i watched the pilot episode ( Jor-El being laughed out of the science hearings, and as Krypton explodes prematurely, off goes Kal-El), and we both kept saying how we remembered each moment as if it was yesterday ( which of course, it was far from...haha). Superman is a great story as well as an exciting adventure. It was so well done considering it was over 60 years ago, and who would have thought back then how huge, i mean HUGE, the franchise would become as well as be culturally ground breaking in some ways like the Beatles. The Adventures of Superman changed everything about TV and ultimately, the movies.Watching Pa Kent open the rocket brought me back in time and i reveled in the innocence, and was still so very happy for the Kents to have the child they always wanted. Seeing him grow up and question why he was different, and then fast forwarding to his adult hood was just so much fun, and yes, we were little kids again watching the show. One of the things we noticed was how this version does not take itself so seriously, and how there was frequent comic relief, usually in the form of Jimmy Olsen, or the frustrations of Perry White.Of course we remembered the entire beginning, and as geeky as it is, we both recited the entire, "Look up in the air, it's a bird..." That episode was truly great, and the next one was a Jimmy Olsen one. As good as it was, there were times we were laughing at the campiness as well as how incredibly naive and well, stupid, Jimmy was. And that was part of the charm of the show. No crazy super-villains from other galaxies, just normal bad guys and criminals that our hero Superman would first solve the crime, and then find and put the bad guys away. Very simple, very entertaining, and we had such a nice evening that we are ready to watch it two more episodes tonight.Highly recommended to any fan of Superman who grew up in that time, or who didn't, as it is a whole new look at our number one Super Hero of all time. It also will give you a look at our society back then that no newspaper or book can show as well. George Reeves is Superman, and this DVD is well, yeah, Super!

Well now, Itis with great pride to be able to tell the world that it was over Channel 7, the ABC affiliate here in Chicago, that the ADVENTURES of SUPERMAN was first aired. Although it would be a lie to say that our household was viewing for what was unceremonious 'World Premier', we were viewers a short time thereafter.It must be understood that this was much more than just another filmed television series. It was a catalyst to a whole other imaginary world. It opened our imagination to this other level of noble heroes doing super feats for the greater good of mankind.There were 5 of us Ryan kids in our household and save for our older sister, the Late Joanne Ryan (1942-1990), none of us had any experience with Superman. Joanne had read some of the comic books (though never a regular reader) and was old enough to have followed the SUPERMAN Radio Progran over the Mutual Radio Network. The rest of us-one sister and three brothers-all got our original Super-contact with the television episodes.* And what a great relationship it was. Although we all knew we were watching a filmed, fictional story, just as we knew that HOWDY DOODY was make believe, puppetry & scenery, the Superman series provided something that was, and still is, much more.Using our ability to own copies of the whole series, we can view and compare episode to episode, even season to season. If we were to rely on our memories, we would probably come out with a sort of somewhat blurred montage of overlapping shows and plots, all equaling an overview of our imaginations.When viewed today in a relatively short span of time, we can readily see the differences between episodes of different seasons. We can say that one of the obvious changes to take place is the incidental music, or the musical ques that set the mood, underline the action. There is a steady evolution of themes, quite different from season to season.** There was seemingly a whole different set of themes for each succeeding year. But that would only constitute a most obvious and superficial set of differences.Most people will tell you that they prefer the first two seasons, this writer would concur, making the second season my personal favourite. But recently, my admittedly slow moving gray matter came up with this observation and hypothesis.Okay, we'll concede that seasons one and two are better made, have a lot more outdoor scenes and generally aimed at the whole family, and not just the juvenile trade. Season one in particular seems to be much more violent, with more killings, more sinister occurrences, and an almost Film Noir tone to much of the out put. Even Superman's behaviour is less restrained as he really throws punches, where in later episodes/seasons, a little tap would do.*** But one great difference, which we couldn't have noticed by hardly any body viewing the episodes in the one at a time, season after season. That is although seasons 1 & 2 are, generally better stories,made in a more overall family friendly, yet in such a manner as to invite viewing by all, not just the kiddies.The 3rd and successive seasons saw some cutbacks in budgetary matters and some of the stories,while no more or less fantastic, were filmed in less different sets and with less outdoor scenes. Even so, they have a certain friendly feeling to them. This is so because, in the opinion of this writer, of a collective build-up of strong feelings for the characters of the series.We boys all had recognized a deep seeded attraction for Lois (both of 'em!),just as the girls recognized Kent/Superman as a true gentleman, a latter day Sir Galahad. (more about Reeves later). We found that John Hamilton's characterization of Perry White as short tempered, blustery and so autocratic-whereas underneath it all, we knew Perry was a sweet tempered, old softie.I guess, in short what it all comes down to the following premise. Whereas the 1st and 2nd seasons were a little more expensive budgetary, the subsequent seasons portrayed more empathy to and from the audience, mainly because of the depth of characterizations, built over the whole life of the series.That certainly goes especially for Mr. Reeves, whose character was at once good, strong, decent, intelligent and kind to the nth degree. I guess that is why we all had that numb, hurt and empty feeling on that fateful day of June 16, 1959.* At this time we did have comic books in the house, but no super hero types. They were generally the likes of DENNIS THE MENACE, LITTLE LULU and like all good little Catholic School Kids, TREASURE CHEST (remember?)!** The music varied quite a bit from season to season. Of course other than the heroic opening/closing theme, the incidental music changed drastically over the years. This was subject of a detailed, well documented article in one of those comic journal type magazines several years ago.*** It seemed that there weren't too many restrictions put on the Man of Steel in the first season. He really threw some hard punches at so many of those thugs! There were quite a few brutal killings (not by Superman) In what would be a completely unacceptable and totally politically incorrect moves, in the episode THE MISSING COSTUME, Superman kidnaps Gangster (Dan Seymour) and his Moll (Veda Ann Borg), confining up at the top of a snowy mountain because they've discovered his identity as Clark Kent!

The Adventers of Superman of 1952 is the only real Superman show. I believe George Reeves as being the best Superman, I still think the entire cast was well in place.I have seen many of the other Superman movies and still I like The Adventers of Superman best because they did great work with what they had back then. No fancy computer graphics or hi tech tricks. Good old fashion acting and great plots from some great writers.Television had some great shows after that I know, The Adventers of Superman is ranked up there as far as I'm concerned. 50 years from now I bet kids will still be watching The Adventers of Superman like they did in the 50's.