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Oh, the comic book.

Thursday Jan 27, 2005.     By Joel Wicklund

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With such stellar examples as "Spider-Man 2" and "X2: X-Men United" and the promising "Batman Begins" arriving this summer, the comic book movie may have reached its pinnacle of both popularity and creative success. Even considering the worst recent examples (the very thought of those last two Batman films is enough to make one cringe), it's fair to say comic book adaptations are one area of filmmaking where "they don't make 'em like they used to" doesn't apply.

With more sophisticated scripts, top production values and A-list casts, today's comic book movies have decided advantages over the years when the film industry treated them exclusively as kiddie fare, worthy of only low budgets and crank-'em-out shooting schedules.

That's not to say comics adaptations of the past aren't worth watching. The best of them still offer plenty of entertainment value and even more charm. Like the comic books and newspaper strips they are based on, a sense of innocent fun permeates these films and graces them with an enduring nostalgic appeal.

There was little thought of reaching an adult audience when the early comic book films were made, so most offerings were serials that played with matinee features aimed at the younger set. Usually presented in 12 to15 "chapters" of 15 minutes or so, these beloved cliffhangers kept kids coming to the theater on a weekly basis in the pre-television era. "The Adventures of Captain Marvel" (1941) is an action-packed example of the form with veteran western star Tom Tyler (who would also play The Phantom in a serial) as the character whose comics outsold Superman for years, until Superman's publishers shut him down in a lawsuit citing the similarities between the two flying figures.

The opening half-hour chapter (nearly twice as long as subsequent installments) is the highlight of the series, boasting a great set-up as we join an archeological expedition exploring a hidden, forbidden tomb in Siam. Never mind the largely American cast unconvincingly standing in for the locals; just indulge in those wonderful, ahistorical tomb sets, like something out of the dream of a 10-year-old who just saw one of Universal's "Mummy" films.

Chapter One sets in motion a popcorn-munching plot involving an ancient curse, a mysterious hooded villain called the Scorpion, and a powerful contraption in the shape of the same venomous creature that can turn rocks into gold and make men disappear with one mighty blast. During the expedition, intrepid young radio reporter Billy Batson unleashes the spirit of Shazam (wisdom of Solomon, strength of Hercules, stamina of Atlas, power of Zeus, courage of Achilles, and speed of Mercury) and is granted those powers in the guise of Captain Marvel.

The best way to enjoy this or any other serial is to watch it as intended: a chapter or two at a time. Too many segments taken in one sitting make the cliffhanger endings to each chapter seem redundant (especially as they are repeated at the start of the following episode) and expose the thinness of the narrative as a whole. But in small bites, "The Adventures of Captain Marvel" is a real kick, directed with such energy by John English and William Witney (whom aficionados consider among the top serial makers of all time) that even the lowest of the low-tech moments (a dummy makes an all-too-obvious stunt double for some of Captain Marvel's flying sequences) just add to the fun. Artisan's DVD release comes from a decent print of the film and includes a theatrical trailer.

Adults of the '30s and '40s may not have read many comic books, but they sure read the funnies, making the hugely popular "Dick Tracy" strip a natural for the movies, appealing to kids and grown-ups alike. Chester Gould's square-jawed detective first came to the screen in four serials that were so popular he was bumped up to feature film status. Purists will tell you the features don't do justice to Gould's colorful creations, but don't let that discourage you from checking out "Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome" (1947), the last and best of the original Tracy films.

Warren Beatty's underrated 1990 "Dick Tracy" adaptation may have the best production design money can buy, but this far more modest programmer has something Beatty simply could not beat: Boris Karloff. The great horror star is a joy as the ruthless thug Gruesome, whose sinister grin adds layers of menace to the proceedings.

The plot concerns Gruesome's use of an experimental chemical that freezes people temporarily, allowing for relatively risk-free robberies. But Tess Trueheart witnesses his first heist and alerts her boyfriend Dick Tracy (Ralph Byrd) to the scheme. The film features some atmospheric, film noir-styled lighting, brisk direction from John Rawlins, and some memorably corny character names in the Gould tradition (including Dr. A. Tomic and his assistant I.M. Learned). Byrd is strictly blandsville as Tracy, but with Karloff in top form and a solid supporting cast, this isn't a fatal flaw.

Having seemingly fallen into the public domain, "Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome" is available from a variety of bargain-budget distributors. There may be better versions on the market, but the no-frills Alpha Video release viewed for this column has an acceptable print quality and can be purchased nearly as cheaply as rented. Films featured in DVDetours™ may be difficult to find at many video stores but are widely available from some of the online rental services, such as Netflix, Green Cine, QwikFliks and Blockbuster Online. Inventories vary from company to company and DVDetours has no connection to any of these services.

© 2005