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Atom Man vs. Superman
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Wikipedia article
{{Infobox film
| name = Atom Man vs. Superman
| image = Superman vs Atom Man.jpg
| caption = Promotional poster
| director = Spencer Gordon Bennet
| producer = Sam Katzman
| writer = David Mathews
George H. Plympton
Joseph F. Poland
| based_on =
| starring = Kirk Alyn
Lyle Talbot
Noel Neill
Tommy Bond
| music = Mischa Bakaleinikoff
| cinematography = Ira H. Morgan
| editing = Earl C. Turner
| color_process = Black and white
| distributor = Columbia Pictures
| released =
| runtime = 15 chapters (252 minutes)
| country =
| language = English
}}
'Atom Man vs. Superman' is a 1950 American film serial and the second Superman movie serial featuring Kirk Alyn, credited (as with the previous serial) only by his character name, Superman.
When Lex Luthor blackmails the city of Metropolis by threatening to destroy the entire community, Perry White, editor of the 'Daily Planet' assigns Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen and Clark Kent to cover the story. The first chapter was released in July 1950.
Plot
Lex Luthor, the Atom Man, invents a number of deadly devices to plague the city, including a disintegrating machine which can reduce people to their basic atoms and reassemble them in another place. But Superman manages to thwart each scheme. Since Kryptonite can rob Superman of his powers, Luthor decides to create a synthetic Kryptonite and putters about obtaining the necessary ingredients: plutonium, radium and the undefined 'etc.' Luthor places the Kryptonite at the launching of a ship, with Superman in attendance. He is exposed to the Kryptonite and passes out. Superman is taken off in an ambulance driven by Luthor's henchmen, and he is now under the control of Luthor. Superman is placed in a device, a lever is pulled, and the Man of Steel vanishes into "The Empty Doom".
Cast
* Kirk Alyn as Kal-El / Clark Kent / Superman
* Noel Neill as Lois Lane
* Lyle Talbot as Lex Luthor / Atom Man
* Tommy Bond as Jimmy Olsen
* Pierre Watkin as Perry White
* Jack Ingram as Foster
* Don C. Harvey as Albor
* Rusty Wescoatt as Carl
* Terry Frost as Baer
* Wally West as Dorr
* Paul Stader as "Killer" Lawson
* George Robotham as Earl
Production
Lyle Talbot, who had previously starred as Commissioner Jim Gordon in the 1949 Columbia Serial 'Batman and Robin', here portrays Lex Luthor (and also Luthor's alter-ego "Atom Man"). In his "Atom Man" disguise, Talbot as Luthor, utilizes a vaguely German accent and wears an ominous mask fashioned from a "Metallogen Man" robot costume left over from 1945's 'The Monster and the Ape'. Despite their onscreen personas, Talbot (Lex Luthor), who wore a rubber scalp to create the impression of baldness, and Alyn (Superman) spent much of their time, when not shooting, exchanging recipes; both actors shared an interest in cookery.
Special effects
The final set piece shows Metropolis under attack by "poorly animated" flying saucers and a torpedo.The flying effects were somewhat improved in this film than in the original, by the simple expedient of turning the camera on its side. Kirk Alyn stood with arms raised in front of a cyclorama, while a wind machine and smoke pot were placed above him (out of frame). This gave an inexpensive illusion of flight.
Longer shots continued to use cartoon animation of the Man of Steel.
Critical appraisal
In their book 'The Great Movie Serials', Jim Harman and Donald F. Glut describe the serial as "far more gimmicky and gadget prone" than the first Superman serial. In addition to this, they also found it to be "flawed by the same Katzman cheapness."
Home media
In 2006, the 'Atom Man vs. Superman' serial was still available for purchase on VHS videotape, where it was first released back in 1989 as a double tape box set. The serial was also offered available in two separate VHS tapes as Volume 1 (Chapters 1 - 7) and Volume 2 (Chapters 8 - 15). It was officially released on DVD by Warner Home Video, along with its predecessor, 1948's 'Superman', on November 28, 2006 as 'Superman - The Theatrical Serials Collection'.
With the previous 2006 DVD release out of print for a few years, on October 9, 2018 the serials were re-released as manufactured-on-demand (MOD) DVD from Warner Archive Collection.
Chapter titles
# 'Superman Flies Again'
# 'Atom Man Appears'
# 'Ablaze In The Sky'
# 'Superman Meets Atom Man'
# 'Atom Man Tricks Superman'
# 'Atom Man's Challenge'
# 'At The Mercy Of Atom Man'
# 'Into The Empty Doom'
# 'Superman Crashes Through'
# 'Atom Man's Heat Ray'
# 'Luthor's Strategy'
# 'Atom Man Strikes'
# 'Atom Man's Flying Saucers'
# 'Rocket Of Vengeance'
# 'Superman Saves The Universe'
See also
* List of film serials by year
* List of film serials by studio
References
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