MovieChat Forums > The Shadow (1994) Discussion > A masterpiece of cinematography and prod...

A masterpiece of cinematography and production design... ruined by camp

posted 9 years ago by Treuburg
2 replies | jump to latest

This film is breathtaking to look at. The colours, the lighting, the sets... they're utterly stunning. How I wish it were in anamorphic!

Technically, the only aspect that's questionable is the editing. I'd love to see a different edit of all this beauty.

The acting from the leads is spot on (Baldwin was perfectly cast); the secondary characters, however, are a bit more hit and miss.

But what ruins it is just one thing: the excessive camp comedy. If they'd played the film at least as seriously as the 1989 Batman (which also had a bit of camp in it, but much, much less), let alone more seriously still, this could, no joke, have been a masterpiece.

I get how it is. You're on set, working with this material, and the actor has an urge to ad-lib a quip. And because you're working long hours for months and months, that kind of inside-baseball comedy seems hilarious. But it's also what prevents the film from being the classic that it should be.

Truly a visual masterpiece, but terribly marred by too much camp comedy. Pity.

[–] mattjoes 8 years ago

Sadly, camp seems to have fallen out of favor in recent years. I think it's just as valid as the more serious style of the recent Batman films, and no less entertaining. This film is terrific.

[–] psmithyyyyy 8 years ago

There is no "camp". its called having humor, something that is completely lost in many comic book films today, especially DC. camp definition is "intentionally making fun of itself/parodying itself with total irreverence with much humor aimed at itself". this is what the batman 60's show would be. the Shadow doesn't do that, it takes itself seriously and has a serious story. I hate how people love to throw these words around without knowing the actual meaning of them. if your simply not into that kind of tongue in cheek old fashioned style humor then that's all on you, but it is not campy and ultra silly. personally I found the humor very witty and fitting for the film, and makes it very enjoyable.

likewise, the following year had Batman Forever come out. that movie, for the most part, is not camp. it has HUMOR, a sense of fun about it, but its a mostly serious film. Batman and Robin, however, is TOTAL camp. that IS a fact.