Warner Bros. Discovery has remastered Max Fleischer’s treasured set of 17 animated Superman shorts from the original 35mm source elements for release on Blu-ray Disc and Digital HD starting May 16, 2023.
The animated short films are presented in 1080p resolution at 1.37:1 aspect ratio. Audio is provided in DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 with subtitles in English and French. The total run time of the edition is 145 minutes.
Max Fleischer’s Superman (1941–1943) on Blu-ray Disc has a list price of $33.99. Buy on Amazon
RESTORATION
Warner Bros. Discovery’s advanced remastering process began with a 4K, 16-bit scan of Fleischer’s original 35mm successive exposure negative. Staying true to the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.37-to-1, the highest quality raw image was then scanned and then entered into the recombine process – utilizing special proprietary software to merge the successive exposure Technicolor negatives into a single RGB color image. The end result are pristine animated shorts that have been restored to the animators’ originally intended production quality.
DESCRIPTION
Superman made his comic book debut in 1938, appearing in Action Comics #1 (dated June 1938, but officially published on April 18, 1938), and the Man of Steel’s popularity grew with his subsequent radio program. Max Fleischer gave the world’s first Super Hero his initial animated spotlight, producing 17 theatrical animated shorts from September 1941 to July 1943 that further elevated the character’s profile, and added many significant aspects to his canon – including coining many of Superman’s patented catchphrases and attributes.
EPISODES (AND PREMIERE DATE):
- Superman (Mad Scientist) – 9/26/1941
- The Mechanical Monsters – 11/28/1941
- Billion Dollar Limited – 1/9/1942
- Arctic Giant – 2/27/1942
- The Bulleteers – 3/27/1942
- The Magnetic Telescope – 4/24/1942
- Electric Earthquake – 5/15/1942
- Volcano – 7/10/1942
- Terror on the Midway – 8/28/1942
- The Japoteurs – 9/18/1942
- Showdown – 10/16/1942
- The Eleventh Hour – 11/20/1942
- Destruction, Inc. – 12/25/1942
- The Mummy Strikes – 2/19/1943
- Jungle Drums – 3/26/1943
- Underground World – 6/18/1943
- Secret Agent – 7/30/1943
SPECIAL FEATURES INCLUDE:
New Featurette – Superman: Speeding Toward Tomorrow – Superman’s exploits in the Fleischer series modernized the monomyth of the Greek godlike hero and expanded and romanticized the prevalent themes of sci-fi and fantasy. It was this combination of heartfelt storytelling, relatable heroes and amazing visuals that has endeared the Fleischer series to fans as one of the greatest superhero stories of all time. This featurette explores the visual storytelling as the lavish animation, with special attention paid to all the atomic age technology, pushes science fiction closer to becoming a powerful social and pop culture force.
Featurette – First Flight: The Fleischer Superman Series – The Origins and Influence of This Groundbreaking Cartoon Series – A gathering of contemporary animators, comic book & animation historians, and legendary Fleischer artists examine these beloved shorts, focusing on the animation and the breakthrough techniques that created it, as well as studying the title character’s place in history.
Featurette – The Man, the Myth, Superman: Exploring the Tradition of Superman Heroes on the Page and Screen – A fascinating study of Superman-esque characters throughout history – in ancient myth, literature and film – that bring forth imaginative, super-human qualities, captivating audiences and enduring the test of time.
