7) The Shadow (1994)
The Shadow is a franchise that dates all the way back to the 1930s, having first appeared in serialized radio dramas before subsequently moving into pulp novels, magazines, comic books, films, television and more. Cited as a trailblazer for the American superhero boom – and a huge influence on Batman – The Shadow has been a permanent fixture in pop culture iconography since his inception.
There had been a host of screen adaptations of The Shadow throughout the years prior to Russell Mulcahy’s, and like the rest of them, it has since faded in the foggy terrains of distant memory for most. The film stars Alec Baldwin as the titular hero, who must protect the city from his nemesis Shiwan Khan, who’s building a bomb.
The Shadow received lukewarm critical response and tanked at the box office upon release – not to mention it was caught in the middle of major releases like The Lion King and The Mask. However, over the years it has become a cult favorite, and rightfully so – because it’s fantastic. During the 2000s Sam Raimi announced his intentions to adapt it once more, but since then he’s confirmed that the project isn’t going to happen anytime soon. Let’s hope that changes, because The Shadow is a cool character and 1930s New York is a pulp odyssey for fantastical storytelling.
