How 90s cinema was dominated by pulp heroes: Looking back, there are moments in time where you wonder what people were thinking. Whether it be Romans brushing their teeth with rat brains or children working in factories, hindsight can make past decisions look insane. This aspect, however, is not preserved only for basic history. The film industry as well suffers from bizarre decisions which, in hindsight, did not seem to make sense. Many of these decisions often involved studios trying to create blockbuster franchises. Often these attempts blow up in their face. From cinematic universes in the 2010s, to every failed attempt at star wars in the early 80s, Hollywood has a thing for failing new franchises.
My favorite attempt was during the early 90s, when Hollywood decided that the next big franchise would come from adaptations of… pulp heroes, and discontinued comics from the 1930s? Yes, there was a time when Hollywood thought that old, obscure properties could be the next box office smash. These adaptations were also not small projects either. With big budgets, actors, and merchandise opportunities, Hollywood was betting huge on these films. This was despite their source material being so obscure to the audiences of that time. Why would they do such a thing? Well sit back, and get comfy. Let me explain how Hollywood decided to bet big on pulp magazine heroes from an era where betting big was not possible.
Batman Arrives, and Hollywood Responds
So, how did pulp heroes dominate 90s cinema? Well, it all started with Batman. As I write this, The Batman Part 2 is still in development. If it manages to release, it will become the 12th standalone Batman film released in theaters. That’s a lot of Batman. Especially since most of those films came out over the past 30 years. Due to this, it’s hard to believe that there was a time when Batman had a non-existent movie presence. Or much of any media for that matter. By the late 80s, Batman was not in any other media besides comics, with the other media he featured in ending years ago.
Batman had only appeared in one film before 1989, and it was based off the campy 60s series. Some fans hated it for not being true to Batman’s dark nature (which was true of the late 80s). Well, they would not have to wait long for a more “comic-accurate” film. In 1989, Tim Burton delivered the first true adaptation of Batman and his dark and gritty comics. It was a hit. Not only with fans, but with everyone, including children. It was the second highest grossing film of 1989, only losing to The Last Crusade. It also made even more money off merchandise. Of course, with huge successes, studios were bound to take notes and try to replicate such on their own.
Now, if most people saw the success of a film like Batman, chances are they would try to adapt a similar superhero. However, studios decided not to go with superheroes in an attempt to replicate Batman’s success. This was a bizarre decision, as superheroes were already popular thanks to the comic boom of the late 80s. They also had a young base ready to gobble up merchandise. In fact, they would get more popular in the upcoming years, with cartoons and merchandise alongside massive comic sales. So why were superheroes not adapted into feature films when Batman, and Superman earlier, were great successes? My guess is that studios might have gotten cold feet due to the Superman franchise’s drop in quality and revenue. Supergirl also didn’t light the world on fire as well.
On top of that, Marvel’s movie rights were being occupied with projects that would rot in development hell for years. Superhero films were also not cheap if you wanted to be accurate. Finally, special effects also weren’t at a good enough level to portray superpowers well. Due to all these factors, studios might have been nervous to dedicate themselves to adapting works that might be too risky to make back money. However, with studios wanting to still capitalize on Batman, they decided that instead of adapting superheroes in general, that they would just adapt characters like Batman. I believe that this is the moment where the pulps start to enter the picture. However, this is not the only time pulp stories have been involved in Hollywood.
The Origin of Pulp Heroes
The early 20th century saw the rise of a new type of storytelling in American literature. Short stories of fantastical adventures compiled into cheap magazines. It arose after World War 1 and took America by storm. Named after the recently invented materials that they were printed on, pulp magazines reflected this newness in the groundbreaking stories that the published. Pulps published a variety of works from romance to horror, and many of those works would shape pop culture to this day. Detective comics went from aristocratic murders in the European countryside, to gritty adventures into the seedy heart of the American city. Fantasy became gritty and action packed. Meanwhile Sci-Fi saw some of its most foundational work during this era. Horror even got a major shift with Lovecraft questioning reality itself. However, the most relevant works for our matter is the emergence of pulp heroes.
Characters like Zorro, The Shadow, and Solomon Kane all emerged during pulp’s heyday. They would also go on to influence many writers for years to come. In fact, a Zorro movie inspired Batman, and the caped crusader shares many parallels with the Shadow. Indeed many of these heroes had similar traits to modern superheroes. This included alter egos, secret lairs, extraordinary abilities, and a rouges gallery of villains such as with the Shadow. Similar heroes also appeared in the emerging artform of comic books. That is how the Phantom and Dick Tracy got their start. It was a golden age of pulp adventures, but it was not to last for long. By the late 1940s, pulp magazines, facing increased competition from other publications, began to shut down.
A couple decades later and pulps become relegated to reprints and a handful of comic series. While some comic series were successful, it did not do much to drive interest into pulp at the same levels as years previous. However, in 1977, the very pulp inspired Star Wars was released. Its impact would open the door for more fantastical, special effects heavy movies to come out from Hollywood. Many works benefited, including pulps. Such even saw an uptick of interest from their similarities to Star Wars and Indiana Jones. Different pulp adaptations were in production during the 80s, with some releases like with Conan and Flash Gordan. Yet many also ended up in development hell by decades end. With high concept fantasy films also being unpopular by the late 80s, these films were ready for cancellation.
Uncovering these Pulp Films
Then Batman hit, and suddenly they had another chance in the sunlight. As studios tried to capitalize on its success, these pulp movies transformed into money making vehicles. Toy and video games based off these films, cartoons for the Shadow, and even a Madonna album for Dick Tracy. Yet despite all the hype, none of these films seemed to live up to the lofty goals of making as much as Batman. Most of them never even got a sequel. What gives? Well to answer that, I decided to watch these movies to see if there is something wrong with them in the first place:
Dick Tracy: Dick Tracy is a beautiful looking movie. It is gorgeous with its set design, beautiful background paintings, and stylish cinematography. That is the only notable thing it has going for it. Other than that, the film is pretty basic in its story and performances. With the exception of Al Pacino, of course. Dick is played pretty straight by Betty, but does have depth with an interesting love life. The rest of the cast is pretty straightforward as well. The plot is also nothing spectacular. It is a simple gangster flick made for children. Although some of the direction choices with scenes are pretty interesting, plot wise, it is nothing to take note of. It is fun though and does a good job adapting the source if you care. In conclusion, I would recommend it wholeheartedly if you are curious:
The Shadow: The most famous character out of the main characters on this movie list. The Shadow was once one of the most popular characters in America. Dominating pulp magazines, radio, and movie serials, the Shadow was a big deal. It’s funny though that since then he’s disappeared from the mainstream for so long that most now don’t care about him. Especially since quite a few elements from his character may have created his modern equal: Batman. So it is no surprise then that this movie takes a lot of ques from the Batman’s latest film releases. Its Gothic atmosphere, art deco skyscrapers, and the Shadow’s mysterious personality is all reminiscent of Batman years earlier. Don’t be fooled into thinking it is a carbon copy however.
The Shadow, unlike Batman, has more mystical powers, such as mind manipulation and invisibility. The villains are also mystical. Such as the son of Genghis khan, who tries to take over the world by brainwashing a scientist to create a nuke. As one can tell, it is also very pulpy, and the film plays the source material straight with little in the way. This is great if your a Shadow fan. At times though, with its pulpiness, it loses a lot of the character intrigue.
Instead, it devolves into action with little time to develop characters or make them interesting. There is some interest in the Shadow being a more malicious character than anticipated. This aspect is never dealt with much by the plot or the cast. The cast is pretty straightforward in this movie, and there is no single performance that stands out or gives depth. Similarly, the Shadow movie is also shallow with little interest in character. It would rather focus on its pulpiness. If you want more depth with your films this is not it, but if you want fun, go right ahead and watch it:
The Rocketeer: The best and most fondly remembered of the bunch. The Rocketeer, despite coming from a comic published in the 80s, embodies the spirit of pulp. However, in much of its first half, it does not come off as pulpy but more so reminiscent of a Spielberg movie. A pilot in the late 1930s finds a jetpack, and shenanigans in his life ensue. From trying to mend relations with his actress girlfriend, to trying to win crowds at an air show, the focus remains on him and his jetpack. By the second half it’s all pulp. It features an actor turned Nazi spy, ugly henchmen right out of Dick Tracy, and a plot to steal the pack for the Third Reich. However, all of this work, with the first half setting up the characters and setting while the second slams on the gas and brings the heroism into full effect.
You also get to know the characters early on for better investment in the story. That is something that the other films on this list could have strived to do. This is helped by the great, earnest (if not a bit cheesy) acting by all the cast. Even Jennifer Connelly puts on a decent performance. This is surprising since usually you can replace her with Kermit the frog in a dress and the film would be 10 times better. The direction is also stellar, with Joe Johnston making you fall in love with 1930s LA. This is despite the rest of America looking like Guyana at the time. Overall, it is a stellar movie with a great cast and is a high recommend by me. If you’re going to watch any movie from this list, let it be this one. Here’s a way you can own it:
Conclusion
Looking at these movies, I know why audiences in the 90s might not have cared for them. They were all based on pre-existing properties that were either irrelevant or obscure. Compare that to Batman, who was having a renaissance in the comics even before the movie came out. On top of that, these films over relied on their source material. They were straight adaptations instead of being their own thing. This may have been good for fans, but not so much for people who were unfamiliar with the properties. Such were most of the audience. Had these films tried better to cater to audiences of that day, while also catering to fans, these films could have done better.
Ultimately, this trend is an example of how Hollywood can often take the wrong lessons from a film’s success. Instead of trying to make films similar to Batman, but were relevant to the audiences of that day, they instead made straightforward adaptations of obscure properties. This kind of out-of-touch decision making has always plagued Hollywood. It continues to plague it even today with garbage like Captain America: New World Order coming out. In conclusion, if Hollywood wants to create a successful franchise, it needs to learn how to make people care for it. The Shadow and other films could have done well if Hollywood made people care for these characters. Such is how many big franchises end up where they are today. This is because they make people care, and in this day of constant distraction, you need people to care.
That is how 90s cinema became dominated by pulp heroes. Now enjoy these other great articles courtesy of Blu-ray Bros:
How Hollywood was Destroyed by Greed and Incompetence – BRB