Mystery Men (and Women)
by grendelkhan | created - 15 May 2013 | updated - 21 Oct 2013 | PublicThese are movies and tv shows featuring superheroes, masked mystery men/women, or costumed adventurers (and some supercriminals). I'm mostly sticking to costumed and superheroes, but reserve the right to throw in heroic figures like Tarzan and James Bond, who transcend the normal man. I've also throw in a few villains and some legendary heroes who greatly influenced masked heroes. I'm mostly skipping the direct to video films, as I have only seen a few.
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1. The Gentleman Burglar (1908)
Crime, Drama, Short
The Proposal: The gentleman burglar walking with his lady love. They admire the grandeur and beauty of nature. He proposes and she accepts. She does not suspect his occupation. Turning Over... See full summary »
Director: Edwin S. Porter | Star: William V. Ranous
First cinematic appearanceof Arsene Lupin, the gentleman thief. Lupin is a supercriminal and starred in a series of popular short stories, where he is an anti-hero, often pitted against nastier criminals, much like Britain's Raffles. He even faces off against Sherlock Holmes, sort of, until warned off by Conan Doyle's lawyers. There would be multiple Lupin films, a tv series, and it also insppired the manga Lupin III.
2. Fantômas: In the Shadow of the Guillotine (1913)
Not Rated | 54 min | Crime, Drama
Inspector Juve is tasked to investigate and capture an infamous criminal Fantomas.
Director: Louis Feuillade | Stars: René Navarre, Edmund Breon, Georges Melchior, Renée Carl
Votes: 2,483
Silent serial, featuring the French supercriminal. Fantomas was a sensation at the turn of the century, inspiring an American serial, a series of films in the 60s, and most of the supercriminals that followed, as much as Moriarty and Fu Manchu.
3. Les vampires (1915)
Not Rated | 421 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
An intrepid reporter and his loyal friend battle a bizarre secret society of criminals known as The Vampires.
Director: Louis Feuillade | Stars: Musidora, Édouard Mathé, Marcel Lévesque, Jean Aymé
Votes: 5,427
French silent serial, about a gang of supercriminals, led by the enigmatic Irma Vep. She appears in a leotard "bat" costume, which would influence many hero and villain costumes to come.
4. Judex (1916)
Not Rated | 300 min | Adventure, Crime
A twelve-part serial following the adventures of the masked vigilante Judex as he fights against criminals led by the corrupt banker Favrauxom.
Director: Louis Feuillade | Stars: René Cresté, Musidora, René Poyen, Édouard Mathé
Votes: 1,126
Brilliant silent French serial about a cloaked avenger, operating from a secret lair. Judex predates The Shadow and other cloaked pulp heroes, and the serial was later remade as a film, in the 60s. The plot is relatively the same.
5. Raffles, the Amateur Cracksman (1917)
70 min | Adventure, Crime, Romance
Gentleman burglar Raffles tries to get his hand on a priceless pearl.
Director: George Irving | Stars: John Barrymore, Christine Mayo, H. Cooper Cliffe, Frank Morgan
Votes: 187
Raffles was a little slower getting to the screen than his French counterpart, Lupin. he was also a gentleman thief, who is usually at odds with worse criminals, along with his aid, Bunny. The pair are a sort of criminal Holmes and Watso. Raffles was usually played by a suave actor, including John Barrymore, Ronald Coleman, David Niven, and Anthony Valentine (in a tv series).
6. Tarzan of the Apes (1918)
Not Rated | 73 min | Action, Adventure
Reared by a childless ape, the orphaned heir of the Greystokes becomes one of the apes. Then Dr Porter organises a rescue expedition, and his beautiful daughter Jane catches his attention. Has Tarzan of the Apes found the perfect mate?
Director: Scott Sidney | Stars: Elmo Lincoln, Enid Markey, True Boardman, Kathleen Kirkham
Votes: 928 | Gross: $3.27M
The first Tarzan film, featuring Elmo Lincoln. To me, Tarzan, as written, personifies a superhero, though within his jungle world. His abilities are greater than any Olympic athlete. I will not list every Tarzan film, but will try to highlight some of the notable ones.
7. The Mark of Zorro (1920)
Passed | 79 min | Adventure, Romance, Western
A seemingly idiotic fop is really the courageous vigilante Zorro, who seeks to protect the oppressed.
Director: Fred Niblo | Stars: Douglas Fairbanks, Marguerite De La Motte, Noah Beery, Charles Hill Mailes
Votes: 2,786
Douglas Fairbanks stars as the masked hero of Old California. The film did a lot to lighten the tone of Johnston McCulley's creation, which was a bit darker. As with Tarzan, I will list notable Zorro films, but not all.
8. Dr. Mabuse, the Gambler (1922)
Not Rated | 242 min | Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Arch-criminal Dr. Mabuse sets out to make a fortune and run Berlin. Detective Wenk sets out to stop him.
Director: Fritz Lang | Stars: Rudolf Klein-Rogge, Aud Egede-Nissen, Gertrude Welcker, Alfred Abel
Votes: 9,172
Introduction of the German supercriminal, from Fritz Lang. Norbert Jacques created the character in his novel, but Lang and Thea von Harbour made him something more. Another template of the super criminal. Lang would return to Mabuse in The Testament of Dr. Mabuse; and, in the 60s, The 1,000 Eyes of Dr. Mabuse. There was also a series of German films in the 60s, following Lang, but never at the same level.
9. Belphégor (1927)
255 min | Fantasy
A phantom appears in the Louvre museum in the middle of the night in search of something in the dark corridors.
Director: Henri Desfontaines | Stars: René Navarre, Elmire Vautier, Lucien Dalsace, Michèle Verly
Votes: 172
Early serial with Renee Navare, as a phantom who haunts the Louvre (wonder where that idea came from). In reality, it is a master thief who is stealing art treasures. Belphegor would later star in a French tv series.
10. Raffles (1930)
72 min | Adventure, Crime, Drama
A distinguished English gentleman has a secret life--he is the notorious jewel thief the press has dubbed "The Amateur Cracksman". When he meets a woman and falls in love he decides to "... See full summary »
Directors: George Fitzmaurice, Harry d'Abbadie d'Arrast | Stars: Ronald Colman, Kay Francis, David Torrence, Frederick Kerr
Votes: 1,121 | Gross: $1.00M
Ronald Coleman stars as the debonair thief, this time.
11. Dracula (1931)
Passed | 75 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
Transylvanian vampire Count Dracula bends a naive real estate agent to his will, then takes up residence at a London estate where he sleeps in his coffin by day and searches for potential victims by night.
Directors: Tod Browning, Karl Freund | Stars: Bela Lugosi, Helen Chandler, David Manners, Dwight Frye
Votes: 58,592
Bela Lugosi stars in this classic horror film. Dracula is another influence on the potrayal of supervillains, especially supernatural ones. He is oneof the early bad boys, giving the villain a romantic air. Of later Dracula films, the Hammer ones are the best.
12. Frankenstein (1931)
Passed | 70 min | Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi
Dr Henry Frankenstein is obsessed with assembling a living being from parts of several exhumed corpses.
Director: James Whale | Stars: Colin Clive, Mae Clarke, Boris Karloff, John Boles
Votes: 79,666
The seminal adaptation of Marry Shelly's novel. Boris Karloff plays the sympathetic monster. Frankenstein would influence many a monster in the comics, particularly the Hulk (which also threw in Jeckyll and Hyde), not to mention notions of mad scientists.
13. Tarzan the Ape Man (1932)
Passed | 100 min | Action, Adventure, Romance
A trader and his daughter set off in search of the fabled graveyard of the elephants in deepest Africa, only to encounter a wild man raised by apes.
Director: W.S. Van Dyke | Stars: Johnny Weissmuller, Neil Hamilton, C. Aubrey Smith, Maureen O'Sullivan
Votes: 8,213
Johnny Weismuller begins a long streak of Tarzan films, with Maureen O'Sullivan as Jane. These, along with the Hal Foster and Burne Hogarth comic strips, did more to make Tarzan a household name than even the books.
14. The Mask of Fu Manchu (1932)
G | 68 min | Adventure, Horror, Sci-Fi
Englishmen race to find the tomb of Genghis Khan before the sinister Fu Manchu does.
Directors: Charles Brabin, Charles Vidor | Stars: Boris Karloff, Lewis Stone, Karen Morley, Charles Starrett
Votes: 3,711 | Gross: $0.82M
Boris Karloff stars as the evil doctor, a proto-super criminal and embodiement of the "yellow peril." There was a serial, The Drums of Fu Manchu, then a series of films, starring Christopher Lee. the first film, The Face of Fu Manchu, is by far the best.
15. Tarzan the Fearless (1933)
Passed | 86 min | Adventure, Family
Mary Brooks' father, who has been studying ancient tribes, falls into the hands of the people of Zar, god of the Emerald Fingers. Tarzan helps Mary locate her father, rescues everyone from the High Priest of Zar and takes Mary to his cave.
Director: Robert F. Hill | Stars: Buster Crabbe, Julie Bishop, Edward Woods, Philo McCullough
Votes: 825
Serial version of Tarzan, featuring Buster Crabbe, who completes the truimvirate of the greatest adventure strip heroes. Herman Brix would also play Tarzan in this era.
16. The Scarlet Pimpernel (1934)
Not Rated | 97 min | Adventure, Drama
A noblewoman discovers her husband is The Scarlet Pimpernel, a vigilante who rescues aristocrats from the blade of the guillotine.
Director: Harold Young | Stars: Leslie Howard, Merle Oberon, Raymond Massey, Nigel Bruce
Votes: 4,764
The Baroness Orczy hero is brought to life in this version from the 30s. The Pimpernal uses various disguises to save aristocrats from the guillotine, along with his league of assistants. Raymond Massey is excellent as the villain, Chauvelin. The Scarlet Pimpernal inspired the dual identity and the masquerade as a less than heroic figure, used by Supmeran and Batman, in their civilian guises.
17. Flash Gordon (1936)
Passed | 245 min | Action, Adventure, Family
Flash Gordon, Dale Arden and Dr. Alexis Zarkov visit the planet Mongo to thwart the evil schemes of Emperor Ming the Merciless, who has set his planet on a collision course with Earth.
Directors: Frederick Stephani, Ray Taylor | Stars: Buster Crabbe, Jean Rogers, Charles Middleton, Priscilla Lawson
Votes: 2,658
This one is also debatable, but Flash excels at everything, so he's here. This first serial had a feature film budget and it shows, though the spaceships had to turn around a lot. Some of the performances and costumes are a bit dodgy, but the serial is loads of fun and follows the first couple of years of the comic strip relatively faithfully. Two sequels would follow; but, I'll just lump the series together. These serials would inspire a certain Californian to create his own space opera adventure and even the opening title crawl.
18. The Bold Caballero (1936)
Passed | 67 min | Drama, Western
The Commandant is making life rough for the colonials in Spanish California. While trying to help, Zorro is charged with the murder of the new Governor, but in the end he triumphs over the evil Commandant.
Director: Wells Root | Stars: Robert Livingston, Heather Angel, Sig Ruman, Ian Wolfe
Votes: 249
Early Zorro "talkie," though not in the same league as The Mark of Zorro.
19. Dick Tracy (1937)
Approved | 70 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
A master criminal called The Spider puts the famous detective's brother under a hypnotic spell and turns him against Dick.
Directors: Alan James, Ray Taylor | Stars: Ralph Byrd, Kay Hughes, Smiley Burnette, Lee Van Atta
Votes: 652
Not strictly a superhero, but the comic strip inspired so many elements of later comic heroes, like Batman's Rogues Gallery. The serial would also inspire stunts in the Indiana Jones series, and some footage was reused in Fighting Devil Dogs.
20. The Shadow Strikes (1937)
Approved | 61 min | Crime, Film-Noir, Mystery
Lamont Cranston assumes his secret identity as "The Shadow", to break up an attempted robbery at an attorney's office. When the police search the scene, Cranston must assume the identity of the attorney.
Director: Lynn Shores | Stars: Rod La Rocque, Agnes Anderson, James Blakeley, Walter McGrail
Votes: 587
One of two short films with the Shadow, but it isn't in the same league as the pulp hero or the radio version.
21. The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)
PG | 102 min | Action, Adventure, Romance
When Prince John and the Norman Lords begin oppressing the Saxon masses in King Richard's absence in 1190s England, a Saxon lord fights back as the outlaw leader of a resistance movement.
Directors: Michael Curtiz, William Keighley | Stars: Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Basil Rathbone, Claude Rains
Votes: 54,470 | Gross: $3.98M
Errol Flynn stars as the legendary outlaw, in what is still the finest version. I include Robin Hood because he is the inspiration for many of the elements of the superhero, especially ones like Green Arrow and Hawkeye.
22. The Lone Ranger (1938)
Approved | 264 min | Western
Heroic's of Lone Ranger & Tonto, matter!
Directors: John English, William Witney | Stars: Silver Chief, Chief Thundercloud, Lynne Roberts, Stanley Andrews
Votes: 246
Republic serial that adapted the masked radio hero. Unfortunately, they changed a lot of it, to the point that the original negatives were destroyed and only foreign prints survive.
23. The Spider's Web (1938)
Passed | 300 min | Action, Crime, Drama
A crime fighter known as The Spider battles a villain called The Octopus, who is out to sabotage America and install his own government.
Directors: James W. Horne, Ray Taylor | Stars: Warren Hull, Iris Meredith, Richard Fiske, Kenne Duncan
Votes: 167
Movie serial, based on the pulp hero. Norvell Paige, one of the pulp writers, contributed to the strip. The character isn't nearly as wild as in the pulps, but he has a unique mask and cape, with white webbing on it, influencing the later Spider-Man. A second serial would follow.
24. The Fighting Devil Dogs (1938)
Approved | 204 min | Adventure
The US marine corps must battle a would-be world conqueror who uses electricity as a weapon.
Directors: John English, William Witney | Stars: Lee Powell, Bruce Bennett, Eleanor Stewart, Montagu Love
Votes: 125
Not so much a superhero film as a supervillain one. The Lightning is one of the most memorable villains in all serials, and would go on to inspire Darth Vader. He also flew around in a wicked flying wing (via stock footage from Dick Tracy). Some of the cliffhangers were also recycled footage.
25. The Saint in New York (1938)
Approved | 69 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Simon Templar, the Saint, is brought to New York. His search for the identity of "the Big Fellow" takes him through many dangerous situations.
Director: Ben Holmes | Stars: Louis Hayward, Kay Sutton, Sig Ruman, Jonathan Hale
Votes: 1,025
Leslie Charteris' criminal/adventurer Simon Templar comes to life, with Louis Hayward in the role. There would be a series of films, with George Sanders taking over the role.
26. Buck Rogers (1939)
Approved | 237 min | Adventure, Family, Sci-Fi
A 20th Century pilot named Buck Rogers and his young friend Buddy Wade awake from 500 years in suspended animation to find that the world has been taken over by the outlaw army of Killer Kane.
Directors: Ford Beebe, Saul A. Goodkind | Stars: Buster Crabbe, Constance Moore, Jackie Moran, Jack Mulhall
Votes: 997
I debated whether to include sci-fi adventure heroes, but Buck was close enough to count, in my book. Buster Crabbe plays this take on Rip Van Winkle, awakening in the 25th Century, where he fights would-be despots and other nogoodniks. It's pretty entertaining, to boot.
27. Mandrake, the Magician (1939)
Approved | 215 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
Mandrake and his assistant Lothar are working the cruise lines and make the acquaintance of Professor Houston who has developed a radium energy machine, which is much coveted by a masked Crime Lord known as "The Wasp".
Directors: Norman Deming, Sam Nelson | Stars: Warren Hull, Doris Weston, Al Kikume, Rex Downing
Votes: 214
Movie serial based on the comic strip hero. Mandrake mesmerized his opponents, though it seemed almost like real magic in the early strips. The hero was created by Lee Falk, who also thought up The Phantom.
28. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1939)
Approved | 85 min | Crime, Mystery, Thriller
The master sleuth hunts his archenemy, Professor Moriarty, who is planning the crime of the century.
Director: Alfred L. Werker | Stars: Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, Ida Lupino, Alan Marshal
Votes: 7,464
Following the Hound of the Baskervilles came this film, both with Basil Rathbone, the definitive Holmes. Great intrigue and mystery. Holmes is the superdetective and Moriarty would be the template for all supercriminals.
29. Zorro's Fighting Legion (1939)
Passed | 114 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
The masked hero leads a fighting force to fight a villian who plots the conquest of The Republic of Mexico.
Directors: John English, William Witney | Stars: Reed Hadley, Sheila Darcy, William Corson, Leander De Cordova
Votes: 464
First Zorro serial from Republic, which features legendary stuntman Yakima Canutt as the masked hero. Canutt recreates the stagecoach stunt from John Ford's Stagecoach, which would be repeated in The Legend of the Lone Ranger and Raiders of the Lost Ark. Republic did several more Zorro serials, but each was less like the original character.
30. Raffles (1939)
Approved | 72 min | Adventure, Comedy, Crime
Man about town and First Class cricketer A.J. Raffles keeps himself solvent with daring robberies. Meeting Gwen from his schooldays and falling in love all over again, he spends the weekend... See full summary »
Directors: Sam Wood, William Wyler | Stars: David Niven, Olivia de Havilland, May Whitty, Dudley Digges
Votes: 1,217 | Gross: $0.09M
It's David Niven's turn in the tuxedo, continuing the tradition from John barrymore and Ronald Coleman.
31. The Saint Strikes Back (1939)
Passed | 64 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Simon Templar, the Saint, travels to San Francisco to solve crime mysteries within the police department.
Director: John Farrow | Stars: George Sanders, Wendy Barrie, Jonathan Hale, Jerome Cowan
Votes: 1,081
George Sanders takes over the role of Simon Templar and continues for several films, before becoming another detective, The Falcon. Saunders oozes charm as Templar and was always good in these kinds of things.
32. The Mark of Zorro (1940)
Approved | 94 min | Action, Adventure, Family
A young Spanish aristocrat must masquerade as a fop in order to maintain his secret identity of Zorro as he restores justice to early California.
Director: Rouben Mamoulian | Stars: Tyrone Power, Linda Darnell, Basil Rathbone, Gale Sondergaard
Votes: 10,974 | Gross: $4.36M
Tyrone Power stars in the best rendition of The Fox. Power excels as both foppish Diego and the hero Zorro, while Basil Rathbone is perfect as the sneering villain. This has one of the better duels at the climax. It was later remade as a tv movie, in 1975, starring Frank Langella.
33. The Green Hornet (1940)
Approved | 258 min | Adventure, Crime, Family
A newspaper publisher and his Korean servant fight crime as vigilantes who pose as a notorious masked gangster and his aide.
Directors: Ford Beebe, Ray Taylor | Stars: Gordon Jones, Wade Boteler, Keye Luke, Anne Nagel
Votes: 713
The first of 2 Universal serials, featuring the radio hero. The Hornet is a masked crimefighter who passes himself off as a criminal, aided by his manserveant Kato. Kato was Japanese, originally, but was made Filippino during the war and Korean here, played by Keye Luke (blind Master Po on Kung Fu). It's a bit unique in that each chapter focused on the pair defeating a different group of criminals, who are part of a bigger syndicate, providing the connection across chapters.
34. The Shadow (1940)
Passed | 285 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
The Shadow battles a villain known as The Black Tiger, who has the power to make himself invisible and is trying to take over the world with his death ray.
Director: James W. Horne | Stars: Victor Jory, Veda Ann Borg, Roger Moore, Robert Fiske
Votes: 376
Movie serial based on the pulp hero, created by Walter Gibson, under the house name Maxwell Grant. The Shadow debuted as the host of the Street & Smith mystery radio program, then gained his own pulp series, radio show, and this serial. he would go on to appear in a series of short films and a tv pilot, before returning as Alec Baldwin.
35. Mysterious Doctor Satan (1940)
Passed | 267 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
A mad scientist plots the domination of America and only the masked hero, The Copperhead, can stop him.
Directors: John English, William Witney | Stars: Eduardo Ciannelli, Robert Wilcox, William Newell, C. Montague Shaw
Votes: 276
Intended as a Superman serial, National (DC) passed on the idea. The hero was retooled into the Copperhead, a man in a chainmail hood. The villain got top billing, though.
36. The Green Archer (I) (1940)
Passed | 285 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
The struggle over the Bellamy estate ends with Michael Bellamy accused of murder and killed on the way to prison, while his brother Abel Bellamy takes control of the estate for his own nefarious plans.
Director: James W. Horne | Stars: Victor Jory, Iris Meredith, James Craven, Robert Fiske
Votes: 197
Serial based on the Edgar Wallace novel. This archer works in secret, via secret passages within a mansion. He does predate the Green Arrow, though Robin Hood inspired both.
37. The Green Hornet Strikes Again! (1940)
Approved | 293 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
A wealthy publisher uses a disguise and calls himself the Green Hornet to fight crime in his city.
Directors: Ford Beebe, John Rawlins | Stars: Warren Hull, Wade Boteler, Anne Nagel, Keye Luke
Votes: 426
Kato is the same; but, we have a new Hornet. As before, each chapter is essentially a new adventure, breaking from serial tradition.
38. Superman: The Mad Scientist (1941)
G | 10 min | Animation, Short, Action
The Man of Steel fights a mad scientist who is destroying Metropolis with an energy cannon.
Directors: Dave Fleischer, Steve Muffati | Stars: Bud Collyer, Joan Alexander, Jackson Beck, Jack Mercer
Votes: 3,503
The Fleischer cartoons are wonders to behold, visually, and the stories are mostly good (if occassionally racist). This Superman couldn't yet juggle planets and had to earn his victories. These are great little stories.
39. Adventures of Captain Marvel (1941)
Passed | 216 min | Action, Adventure, Family
To protect a magic talisman from being used for evil, a teenage boy named Billy Batson is given the power to become an adult superhero, Captain Marvel, with a single magic word: "Shazam!"
Directors: John English, William Witney | Stars: Tom Tyler, Frank Coghlan Jr., William 'Billy' Benedict, Louise Currie
Votes: 1,524
The Big Red Cheese is brought to life by Republic and Tom Tyler. This one is played straight and it is tremendously entertaining. Cap even throws a thug off the roof and shrugs off being hit by a conveninetly placed engine block. The villain is a standard masked serial villain, rather than Sivanna or Black Adam. If you only ever watch one movie serial, make it this one.
40. Spy Smasher (1942)
Passed | 215 min | Action, Adventure, Family
Alan Armstrong, aka Spy Smasher, battles a Nazi villain known as The Mask, who heads a gang of saboteurs determined to spread destruction across America.
Director: William Witney | Stars: Kane Richmond, Marguerite Chapman, Sam Flint, Hans Schumm
Votes: 414
The second Fawcett hero to reach the silver screen. Spy Smasher is a masked hero/aviator trying to stop The Mask, a Nazi agent. Spy Smasher's gyrosub doesn't appear, but there is a flying wing, which would inspire the similar fight in Raiders of the Lost Ark. This another of the really great serials, making Fawcett the most successful comic publisher, when it came to cinematic success: 100% (2 for 2).
41. Tarzan's New York Adventure (1942)
Passed | 71 min | Action, Adventure
Tarzan and Jane go to New York to rescue Boy after he is kidnapped into a circus.
Director: Richard Thorpe | Stars: Johnny Weissmuller, Maureen O'Sullivan, Johnny Sheffield, Virginia Grey
Votes: 3,583
Tarzan comes to New York is this nice departure for the series, transplanting the jungle hero into an urban environment. Definitely one of the superior Weismuller films.
42. Captain Midnight (1942)
Passed | 270 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Secret Service Major Steel (Joseph W. Girard), is one of the few men in America aware of the fact that Captain Albright (Dave O'Brien) is also Captain Midnight, daring masked aviator ... See full summary »
Director: James W. Horne | Stars: Dave O'Brien, Dorothy Short, James Craven, Sam Edwards
Votes: 152
Movie serial, based on the popular radio and comic book hero. Our intrepid captain is one of several aviator heroes, and one of the most popular. The serial is fairly average, devoid of any really memorable stunts. There was a tv series, which was standard fare for the period.
43. Batman (1943)
Approved | 260 min | Action, Crime, Family
The very first serial to adapt the comic book character of the Batman. In it, the Batman is a secret U.S. government agent, attempting to defeat the schemes of Japanese agent Dr. Daka operating in Los Angeles at the height of World War II.
Director: Lambert Hillyer | Stars: Lewis Wilson, Douglas Croft, J. Carrol Naish, Shirley Patterson
Votes: 2,472
The Caped Crusaders come to the cinema in this serial from Columbia. Lewis Wilson was a bit on the pudgy side, and the Batmobile is just a regular sedan, but there is a Batcave, though they keep their costumes in a filing cabinet. The question is whether it is under C for "costume" or U for "unifrom;" or T for "tights?"
44. The Masked Marvel (1943)
Passed | 197 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
A mysterious detective called The Masked Marvel battles Japanese saboteurs intent on blowing up America.
Director: Spencer Gordon Bennet | Stars: William Forrest, Louise Currie, Johnny Arthur, Rod Bacon
Votes: 206
Original hero from Republic. The Marvel is a masked crusader who is fighting a gang of saboteurs, with the hook that he is one of 6 men. The body is played by Tom Steele, who also appears as a thug, in one chapter. He ends up chasing himself, up a flight of stairs.
45. The Phantom (1943)
Passed | 299 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
The Phantom's clan has ruled the jungle tribes for centuries. He battles Dr. Bremmer who plans to build an airfield and gets greedy when Professor Davidson and his niece Diana arrive to search for the treasure of the lost city of Zoloz.
Director: B. Reeves Eason | Stars: Tom Tyler, Jeanne Bates, Ernie Adams, John Bagni
Votes: 472
The Ghost Who Walks was brought to life by Columbia and Tom Tyler. Again, Tyler is physically perfect for the role and there is a pretty darn good script. Stock footage gives it more scope than many serials. The wolf Devil is replaced by a german shepherd.
46. Captain America (1944)
Passed | 244 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Superhero Captain America battles the evil forces of the archvillain called The Scarab, who poisons his enemies and steals a secret device capable of destroying buildings by sound vibrations.
Directors: Elmer Clifton, John English | Stars: Dick Purcell, Lorna Gray, Lionel Atwill, Charles Trowbridge
Votes: 1,104
The sole cinematic outing for Timely Comics (the future Marvel). This Captain America isn't a supersoldier, but a masked crusading district attorney. The script wasn't originally intended to be for Cap; rather, there is some belief it was written for Fawcett's Mr. Scarlett, who was a masked, crusading district attorney. It's not a bad serial, but it isn't Cap. He also only has red and white stripes on his abdomen, not on his back.
47. Enter Arsene Lupin (1944)
Approved | 72 min | Drama, Film-Noir
A rich but naive young woman is in possession of some priceless jewels. She doesn't realize it, but a gang of jewel thieves does.
Director: Ford Beebe | Stars: Charles Korvin, Ella Raines, J. Carrol Naish, George Dolenz
Votes: 192
US production, directed by Ford Bebe, from Universal. Lupin had already appeared in several French films, including one in 1937, which was a big hit.
48. The Shadow Returns (1946)
Approved | 61 min | Comedy, Crime, Mystery
Super-sleuth Lamont Cranston, (aka "The Shadow") investigates the theft of jewels from a grave.
Directors: Phil Rosen, William Beaudine | Stars: Kane Richmond, Barbara Read, Tom Dugan, Joseph Crehan
Votes: 311
Kane Richmond takles over as the hero, but it still isn't more than a pale imitation. Richmond stared in two more Shadow films.
49. Superman (1948)
Approved | 244 min | Sci-Fi
Superman comes to Earth as a child and grows up to be his home's first superhero with his first major challenge being to oppose The Spider Lady.
Directors: Spencer Gordon Bennet, Thomas Carr | Stars: Kirk Alyn, Noel Neill, Tommy Bond, Carol Forman
Votes: 1,218
Kirk Alyn stars as the Man of Steel, but a cartoon does all of the aerial work. A decent serial, with Carol Forman as the villainess, a nice twist on the usual antagonist.
50. Batman and Robin (1949)
Approved | 263 min | Action, Adventure, Family
Second serial featuring the comic book character Batman. In it, Batman, together with his sidekick Robin, face off against the Wizard, a hooded villain with an electronic device that remotely controls vehicles.
Director: Spencer Gordon Bennet | Stars: Robert Lowery, Johnny Duncan, Jane Adams, Lyle Talbot
Votes: 2,107
Robert Lowery takes over as the Dark Knight Detective, though he doesn't fair much better than Lewis Wilson. The villain isn't much, either.
51. The Lone Ranger (1949–1957)
TV-G | 30 min | Western
The adventures of the masked hero and his Native American partner.
Stars: Jay Silverheels, Clayton Moore, John Hart, Bill Ward
Votes: 2,870
The Lone Ranger gets a proper adaptation, featuring Clayton Moore, for the episodes that count. Moore had previously played heavies at Republic, and is joined by Jay Silverheels as Tonto. This is what most people think of when they hear the name The Lone Ranger, thanks to years in syndication.
52. King of the Rocket Men (1949)
Passed | 167 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
Jeff King in his experimental rocket suit battles the evil Dr. Vulcan.
Director: Fred C. Brannon | Stars: Tristram Coffin, Mae Clarke, Don Haggerty, House Peters Jr.
Votes: 965
The first of three films featuring the rocket-powered hero and by far the best. A hidden villain, known as Vulcan, is killing off personnel at a research company and the Rocket Man must stop him. The serial was later adapted as a painted comic book at Innovation, by Christopher Moeller, in anticipation of the Rocketeer film.
53. Atom Man vs. Superman (1950)
Approved | 252 min | Family, Sci-Fi
Superman battles Lex Luthor who is using a teleportation device and a new identity as Atom Man in his criminal plans.
Director: Spencer Gordon Bennet | Stars: Kirk Alyn, Noel Neill, Lyle Talbot, Tommy Bond
Votes: 831
Second Superman serial is notable for the film debut of Lex Luthor. It's not quite as fun as the first outing.
54. Superman and the Mole-Men (1951)
Passed | 58 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
When underground beings explore the surface world from a deep oil well and inadvertently cause a panic, only Superman can prevent a tragedy.
Director: Lee Sholem | Stars: George Reeves, Phyllis Coates, Jeff Corey, Walter Reed
Votes: 2,350
Theatrical pilot for the Superman tv series, featuring George Reeves as Superman/Clark Kent. reeves plays it mostly straight, though with a bit of a twinkle in the eye. Phyllis Coates is Lois.
55. Mask of the Avenger (1951)
Approved | 83 min | Adventure, Drama, History
During the European revolutionary fervor of 1848, Italian Captain Renato Dimorna tries to avenge his father's death, goes against the corrupt local military governor Larocca and prevents an Austrian military invasion.
Director: Phil Karlson | Stars: John Derek, Anthony Quinn, Jody Lawrance, Arnold Moss
Votes: 301
Odd little mix of Zorro and the Count of Monte Cristo, featuring John Derek as the hero and Anthony Quinn as the villain. Quinn is the only thing keeping this from being a stinker.
56. Blackhawk: Fearless Champion of Freedom (1952)
Approved | 242 min | Action, Adventure, Family
Based on a successful comic book that began in 1941, the Blackhawks were seven flyers who banded together during WW II to fight the Nazis. After the war, they continued to fight evil where ... See full summary »
Directors: Spencer Gordon Bennet, Fred F. Sears | Stars: Kirk Alyn, Carol Forman, John Crawford, Michael Fox
Votes: 213
I'm stretching my definition a bit, but Blackhawk was a kind of supersoldier/aviator, who led a Foreign Legion of the air. This serial comes off rather bland, though it features Kirk Alyn as the hero. the just couldn't match the scope of the comics, on a serial budget. The Blackhawks eventually did become superheroes, in one of the most misguided revamps in comic history. It didn't last, thankfully.
57. Adventures of Superman (1952–1958)
TV-G | 30 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
The Man of Steel fights crime with help from his friends at the "Daily Planet."
Stars: George Reeves, Noel Neill, Jack Larson, John Hamilton
Votes: 4,456
The Superman tv series is one of the highlights of 50s television. Reeves potrays a tougher Clark kent than in the comics, while Noel Neill, from the 2nd season onward, is the epitome of the 50s Lois. The only thing that would have made it better would have been villains from the comics, rather than generic hoods. Point of trivia: in the pilot, on Krypton, we geta glimpse of a few costumes from movie serials, including Captain Marvel and Captain America, and at least one Flash Gordon outfit.
58. Radar Men from the Moon (1952)
Approved | 167 min | Action, Family, Sci-Fi
Strategic targets on Earth are being destroyed by an unknown weapon. Government security head Henderson suspects it's an "atomic ray" originating from the moon.
Director: Fred C. Brannon | Stars: George D. Wallace, Aline Towne, Roy Barcroft, William Bakewell
Votes: 1,180
Second Rocket Man serial, with the hero now called Commando Cody. It's a bit boring at times, leading to its savage treatment by early MST3K. The name would resurface in Revenge of the Sith. It would also be used for the tv series.
59. Zombies of the Stratosphere (1952)
Passed | 167 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
The invaders come to Earth to create an H-bomb to blast Earth out of orbit so that Mars can take its place.
Director: Fred C. Brannon | Stars: Judd Holdren, Aline Towne, Wilson Wood, Lane Bradford
Votes: 480
Third Rocket Man serial, with alien invaders. It's mainly notable for one of the aliens: a very young Leonard Nimoy.
60. Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe (1953–1955)
30 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Dangerous climate changes are ravaging Earth and the U.S. government requests an investigation by masked super-scientist Commando Cody. He discovers that the disasters are being caused by space-alien forces from unknown planetary origins.
Stars: Judd Holdren, Aline Towne, Gregory Gaye, Craig Kelly
Votes: 204
Cody got a tv series, such as it was.
61. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954)
G | 127 min | Adventure, Drama, Family
A ship sent to investigate a wave of mysterious sinkings encounters the advanced submarine, the Nautilus, commanded by Captain Nemo.
Director: Richard Fleischer | Stars: Kirk Douglas, James Mason, Paul Lukas, Peter Lorre
Votes: 37,146 | Gross: $28.20M
Disney's classic adaptation of Jules Verne's masterpiece. Captain Nemo is one of the proto-supervillains, the man who is saving the world from itself. He is more anti-hero than villain, influencing characters like the Submariner, Doctor Doom, and many others. Also, for all of the jokers out there, the title refers to the distance travelled by the Nautilus, not the depth.
62. The Shadow (1954 TV Movie)
Not Rated | 25 min | Adventure
Lamont Cranston, a psychiatrist on retainer to the police department, is asked to assist in the Case of the Cotton Kimono murder investigation. Lamont and his girlfriend Margot Lane are not... See full summary »
Director: Charles F. Haas | Stars: Tom Helmore, Paula Raymond, Frank M. Thomas, Alexander Scourby
Votes: 51
Pilot for a potential series starring The Shadow, but it did not succeed.
63. Flash Gordon (1954–1955)
30 min | Action, Adventure, Family
Space hero Flash Gordon and his crew of the Galaxy Bureau of Investigation patrol space, battling space monsters, power-mad alien dictators and other threats to the stability of the universe.
Stars: Steve Holland, Irene Champlin, Joseph Nash, Henry Beckman
Votes: 294
TV series featuring Steve Holland. It is notable for two things: one, it used footage of a post-war Berlin, showcasing the bombing damage of the war. Second, Steve Holland would act a a model for James Bama, for the covers to the Bantam reprints of Doc Savage.
64. Adventures of Captain Africa: Mighty Jungle Avenger! (1955)
Approved | 225 min | Action, Adventure, Family
Trapper Nat Coleman and government agent Ted Arnold come upon a plot to take over an African nation. Its leader, Caliph Abdul el Hamid, has been exiled from his country and replaced by a ... See full summary »
Director: Spencer Gordon Bennet | Stars: John Hart, Rick Vallin, Ben Welden, June Howard
Votes: 76
This was supposed to be a Phantom sequel but King Features nixed the idea. So, they just altered the costume, slightly, gave him a new name and sent him off. It can't hold a candle to the real thing.
65. Zorro (1957–1959)
TV-G | 30 min | Adventure, Family, Western
Don Diego de la Vega opposes the corrupt tyrants of Spanish California as the masked swordsman, Zorro.
Stars: Guy Williams, Gene Sheldon, Henry Calvin, Don Diamond
Votes: 4,153
Guy Williams stars as the hero, who is more crusader for justice than revolutionary, in this Disney series. This was the Zorro for the Babyboomers.
66. The Adventures of Arsène Lupin (1957)
104 min | Crime, Mystery
Arsène Lupin, the multifaceted gentleman thief, steals two masterpieces from the President of the Council. Some time later, posing as Monsieur Gilles, a winegrower who is marrying his only ... See full summary »
Director: Jacques Becker | Stars: Robert Lamoureux, Liselotte Pulver, O.E. Hasse, Daniel Ceccaldi
Votes: 640
One of the more successful later adaptations of Lupin.
67. Invisible Avenger (1958)
Not Rated | 60 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Lamont Cranston, aka The Shadow, investigates the murder of a New Orleans bandleader.
Directors: James Wong Howe, Ben Parker, John Sledge | Stars: Richard Derr, Mark Daniels, Helen Westcott, Jack Donner
Votes: 262
A pilot for a potential Shadow tv series, which did not materialize. It was released as a film, made up of two episodes whioch had been filmed. It had a 1962 re-release under a different name.
68. Gekkô kamen (1958– )
30 min | Adventure, Action, Mystery
Japan's first superhero TV show, in which a caped/masked avenger fights assorted evil in modern-day Tokyo.
Stars: Kôichi Ôse, Mike Danning
Votes: 28
Japanese tv series, featuring a motorcycle-riding masked hero, who debuted earlier in a manga. It was hugely popular and would go on to inspire Kamen Rider.
69. Hercules (1958)
G | 107 min | Adventure, Fantasy, History
The muscular Hercules performs his Labors, sails with the Argonauts, and romances the fair Iole.
Director: Pietro Francisci | Stars: Steve Reeves, Sylva Koscina, Fabrizio Mioni, Ivo Garrani
Votes: 2,333 | Gross: $10.90M
Steve Reeves debuts as Hercules, one of the original superheroes. The mythical Herc was actually a nasty little SOB, who incurs the wrath of Hera. This Herc is grade A, prime beef. It would launch multiple Hercules films, with a variety of musclemen in the role.
70. Horror of Dracula (1958)
Not Rated | 82 min | Drama, Horror
When Jonathan Harker rouses the ire of Count Dracula for accepting a job at the vampire's castle under false pretenses, his friend Dr. Van Helsing pursues the predatory villain.
Director: Terence Fisher | Stars: Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Michael Gough, Melissa Stribling
Votes: 27,957
Christopher Lee stars as the vampire and Peter Cushing is the vampire hunter. This version would prove highly influential and advances the Van Helsing character more than the Lugosi film. It would lead to things like Marvel Comics superb Tomb of Dracula and Blade.
71. Tarzan's Greatest Adventure (1959)
Approved | 88 min | Action, Adventure, Family
Four British villains raid a settlement to obtain explosives for use in a diamond mine. In doing so they nearly destroy the settlement, so and Tarzan pursues them to their mine.
Director: John Guillermin | Stars: Gordon Scott, Anthony Quayle, Sara Shane, Niall MacGinnis
Votes: 1,437 | Gross: $2.18M
Gordon Scott is Tarzan, but it's one of the criminals that makes this one special: a pre-James Bond Sean Connery.
72. The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959)
Not Rated | 87 min | Horror, Mystery
When a nobleman is threatened by a family curse on his newly inherited estate, detective Sherlock Holmes is hired to investigate.
Director: Terence Fisher | Stars: Peter Cushing, André Morell, Christopher Lee, Marla Landi
Votes: 12,377
Peter Cushing stars as Holmes, while Christopher Lee is Bascombe. Excellent film.
73. Tarzan the Magnificent (1960)
Approved | 82 min | Action, Adventure
A clever crook and a romantic triangle complicate Tarzan's efforts to bring a wanted criminal to justice.
Director: Robert Day | Stars: Gordon Scott, Jock Mahoney, Betta St. John, John Carradine
Votes: 764
Gordon Scott's last Tarzan also introduces the next Tarzan, Jock Mahoney. Mahoney is a villain in this one. Great action and actual jungle locales made these superior to previous efforts.
74. Neutrón, el enmascarado negro (1960)
72 min | Action, Drama, Mystery
Neutron, a masked wrestler/superhero, battles a gang of crooks who are plotting to steal a secret formula.
Director: Federico Curiel | Stars: Wolf Ruvinskis, Julio Alemán, Armando Silvestre, Roberto Ramírez Garza
Votes: 66
Neutron was another luchador turned superhero in a film series, featuring Wolf Ruvinski as the hero, who did not exist in the ring, prior to the films.
75. Courageous Cat and Minute Mouse (1960–1962)
30 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
While best known as the creator of Batman, around 1960, Bob Kane created the animated series, Courageous Cat and Minute Mouse - as parody of Batman. This series explored the more campy aspects of the Batman TV series which followed several years later.
Stars: Dal McKennon, Johnny Holiday
Votes: 137
Rather stiff cartoon series about a Batman-derived set of cat and mouse heroes. Considering that cats and mice are natural enemies, the pairing doesn't make sense. Batman co-creator (Bill Finger was responsible for quite a lot of it) Bob Kane was involved in this.
76. The Phantom (1961 TV Movie)
24 min | Action
The Phantom, along with canine companion Devil, investigate wicked doings at the plantation of Mrs. Harris.
Director: Harold Daniels | Stars: Roger Creed, Paulette Goddard, Lon Chaney Jr., Reginald Denny
Votes: 103
Pilot for a potential Phantom series, but it was not picked up. Lon Chaney Jr. appears as one of the thugs.
77. The Avengers (1961–1969)
TV-14 | 50 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
A quirky spy show of the adventures of eccentrically suave British Agent John Steed and his predominantly female partners.
Stars: Patrick Macnee, Diana Rigg, Honor Blackman, Linda Thorson
Votes: 8,886
What started out as a detective series became something more. It is nudged in that direction during the Honor Blackman era, but fully enters the superhero realm with Emma Peel. Steed and Peel are the perfect crimefighting duo, with inventive adventures and tons of fun. They would also inspire the Hellfire Club in the X-Men.
78. Master of the World (1961)
Approved | 102 min | Adventure, Sci-Fi
In 1868, an American scientist and his team become hostages of fanatical pacifist Robur who uses his airship Albatross to destroy military targets on Earth.
Director: William Witney | Stars: Vincent Price, Charles Bronson, Henry Hull, Mary Webster
Votes: 3,519
Vincent Price stars as Robur, Jules Verne's sciene pirate of the air. This Robur, however, is more like Nemo than his literary counterpart, as the film mixes elements from both Verne novels; Robur the Conqueror (aka Clipper of the Clouds) and Master of the World. The film is pretty good, except for a rather bland Charles Bronson as the hero, Strock.
79. Santo vs. the Evil Brain (1961)
TV-14 | 73 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
An undercover police officer is kidnapped by Dr. Campos who brainwashes him into becoming a member of his gang.
Director: Joselito Rodríguez | Stars: Joaquín Cordero, Norma Suárez, Enrique Zambrano, Alberto Inzúa
Votes: 205
The first of the Santo lucha films. El Santo was a popular lucha libre star who was brought to the screen in a series of movies, pitting the grappler against monsters and evil doctors galore. Santo had actually been a rudo, or villain, but he was all hero in these and would spend the rest of his career as a technico, or hero, in the ring. The success would inspire other lucha fims, with the character rechristened Samson in the US. Santo contra las mujeres vampiro is probably the best known, as Samson vs the Vampire Women, as seen on MST3K.
80. La furia del ring (1961)
95 min | Action, Drama
Director: Tito Davison | Stars: Luz María Aguilar, Germán Robles, Félix González, Rafael del Río
Blue Demon makes his debut in movies. This rival of El Santo would go on to star in a series of films, and several teamups with Santo and Mil Mascaras. He was the better wrestler of the two.
81. Dr. No (1962)
PG | 110 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller
A resourceful British government agent seeks answers in a case involving the disappearance of a colleague and the disruption of the American space program.
Director: Terence Young | Stars: Sean Connery, Ursula Andress, Bernard Lee, Joseph Wiseman
Votes: 179,334 | Gross: $16.07M
Sean Connery debuts as James Bond, superspy. These are far more than espionage thrillers, sharing more elements with superheroes. The villains are grandiose and bent on world conquest, with only James Bond in the way. The films would launch the spy-fi craze, leading to The Man From UNCLE, The Wild Wild West, Matt Helm, Derek Flint, and Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD. Goldfinger is generally considered to be the highpoint of the Connery run, but I prefer You Only Live Twice. I wont go into all of the films, just the personnel changes.
82. The Saint (1962–1969)
TV-PG | 50 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Simon "The Saint" Templar, a wealthy adventurer and 20th-century Robin Hood, travels the world in his white Volvo P1800S, solving unsolvable problems and righting wrongs.
Stars: Roger Moore, Ivor Dean, Leslie Crawford, Justine Lord
Votes: 6,209
Roger Moore stars in this seminal tv series, featuring Sion Templar as a pseudo-spy/troubleshooter, more than criminal/detective. The series made Moore a star and led to James Bond.
83. Tarzan's Three Challenges (1963)
Approved | 100 min | Action, Adventure
The spiritual leader of an oriental country is dying. The leader's evil brother is plotting to prevent the youthful heir from assuming his rightful position. Tarzan is summoned to protect him and he must face three tests of strength.
Director: Robert Day | Stars: Jock Mahoney, Woody Strode, Tsuruko Kobayashi, Earl Cameron
Votes: 592
Jock Mahoney takes over the role, but a bout with disentary weakened his physique. Woody Strode provides an excellent villain, and the two have an epic contest, culminating in a sword duel on a net, suspended over boiling cauldrons.
84. The Mighty Hercules (I) (1963–1966)
30 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
The adventures of the heroic demigod of Greek mythology.
Stars: Jimmy Tapp, Gerry Bascombe, David Hartman, Helene Nickerson
Votes: 368
Cartoon series featuring the slab of beef. The animation was stiffer than H-B, but it was a fairly popular series.
85. Underdog (1964–1973)
TV-G | 30 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
The adventures of a rhyming canine superhero.
Stars: George S. Irving, Wally Cox, Allen Swift, Norma MacMillan
Votes: 2,640
One of my all-time favorite cartoon series. Our hero is the humble Shoeshine Boy, but when danger arises, he swallows his super vitamin and transforms into Underdog, protector of the innocent. The stories were inventive and the great Wally Cox provided the rhyming voice.
86. Fantomas (1964)
Not Rated | 104 min | Adventure, Comedy, Crime
The best men of France - a brave journalist and an extremely energetic commissioner - attack the trail of a mysterious criminal mastermind.
Director: André Hunebelle | Stars: Jean Marais, Louis de Funès, Mylène Demongeot, Jacques Dynam
Votes: 12,022
First of 3 films with the supercriminal, Jean Marais playing the villain and the hero. The first one is excellent, and the other two are pretty good. It features elements inspired by the Bond series.
87. Spartacus and the Ten Gladiators (1964)
99 min | Adventure, Comedy, History
Spartacus And The 10 Gladiators
Director: Nick Nostro | Stars: Dan Vadis, Helga Liné, Giovanni Di Benedetto, Giovanni Vari
Votes: 266
There were three Ten Gladiators films, but this is the best. the group is a sort of gladiatorial Justice League, laying the smackdown on evil villains. The fights are less convincing that he WWE, but they are fun.
88. Belphégor ou le fantôme du Louvre (1965)
283 min | Romance, Thriller
A mysterious phantom appears in the Musée du Louvre in Paris at night. Neither the guards nor the police are able to arrest it. A curious young man tries to break the ice and discover what drives the creature and the background activities.
Stars: Juliette Gréco, René Dary, Christine Delaroche, Yves Rénier
Votes: 456
French tv mini-series with the super criminal, who masquerades as a phantom inside the Louvre. It proved very influential on later French writers, leading to Jean-Marc and Randy Lofficier to create the Tales of the Shadowmen anthologies, featuring characters from French pulp literature and elsewhere, and the French Wold Newton Society.
89. The Face of Fu Manchu (1965)
G | 89 min | Action, Crime, Drama
After cheating death, master criminal Dr. Fu Manchu returns with a plot to contaminate the River Thames with a powerful toxin extracted from Tibetan poppies.
Director: Don Sharp | Stars: Christopher Lee, Nigel Green, Joachim Fuchsberger, Karin Dor
Votes: 2,022 | Gross: $2.83M
By far the best of the Christopher Lee Fu Manchu films. Nigel Green makes for a great Nayland Smith, while the film has plenty of intrigue and mystery. The setting is a strange mix of the 20s and the 60s, but it works pretty well. The sequels became increasingly worse, until low rent director Jess Franco was producing films so horrible that the gang at MST3K got involved. Lee knows how to play a villain, though.
90. Attack from Space (1965 TV Movie)
76 min | Action, Sci-Fi
The Supreme Council from the Emerald Planet sends the superhero Starman (Super Giant in Japan) to protect Earth from destruction by an evil alien race from the Sapphire Galaxy. The ... See full summary »
Directors: Koreyoshi Akasaka, Teruo Ishii, Akira Mitsuwa | Stars: Ken Utsui, Sachihiro Ohsawa, Junko Ikeuchi, Minako Yamada
Votes: 698
These are English dubs of a Japanese serial, featuring an alien superhero fighting monsters and criminals. The action is lively, even if the costumes aren't very convincing.
91. The New Adventures of Superman (1966–1970)
TV-Y7-FV | 30 min | Animation, Action, Sci-Fi
Superman protects Metropolis and the world from a variety of threats while working at the Daily Planet as Clark Kent.
Stars: Bud Collyer, Jackson Beck, Jack Grimes, Joan Alexander
Votes: 991
Filmation returns Superman to animation and also launches their studio. Bud Collyer, who voiced the character in the theatrical shorts and the radio seres is back. Lex Luthor is around, as well. The animation is stiff, even compared to Hanna-Barbera, but the stories are lively. Superboy would appear as a secondary segment. The success of the cartoons would lead to other DC heroes joining the Man of Steel on Saturday mornings.
92. Batman (1966–1968)
TV-G | 25 min | Action, Crime, Fantasy
The Caped Crusader and his young ward battle evildoers in Gotham City.
Stars: Adam West, Burt Ward, Alan Napier, Neil Hamilton
Votes: 26,119
TV series that launched a phenomenom. The first season is great, with excellent stories and some really funny gags. The second season is mostly good, but the shine is coming off. The third season is only made tolerable by Yvonne Craig as Batgirl, but the stories are pretty weak. Despite revisionist history, this series actually boosted sales of the comics, though they took on the campy tone, after having just re-established the character in more serious stories. The camp didn't last and Batman got serious again, to the point of being grim, by the 80s.
93. Batman: The Movie (1966)
PG | 105 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
The Dynamic Duo faces four supervillains who plan to hold the world for ransom with the help of a secret invention that instantly dehydrates people.
Director: Leslie H. Martinson | Stars: Adam West, Burt Ward, Lee Meriwether, Cesar Romero
Votes: 35,780
In between season 1 and 2, the producers created this theatrical film. the budget allowed them to produce the Batcopter, Batboat, and Batcyle, for use in the tv series. All of the big villains team up, though Lee Merriwether becomes Catwoman (Julie Newmar was filming another movie). There is a nice little romance here, though the plot is way over the top. You can't beat the bomb scene, though. I first saw this as a kid and it was a thrilling adventure. The comedy comes through more as you get older.
94. Space Ghost (1966–1968)
TV-Y7 | 30 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
The adventures of a space superhero who can become invisible and his sidekicks.
Stars: Don Messick, Ginny Tyler, Gary Owens, Tim Matheson
Votes: 2,131
The success of the Batman would inspire H-B to create their own masked hero. Alex Toth got the job and he hit it out of the park. The series features exciting adventures and great villains, though the best stuff was early on. It wrapped up with a multi-part epic, with Space Ghost's enemies teaming up as the Council of Doom. Space Ghost encounters other H-B heroes, like Mightor, the Herculoids and Shazzan.
95. Tarzan and the Valley of Gold (1966)
Not Rated | 90 min | Adventure
Tarzan battles a megalomaniac millionaire named Vinero, who kidnaps a young boy whom he believes can lead him to a legendary city of gold. Vinero is accompanied by his own army, including henchman Mr. Train and gorgeous Sophia.
Director: Robert Day | Stars: Mike Henry, David Opatoshu, Manuel Padilla Jr., Nancy Kovack
Votes: 586
Ex-NFLer Mike Henry takes over as Tarzan, who is portrayed as a globetrotting protector. Here, he comes to investigate a kidnapping. The success of James Bond would inspire this take on the jungle hero.
96. Modesty Blaise (1966)
119 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
Stylish ex-con Modesty Blaise and her partner Willie Garvin are tasked by the British Secret Service with preventing her rival Gabriel from stealing diamonds that are to be delivered to her adoptive father, a Sheikh.
Director: Joseph Losey | Stars: Monica Vitti, Terence Stamp, Dirk Bogarde, Harry Andrews
Votes: 3,176
The James Bond phenomenom spawned this comic strip heroine, who is an ex-criminal turned freelance troubleshooter. The film, however, is a campy romp with little to do with the adventure heroine, apart from the names. It's a fine piece of 60s camp, but not a good Modesty Blaise movie.
97. Frankenstein, Jr. and the Impossibles (1966–1968)
30 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
Three cartoons packed into one half hour. Frankenstein Jr. was a robot constructed by a boy-genius to fight crime, The Impossibles were undercover agents disguised as a rock group.
Stars: Ted Cassidy, Hal Smith, Paul Frees, John Stephenson
Votes: 297
Another lively H-B adventure/comedy series. Frankie was a robot, controlled by Buzz Conroy, in a take-off of Johnny Sokko. Ted Cassidy (lurch on the Addams Family) provided Frankie's oice. The Impossibles were a rock band, ala the Beatles, who also had super powers and fought crime, though these were played for laughs.
98. Adam Adamant Lives! (1966–1967)
50 min | Adventure, Sci-Fi
In 1902, Edwardian adventurer Adam Adamant is frozen alive in a block of ice by his archnemesis, the Face. In 1966, workmen discover him and he is revived, perfectly preserved but ... See full summary »
Stars: Gerald Harper, Juliet Harmer, Jack May, Peter Ducrow
Votes: 259
Adam Adamant was a Victorian gentleman hero, who finds himself frozen and awakened in the 60s. He continues his heroic ways, while grappling with a changed world. Unfortunately, much of this series is lost and is not available in the US.
99. The Green Hornet (1966–1967)
TV-PG | 99 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
A newspaper publisher and his Asian valet/martial arts expert battle crime as the feared Green Hornet and Kato.
Stars: Bruce Lee, Van Williams, Wende Wagner, Lloyd Gough
Votes: 3,271
Van Williams starred as the hero, but everyone tuned in to see Bruce Lee as Kato. The series was spawned by Batman, but played it straight, much aided by Lee's martial arts skills. There was a two-part crossover with Batman, on his show; but, the series only lasted one season. Every attempt at revival has hinged upon the role of Kato, rather than the Green Hornet.
100. Our Man Flint (1966)
Approved | 108 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
When scientists use eco-terrorism to impose their will on the world by affecting extremes in the weather, Intelligence Chief Cramden calls in top agent Derek Flint.
Director: Daniel Mann | Stars: James Coburn, Lee J. Cobb, Gila Golan, Edward Mulhare
Votes: 7,089 | Gross: $16.00M
Derek Flint is a polymath, but with a rebellous streak. he is a sort of superspy Doc Savage, he refuses weapons, using his multifunction lighter instead. There were two Flint films and a tv pilot, but this is the best. I've singled him out as he shares more with the pulp heroes than Bond.
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