rev_skarekroe

The 1970's were a time unlike any other. A time of variety shows and special-guest-stars, a time when nobody thought laugh tracks were at all odd, a time when corny, Catskills like gags ran headlong into the comedic advances of Monty Python and SNL. Indeed, the 1970's were the only time in American history that could possibly have provided us with such entertainment product as "Legends of the Super-heroes".

Spanning a mere two episodes, this series of network television specials brought together some of the greatest costumed heroes of all time, then proceeded to treat them like a bunch of chumps. The DVD I rented began with an episode entitled "The Roast," so we'll start there.

The show opens with a rundown of our heroes: Captain Marvel! Green Lantern! Hawkman! Black Canary! The Flash! The Huntress! Robin! and Batman! (The latter two portrayed once again by master thespians Burt Ward and Adam West). Ed McMahon is your host. That's right, I said Ed McMahon is your host. You see, this is no ordinary super-hero adventure! No sir, in this show the costumed crimefighters mostly sit around while a succession of evil villains played by such notables as Charlie Callas and Ruth Buzzi come out and tell bad jokes. We're also treated to cameos by a few other hero-types, namely The Atom, the annoyingly senile Scarlett Cyclone (now known as "Retired Man") and, of course, Ghetto Man. No, I did not make that one up.

The show is entirely cheesy, nothing of any real interest happens, the effects are excreable, even for 1978, and the whole affair is mind numbingly dull. Still the costumes are dead-on accurate (if Halloween quality) and whoever wrote it knows enough about comics to include obscure characters like Mordru and Dr. Sivana. Thankfully, our heroes redeem themselves (a little bit) in the next episode, encouragingly titled "The Challenge."

This ep. is helped immeasurably by the return of Frank Gorshin as the Riddler, and by the fact that the characters actually DO something other than hanging around a poorly assembled soundstage chuckling politely.
The "plot" runs thusly: the villains from the last episode have gotten together with the aim of destroying all life on Earth except there own. Sort of a pointless excercise in futility, but what do I know of villainy? I mean, I can barely spell the word! Anyway, the Riddler leaves the heroes a series of clues about their scheme, and then he and the other baddies tries to stop the heroes from stopping THEM, mostly by donning a series of wacky disguises. Yeah, I know, it didn't make any sense to me either.

Actually, this episode of "Legends of the Super-heroes" may very well be a genre classic. Where else can you find Solomon Grundy working as a gas station attendant? Sinestro, proclaiming "we're engaged!" to a confused Green Lantern? The Huntress ruining someone's picnic? Batman and Robin attempting to buy a used VW Bug from the Weather Wizard? Captain Marvel being psychoanalyzed by the Riddler? Nowhere else but in your dreams, pally, and on this program YOUR DREAMS ARE MADE REAL!

So do the mighty superheroes stop the mad plots of the nefarious villains? Well, I'm not going to tell. That would spoil the surprise (also my DVD stopped working halfway through, so I honestly don't know).

In summation, if you're looking for action packed super-thrills, you may want to just wait for the X2 DVD to come out later this year. If, on the other hand, you're looking for a heavy dose of late '70's comic-book TV cheese, you probably can't do any worse than "Legends of the Super-heroes"!
sk

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"If I could have one wish, as in the fairy tales, I would unmake my past, and rise like Lazarus and stand in sunlight and banish all the dark."
D. Tibet