Comments on: Superman: The Mechanical Monsters

By: sontronics

sontronics — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 05:25:49 +0000

this is great art. you can see the influence in many modern day films. also, it’s interesting that it was made before the word ‘robot’ was coined to describe the mechanical monsters.

By: g rated

g rated — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 00:03:47 +0000

LOOTING of NATIONAL BANK
in 1st scene reminds me of the
Federal Reserve Bank = not Federal & no
reserves – LOOTING of the money supply
of the American People & LOOTING of our riches
in 2nd scene – towards the end – robots – reminding of the Federal Reserve Bank chairman’s FIRE COMING OUT OF THEIR MOUTHS – trying to destroy us – they will stop at nothing to
LOOT this country.

Take back america & stand up for the
US Constitition & Holy BIble

By: jreed88

jreed88 — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 11:49:59 +0000

There really are only about 10 lines in the whole short-and probably only 5 that aren’t used in all the other shorts (ei: “This is a job for Superman” and “I couldn’t have done it without Superman”).
I also like that in all the shorts, Clark always waits around a bit before changing into Superman. This is what I think his though process is: “okay a few million in city damage has been done and, oh no! Lois has vanished and characteristically run towards danger in order to get a headline! I guess I should be saving her and the city right about now.”
Also I think Lois is a totally hot combo of Jessica Rabbit and Dolores in “How Framed Roger Rabbit?” I love quirky Lois voices!

By: Jimmy G Brown

Jimmy G Brown — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 15:17:10 +0000

Another great example that while science has given us better means of doing it. Skill still comes first!!

Note. The robot that leads to badguys downfall. Good old #13. But, oops. The makers goofed the first time they showed the robots back in the jewelry store. Notice that the first time you see its back. It says #5. But, switches accordingly to #13 to match the front for the rest of the show.

Hmm. I may have to breakdown and start going with MP2. I did MP1 and the sound music drags a little on the end? Or was that the cartoon itself?

By: infopablo00

infopablo00 — Sat, 26 Aug 2006 01:53:38 +0000

A masterpiece of pop art.
(Made even before pop art itself was invented)

By: skippy the dancing canopener
Fri, 25 Aug 2006 21:48:38 +0000

Anybody else catch the blooper,the robot stealing the jewel’s is #5,the one arriving back at the lab is #13.I wonder if this has hidden meaning for the era or just a super duper bluper.Did 13 stand for maryjane back then, I wonder.I guess we will never know.

By: tominator_66

tominator_66 — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 10:43:50 +0000

A great show for it’s time. The thing that I found most interesting is the almost direct “borrowing” of the robot’s design by the makers of SkyCaptain and the World of Tomorrow made last year. The giant robots in the beginning of the movie copy the wing and hand design and even the use of shadows almost exactly.

By: helbent

helbent — Tue, 02 May 2006 03:33:00 +0000

Great example of 40′s animation. Color and movement and backgrounds are first rate for the day. Two things cracked me up. One, this guy can build flying robots, but he can’t figure out how to keep the door latched on their backs, and two, as the villian is lowering Lois into the molten metal he insists that she tell him where the jewels are when he has tied a gag around her mouth. No wonder he was stupid enough to think his robots could destroy Superman.

By: Spuzz

Spuzz — Sun, 30 Apr 2006 02:59:10 +0000

Pretty good Superman cartoon here as Clark and Co. try to figure out what kind of mechanical monster (which looks suspiciously like the Iron Giant) robbed the bank on the SAME DAY a gaudy jewelry exhibit opens. Shore enough, the Monster attacks that, and Lois, snoopy reporter that she is, decides literally to back seat it to where the monster is going, luckily, Clark feels that Lois is in trouble and changes to superman. While in the air, he uses his x-ray vision, this is probably the only time IÃƒ?Ã‚?Ãƒ?Ã‚?Ãƒ?Ã‚?Ãƒ?Ã‚?Ãƒ?Ã‚?Ãƒ?Ã‚?Ãƒ?Ã‚?Ãƒ?Ã‚?ve seen him use this in these cartoons. The animation is, as usual, excellent. The Fleschers took pride in these cartoons, itÃƒ?Ã‚?Ãƒ?Ã‚?Ãƒ?Ã‚?Ãƒ?Ã‚?Ãƒ?Ã‚?Ãƒ?Ã‚?Ãƒ?Ã‚?Ãƒ?Ã‚?s obvious.

By: MoonBeamlady

MoonBeamlady — Tue, 14 Mar 2006 02:51:13 +0000

I really enjoyed this!I really was scared!!!Good Show!

By: desmay

desmay — Mon, 16 Jan 2006 04:55:44 +0000

The Superman shorts were at one time the most expensive cartoon shorts ever produced. They pretty much bankrupted the Fleischer studios because while they were gorgeous and popular, they didn’t make their money back. But watch them carefully, and you can’t help but be impressed by them. They’re beautiful, awesome, majestic. Nothing in superhero cartoons came close to rivaling them for the next 50 years…

By: Savant Trigger

Savant Trigger — Mon, 19 Sep 2005 01:35:26 +0000

Very fast-paced and entertaining!

I especially liked the minimalistic dialogue (the characters say perhaps ten lines throughout the whole movie). The lines that were said, however, were delivered in a style more likened to an announcer than a character.
Lois’s voice is very low, it’s kind of weird. I also think it’s interesting the way she climbs in the robot after the jewels. Is it some sort of critique on women?
By the way, I think Superman looks very creepy when he’s using his X-ray vision…

By: Bartacovic

Bartacovic — Mon, 16 May 2005 14:47:40 +0000

Excellent example of early superman, forshadowing “five is alive”—”transformers” and much more recient films.

By: oeaclo

oeaclo — Sun, 27 Mar 2005 18:56:25 +0000

This short is impressive especially for the first five minutes. There’s no dialogue, just the sequence with the robot. The style is neat and the animation is clear and with a nice rythm. You know this is an old cartoon just for the clothes and the technology in it.Pay attention to the panel control of the villain.It’s adorable.
I wonder if today animators could beat Fleischer brothers. Highly recommend it.
Pablo Quiroz.