THE SPECTRE

THE SPECTRE - I don't know if anyone remembers a chap by the name of Sam Gardner or not, but for those who don't Mr.Gardner is the man responsible for the cool JSA (Justice Society Of America) trailer currently featured in our FBT Matinee section. Unfortunately Sam was unable to complete the JSA project, but all is not lost, for Mr. Gardner has returned with a brand new Fan Film based on Golden Age JSA great The Spectre! The film opens with fellow JSA members paying their respects to the recently departed Jim Corrigan. After getting to close to infamous gangster Gats Benson, the fiesty New York Cop is placed in a cement filled barrel by some of Benson's goons and tossed into the harbor. Believed dead to the world Corrigan finds Himself trapped in Limbo and looking for answers. A mysterious spirit offers Corrigan life on Earth once more, but He would not return the man He left, instead Corrigan would return to the world of the living as a powerful spirit of vengeance, hungry for the souls of evil and injustice wherever they may rear their ugly heads. The film explores the characters exploits over the years, comprised mainly of well narrarated flashback sequences. Particularly well done are the films Golden Age scenes. Filmed in black and white, with some grainy effects here and there, the film looks dated, giving it an authentic Golden Age feel. Fans will be thrilled to see some surprise guest appearances by some of your favorite JSA members in the film as well, including Jay Garrick, better known as the original Flash. The actor portraying the modern day Garrick does a superb job, his performance is definitely one of the films strong points along with the well written script. Giving you a little bit of yesterday, along with more modern events in The Spectre's life, the film covers much within the confines of a short film without going overboard. The Spectre's appearance in the film is fairly faithful to his comic book visage, but not without faults. Gardner gets points for making him white skinned with a spiffy looking green cloak, but the Trump-like wig on Corrigan looked hoakey, making the character less menacing than he really needs to be. In my opinion, When you want a truly spooky, and mysterious character, less is always more when it comes to showing the characters actual face. Not to say that Sam's Spectre is totally ineffective, smoke effects and vocal distortion really make The Spectre's presence known in the film, so kudos for that. Overall this film worked, thanks to a well written script, just the right ammount of action, and a distinct visual style. Since this is the first Spectre Fan Film EVER, i think all comic book fans should give thanks to Mr. Gardner for taking the time to make this film. You are truly a brave soul for taking on such a comlex character Sam, and you pulled it off!