36 thoughts on “Superman and the Mole Men (1951) Movie Review”
The only “old” Superman stuff that I watched was the cartoons from the 1940’s. the black and white tv show never appealed one bit and even now, I doubt I’d watch this as even a curiosity. and looking at your rating, I’d say I’ve made the right choice 🙂
I’ve only seen it here and there but could always spot that animated series and see how it impacted television going forward. I also thought black and white television/cinema would never really impress me growing up but I grew fond of the idea of discovering cinema and the “behind-the-scenes” of cinematography back in the day. I definitely couldn’t recommend these things to others without warning them too though hahah
First time I’ve seen him in action, to be honest, but I won’t lie that he makes for a fantastic Clark Kent!!! I like that they stuck to the character’s roots to give us some very source-material-accurate takes on Clark/Superman. It makes me want to watch the George Reeves television series now! Thanks for reading, Icky! 😀
I was, in all honestly, VERY impressed that they managed to make George Reeves fly as Superman here! Shows that they really cared about that one major science-fiction element for this movie! 😀
Wow, Lashaan! Have you been feeling bored lately? 🙂 I applaud you for trying some of the “classics,” though. I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen this one but I do have fond memories of watching Superman tv shows when much younger, either reruns or a later series. I do think some must have been reruns because I recall some in black and white and starring this actor, but I wasn’t around in the ’50’s or 60’s. Somehow, though, I doubt I’d get nearly as much enjoyment out of them now as I did then, other than perhaps a short lived feeling of nostalgia.
Hahaha! Never out of boredom do I explore superhero stuff! Just pure curiosity. 😉 It was also one of my objectives to check out this movie (especially in the context of reviewing all of the DC movies on this blog, even if it means rewatching the worse of them)! 😛
I also believe that nostalgia would be the dominant factor for anyone wishing to revisit these older movies/series! I personally never saw this movie or George Reeves as Superman until today. He goes give us a pretty decent take on the hero, making me want to try the television series he starred in. For the time being, I’ll soon be working through all the well-known Superman/Batman movies pre-Nolan (probably going to be the 2021 project for my movie reviews on this blog)! 😀
The Superman comic I remember having, which I do not anymore ( that’s a long story that I don’t care to tell ) was The Death of Superman. I’m remembering something being like torn unfortunately with the cover, like if you did a certain thing to it, that sometimes normal people would choose, that happened to it. Ha, ha I know it sounds crazy but maybe you know what I’m referring to? I think it was Superman #75?
Ahhh yes, the very story-arc that follows Death of Superman. If you had them in excellent condition, you could probably sell them for a good price today too! 😉
I do know of the iconic Death of Superman story-arc and had fun reading through the collected edition (rather than single issues) of it a couple of years ago!
Interesting review good sir, I’ve always wondered how you would find some of these early b-movie offerings! I find Mole Men to be charming and I’m a lot more forgiving having grown up and being a fan of 1950s sci-fi films (some of which I really do have to get around to reviewing). Did you know that this was actually a two-part story from the Adventures of Superman series edited together for a theatrical release, a common practice in the 50s/60s/70s and the end result would pretty much always be flawed as they essentially were not “really” films. I love the fact that you’ve picked up on and highlighted the themes (such as the element of xenophobia) in this, which you often find in old media such as this (man you would get a lot out of the original Twilight Zone).
I’m sure you’ll find Superman: The Movie a more profound experience. I’m planning to finally have a review of Superman II out before the end of the year (just need to have a rewatch over the festive period first).
BY THE WAY…have you ever seen the Fleischer/Famous Studios animated Superman theatrical shorts from the 1940s? I love them (despite some questionable racial representation in the Famous Studios run, commonplace at the time given the War period) and they’re pretty remarkable and historic.
I’m glad to hear that you already saw this one! Although it doesn’t surprise me knowing, as you’ve mentioned here, your love for 50s sci-fi movies! I do feel like a lot of someone’s enjoyment lies in their nostalgia for this era and the fascination they have for it too. I think I read somewhere that it was a two-part story glued together but I didn’t want to mention it here if there were any subtle variations in the television series hahah I’m glad to hear that Twilight Zone offers similar themes explored throughout its stories, which is something you’ve noted in your reviews too. I just need to make time for it in the near future!
Ahh yes, Reeve’s Superman was the first version that I’ve seen, and all the movies coming after it are those that were part of my childhood too. I’ll be rewatching those and all the pre-Nolan Batman stuff for 2021’s movie reviewing segment on my blog hahah
I’ve never given the animated series a proper shot but it’s definitely on my bucket list of things to do in my life! Duly noted about the racial controversy! Sounds like something that someone TODAY would nitpick on hahaha
P.S. I also got around to watching Star Trek: The Motion Picture following your review and as part of my 2020 New Years’ resolution regarding movies I need to watch! It does seem like there’s a little bit of “history” loss in the viewing if you haven’t seen the TV series that came before it, but the movie does a fantastic job in making it “accessible” for viewers like me! I definitely enjoyed the whole exploration of life and machine in the movie and am very excited to check out the next movie (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan). I often hear that it might be the BEST movie in the franchise too!
Phew, I’m glad you enjoyed Star Trek: The Motion Picture my good man (in fact my heart soars to hear it). Although I love the film it’s not a starting place I’d recommend for newbies…and yes there is some history there that only fans of the original series would get!
The Wrath of Khan is my favourite Star Trek film (and pretty much every Trek fan’s)…it’s a totally different animal to The Motion Picture and I think you will enjoy it very much (you can read my review if you want…although it does contain spoilers so maybe after you’ve seen it).
The Flieschman toons are unreal. I think they are filmed in ‘Rotoscope’ or something. Maybe they filmed people and then painted over, or something like that? Anyway, the colors, the textures, and the uncanny motion are absolutely beautiful and makes this series distinctively different from any other animation and is arguably the greatest animation in history. {Despite the war-time racial references.}
I hate to put more viewing on your plate, but I thought you should be aware.
This looks adorable – and we all know Christmas is the time for old movies. Your pacing point is interesting. One of the things I notice the most when I’m watching old films is how long the scenes are – they really go on!
Ahahah it must have been very interesting to watch this movie also from a “historical” point of view, and I wonder how it was received at that time! I find it incredible that it was filmed in only 12 days though! Even though I am generally not a fan of “old” movies, I always find it fascinating when they still have some relevancy today (which is almost always the case).. 😊 Thanks for sharing this historical piece Lashaan!
While it wasn’t a traditional theatrical release, it probably gave the world a look at what would Superman look like in the real world, especially early in cinematic history! I do think that some of the older black-and-white movies pale when compared to modern cinema, but some of them still deliver exceptional storytelling, actor performances, and relevant morals! 😀 Thanks for reading, Juliette! Always appreciate it! 😀
I didn’t know this movie existed. Now I feel the need to see it, and possibly to kick off a Superman/Batman blog series sometime next year. Well … unless I watch the silent era Batman films made during WW2. The second of which actually features the first ever appearance of the Bat Cave in any form.
Sounds like a plan that I could never say no to! 😉 I know that I’m also very likely to start revisiting the pre-Nolan Superman/Batman movies starting 2021 too, now that I’ve covered most of the modern movies on my blog! 😀 Thanks for reading, as always. Hope you’re doing well!
I am doing well for the most part. Just installed a water softener at my house for one last upgrade for the year. Not worth making a full blog post just for that, but I got a lot more done at my house this year than I thought I would.
Update. I’ve now watched this movie, and am about to start writing my blog post about it. But in short, I largely agree with your review. It’s got some good ideas, but because of its budget restraints and not yet having the technology to make it look like Superman is actually flying, it really hasn’t aged well. Glad I watched it though.
Really glad to hear this update from you! I agree. It’s not mind-blowing but it is fascinating in its own right! Superman had to start somewhere after all, right?
Bookidote 
The only “old” Superman stuff that I watched was the cartoons from the 1940’s. the black and white tv show never appealed one bit and even now, I doubt I’d watch this as even a curiosity. and looking at your rating, I’d say I’ve made the right choice 🙂
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I’ve only seen it here and there but could always spot that animated series and see how it impacted television going forward. I also thought black and white television/cinema would never really impress me growing up but I grew fond of the idea of discovering cinema and the “behind-the-scenes” of cinematography back in the day. I definitely couldn’t recommend these things to others without warning them too though hahah
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Wow that does look very dated! 😆
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Yep! Definitely one of the oldest movie I’ve seen in my life too; The Lady Vanishes (1938) by Hitchcock being the oldest one I’ve seen in my life! 😛
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I can’t honestly agree with her when she says ‘they have the bodies of moles’; they really don’t.
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I’m with you there. I love how they had furry body suits to make us believe that they were hairy all over the place too hahahah
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I nearly deleted this comment when I thought it was about The Bee Gees, but I now realize it’s about the mole people…
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Bruh 🤣🤣🤣
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Yay! George Reeves! Heck yeah. You just can’t beat the original!
Sttogey mentioned the old cartoons. They are fantastic.
Yes, this is some dated material, but it is a firm part of Supes lore.
I’ve never seen this movie, and I have only seen bits of the tv show, but this little mini movie is cute and this was the infancy of television.
Thanks for the nostalgic review, Lashaan. Happy Trails!
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First time I’ve seen him in action, to be honest, but I won’t lie that he makes for a fantastic Clark Kent!!! I like that they stuck to the character’s roots to give us some very source-material-accurate takes on Clark/Superman. It makes me want to watch the George Reeves television series now! Thanks for reading, Icky! 😀
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This looks ancient! Not for me! Great review, Lashaan!
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Hahah that made me smile! Thanks for reading nonetheless, Yesha! 😀
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Hmm interesting… I’m sure the special effects must be good for the times.
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I was, in all honestly, VERY impressed that they managed to make George Reeves fly as Superman here! Shows that they really cared about that one major science-fiction element for this movie! 😀
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Wow, Lashaan! Have you been feeling bored lately? 🙂 I applaud you for trying some of the “classics,” though. I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen this one but I do have fond memories of watching Superman tv shows when much younger, either reruns or a later series. I do think some must have been reruns because I recall some in black and white and starring this actor, but I wasn’t around in the ’50’s or 60’s. Somehow, though, I doubt I’d get nearly as much enjoyment out of them now as I did then, other than perhaps a short lived feeling of nostalgia.
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Hahaha! Never out of boredom do I explore superhero stuff! Just pure curiosity. 😉 It was also one of my objectives to check out this movie (especially in the context of reviewing all of the DC movies on this blog, even if it means rewatching the worse of them)! 😛
I also believe that nostalgia would be the dominant factor for anyone wishing to revisit these older movies/series! I personally never saw this movie or George Reeves as Superman until today. He goes give us a pretty decent take on the hero, making me want to try the television series he starred in. For the time being, I’ll soon be working through all the well-known Superman/Batman movies pre-Nolan (probably going to be the 2021 project for my movie reviews on this blog)! 😀
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The Superman comic I remember having, which I do not anymore ( that’s a long story that I don’t care to tell ) was The Death of Superman. I’m remembering something being like torn unfortunately with the cover, like if you did a certain thing to it, that sometimes normal people would choose, that happened to it. Ha, ha I know it sounds crazy but maybe you know what I’m referring to? I think it was Superman #75?
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Correction. It was Adventures of Superman, return from the dead? Issue.
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Ahhh yes, the very story-arc that follows Death of Superman. If you had them in excellent condition, you could probably sell them for a good price today too! 😉
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I do know of the iconic Death of Superman story-arc and had fun reading through the collected edition (rather than single issues) of it a couple of years ago!
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Interesting review good sir, I’ve always wondered how you would find some of these early b-movie offerings! I find Mole Men to be charming and I’m a lot more forgiving having grown up and being a fan of 1950s sci-fi films (some of which I really do have to get around to reviewing). Did you know that this was actually a two-part story from the Adventures of Superman series edited together for a theatrical release, a common practice in the 50s/60s/70s and the end result would pretty much always be flawed as they essentially were not “really” films. I love the fact that you’ve picked up on and highlighted the themes (such as the element of xenophobia) in this, which you often find in old media such as this (man you would get a lot out of the original Twilight Zone).
I’m sure you’ll find Superman: The Movie a more profound experience. I’m planning to finally have a review of Superman II out before the end of the year (just need to have a rewatch over the festive period first).
BY THE WAY…have you ever seen the Fleischer/Famous Studios animated Superman theatrical shorts from the 1940s? I love them (despite some questionable racial representation in the Famous Studios run, commonplace at the time given the War period) and they’re pretty remarkable and historic.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I’m glad to hear that you already saw this one! Although it doesn’t surprise me knowing, as you’ve mentioned here, your love for 50s sci-fi movies! I do feel like a lot of someone’s enjoyment lies in their nostalgia for this era and the fascination they have for it too. I think I read somewhere that it was a two-part story glued together but I didn’t want to mention it here if there were any subtle variations in the television series hahah I’m glad to hear that Twilight Zone offers similar themes explored throughout its stories, which is something you’ve noted in your reviews too. I just need to make time for it in the near future!
Ahh yes, Reeve’s Superman was the first version that I’ve seen, and all the movies coming after it are those that were part of my childhood too. I’ll be rewatching those and all the pre-Nolan Batman stuff for 2021’s movie reviewing segment on my blog hahah
I’ve never given the animated series a proper shot but it’s definitely on my bucket list of things to do in my life! Duly noted about the racial controversy! Sounds like something that someone TODAY would nitpick on hahaha
P.S. I also got around to watching Star Trek: The Motion Picture following your review and as part of my 2020 New Years’ resolution regarding movies I need to watch! It does seem like there’s a little bit of “history” loss in the viewing if you haven’t seen the TV series that came before it, but the movie does a fantastic job in making it “accessible” for viewers like me! I definitely enjoyed the whole exploration of life and machine in the movie and am very excited to check out the next movie (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan). I often hear that it might be the BEST movie in the franchise too!
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Phew, I’m glad you enjoyed Star Trek: The Motion Picture my good man (in fact my heart soars to hear it). Although I love the film it’s not a starting place I’d recommend for newbies…and yes there is some history there that only fans of the original series would get!
The Wrath of Khan is my favourite Star Trek film (and pretty much every Trek fan’s)…it’s a totally different animal to The Motion Picture and I think you will enjoy it very much (you can read my review if you want…although it does contain spoilers so maybe after you’ve seen it).
LikeLiked by 1 person
The Flieschman toons are unreal. I think they are filmed in ‘Rotoscope’ or something. Maybe they filmed people and then painted over, or something like that? Anyway, the colors, the textures, and the uncanny motion are absolutely beautiful and makes this series distinctively different from any other animation and is arguably the greatest animation in history. {Despite the war-time racial references.}
I hate to put more viewing on your plate, but I thought you should be aware.
Happy Trails!
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Oh my, that looks like it belongs in a museum! 😀 Glad you enjoyed it though, Lashaan – you purveyor of strange tastes! :D:D:D
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Hahahh it was a mandatory viewing as a purveyor of all things DC! 😉
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This looks adorable – and we all know Christmas is the time for old movies. Your pacing point is interesting. One of the things I notice the most when I’m watching old films is how long the scenes are – they really go on!
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Trudat. I do love nostalgic trips to some of my favourite 90s movies this time of the here (e.g. Home Alone)! 😀
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Ahahah it must have been very interesting to watch this movie also from a “historical” point of view, and I wonder how it was received at that time! I find it incredible that it was filmed in only 12 days though! Even though I am generally not a fan of “old” movies, I always find it fascinating when they still have some relevancy today (which is almost always the case).. 😊 Thanks for sharing this historical piece Lashaan!
LikeLiked by 2 people
While it wasn’t a traditional theatrical release, it probably gave the world a look at what would Superman look like in the real world, especially early in cinematic history! I do think that some of the older black-and-white movies pale when compared to modern cinema, but some of them still deliver exceptional storytelling, actor performances, and relevant morals! 😀 Thanks for reading, Juliette! Always appreciate it! 😀
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I didn’t know this movie existed. Now I feel the need to see it, and possibly to kick off a Superman/Batman blog series sometime next year. Well … unless I watch the silent era Batman films made during WW2. The second of which actually features the first ever appearance of the Bat Cave in any form.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sounds like a plan that I could never say no to! 😉 I know that I’m also very likely to start revisiting the pre-Nolan Superman/Batman movies starting 2021 too, now that I’ve covered most of the modern movies on my blog! 😀 Thanks for reading, as always. Hope you’re doing well!
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I am doing well for the most part. Just installed a water softener at my house for one last upgrade for the year. Not worth making a full blog post just for that, but I got a lot more done at my house this year than I thought I would.
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Update. I’ve now watched this movie, and am about to start writing my blog post about it. But in short, I largely agree with your review. It’s got some good ideas, but because of its budget restraints and not yet having the technology to make it look like Superman is actually flying, it really hasn’t aged well. Glad I watched it though.
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Really glad to hear this update from you! I agree. It’s not mind-blowing but it is fascinating in its own right! Superman had to start somewhere after all, right?
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