Three different movies based on classic comic-strip and pulp characters from the 1930's. Three movies with big budgets and big stars. Three movies that all came out in the 90's and were meant to start a new franchise. Three movies which did not succeed in that. Though in Dick Tracy's case that had more to do with lawyers. Which was the best movie?

Dick Tracy: Was like the Sin City of the 90's. Had an all star cast, high production values and was overall a pretty fun movie. Really doesn't seem to get the respect that it deserves and is somewhat forgotten today. 4/5

The Shadow: High production values and a good lead in Alec Baldwin. Had some cool moments but never seemed to come together like it should have. As it stands it fits in the category of I like it, but its not as good as it could be. 3/5

The Phantom: Had a big pedigree from screenwriter Jeffrey Boam doing the script and Billy Zane made for a good lead. Catherine Zeta Jones is sexy and Kristy Swanson is cute. Has some good action scenes and solid actors, however like The Shadow it just never comes completely through like it could have and suffers from being too corny. Yes even by the standards of a man in a purple suit running around the jungle. 2.5/5

So I vote Dick Tracy.

P.S The Rocketeer which I love didn't make the list since he debuted in 1982 and wasn't a classic character from the 1930's.

I vote for Tracy. It really is quite underrated and captures the feeling of an old comic strip perfectly. I really do wish Warren Beatty had been allowed to present his PG-13 cut of the movie that was supposed to have happened about a decade ago. Again, it was lawyers that caused the demise.

Shadow had potential, but it was ahead of its time. Phantom just looked cheesy all around to everyone, even though I dug the animotion VHS box.

Yeah, Dick Tracy was excellent, The Shadow was solid, and The Phantom was pretty forgettable, IMO.

I went for The Shadow. I was never a fan of Dick Tracey and I am no fan at all of Warren Beatty. Never understood the big deal made about him. I prefer The Phantom over Tracey as well. It was pretty fun, but Billy Zane didn't bring much and the action and effects let it down. The Shadow had a much more interesting story and character and someone who wakes a fine line between hero and psychology vigilante. I always found the look of the Shadow pretty cool as well. It would be awesome to see a team up with the characters for the recent Comic strip (Masks).

i have DT set to record. will have to check it out again and see bc frankly i forgot. but, i remember not being fond of any...

None of the above. I barely remember any of them.

Except maybe Treat Williams' way-over-the-top villain but I couldn't tell you which movie he was in.

The Phantom.

I actually liked the Phantom, except for the "camp" element, as it was otherwise fairly faithful to the source material. As was the Shadow, which I like most of all. The Shadow had humor (without the camp) which fit and didn't come out of left field to poke fun of the character. Nor characters (like Williams') so over the top it's like they're from a different movie.

Even though I was a long time fan of the comic strip, Dick Tracy was just a disaster AFAIC. The movie really played up the camp (which, generally speaking, I hate with a passion) and was just too silly beyond any chance of being appealing. Don't really understand the love for DT. Except for the Roger Rabbit short, it was eminently forgettable. Doesn't help I'm not a fan of Beatty, although I thought Shampoo was hysterical.

I picked DT and disagree about the camp factor. It may have come off campy when I first watched more than 20 years ago but when watched it a couple of weeks ago I was like damn this is a cool little gangster flick. Flat Top was always my favorite, because he was Big Boy's lead hitman and didn't give a fuck. William Forsythe is a badass.

The Phantom is a perfect pulp comic book film. I think it came out at the wrong time, when comic book movies were going through a lull with fans' tastes.

They all suck. Movies my lame grandfather liked. You can throw the overrated, lameass The Rocketeer into this milquetoast mix.

Dick Tracy easily. Yeah, it was like the PG Sin City of it's day. I remember wanting to get a two way wrist radio because of the movie. The idea for the giant, distorted faces all the gangsters had turned out exceptionally well.

Saw The Shadow when it came out. Knew a little about the character from History of Comics-type books, and the DC series by Sienkiwicz. Was really let down by the movie.

I wanted to like The Phantom but it was king of corny.

Batman Begins rips off a good portion of plot from the Shadow.

Damn...you're right.

None of the above movies are any good but Dick Tracy wins by being the most memorably average. Followed by The Phantom and The Shadow.

Also radio shows back in the day. In fact, I thought this thread was going to be best movies adapted from their radio shows. I actually heard The Shadow and Dick Tracy a long time ago when discussing these movies with some friends. Dick Tracy got my vote, although I liked The Shadow a lot. Always wished they would do an updated movie and bring back Alec Baldwin, but in another role.

I like them all, but Phantom is my fav. I love the pulp era of those 90s films.

The Shadow is fun and enjoyable and if I see it on cable I will still watch it. DT I have tried to watch since I first saw it, but I just cant sit through that movie again. Its kind of a mess.

Dick Tracy has no gravity. At no time do you worry or fear or care about what's happening. You know the good guy will win. It's very predictable and has very little drama.

I saw the Shadow once, in the theater, when it was new. I remember very little of it. But I remember liking it a lot.

Only thing I remember about Dick Tracy was the crazy sets with all the goofy colors and wacky villains.

I loved both The Shadow and The Phantom. Dick Tracy was ok but the other two were more interesting to me.

The Shadow disappointed me. I think a better actor than Alec Baldwin could have really done something with that role.

I still think it could be a viable franchise with the right actor and direction.

Also, the OP is right. The Rocketeer is a GREAT film and far better than all the others.

I like the story of The Rocketeer movie a lot more than the comic. That the rocket-pack was made by Howard Hughes instead of Doc Savage. The movie needed a better Betty Paige though.

A 20-21 year-old Jennifer Connelly wasn't good enough? Not to mention that Billy Campbell was tapping that for a while and he was already in his 30's, too.

This is probably a case of "her elbows are too pointy," but...

She's attractive, and when I saw the movie as a kid, she was cool. I read the Dave Stevens' comic year's later though and much of the appeal of original Rocketeer story was thee Betty Page making an appearance and looking just like her photos.

Connelly came across as this pretty, but loyal girl-next-door-type who matches up with Campbell, who appears tall and dashing. In the comic, Cliff is this scrappy little every man type, and his girl Betty is this sex pot that he can't quite keep in check.