Superman and the Mole-Men
Synopsis - Superman and the Mole-Men The differences between this movie and the two-part episodes on television are noteworthy, not subtle, but possible mitigation is accepted due to time constraints with the television episodes. The movie was fifty-eight minutes in length whereas two thirty-minute television episodes do not leave sufficient room for commercials, even in the early 1950's. Looking at the movie now allows the viewer scope to include critical scenes in the TV episodes, shave scenes elsewhere, in order to leave less questions to be asked of the viewer. Critical scenes showing why no outside assistance was ever brought in to help law enforcement or why the entire nation was not alerted to the events in Silsby are important to be shown letting the viewer understand why things occurred the way they did. The movie was successful and it launched the television series therefore critical questions answered are most appropriate. The following synopsis includes mention of scenes omitted in the television episodes shown at the end of season one, two years after the movie was made. Eddie is first to speak in the movie as rig supervisor Bill Corrigan is ordering men, including Eddie, to toss nearly-new tools and parts into a pit with one such part being wrapped up and tucked into the shed adjoining watchman Pop's shack. Just before our reporters get to the site, something is afoot as men are not working on the rig of the deepest oil well ever drilled. Edited was Corrigan hiding something in a wrap(never did find out the item), putting it into the shed next to Pop, then jumping Pop for interfering, afterward apologizing, saying he was just nervous about the events at hand. Reporters arrive with news from Pop the well is closing, explaining it was a company decision, per Corrigan. Clark starring at the discarded items, mentioning "I'm not so sure we won't get a story" is a lead to a later conversation with Corrigan alone. The man escorting Clark and Lois to the site is oil company publicity man John Craig. Craig is in the dark as far as the well closing; he offers the Silsby hotel to the reporters at the oil company's expense and his car. Note Craig and Corrigan are with the reporters throughout the movie. Back at the hotel, Clark is thinking about Corrigan as he speaks to Lois about something not sitting right with Clark, questioning Corrigan's demeanor that afternoon. He and Lois decide to take a drive out to the well to take another look around, and maybe talk to the watchman. The creatures release the latches from the well cap and climb out of the casing onto the platform, from there they venture about before coming to Pop's shack. Edited from TV the music seemed more intense as the creatures emerged from the well; they took a longer route to Pop's shack, showing them watching Pop eat while reading his magazine, although the movie never did actually has Pop look at the creatures nor shows them in the shed, Pop hit the floor off-camera. Pop went from his orange to a sandwich when the creatures look at him through the shed window, just as the reporters are driving up in Craig's car. Clark sees through the door and Pop lying on the shed floor. "Great Scot" he exclaims, as he and Lois run to Pop's side. Clark confirms Pop is dead, kneeling before him, requesting Lois get a hold of Craig also summon Corrigan and the Sheriff. Clark goes outside of the shed, notices the cap off the well, examines it, while Lois calls Craig and lets out a scream, witnessing the creatures. Clark runs to her side, comforting her, he tells Craig on the phone to come to the well site with Corrigan and the Sheriff. Everybody gathered in the shack, nobody quite believing Lois' story, but Pop was pronounced dead by the doc-coroner. The Sheriff says all clear around the area, Lois tells Craig what she saw, pleading with them to believe her. The doc-coroner declaring Pop's death a probable heart attack, autopsy to confirm, while Clark asks could Pop have been frightened to death? Yes, responds the doc-coroner. The inquest will be on Wednesday says the Sheriff, Clark says we'll be there. Lois wants out, goes with Craig, Clark sticks around to talk with Corrigan. Corrigan showed Clark the sample drill cores he pulled, they glow, the last sample showed life, the cap was off Clark tells Corrigan. The undertaker, Jeff Reagan, is on his way, until Corrigan gets a call saying Reagan lost control of his car seeing the creatures on the road, the car turned over and he was injured. Pop's death, Lois' sighting, Reagan's sighting all lead to the same conclusion that the creatures, whatever they are, are around the area, and the glowing oranges spilled on the floor are more than enough for Clark and Corrigan to get back to town. The creatures watching through the bushes men heading to town was not in the television episode. The two visitors from the well roam the area, inspecting a flower, dropping it, leaving it to glow. They come to a house where a child is playing in her bedroom, they climb in the window, roll a ball among them. News gets around when the two men pull up to the hotel and Luke Benson's hounds are identified by Corrigan speaking to Kent. A meeting of townsfolk in the hotel lobby angrily forming a vigilantly group lead by Luke Benson prompts Clark to tell all them not to act in that manner and Corrigan chimes in with "they came up from the drill shaft out of the oil well from six miles underground". Clark tells the crowd you reacted because you were frightened. He asks them to trust him, that he will take care of it, when Lois questions his sanity. The crowds leaves the lobby when the child's mother enters and screams at the sight of the two strangers. The crowd heads toward the sound of the screams. Clark, hearing the screams, departs, as Lois expounds to Craig and Corrigan "he always does that, gets himself in a jam and runs away." Superman appears at the child's house, goes in, exits, the little girl was scared, she is alright, fights off Luke and the crowd disperses. Superman, Lois, Corrigan and Craig go to the house window where the creatures entered. He directs the other men to wrap the two, bring them to the hospital for routine decontamination, explaining to Lois about the glow caused by the creatures' touch. Edited from television, Lois wants to call the Planet, Superman advises otherwise, for the panic set forth could be devastating, a nationwide form of hysteria, hold off until more facts are known, stop this here in Silsby before it spreads. Craig says he is right Miss Lane, Lois reluctantly agrees. The creatures are on the dam's precipice with Luke, Weber and Eddie hunting them; Eddie shines his light at them, aerial shots of the water below with the concrete walls were edited from the movie. Superman lands in front of the vigilantes, warning about their possible radioactivity, contaminating the water supply, Luke fire shots at Superman, knocks down Luke, Weber shoots a creature, he lets out a scream, falls with Superman catching him mid-air. Superman lands with the wounded one and says "I'm going to get you to a hospital." The chase for the other one is on with Matt getting the hounds on the scent. There is considerable more footage of the lone creature escaping from the dam, encountering a vagabond at a campfire, sipping water until he sees the creature and flees the area. The creature meets up with a chicken wire fence he sifts through as the mob finds a distant gate for the dogs to pass with them. The footage from leaving the dam to the tool shed is minimal in the television edit, no vagabond, no chicken wire, less travel altogether. They did show the creature lying prone taking a breath and leaving glowing brush; Luke warning the men not to touch it. The creature comes to a tool shed, rips boards away to enter, and finds himself being nearly burned to death in the shed. Miraculously escaping through the floorboard as the shed is engulfed in flames. Eddie shoots at the window while the flames are roaring, but Luke is not sticking around to see the kill. Footage seen only in the movie is the Sheriff leaving a call for the state police asking for help in controlling the mob in town as it is only he and deputy Jim available as law enforcement. Craig tries talking him into doing it himself with the help from Superman and Corrigan agrees with Craig. The Sheriff says he hasn't seen Superman since he went to the hospital with the wounded creature. Corrigan says Kent is at the hospital, hasn't seen Superman, but Craig says Kent and Lane are from the largest newspaper in the country, think about the publicity you would get from their story if you handled yourself. The operator calls back saying still a busy signal, the Sheriff says he will try them in the morning, Craig tells he did the right thing. Luke comes into the Sheriff's office bragging they got the creatures, the Sheriff disagrees, Superman took one to the hospital. Luke is determined to rid the town of the creatures and forces the men at gunpoint to back off he is going to hunt the creatures down once and for all. The Sheriff and deputy are off to stop Benson and his mob, Corrigan and Craig don't think they will be able to without help, they go to find Kent. The Sheriff gets slugged by Luke on the hotel steps as he tries to arrest Luke, the mob hauls away the Sheriff, Luke and mob head to the hospital. Clark and the doctor walk out of the operating room as Lois barks "Clark, where have you been? And what are you doing in that outfit?" "What are you hiding?" she chirps at Clark. "... you're leading a double life." Clark tells Lois Craig and Corrigan are running up the street, she can't see them. Corrigan says Luke is on his way to get the creature, Clark says he will be right back, Lois accuses him of being scared to death. A confrontation erupts between Luke and Lois, Corrigan gets pistol whipped by Luke, Superman appears, Craig helps Corrigan in side the hospital, Lois is almost struck with a shot fired, she steps inside, Superman relieves the mob of its weapons. Three more creatures emerge from the well, weapon in tow, seeking revenge and their companion more than likely. They walk through the empty streets weapon-ready to defend themselves as the disarmed townsfolk head into the hotel. They encounter Superman, weapon pointed, one gesticulates cradling another, Superman goes into the hospital telling all present they communicated he was the person saving their friend by the cradling motion. Superman brings out the wounded one, handing over to another, and blocks the weapon discharge of a pulsating light beam at Luke Benson. Luke says you saved my life and Superman retorts that's more than you deserve. Superman helps carry the wounded one to the well entrance, helping them down the casing, weapon included. Corrigan tells Superman he got hold of a Geiger counter, checking the woman and child, and Kent was right, it was just harmless phosphorescence confirmed. A light ray pulses from the capped well, suddenly an explosion, the derrick is burning, the well and casing is being destroyed so no one will be able to get to them again. Superman, Lois, Craig and Corrigan stand back as the fire burns, Lois says "...you live your lives, and we'll live ours." No credits were listed at the end of the movie, only those at the beginning.
Read more →
