Super Mates 85: House of Franklin-Stein Part 4

It’s this year’s final trip to the House of Franklin-Stein, but don’t lose your head! In this Dark Podcast of Forbidden Love, Chris and Cindy discuss Tim Burton’s Sleepy Hollow, starring Johnny Depp, Christina Ricci and Christopher Walken!

 Then another headless specter gallops in with coverage of The Atom and The Hawkman #43, featuring the Winged Wonders vs. The Gentleman Ghost!

Plus, a special bonus segment where the Super Mates and their daughter Dani fill you in on their spooky fall vacation at Disney World, Universal Studios, and Legoland!

Special shout out to Doug Vandiver and Ward Hill Terry! Happy Halloween!

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This podcast is a proud member of the FIRE AND WATER PODCAST NETWORK

Clip credits:

Sleepy Hollow (1999) directed by Tim Burton, music by Dany Elfman

Opening wedding march by Marc Shaiman from Addams Family Values

“Hawkman” theme by John Gart from The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure

Highwayman” by The Highwaymen (Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Waylon Jennings & Johnny Cash)

“The Headless Horseman” by Bing Crosby from The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad

“Grim Grinning Ghosts” from Disney’s The Haunted Mansion attraction

“The House of Franklin-Stein” by Ward Hill Terry

 

14 responses to “Super Mates 85: House of Franklin-Stein Part 4

  1. Chris, I enjoy the Gentleman Ghost, too, but I haven’t read this issue. I have the Hawkman Showcases, and I really need to dig them out and read them. The issue sounds like fun.

    Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t Gentleman Ghost’s face/head sometimes appear and then disappear on the Super Friends episode? I probably haven’t seen it since the 70s, but that was my first exposure to him. Wasn’t he referred to as a Superman villain on the episode?

    The main source of my Gentleman Ghost fan-ship was the two Batman vs Gentleman Ghost issues during Len Wein’s excellent run, both with gorgeous Joe Kubert covers. I really liked the is he or isn’t he a ghost shenanigans in those stories. One of my favorite comedy bits was when one of the Ghost’s henchman wonders how a man with no head can drink so much tea. I do feel a bit sorry for Hawkman, though. Batman already had the best rogues gallery in comics and then he up and stole Hawkman’s best foe.

    I’ve really enjoyed the House of Franklin-stein episodes and went back and listened to some past ones, too. The shows were such fun that I’m almost willing to let Cindy slide on her hatred of Dr. Phibes.

    1. Yes, “Gentelman Jim” (as the Super Friends called him) had a disappearing/reappearing head, which is probably where Batman: The Brave and the Bold got the idea. On SF it was a ghostly face with black eyes, on B&B, zombified! On SF Superman and Wonder Woman had entombed him before, and he was out for revenge!

      Love those Batman stories by Wein and Novick, with the Kubert covers. I picked up the second one right off the stands, after meeting “Jim” on SF. I was a fan for life after that. And yeah, Batman’s got enough good foes! Stop poaching, Bruce!

      Thanks for listening, and I have to report I saw Dr. Phibes rises again was streaming on Amazon Prime, but Cindy just cut me “THE LOOK” when I suggested we watch it. 😉

      Chris

  2. I saw SLEEPY HOLLOW once, years ago, and remember not being all that thrilled with it, mostly because of Burton’s insistence on jamming Depp into every lead role, whether he’s right for it or not (in this case, not, IMO). But it’s been a long time, and you two talking it up makes me want to give it a second chance.

    Chris does many, many good impressions. His Christopher Walken is not one of them.

    At the first comic shop I ever went to (El Dorado Comics in Cherry Hill, NJ–RIP), I found issues of ATOM AND HAWKMAN, a title I didn’t know existed. With those Kubert covers, the book looked soooo cool, but they were a little pricey so I think I ever only bought one of them. Yeah, this issue doesn’t sound that good, but like you Chris I love the GG so much I’ll find it anyway. I always loved the idea of giving two JLAers a “solo” title–Green Arrow/Black Canary! Flash/Elongated Man! Zatanna/Firestorm!

    “Shag is nice to everyone, except Rob.” Evergreen comment.

    I’m sorry this is the final show of HOF 2018, I really love this series and I appreciate all the extra work you both put into it. It’s one of my favorite things the network does and you both should be really proud of the shows, they’re enormous fun.

    Thanks to Dani for making a special appearance. How could anyone sue her Mommy and Daddy?!?

    Happy Halloween everyone!

  3. If Cindy can watch Dr. Phibes, you can watch Sleepy Hollow…or something.

    I may do a bad Walken, but I stumble into a subpar Travolta along the way.

    The Atom and the Hawkman is kind of odd, since it mirrors the original Marvel formula of Tales of Suspense, Tales to Astonish, etc. Marvel was getting out of it, as DC was forced to go to it.

    Thanks for the kind words, Rob. I’m already suffering from post-HoF depression, I think. And Halloween hasn’t even gotten here yet! And if anyone tries to sue me, I’m going to put Dani in front of them and see if they melt.

    Chris

  4. I remember not being all that excited for Sleepy Hallow when it came out, since I’m such a big fan of the Disney version. I finally saw it on TV and I did enjoy it. You can only do the same thing with a story so many times, so I’m OK with the changes. It’s not better than the Bing Crosby narrated version, in any way at all, but it’s a fun watch.

    For another “headless” character, might I suggest the anime “Interviews with Monster Girls” (https://vrv.co/series/G6Q43113R/Interviews-With-Monster-Girls). One of the Demi girls, Kyōko Machi, is a dullahan, which is a headless human that carries their own head around. It’s very enjoyable on multiple levels, so much so that our family costumes are based on Sakie (Michelle), Hikari (Kira), and Tetsuo (me) from the series.

    Yes, there will be pictures forthcoming.

      1. Well, none of us will be headless, as Michelle character is a succubus, Kira’s is a vampire, and mine is the biology teacher that’s doing the interviews, so don’t get your hopes up. My character doesn’t have a beard, though, so shaving will be necessary. 😉

  5. Burton’s Sleepy Hollow is a great choice for a Halloween movie, and I thoroughly enjoyed your coverage of it. Personally, I like this movie because I think it sort of addresses something that always bugged me about the story. Now, like many, I enjoyed the Disney cartoon that was usually aired annually around Halloween time when I was a kid, but I still found the bullying of Ichabod Crane a bit off-putting. This was reinforced when I later read Washington Irving’s story. I know Crane is presented as a schemer, with an eye on Katrina’s fortune, and as a bit of a moocher, but that still doesn’t erase the impression that a big part of why he’s reviled is because he’s bookish, intellectual type – basically a geek (who would probably be a comic book reader if the story had a more modern setting), rather than a proper ‘manly man’ like Brom. So I really liked it in Burton’s movie that he is the hero – a flawed one to be sure, but still the hero.
    And the rest of the cast was great, too: I’m particularly fond of Miranda Richardson’s role – she is so good at playing scenery-chewing villainesses, often giving them a comedic flare, which is apparent here. (Otherwise, I loved her as Queen Elizabeth II, i.e., ‘Queenie’, in the Blackadder series.)
    Otherwise, I’d never even heard of, much less seen, the Jeff Goldblum TV movie. Glad it’s on YouTube, as I’d like to check it out – especially since it also features the stunningly beautiful Meg Foster (yes, her eyes are amazing).

    Great show, overall. I also really enjoyed the last segment featuring Dani.

    1. Good call on the bullying aspect of the original story, Edo. We see that a little bit in the film, when Brom dresses as the Horseman and reenacts the Disney cartoon, but that’s about it. Brom is pretty much an after-thought in the film, basically there to give us a shocking death later. Ichabod being the hero, even a squeamish one, is a bit more in line with modern sensibilities.

      The Goldblum version has a kooky charm all its own, but its definitely a TV movie of its time. It adds in some elements that Irving never dreamed off, and in some ways isn’t any more faithful to the source material than Burton, but the characters are all cast in their original roles, anyhow. If you’re a fan of Welcome Back, Kotter, Mr. Woodman makes an appearance too.

      Glad you enjoyed Dani’s segment. The negotiations with her agent were murder. 😉

      Chris

  6. How timely, my daughter has been studying The Legend of Sleepy Hollow in school this month, which will culminate in a viewing of the Disney animated feature on Halloween. Perhaps, it would be educational to have her watch the Burton film, and then compare and contrast it with the original tale? Actually, my daughter told me that her class has watched clips from the “adult” (her word) movie version of the story. Now, I’m curious to find out if the “adult” version refers to the Burton film or the old made-for-TV movie.

    Finally, I would like to bid a fond farewell to the House of Franklin-stein. May you return again next year with your haunted halls filled with new old films for us to enjoy. And thank you, Chris and Cindy, for all the work you put into these episodes each year.

    1. Thanks Brian, much appreciated!

      I hope your daughter’s school was very selective if they did show parts of Burton’s Sleepy Hollow. It’s pretty gory in parts (no pun intended)! I think there was a Hallmark Channel production a few years back too, so it may have been that one as well. Either way, nice to see them teaching the classics, and you can’t go wrong with the Disney version!

      Chris

  7. Fashionably late with my comment, Super Mates. Excellent job with the Sleepy Hollow review! And I think the shows from this month and last have some … I guess commonality or theme that I’m discerning? It’s as though they tie in to, perhaps celebrate, a certain time of year or even a day, if I’m not mistaken.

    Oh, I see — you two must be big fans of Girl Scout Founder’s Day, which happens to be today! Well, I hope it’s a happy one for you!

    P.S. As for the reading material, you’re quite welcome! 🙂

    1. Hey, we have a Girl Scout in the house, so we should be celebrating that, but we’re too busy eating all the candy loot we got. Or Dani got, actually…

      Thanks again Doug! I’m loving Return of the Wolf Man!

      Chris

  8. Oh, what a treat to be part of the podcast! I’ll withhold my comments on how Tim Burton can take any established property and distort it beyond recognition! ooops.

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