O Gigante do Ártico

Arctic Giant, The (1942)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Fourth film in the original Paramount series borrows from THE LOST WORLD and KING KONG to create a mildly entertaining short. A Tyrannosaurus is found in the Arctic, brought back the New York City where it accidentally thaws out and goes on a rampage. Lois gets caught in the middle of the action but thankfully Superman is there to save the day. I somewhat enjoyed this short just because of how campy various items are. It goes without saying but plot points isn't a high mark for this series, at least not yet, but I found myself laughing and having a good time here. The dinosaur somehow thaws out in the matter of seconds and no reason is given for him still being alive but that just adds to the entertainment. I thought Superman destroyed him too easily but it was fun seeing the large monster tear through a dam and bridge.

I love the Fleischer Superman cartoons. The animation is smooth and fluid with vivid colors. The distinct art-deco style, vintage science fiction imagery, and use of noirish shadows gave them a look unlike any other cartoons. The music and voicework is superb. They're fun, accessible, enduring animation classics.

The fourth in the Superman series begins with a Godzilla-like dinosaur being found frozen in Siberia and transported to a museum in Metropolis, where it is kept in a special refrigeration unit. Lois Lane is sent to do a story on the monster. While she's there, an incompetent guide causes an accident with the equipment. As the workers frantically try to fix the problem, the ice begins to thaw and the arctic giant begins to awaken. Of course the monster breaks free and wreaks havoc on the city. Which means our boy Superman has to stop the monster while also dealing with the damage it creates, such as when it destroys a dam or breaks a suspension bridge.

Another fantastic Superman cartoon from the Fleischer studio. Fun from beginning to end. A wild concept vividly realized with some great action and memorable eye candy. The equipment used to keep the dinosaur frozen is especially cool. I also love how Superman saved the collapsing bridge. It's a great short and one of the favorites in the series for many.

Foreshadowing Godzilla and certainly inspired by King Kong.

Superman comes to the rescue of Lois Lane and Metropolis as a T Rex entombed in ice is thawed out due to a malfunction.

While the T Rex destroys a dam, a bridge and many buildings. Superman is right behind repairing the damage.

Somehow Lois Lane gets from A to B quicker than Superman.

THE ARCTIC GIANT has Superman tangling with a gargantuan dinosaur in downtown Metropolis.

Fans of the GODZILLA or BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS films will love seeing their predecessor stomp through the cityscape. Superman certainly has his hands full!

A true wham-bam, monster-on-the-loose brawl for all kids and kids at heart...

It was nice to revisit the 1942 animated short "Superman" story titled "The Arctic Giant" here in 2023. I have watched it before, back in my childhood somewhere in the early to mid 1980s.

The storyline, whilst running at only 9 minutes, was actually good. I am amazed how writers Bill Turner and Tedd Pierce could managed to concoct such a wholesome story in just 9 minutes to tell the tale. It worked and it definitely felt like a "Superman" story.

Now, it is said that it was a Tyrannosaurus that was unearthed and thawed, but truth be told it looked more like an ofspring from Godzilla than it did look like a Tyrannosaurus.

The art and animation style in "The Arctic Giant" was good.

If you enjoy "Superman" cartoons, then director Dave Fleischer's 1942 short animated movie "The Arctic Giant" is definitely well-worth sitting down to watch.

My rating of "The Arctic Giant" lands on a six out of ten stars.