Fleischer Theatrical Shorts

Last week the Somerville Theatre here in Massachusetts had showings of “Fleischer Studios’ Greatest Hits”, which included two Superman shorts: “Magnetic Telescope” and “The Bulleteers”.

As folks know, television wasn’t a thing in 1942. These shorts were made to play in a theater along with a news reel before a feature film. Since the advent of home video (and a copyright registration error) these shorts have lived on the small screen along with other animated adaptations of the Man of Tomorrow. Being able to see them, as intended, on the big screen, in a theater, with an audience was amazing. Something that hasn’t been done very often since their original exhibition in the 40s.

Notably, these were restorations done by the current incarnation of the Fleischer studios. They are not the restorations done by Warners and released on blu-ray a few years back. They looked incredible, as did the other non-Superman shorts showcased.

With a theater that has been open since 1914; it’s fun to think audiences in 1942 were possibly sitting in that same room watching these same shorts.