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7.1/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 7.1/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Super-Speed remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Look, if you dig old, scrappy B-movies that don't know what they want to be, you'll have a decent time. If you need logic or high-end production value, keep walking. This is for the folks who like to see how movies were glued together before the industry got all shiny and serious. 🏃💨
It’s 1935. Someone invents 'superspeed' tech, and suddenly, every person in town is acting like they’ve had eighteen cups of coffee. The plot is basically just a relay race where the baton is a dangerous invention.
The pacing is… well, it’s frantic. It’s like the editor was trying to match the speed of the device itself. You barely have time to register who is holding the gadget before someone else is running off with it.
Charley Grapewin is in this, and honestly, he’s the only one who looks like he knows the movie is a bit of a joke. He has this squinty, tired look the whole time, like he’s wondering why he didn’t just stay home. ☕
I couldn't help but think about how different this feels compared to something like Roberta. That movie had style to burn. Super-Speed? It has a pile of props and a lot of dust.
It’s not trying to be a deep meditation on science. It’s just a scramble. There is something really honest about that. It’s not trying to trick you into thinking it’s important. It just wants to get to the end of the reel.
If you've seen Going Hollywood, you know how these studio programmers usually play out. This one feels like the weird cousin of those, stuck in a basement with a soldering iron.
I laughed when a character tripped over their own feet while trying to 'superspeed' away. It wasn't scripted, I bet. It’s just the kind of movie where people fall over. 🎥
Bottom line? It’s a curiosity. Don't overthink it, or the whole thing will just fall apart in your hands. It’s better that way.
