History Film / TheFantasticFour

* TruerToTheText: While the film may have been obscure and had the cases of AdaptationOriginConnection and SparedByTheAdaptation, it is much more faithful than all of the Live-Action adaptations of the FF that came after it.

* {{Expy}}: The Jeweler is without question supposed to be the Mole Man. It's unknown why they didn't use his original name.

** It may not have been on purpose but when Reed sees Sue for the first time since she grew up, it is almost identical to the shot in ''BlueVelvet'' in which the protagonist meets his love interest. DavidLynch used the same shot in ''Film/{{Eraserhead}}''.

In 1992, The Constantin Film production company held the film rights to the ''Comicbook/FantasticFour'' comic book, but they were about to lose said film rights unless they began production by December of that year. Since both the budget and the technology necessary for such a venture were lacking at the time, they instead opted to do a ''very'' low-budget film produced by Creator/RogerCorman and directed by journeyman music video director [[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0766020/reference Oley Sassone]]; this was done as an AshcanCopy to maintain the rights, and it was never released in theaters or any home media. However, a release date was set for 1994 and the cast and crew were told the film would be released. Although Creator/StanLee says that it was never intended to be released, Corman and producer Bernd Eichinger claim that they ''did'' plan to release it, but Marvel, fearing that it would [[InkStainAdaptation cheapen the franchise]], bought the film for the amount of money Constantin spent making it and ordered all prints destroyed.

(You can see it on Website/YouTube [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVLqs9MrGbw here]].)

* AllYourPowersCombined: DoctorDoom's brilliant plan involves taking the team's powers and adding them to his own.

** Joseph Culp's performance as DrDoom. Strangely, as the Agony Booth's review notes, Culp actually gives a sinister, understated performance in the early sections of the film, only to go batshit insane about half an hour in...which, to the film's credit, is absolutely right for Doom.

In 1992, The Constantin Film production company held the film rights to the ''Comicbook/FantasticFour'' comic book, but they were about to lose said film rights unless they began production by December of that year. Since both the budget and the technology necessary for such a venture were lacking at the time, they instead opted to do a ''very'' low-budget film produced by Creator/RogerCorman and directed by journeyman music video director [[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0766020/reference Oley Sassone]]; this was done solely as an AshCanCopy to maintain the rights, and it was never released in theaters or any home media. Although a release date was set for 1994 and the cast and crew were told the film would be released, this turned out to be some BlatantLies.

(You can see it on youtube [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVLqs9MrGbw here]].)

More info [[http://www.teako170.com/ffmovie.html here]], [[BileFascination in case]] [[ShmuckBait you're interested]]. Or [[http://www.agonybooth.com/recaps/The_Fantastic_Four_1993.aspx here]], [[Website/TheAgonyBooth if you got the time]]. Not to be confused with [[Film/FantasticFour the 20th-Century]] [[Film/FantasticFour2015 Fox films]] (on which Constantin also produced).

* LargeHam: Joseph Culp's performance as DrDoom. Strangely, as the Agony Booth's review notes, Culp actually gives a sinister, understated performance in the early sections of the film, only to go batshit insane about half an hour in...which, to the film's credit, is absolutely right for Doom.

In 1992, The Constantin Film production company held the film rights to the ''Comicbook/FantasticFour'' comic book, but they were about to lose said film rights unless they began production by December of that year. Since both the budget and the technology necessary for such a venture were lacking at the time, they instead opted to do a ''very'' low-budget film produced by Creator/RogerCorman and directed by [[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0766020/reference Oley Sassone]]; this was done solely as an AshCanCopy to maintain the rights, and it was never released in theaters or any home media. Although a release date was set for 1994 and the cast and crew were told the film would be released, this turned out to be some BlatantLies.

More info [[http://www.teako170.com/ffmovie.html here]], [[BileFascination in case]] [[ShmuckBait you're interested]]. Or [[http://www.agonybooth.com/recaps/The_Fantastic_Four_1993.aspx here]], [[Website/TheAgonyBooth if you got the time]]. Not to be confused with [[Film/FantasticFour the 20th-Century Fox film]] (on which Constantin was a producer).

In 1992, The Constantin Film production company held the film rights to the ''Comicbook/FantasticFour'' comic book, but they were about to lose said film rights unless they began production by December of that year. Since both the budget and the technology necessary for such a venture were lacking at the time, they instead opted to do a ''very'' low-budget film produced by Creator/RogerCorman and directed by Creator/OleySassone; this was done solely as an AshCanCopy to maintain the rights, and it was never released in theaters or any home media. Although a release date was set for 1994 and the cast and crew were told the film would be released, this turned out to be some BlatantLies.

More info [[http://www.teako170.com/ffmovie.html here]], [[BileFascination in case]] [[ShmuckBait you're interested]]. Or [[http://www.agonybooth.com/recaps/The_Fantastic_Four_1993.aspx here]], [[Website/TheAgonyBooth if you got the time]]. Not to be confused with [[Film/FantasticFour the 20th-Century Fox film]] (on which Constantin was a producer).

* DullSurprise: Reed [[http://www.agonyboothmedia.com/images/articles/The_Fantastic_Four_1993/inspace4.jpg doesn't seem to react at all]] during the scene where the Four are irradiated, as opposed to the [[http://www.agonyboothmedia.com/images/articles/The_Fantastic_Four_1993/inspace1.jpg rather]] [[http://www.agonyboothmedia.com/images/articles/The_Fantastic_Four_1993/inspace2.jpg exaggerated]] [[http://www.agonyboothmedia.com/images/articles/The_Fantastic_Four_1993/inspace3.jpg reactions]] of the other three.

* DullSurprise: Reed doesn't seem to react at all during the scene where the Four are irradiated, as opposed to the rather exaggerated reactions of the other three.

[[caption-width-right:340:The Fantastic...[[IncrediblyLamePun Four-gotten]]?]]

* HeyItsThatGuy: Young Sue Storm is [[Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer Harmony]].

* DawsonCasting: Two examples.
** Reed, Ben, and Victor are seen at the beginning of the film as college students. None of them are college age.
** When we first see Johnny and Sue, they can't be any older than 12 considering the actors playing them. When we see them ten years later, they should be in their late teens/early 20's (they still live with their mother). The actor and actresses appear to be close to 30 years old.

* KeepCirculatingTheTapes: A 35mm film which cost $1.4M to make can only be seen on noisy second-generation VHS tape dubs burnt to DVD.

* NoBudget: It was made for $1.4M on a shooting schedule of just one month, as its only purpose was keeping the filming rights.

In 1992, The Constantin Film production company held the film rights to the ''Comicbook/FantasticFour'' comic book, but they were about to lose said film rights unless they began production by December of that year. Since both the budget and the technology necessary for such a venture were lacking at the time, they instead opted to do a ''very'' low-budget film produced by RogerCorman and directed by Oley Sassone; this was done solely as an AshCanCopy to maintain the rights, and it was never released in theaters or any home media. Although a release date was set for 1994 and the cast and crew were told the film would be released, this turned out to be some BlatantLies.

According to some fans and critics who got their hands on the movie (circulated via bootleg video at comic-cons and such), not getting released was the best thing about it. Other viewers exhibit rabid devotion to it and demand an official DVD release. Most people (outside of ''ArrestedDevelopment'' fans) are unaware that the film even exists.

According to some fans and critics who got their hands on the movie (circulated via bootleg video at comic-cons and such), not getting released was the best thing about it. Other viewers exhibit rabid devotion to it and demand an official DVD release. Most people are unaware that the film even exists.

More info [[http://www.teako170.com/ffmovie.html here]], [[BileFascination in case]] [[ShmuckBait you're interested]]. Or [[http://www.agonybooth.com/recaps/The_Fantastic_Four_1993.aspx here]], [[Website/TheAgonyBooth if you got the time]]. Not to be confused with [[Film/FantasticFour the 20th-Century Fox film]] (on which Constantin was a producer).

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/340px-Ffmovie1994_1602.jpg
[[caption-width:340:The Fantastic...[[IncrediblyLamePun Four-gotten]]?]]

** Believe it or not, the scene in which Sue grabs the zero-g pen while in space was obviously a direct homage of ''ASpaceOdyssey''.

** It may not have been on purpose but when Reed sees Sue for the first time since she grew up, it is almost identical to the shot in ''BlueVelvet'' in which the protagonist meets his love interest. DavidLynch used the same shot in ''{{Eraserhead}}''.

* SuspiciouslySimilarSong: Eric and David Wurst's score is essentially slight alterations of many popular John Williams pieces.

** Believe it or not, the scene in which Sue grabs the zero-g pen while in space was obviously a direct homage of ''{{2001}}''.

If you're curious, the film can be seen in its entirety [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coayT3aUn8k here.]]

More info [[http://www.teako170.com/ffmovie.html here]], [[BileFascination in case]] [[ShmuckBait you're interested]]. Or [[http://www.agonybooth.com/recaps/The_Fantastic_Four_1993.aspx here]], [[Website/TheAgonyBooth if you got the time]]. Not to be confused with [[Film/FantasticFour the 20th-Century Fox film]].

In 1992, The Constantin Film production company held the film rights to the ''Comicbook/FantasticFour'' comic book, but they were about to lose said film rights unless they began production by December of that year. Since both the budget and the technology necessary for such a venture were lacking at the time, they instead opted to do a ''very'' low-budget film Produced by RogerCorman and directed by Oley Sassone; purely as an AshCanCopy to maintain the rights, and never released it in theaters, VHS, DVD or any other form. Although a release date was set for 1994 and the cast and crew were told the film would be released, this turned out to be BlatantLies.
According to some fans and critics who got their hands on the movie (circulated via bootleg video in comic-cons and such) not getting released was the best thing about it. Other viewers exhibit rabid devotion to it and demand its official video release. Most people are unaware that the film even exists.

If you're curious, the full film can be seen [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coayT3aUn8k here.]]

More info [[http://www.teako170.com/ffmovie.html here]]; [[BileFascination in case]] [[ShmuckBait you're interested]]. Or [[http://www.agonybooth.com/recaps/The_Fantastic_Four_1993.aspx here]], [[Website/TheAgonyBooth if you got the time]]. Not to be confused with [[Film/FantasticFour the 20th Century Fox film]].

!!Tropes found in this film include:

* AllYourPowersCombined: Doom's brilliant plan involves taking the team's powers and adding them to his own.
* {{Cyborg}}: Dr. Doom.

* DisneyVillainDeath: Happens to DoctorDoom at the end.

* {{Expies}}: The Jeweler is without question supposed to be the Mole Man. It's unknown why they didn't keep his original name.

* IntergenerationalFriendship: Reed and Ben are college students and apparently good friends with Johnny and Sue who haven't even hit puberty yet.

* KeepCirculatingTheTapes: A two million dollar 35mm film can only be seen on noisy second generation VHS tape dubs burnt to dvd.
* LargeHam: Joseph Culp's performance as DrDoom. Strangely, as the Agony Booth's review notes, Culp actually gives a sinister, understated performance in the early sections of the film, only to go batshit insane about half an hour in.
** Which is absolutely right for Doom.

* ManlyTears: Reed starts to ball when the ER doctor tells him that Victor's burns "were too severe"

* MoodWhiplash: The movie is campy and owes a lot to the [[{{Series/Batman}} old Adam West Batman series]] but we still see a surprisingly violent shootout between the Jewler's men and Doom's.
** When Ben wanders the streets, it's a surprisingly dark and depressing scene that might seem appropriate in some gritty 70's drama.
* NoBudget: It was made for $1.4 million and on a shooting schedule lasting only one month, as its only purpose was keeping the filming rights.

* ShoutOut: A few examples:
** Believe it or not, the scene in which Sue grabs the zero-g pen while in space was obviously a direct homage of {{2001}}.
** Then there's the line, [[{{Series/Batman}} "Holy Freud, Batman."]] See the Personality Powers section for more info on that one.
** It may not have been on purpose but when Reed sees Sue for the first time since she grew up, it is almost identical to the shot in BlueVelvet in which the protagonist meets his love interest. DavidLynch used the same shot in {{Eraserhead}}.

** Likewise, the Jewler has apparently been stalking her and falls in love with her.

* UrbanLegend: Rumor has it that Marvel bought the film and locked the master copy in a vault so it would never see the light of day. Other accounts claim that Avi Arad ''[[KillItWithFire burned the negatives himself]]''.

* HeyItsThatGuy: Young Sue Storm is [[BuffyTheVampireSlayer Harmony]].

* IntergenerationalFriendship: Reed and Ben are college students and apparently good friends with Johnny and Sue who haven't even hit puberty yet.

If you're curious, the full film can be seen here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coayT3aUn8k

* TheJimmyHartVersion:Eric and David Wurst's score is essentially slight alterations of many popular John Williams pieces.