Lois Lane and Clark Kent are sent to cover a circus (for some reason). They separate to cover more ground. While Lois is watching a show in the Big Top a HUGE (and very fierce-looking) gorilla (or ape) is accidentally let loose.

He proceeds to wreak havoc and, in the mayhem, other animals escape from their cages. Lois saves a little girl from the huge gorilla (or ape) but then it goes after her? Can Superman save her and the circus?

Very strange Superman cartoon. For once he isn't battling mad scientists or creatures--just animals. Also it seems kind of strange that he has trouble beating a large gorilla (even though it IS huge). And he doesn't even show up until 6 minutes in (this is only 8 minutes long). Still, it's pretty good.

This has always been one of my all-time favorites of the original SUPERMAN series, but also one of the most puzzling to me.

It is very different in tone, feel, design and execution from all the rest of the series. Most particularly because of its "darkness." I mean this both literally and figuratively.

While all the others are, for the most part, bright and cartoonish in their color design, TERROR is dark, gloomy, murky and downright sinister -even in the opening scenes of what should be a bright, cheerful circus setting.

The opening shots of the circus posters and scenes appear to me more to be still-frames, rather than intended snapshots, as though the original footage has been replaced with these artificial still shots. I am strongly tempted to believe that these particular shots were modern substitutions for the original footage.

Later, when the gorilla makes his appearance, it is plainly evident (from the excessive graininess) that the original image has been photographically enlarged to produce the close-ups of Lois Lane and the gorilla.

The unusual (and uncharacteristic) lack of detail in the close-up of Lois, combined with the strange quality of the speed at which she moves suggests that the close-up was manipulated from a much longer shot and perhaps slowed down somewhat.

The initial close-up of the gorilla is even more extreme (and highly effective as a terror shot) and suffers more from darkness and lack of detail.

A later shot of Superman wrestling with the ape also shows signs of tampering, like the poorly framed shot of Superman and the ape which, because of the clumsy re-framing of the image, results in an awkward and lengthy close-up of Superman's backside. Surely this was NOT the original intent of the film-makers.

Can anyone provide any insight?

This is the ninth, and final, Superman cartoon made by Max and Dave Fleischer. While the rest of these initial series of animated shorts are virtually made by the same crew, the Fleischer brothers are nowhere near them since they would get ousted by Paramount due to financial and personal troubles between them. In this one, Lois and Clark are assigned to cover the circus which isn't one of their more exciting projects...until a gorilla is inadvertently let loose by a monkey and causes havoc to his surroundings. As always, Lois is the damsel in distress and it's up to Superman to rescue her...Quite exciting seeing all the animals reacting to the gorilla's presence and Superman struggling to keep the simian at bay though, as always, it all ends a bit too soon. Still, Terror on the Midway is well worth a look.