Superman Returns DVD discussions (merged)

[Retroman]

UPDATE
Some fingerlicking new details on the SR DVD and some other upcoming Superman DVDs.Better start saving for this one.


From The Digital Bits:

Also just officially announced by Warner at Comic-Con is The Christopher Reeve Superman Collection box set for release on 11/28 (SRP $79.92).

This 8-disc set begins with a Superman: The Movie Four Disc Special Edition (SRP $39.92 if purchased separately), which will include BOTH the original 1978 and 2000 DVD versions of the film in anamorphic widescreen video with Dolby Digital 5.1 audio. Extras will include new audio commentary by producer Pierre Spengler and executive producer Ilya Salkind on the theatrical version and the previous commentary by director Richard Donner and creative consultant Tom Mankiewicz on the 2000 DVD version, a music-only audio track on the 2000 DVD version, original trailers and TV spots, 3 documentaries (Taking Flight: The Development of Superman, Making Superman: Filming the Legend and The Magic Behind the Cape), restored scenes, screen tests, additional music cues (audio only), the vintage The Making of Superman: The Movie TV special, the 1951 Superman and the Mole-Men feature film (starring George Reeves) and 9 of the original Fleischer Studios Superman cartoons mastered from superior vault elements (including Superman, The Mechanical Monsters, Billion Dollar Limited, The Arctic Giant, The Bulleteers, The Magnetic Telescope, Electric Earthquake, Volcano and Terror on the Midway).

The set continues with the Superman II: Two-Disc Special Edition (SRP $26.99 if purchased separately), which includes the film in anamorphic widescreen video and Dolby Digital 5.1 audio, audio commentary by executive producer Ilya Salkind and producer Pierre Spengler, 2 vintage TV specials (The Making of Superman II and Superman 50th Anniversary), the film's theatrical trailer, the First Flight: The Fleischer Superman Series featurette and 8 more of the original Fleischer Studios Superman cartoons mastered from superior vault elements (including Japoteurs, Showdown, Eleventh Hour, Destruction, Inc., The Mummy Strikes, Jungle Drums, The Underground World and Secret Agent).

So this means that if you purchase the new 8-disc box set, or just the new DVD versions of the first two feature films, you'll be getting the ENTIRE Fleischer Studios animated Superman series - all 17 cartoons - looking better than you have EVER seen them, believe me. You'll be amazed at the quality of these things. The restoration work is spectacular.

Next up in the set is a Superman III: Deluxe Edition (SRP $19.97 separately), which will include the film in anamorphic widescreen video with Dolby Digital 5.1 audio, audio commentary by executive producer Ilya Salkind and producer Pierre Spengler, the vintage The Making of Superman III TV special, additional scenes (not added back into the film) and the theatrical trailer.

Finally, the set will include Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (SRP $19.97 separately), which will include the film in anamorphic widescreen video with Dolby Digital 5.1 audio, audio commentary by screenwriter Mark Rosenthal, additional scenes (not added back into the film) and the theatrical trailer.

Now then... you might be wondering what the deal is with that Donner cut of Superman II. It's NOT included in the box set. Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut will be available separately on 11/28 (SRP $24.98). This will include an all new 122-minute cut of the film (in anamorphic widescreen video) newly-created by its original director, Richard Donner. According to Warner's press release: "the “Donner cut” restores the Marlon Brando role, filmed for, but not included in the final theatrical release version of Superman II. The legendary Brando's performance as Jor-El has finally been restored in key scenes that amplify Superman lore and deepen the profound relationship between father and son. With so many other changes, large and small, including a variety of Lois Lane (Margot Kidder) schemes to unmask Clark Kent as Superman, this Superman II will prove to be an eye-opening experience and an important addition to film history." The new cut also features newly finished special effects and more. Extras on this DVD will include newly-recorded audio commentary by director Richard Donner and creative consultant Tom Mankiewicz, the Superman II: Restoring the Vision featurette and additional scenes not added back into the film.

You might be surprised to know that the Superman Returns DVD was NOT officially announced at Comic-Con, however director Bryan Singer was on hand at the Con to offer additional details about the release. First of all, it will not be part of the new box set - you'll need to purchase it separately (we expect it to be announced soon, for release around the same time as the set, in DVD, HD-DVD and Blu-ray formats). The DVD release MAY include a gag-reel (which was shown at the Con). It will NOT feature an extended edition of the film, however it will include SOME of the deleted scenes from the film separately. It will not include the infamous "Return to Krypton" deleted opening sequence - Singer is saving that for a special theatrical or DVD re-release at a later time.

Here's even more info that you might not be aware of. At our own DVD Sneak Peek 2006 panel (coordinated and sponsored by us here at The Digital Bits), DVD producer Robert Meyer Burnett revealed that he's working on a new 3-part, feature-length documentary on the making of the film for the DVD, entitled Requiem for Krypton: Making Superman Returns, which will run some two and a half hours. It's been shot "fly-on-the-wall" style, a la the excellent The Beginning documentary on the Star Wars: Episode I DVD, so you're right there for every important moment of the production (it's also in anamorphic widescreen from start to finish!). Burnett showed a very cool clip from Requiem for Krypton, specifically authorized and hand-picked to show at our panel by director Bryan Singer, in which we see actor Brandon Routh being prepped by wardrobe and make-up for his official screen test for the film. With Singer supervising, Routh is trying on various possible versions of Clark Kent's glasses and also having his hair cut and styled with Superman's iconic curl. The cool thing is that Singer had called Burnett in to videotape all this, telling him that Routh was THE guy who was going to play the part... except that Routh hadn't yet been told he'd gotten the role (and Singer wanted no one to tell him). It was October 5th, 2004, and it would be two additional weeks before Routh was told. So it's fun to see Routh and the others reacting to one another, with everyone but Routh knowing that he's the guy. It's very cool stuff. The documentary will include Routh's original screen test footage as well, and much, much more. We'll post additional details on the DVD release of Superman Returns as soon as they're available.

FYI, we believe all of these Superman titles will be available on HD-DVD and Blu-ray Disc high-definition formats as well as standard DVD, but they haven't yet been announced.

Source: http://www.thedigitalbits.com/#fp

 

[Retroman]

From Video Business Online:

High heat forces retail closures

Power outages result in lost business; others see rise in traffic
By Susanne Ault 7/25/2006

JULY 25 | Over the past several days, excessive heat and freak summer storms have shuttered several East Coast and Midwest retailers, costing thousands of dollars of lost business.

New York-based Flash Distributors, which services DVD to local grocery and video stores, reported that about 30 of their Queens, N.Y., clients were shut down all of last week. A massive heat wave in the area caused power blackouts, impacting 50,000 Con Edison electricity customers and up to 200,000 people overall. Temperatures in Queens have neared 100 degrees during weeks when the area’s average is high 80s to low 90s.

“They’ve probably lost a couple of thousand dollars of profit for the week at each store,” estimated Steve Scavelli, president of Flash, which has about 1,000 disc clients nationally. “These people were without electricity for an entire week. There are rentals and sales that they won’t get back.”


About 26 St. Louis Schnuck Markets, many of which operate video stores within a grocery infrastructure, were operating on secondary generators through much of last week. Some closed briefly and most were reduced to selling dry goods in their grocery area, as frozen and refrigerated sections were out of commission following a major storm downing power lines last Wednesday. All but eight outlets were back up to full power by Thursday, but then a second storm on Friday weakened electricity for 21 storefronts.

Technically, DVD could still be offered to customers, “but I’m not sure that’s what people’s priorities were,” Schnuck spokesman Paul Simon said. “They were looking for water and ice. There will be a significant amount of lost [sales]. We were down for a few days.”

At this point, all but two Shnuck outlets have returned to full power.

Most Flash clients were still down as of Tuesday, but Scavelli was hopeful that normalcy would return by week’s end.

Many retailers, including Schnuck, have business insurance that should help minimize hits to revenue. Flash is being accommodating to clients who ask to hold product delivery or cancel title orders in order to alleviate financial losses.

About 24 Wal-Mart outlets in Illinois, Missouri and Tennessee were operating on secondary generators last week. And about three St. Louis Wal-Marts continued to lack power. A handful of those stores were forced to shut completely for a couple of hours at a time, but Wal-Mart was able to keep closures relatively brief.

“People still need to shop,” Wal-Mart spokeswoman Sharon Weber said.

Retailers are trying to stay upbeat with the situation, thankful that the extreme weather is occurring during the summer rather than during the all-important fourth quarter.

“No one wants their business to be shut down,” Scavelli said, “but it’s kind of a light title month anyway.”

Hot weather did prove fortuitous for certain video rentailers, such as the Total Entertainment chain, Massachusetts’s Video Zone and Missouri’s Movie Tymes.

People searching for indoor, air-conditioned activities, such as DVD-watching, seemed to help salvage what was initially feared as a disappointing July.

Considering its recent rental uptick, Total Entertainment is now projecting it could wind up flat for the month versus July 2005.

“We thought it would be down some,” Total Entertainment’s Ted Engen said. “But July is turning out to be a much better month than we thought. There isn’t much on the release slate to drive people into stores.”

Video Zone has jumped about 10% over the last couple of weeks compared to the same frame last year, reported owner Todd Zaganiacz. “And that possibly would be a bigger [hike] if we had a normal slate of movies. When it’s hotter, people come into stores and stock up on films and then return home to their ice cubes.”

However, Simi Valley, Calif.’s Alamo Video was less thrilled with foot traffic, situated in an area where few residents have air conditioning. Owner Mark Tusher estimates that business is off by 15% this month from the same period last year.

Tusher has tried to boost rentals through promotions. Currently, Alamo Video renters can receive a coupon for a free copy of a popular fourth-quarter title, such as Superman: Returns or Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, if they buy an $89 rental account.

Most retailers agree that despite any hardships, things could be a lot worse.

“It’s nowhere near the damage of [Hurricane] Katrina,” Flash’s Scavelli said. “It’s not as bad and it’s limited.”

Source: http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6356271.html

 

[RakuMon]

14-disc Superman Legacy box set still a possibility?

According to the Digital Bits:

Okay... after making my Superman box set post earlier this afternoon, I've received even MORE confused e-mails. So I decided to go right to the source to help you all understand what's really happening with the whole 8-disc vs. 14-disc thing (just forget what I said earlier - in fact, I've deleted it from the post). I contacted Warner Home Video today about the whole Superman box set issue, and here's the real skinny: Basically Warner sort-of announced earlier in 2006 that they were going to be releasing a massive 14-disc Superman Legacy Collection box set with all the films and other materials... and then at Comic-Con the studio finally announced only an 8-disc Christopher Reeve Superman Collection box set. So people were left to wonder, what happened to the 14-disc set? Was it cancelled? Did the plans change and is the 8-disc set all we're getting now? The latter is what we had, in fact, been told by a number of sources and it was the logical conclusion to make. But according to the Warner Home Video representative I contacted this afternoon, there MAY still be a larger Legacy Collection release. However, it's not certain to happen, it's not yet officially announced and there are some issues that have to be resolved before it can come to fruition. Hopefully, things will play out such that we'll know more sooner rather than later. In the meantime, however, what IS for sure is that the 8-disc Christopher Reeve Superman Collection box set will street on 11/28, along with a separate release of Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut. As for Superman Returns, it will be officially announced in the weeks ahead.

So to summarize, you're getting 8 discs plus the Donner DVD for sure, along with Superman Returns (TBA, but likely due out by the end of the year), and there MAY still be an even more elaborate Superman DVD box set in 2006 or 2007, which hopefully we'll know about soon. And that's official. Sort of. It's at least as much as can be officially confirmed as of now.

Got it? Okay. Whew!

And on that perplexing note... stay tuned...

http://www.thedigitalbits.com/#superdetails

 

[The Caped Knight]

Look's like by the end of the month of November, I'm going to broke after buying all these Superman dvds including "SUPERMAN RETURNS"

 

[LostSon88]

Meh, i've decided to pass on the 8-Disc collection.

I'm just gonna pick up:

-Superman: The Movie
-Superman II: The Donner Cut
-Superman Returns (In certain respects, Superman III)

LOL...technically I will still be getting an 8-disc collection, though.

 

[XCharlieX]

So.. any date for the Returns dvd? Thats a keeper... i want it in my library because it looks like the fanatics want to change the franchise back to their way soon... this is once in a lifetime

 

[LostSon88]

Since I'm no longer gonna buy the "Ultimate Collection" does this mean that I have to buy the "Look up in the sky" doc. individually?

Or is it just straight up no longer included in the collection in the first place?

 

[X Knight]

umm....so why exactly is Singer being stingy with the "Return to Krypton scene"?????

 

[Orko Is King]

So will the restored Fleischer toons be available by themselves???

 

[LostSon88]

umm....so why exactly is Singer being stingy with the "Return to Krypton scene"?????

So he can pull a George Lucas/Peter Jackson and release a newer extended version to coincide with the release of the next Superman Sequel in 2009.

 

[Super Kal]

I've already saved up 70 bucks for this... in the end, I'll be getting the Christopher Reeve Collection, the Sueprman Returns Special Edition (if they release one), and the Richard Donner Cut.

 

[KGBeast]

Sorry if this was asked, but, how long was supposed to be that sequence of Return to Krypton?

 

[ROBOCOP CPU001]

So will the restored Fleischer toons be available by themselves???

you can already own them..at http://www.playusa.com/DVD/Region_1/3-/934006/-/Product.html

 

[kamillon66]

Anyword on the DVD release date?

 

[Showtime]

Sorry if this was asked, but, how long was supposed to be that sequence of Return to Krypton?

Combined with the original opening credits which consisted of the boy and the comic, Lara and Jorel with Baby Kal El from STM, it was about 15 minutes I believe.