Supergirl (1984)

Milk Tray Guy

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This evening I rewatched Supergirl for the first time in years (I saw it in the cinema with my dad when it first came out, and I'd seen it I think once since).

Okay, it's cheesy in places. Peter O'Toole hams it up for all he's worth (whilst still managing to look distinctly bored), Simon Ward has a blink-and-you'll-miss-it role with a 'what the hell am I doing here' look on his face, and Faye Dunaway was - for me - miscast (although she seemed to be having fun). Some of the effects don't exactly look great, although I can't hold that against it - the film was made over 30 years ago.

But Helen Slater was pitch-perfect - and gorgeous - as Supergirl (it's a shame she never got to repeat the role), Hart Bochner was spot-on as the himbo/'dude in distress', David Healy was entertaining as the headmaster, and Peter Cooke (always a favourite of mine) was funny. The Phantom Zone sequences were pretty well done too, and I found the flying effects actually more convincing than those in the Christopher Reeve movies.

Overall, it was fun. I'm glad I finally took the time to revisit 7.5/10
 
It sucks that they had to scrap Reeves cameoing in the film.
 
It sucks that they had to scrap Reeves cameoing in the film.

Yeah, that was a shame. :( All we got was his poster on Linda's wall and a radio announcement saying that Superman was on a peacekeeping mission in another galaxy. Instead we got Jimmy Olsen.
 
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It's funny, I actually like this movie quite a bit. But, the stipulation is that I have no illusion that this is not a "good" movie. However, there was a charm to the film that I liked, i can't quite explain it. I also love the score.
 
Some of the effects don't exactly look great, although I can't hold that against it - the film was made over 30 years ago.

Actually, the flying effects were very well done - even better than STM. It's one of the film's few virtues. :word:
 
Yeah, that was a shame. :( All we got was his poster on Linda's wall and a radio saying announcement that Superman was on a peacekeeping mission in another galaxy. Instead we got Jimmy Olsen.

Hey, it's still the first shared universe. :woot:
 
Supergirl '84 was a decent addition to the Superman franchise. All the issues mentioned, yes, they are there but movies have made worst glaring mistakes...

HS was perfect as Kara and think she ends up saving and redeeming the film overall. I liked that they gave Supergirl her own theme song that sounded authentic and familiar at the same time. Her flying sequence that ends with her in front of the sunset is my favorite part of the movie.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r56yFhT_lxY

Your right Milk Tray Guy, that wire work for the beginning of her flight was #1 class wire work!

I remember, back in in the day of renting movies, I went looking for the movie and the sales associate was all, 'wouldn't you rather rent Superman' he was so imposing like me wanting to watch Supergirl was unmanly...I ended up getting Superman II, of course a great rent as we all know, but I was young so I couldn't assert myself like I could now...' Naw, I want Supergirl!!' lol
 
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It's funny, I actually like this movie quite a bit. But, the stipulation is that I have no illusion that this is not a "good" movie. However, there was a charm to the film that I liked, i can't quite explain it. I also love the score.

Exactly how I feel.

Actually, the flying effects were very well done - even better than STM. It's one of the film's few virtues. :word:

Absolutely. As I said, I found the flying effects actually more convincing than those in the Christopher Reeve movies :up:

Hey, it's still the first shared universe. :woot:

True! :yay:

Supergirl '84 was a decent addition to the Superman franchise. All the issues mentioned, yes, they are there but movies have made worst glaring mistakes...

HS was perfect as Kara and think she ends up saving and redeeming the film overall. I liked that they gave Supergirl her own theme song that sounded authentic and familiar at the same time. Her flying sequence that ends with her in front of the sunset is my favorite part of the movie.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r56yFhT_lxY

Your right Milk Tray Guy, that wire work for the beginning of her flight was #1 class wire work!

I remember, back in in the day of renting movies, I went looking for the movie and the sales associate was all, 'wouldn't you rather rent Superman' he was so imposing like me wanting to watch Supergirl was unmanly...I ended up getting Superman II, of course a great rent as we all know, but I was young so I couldn't assert myself like I could now...' Naw, I want Supergirl!!' lol

Looking through those YouTube comments a lot of people seem to feel the same way :up:
 
I have this movie and I still watch it, now and again.

-I think the opening scenes in Argo City look great. It's just great to see it, though briefly. Seeing Kara walk through the city, the technology etc.

-Helen Slater is fantastic. I agree that she makes/saves the movie. Those initial flying scenes are great.

-The Jerry Goldsmith music is cool. (I have a friend who just loves everything Jerry Goldsmith, she collects all his work.) The opening credits with the music is great, the music in the flying scenes too.

-I didn't mind the Selena/magic plot as much when I was younger. But watching it older it is harder to take. Introducing magic like that really is a change to Superman. It makes it seem more "girly" and less serious. The three villains are very hammy. Though a lot of Faye Dunaway's lines are memorable, in a campy way!

-It was a great to see the Phantom Zone depicted that way.

Basically, the Kryptonian stuff is done right, fits right in to DC Comics lore. The movie has a lot of the elements right- Argo City, The Phantom Zone, Helen as Supergirl, but it has problems with the main plot so people tend to forget the positives at its base.
 
Basically, the Kryptonian stuff is done right, fits right in to DC Comics lore. The movie has a lot of the elements right- Argo City, The Phantom Zone, Helen as Supergirl, but it has problems with the main plot so people tend to forget the positives at its base.

Yes, I agree and it's a shame. I found I was smiling at it pretty much the whole way through. In a good way :yay:
 
It was definitely a product of its time where Supergirl couldn't have a serious threat. Doesn't Faye Dunaway despise the film?
 
It was definitely a product of its time where Supergirl couldn't have a serious threat. Doesn't Faye Dunaway despise the film?

Tbh, I don't know :huh: She didn't quite sit right in it for me, if you know what I mean. I like Dunaway and pretty much enjoy her in anything. It's not even that I didn't like her in this, it's just that she felt a little out of place.
 
It's a terrible movie, but Helen Slater was the perfect Supergirl. If anyone can get a hold of a copy I recommend the rare special edition 2-disk DVD that was released about 15 years ago. The making of and behind the scenes stuff is actually far more interesting than the film itself. If a bit more care was given to the story it could have been the Wonder Woman of its day.
 
It's a terrible movie, but Helen Slater was the perfect Supergirl. If anyone can get a hold of a copy I recommend the rare special edition 2-disk DVD that was released about 15 years ago. The making of and behind the scenes stuff is actually far more interesting than the film itself. If a bit more care was given to the story it could have been the Wonder Woman of its day.

Is that the one with the 138 min cut? Mine's the 124 min version.
 
That's the one. It's got an entirely new scene with her fighting some invisible monster. The only place you can get it from is Ebay, but it's not going to be cheap.
 
That's the one. It's got an entirely new scene with her fighting some invisible monster. The only place you can get it from is Ebay, but it's not going to be cheap.

Okay thanks (although the scene of her fighting the invisible monster is in my 124 min version). I know there was also a 105 min version which was the one originally released in the US so maybe that scene is missing from there. Either way I'd be interested to know what else is in there. I've heard rumours of a 150 min version existing as well.
 
Back when my daughter was real young, she liked superhero movies but didn't have a long attention span. I edited it down to just under an hour....and she loved it then. Watched it hundreds of times.

I have the DVD set that has both the U.S. and European versions....the European version is longer. Shaver was great as Supergirl. I was glad that Jimmy Olsen got to be in it....disappointed that Superman didn't get a cameo.
 
I was unaware there were so many different versions of this film. It's the Blade Runner of superhero movies. Apparently this 2-disk special edition with the directors cut was limited to only 50,000 copies. I've got number 19395. I'm not sure why they went to the extent of making such an exclusive DVD for such a terrible movie.
 
I was unaware there were so many different versions of this film. It's the Blade Runner of superhero movies. Apparently this 2-disk special edition with the directors cut was limited to only 50,000 copies. I've got number 19395. I'm not sure why they went to the extent of making such an exclusive DVD for such a terrible movie.

Just a random thought - I wonder if when they were making SG the Salkinds were shooting material that could be used in a sequel, given the way that they shot Superman and Superman II together (and The Three Musketeers/The Four Musketeers a few years before). Obviously the box office for SG didn't justify a sequel so perhaps they ended up using the extra material for limted/special editions? Not that I've ever heard they were doing that with SG, but maybe :shrug:
 
I rented it on Netflix DVD, and it had the invisible monster. That part was actually pretty cool.

Overall, I thought the movie was just okay. Helen Slater was easily the highlight and saved it from being a bunch of garbage.
 
I rented it on Netflix DVD, and it had the invisible monster. That part was actually pretty cool.

Overall, I thought the movie was just okay. Helen Slater was easily the highlight and saved it from being a bunch of garbage.

One of my favourite parts of the movie too.
 
Just a random thought - I wonder if when they were making SG the Salkinds were shooting material that could be used in a sequel, given the way that they shot Superman and Superman II together (and The Three Musketeers/The Four Musketeers a few years before). Obviously the box office for SG didn't justify a sequel so perhaps they ended up using the extra material for limted/special editions? Not that I've ever heard they were doing that with SG, but maybe :shrug:

I don't think there was that much foresight back then. I feel like now is the right time for the character to be revived but given how WB have kinda screwed the DCEU Superman up and how ingrained Melissa Benoist has become as the character on TV it's hard for me to see them bringing this character back anytime soon.
 
I was unaware there were so many different versions of this film. It's the Blade Runner of superhero movies. Apparently this 2-disk special edition with the directors cut was limited to only 50,000 copies. I've got number 19395. I'm not sure why they went to the extent of making such an exclusive DVD for such a terrible movie.

Interesting. I have the 2-disk special edition.
 
I have this movie and I still watch it, now and again.

-I think the opening scenes in Argo City look great. It's just great to see it, though briefly. Seeing Kara walk through the city, the technology etc.

-Helen Slater is fantastic. I agree that she makes/saves the movie. Those initial flying scenes are great.

-The Jerry Goldsmith music is cool. (I have a friend who just loves everything Jerry Goldsmith, she collects all his work.) The opening credits with the music is great, the music in the flying scenes too.

-I didn't mind the Selena/magic plot as much when I was younger. But watching it older it is harder to take. Introducing magic like that really is a change to Superman. It makes it seem more "girly" and less serious. The three villains are very hammy. Though a lot of Faye Dunaway's lines are memorable, in a campy way!

-It was a great to see the Phantom Zone depicted that way.

Basically, the Kryptonian stuff is done right, fits right in to DC Comics lore. The movie has a lot of the elements right- Argo City, The Phantom Zone, Helen as Supergirl, but it has problems with the main plot so people tend to forget the positives at its base.

Agreed. The concept of Phantom zone was different in this... to the one shown in STM, and honestly, I prefer the on shown in Supergirl more.
 
Agreed. The concept of Phantom zone was different in this... to the one shown in STM, and honestly, I prefer the on shown in Supergirl more.

When I saw the PZ in Supergirl when I was young I was a bit confused as to why it was different from Superman. Like, why weren't their faces pressed up against the "glass".:funny:

It's a terrible movie, but Helen Slater was the perfect Supergirl. If anyone can get a hold of a copy I recommend the rare special edition 2-disk DVD that was released about 15 years ago. The making of and behind the scenes stuff is actually far more interesting than the film itself. If a bit more care was given to the story it could have been the Wonder Woman of its day.

I hope they re-release all that on blu-ray.
 

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