Superman: The Movie Superman the Movie = STILL the greatest superhero movie

[GreenKToo]

I was lucky enough to see this in the theater when it first came out. I was 6.

 

[The Caped Knight]

I remember my first time seeing this on tv in 1993, Christopher Reeve popped as Superman he was happy and always smiling. It felt like the guy I was reading in comics had come to life so magically. I was beyond impressed at how realistic the flying looked in comparison to the George Reeves series Adventure of Superman my dad showed me.

I will always love this movie. It set the standard for comic book movies forever as did Batman 89.

 

[chintai80]

been rewatching this on and off on hbo max.

i've always liked the donner superman movies, but the older i get, the more and more i appreciate it.

especially now when the world and society seems to be getting worse, having a superhero portrayed by reeves where it's so wholesome and full of hope, it is like cinematic comfort food for the soul.

rewatching him play clark kent/ superman, just cements it for me that, that performance will never be topped.

the movie might be dated now, but you have to watch it from the lens of it being THE first major superhero blockbuster...and it is VERY well-made.
it formed the template for superhero movies that came after.
i can especially tell it had a strong influence on the raimi spiderman films.

i feel even the special fx still hold up well.

 

[Dr.]

'Superman' Rerelease to Launch Warner Bros.' U.K. Centennial Bash - Variety

Seems limited though:

The “Superman” rerelease at BFI Southbank and BFI Imax in April will coincide with the 85th anniversary of the character.

 

[Dr.]

From October 2021. John Williams conducts the Berlin Philharmonic.



[I don't think it's an official video. So it may not last.]

 

[moviefreak]

Howdy folks.

Saw the re-release last Monday in theatre that was almost 2/3 full. One of the few times that I have seen the re-release. I think that it was my 4th time since '78.

Unfortunately it was not the original theatrical audio from the 1978 release. I remember the '78 release well enough to noticed the differences, e.g. in the opening Krypton trial scene when the dome opened, it was silent in the original instead of the added thunderous cracking sound effects and the sound cue for Kal-El's ship breaking through the roof is also different. The sound of Krypton blowing up was damn loud with the bass all the way up that you could feel coursing through. lol

The aspect ratio seems to be different (I'm not quite sure though about the one I saw this week) as the original analogue film stock was in 2.39:1. I remember the '78 film as being soft & smokey due to Unsworth's photography and a little grainy. The colour was definitely vibrant in this week & in 1978, the latter film print was new so the colour didn't degrade. It's same for Star Wars a year earlier which was vibrant as hell.

The film just rekindled my memory of NYC in 1980 - I have been to the Daily Planet building with the globe in the foyer as my cousin used to work there, Penn station and some parts of NYC. That was NYC on the cusp of Reaganomics/neo-liberalism, I get to witness from 1980s through to mid 1990s.

 

[Sawyer]

Want em both.

 

[GreenKToo]

Its dated but it's still in my top 3.
Imagine if someone spent the money and updated the effects in some scenes.

 

[C. Lee]

Its dated but it's still in my top 3.
Imagine if someone spent the money and updated the effects in some scenes.

What I would love to see is, someone professional editing it so that it ends the way they had originally planned, so that it flows into SUPERMAN II the DONNER CUT smoothly.

 

[Dr.]

What I would love to see is, someone professional editing it so that it ends the way they had originally planned, so that it flows into SUPERMAN II the DONNER CUT smoothly.

Apparently, the original (scripted) ending for STM had Superman saving Lois from the earthquake. But as I understand it, such scenes were never shot. So the revised version (Supes arrives too late and Lois dies) represents the only footage that exists. I.e., there's no alternate/raw material that an editor could work from to restore the "original" — and thereby make it compatible with the Donner cut of SII.

 

[GreenKToo]

A animated film using the same voices would be spectacular.
In the Same animation style WB now uses in its DC animated films.
It will obviously never happen, but wow if it did.

 

[Dr.]

More stuff from WB, celebrating their 100th anniversary.

 

[Sawyer]

Absolutely furious this isn’t the cover they put out in the first place.

 

[Captain Tired]

Apparently, the original (scripted) ending for STM had Superman saving Lois from the earthquake. But as I understand it, such scenes were never shot. So the revised version (Supes arrives too late and Lois dies) represents the only footage that exists. I.e., there's no alternate/raw material that an editor could work from to restore the "original" — and thereby make it compatible with the Donner cut of SII.

I suppose the only way to make it work would be to excise the entire portion of the film dealing with Lois' car falling into the crack and her dying, and just cut straight from Superman building the makeshift dam to Superman landing next to the car and listening to Lois' tirade before taking off to put Luthor in jail. It'd be a little awkward and it'd reduce the whole thing about Lois traveling around to interview landowners into a bit of a shaggy dog story, but it would maintain Donner's original vision for both movies in a broad sense.

I've always been fine with the way it all turned out tbh, i.e., Superman 1's ending happening the way it did and the Donner Cut for SII eventually coming out. Yeah, it's repetitive with both films being resolved the same way, but I personally don't mind that. The OG's ending is so powerful imo, with Lois' death enabling Superman to make one final climactic choice between the teachings of his two fathers: Jor-El's commandment that Superman never interfere in human history, and Jonathan Kent's assertion that Clark is there for a reason.

And so he chooses Jonathan Kent's more 'human' teaching and interprets it to mean that his sole purpose for being there is to reverse time and save Lois Lane. I love all that and think it's worth the Donner Cuts' ending feeling repetitive.

 

[elgaz]

Christopher Reeve's son William has (no surprise) a bit of a classic-era Superman look himself, standing 6"4 like Chris did and having a similar slim stature. How wonderfully ironic it would have been if he ended up playing the same role his dad once did. I think he has done some acting amongst his other endeavours.