Superman - The Movie
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Movie Reviews of Superman - The Movie
Movie Review: Super Movie Magic
Summary: 5 Stars
Arguably the best superhero movie of all time, and certainly the first decent one, is Superman: The Movie.
From the rousing opening credits to the iconic fly-by at the end, the film remains one of the most enjoyable spectacles you could ever see and even improves on dvd. The sound and picture quality is excellent although the full anamorphic frame is not always utilised in terms of setting scenes, it still looks great on a big tv.
Of course everyone knows the story, but what may surprise newcomers is the time frame in which it happens. Roughly 15/20 minutes are spent on Krypton, and another 25 minutes or so describing Clark Kent's early life. Many criticize this section for various reasons, including Brando's overpriced cameo. However, I think it adds to the epic scale of the film and makes it a true classic.
Christopher Reeeve IS Superman. His performance in both guises is spot-on and everything that he does manages to make you either smile or cheer. Gene Hackman is given plenty of one-liners and (too many) slapstick gags, but still comes across well as the genius who may just get the better of the Man of Steel. Margot Kidder is also terrific as Lois Lane, and although she gets a better-written part in the sequel, she captures the awe and amazement that we are all feeling.
The effects are probably the only thing that breaks the film up and (ironically) takes you away from the film's world. Although very impressive at the time, I'm sure, you just can't believe some of the flying images. Dont get me wrong,I hate CGI, but some of the rear projection shots don't seem to match with Supes' movements occasionally - for instance, one shot over the city sees Superman turning in the air, but the background seems to zoom in and pan etc. even though he's just turning...
But nevertheless, the overall tone and good-natured spirit of the film, combined with some of the more poignant moments, makes this an awesome feat and easily worth owning on dvd.
Movie Review: Look, up in the sky, it's a bird, it's a plane, it's....
Summary: 5 Stars
Well, you know the rest. That's the great thing about this movie, it's uplifting and entertaining. Makes you want to believe a man can fly (hence the tagline used in the original promotional campaign). And what this DVD does best is show you how they did that. Three full-length documentaries take you back to 1977, when there was no CGI and computer animation to create breathtaking stunts in mere days. Back then you had to do it with blue screens, wires, gimbals, some trick photography, and months of work (the film took two years to make), and still you had to cross your fingers that the result would turn out right. It's truly fascinating to see how different things were and how well they pulled it off. Other bonuses are the screen tests featuring actors such as Stockard Channing and Lesley Ann Warren reading for the part of Lois Lane, as well as a young and skinny kid named Christopher Reeve in his first screen test in the red and blue suit. The documentaries also feature present-day interviews with the director, special effects crew, and the actors. If you saw this movie when it was on TV in the early '80s you'll remember most of the additional 8 minutes of footage (including the "gauntlet" where Lex Luthor tries to shoot, burn and freeze Superman, to no avail). I do somehow remember some more scenes which are not here, such as Otis wiping his arm across his forehead and smearing the missle codes (which is why he messes them up) but two additional scenes are provided which are not integrated into the movie: Otis feeding Luthor's "pets" (whatever they are), and Superman rescuing Miss Tesmacher from same "pets" after saving Lois. The audio quality is incredible, and the video is crisp and clear (which, unfortunately, tends to highlight the limitations of the blue screen technique). The disc is double-sided, with the documentaries and screen tests on "side B" (although it is not so marked which can be annoying). Overall this is a great addition to any DVD collection.Movie Review: You'll believe a man CAN fly
Summary: 5 Stars
Be warned: THIS MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!
The first of the late Christopher Reeve's appearances as the legendary Man of Steel is also the best. In this one, we learn of Superman's origins on Krypton, starting with his father, Jor-El, conducting the trial of 3 Kryptonian criminals (who would appear in Superman 2) charged with treason & sedition. Jor-El sends his only son, Kal-El, to Earth so that he will not perish with the doomed planet. Kal-El lands in the midwest U.S. and is adopted by the Kents, who name him Clark. After Jonathan Kent dies of a heart attack, Clark learns of his true identity, and the 'Fortress of Solitude' is created from the Kryptonian crystals contained in his ship. As an adult, Clark takes on a job with the Daily Planet paper. One night, as he leaves work, he sees a helicopter crash on the building's roof. From this night on, he will be known as SUPERMAN! His mission: 'To fight for truth, justice & the American Way'. A devious psychopath named Lex Luthor has other ideas - including a plot to hijack 2 nuclear missiles to strike California's San Andreas Fault, creating an earthquake that will wipe out the California coastline. Superman must race against time & overwhelming odds to stop Luthor & the missiles before millions of innocent people perish.
Considering that digital effects didn't exist when this was made, the flying sequences are AMAZINGLY realistic! Reeve looks like he is actually flying. Not to mention the story is well written and includes a couple of unexpected plot twists. And John Williams does it again with an amazing score that personifies the characters & story so well, not surprising, considering that this one came on the heels of 'Star Wars' the previous year. It was also good to see the extended footage in this DVD, especially the one as Superman goes through Luthor's gauntlet of doom, where he faces machine guns, napalm, and sub-zero temperatures - and emerges unharmed.
Long live the memory of Christopher Reeve - 1952-2004
Movie Review: ...one of the best movies ever made!
Summary: 5 Stars
The most popular superhero makes his way onto the screen with this extraordinary motion picture directed by Richard Donner (Lethal Weapon) and featuring a star studded cast including Academy Award winners Marlon Brando (The Godfather) and Gene Hackman (The Unforgiven, The French Connection), Christopher Reeve (Deathtrap), Ned Beatty (The Toy), Valerie Perrin (Lenny), and many others.
Superman is one of the most exciting superhero flicks ever, and one of the best movies ever made!
You all know the story already: young Superman, Kal-el, the son of Jor-el, played remarkably by Brando, is sent to earth by his father right before his planet Krypton bursts into smithereens. He lands in a small town called Smallville, picked up by the Kent family, and raised as their own child that they name Clark. Clark grows up with unexplainable super powers, like scoring touchdowns all the time, kicking a football across the state, and racing trains and winning. Clark discovers a piece of kryptonite in the barn of his earthly parents' farm that tells him to head north, where he, or the toss of the kryptonite, builds his new home Krypton on earth where he meets the image and voice of his father who expains to him that he is not one of the humans. Years later, he's wearing tight blue pants, a red cape, and shirt that has the sign S on it. You know the rest of it so I'll stop right here.
Superman was a major motion picture event when it was released back in 1978. It still is today despite the more advanced special effects in movies today. Gene Hackman is hilarious as Lex Luther, Superman's nemesis who plans to destroy the world and take over, while Reeve, in his first major starring role, shines as Superman, a role he would find hard later on to escape the shadow of, and pass away nearly 26 years later and be remembered for nothing more than that.
The film is electrifying, entertaining, engaging, and absolute fun for the entire family.
Recommended
A
Movie Review: A classic that both transcends and defines a genre
Summary: 5 Stars
Director Richard Donner's 1978 film "Superman - The Movie" is an amazing accomplishment. Starring Christopher Reeve, Gene Hackman, and Marlon Brando it redefined the approach to comic book treatment and media. It is the genesis of the mature comic book movie, a phenomenon we are still enjoying today.
It tells the classic "Superman" origin story, and wisely takes its time to humanize the character. Superman himself doesn't appear until nearly an hour into the movie, and the viewer does not feel cheated at all. Instead, the movie spends time on both Krypton and Earth establishing Clark Kent at different phases of his life. Acting luminaries Marlon Brando and Susannah York play Superman's Kryptonian parents Jor-El and Lara very well. As the movie shifts to young Clark's rural home of Smallville, his Earth parents Jonathan and Martha Kent are capably played by Glenn Ford and Phyllis Thaxter. When he does eventually turn up, Christopher Reeve is magnificent in the dual role of the mature Clark Kent and Superman, effortlessly capturing the differences between the characters and embodying each character perfectly. He is supported by Margot Kidder as Lois Lane, the role for which the actress is probably still best known. Gene Hackman's Lex Luthor is humorous, but not without a very hard edge.
This DVD edition is the first release to feature significant previously unseen footage, and the alterations are mostly more of Marlon Brando and Christopher Reeve in the Fortress of Solitude. Overall, it's a fuller, more satisfying release than previously available.
Also featuring a brilliant orchestral score from John Williams and a versatile screenplay co-written by Mario Puzo("The Godfather"), "Superman - The Movie" is a classic.
P.S. It is specifically called 'The Movie' because the concept of a mature superhero movie was new, and the label was used to stress to audiences of the time that it was a serious movie.