superman: the movie

Wednesday, October 29th. in the 1980s. The "Special Edition" cut is designed for the best viewing experience in the true spirit of movie making. 'Superman: The Movie' is undoubtedly a pinnacle in the history of superhero films. [58][59][60] Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster gave a positive reaction. Reeve stunned the director and producers, but he was told to wear a "muscle suit" to produce the desired muscular physique. [38][39] Brief filming also took place in Gallup, New Mexico; Lake Mead; and Grand Central Terminal. Up on the Screen! I'll never come onto your set unless you ask me; I'll never go to your dailies. We get the Editions on HD Blu that are meant for it and it comes out nicely done! Superman was also the final complete film by cinematographer Geoffrey Unsworth, who died during post-production while working on Tess for director Roman Polanski. It still holds up to the test of time. The most notable additions unseen on U.S. television were two additional scenes never seen before, in addition to what had been previously reinstated. An international co-production between the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Panama and the United States,[3] the film stars an ensemble cast featuring Marlon Brando, Gene Hackman, Christopher Reeve, Jeff East, Margot Kidder, Glenn Ford, Phyllis Thaxter, Jackie Cooper, Trevor Howard, Marc McClure, Terence Stamp, Valerie Perrine, Ned Beatty, Jack O'Halloran, Maria Schell, and Sarah Douglas. Financially, the more footage that was restored for television, the more revenue that could be made for the broadcast (the producers charged by the minute for every bit of footage added back in). [40] The filmmakers took a risk: if Superman was a box office bomb, they would not finish Superman II. Many characters are in peril before the hero saves the day, including a school bus full of kids teetering off the Golden Gate Bridge, two coasts threatened by a missile launch, and reporter/love interest Lois Lane (Margot Kidder), who gets in plenty of tight spots. [41] The illusion of movement was created by zooming in on Reeve while making the front projected image appear to recede. [61] Ebert placed the film on his ten best list of 1978. Dinner treats the subject more seriously. I simply have to give this movie a watch every year. George Lucas turned down the offer because of his commitment to Star Wars. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 28, 2017. "[56] Metacritic collected an average score of 80, resulting in "generally favorable reviews", based on 19 reviews. It was decided to film both Superman and its sequel Superman II (1980) simultaneously, with principal photography beginning in March 1977 and ending in October 1978. [8] Maureen McGovern eventually recorded the single, "Can You Read My Mind?" The most expensive film made up to that point, with a budget of $55 million,[6][7] Superman was released in December 1978 to critical and financial success; its worldwide box office earnings of $300 million made it the second-highest-grossing release of the year. : The Return of Black Adam, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. His peace is threatened, when other survivors of his home planet invade Earth. I didn't trust Lester, and I told him. [85] Also available (with other films) is the nine-disc "Christopher Reeve Superman Collection"[86] and the 14-disc "Superman Ultimate Collector's Edition."[87]. "[33] Jeff East portrays teenage Clark Kent. Young Clark Kent's long-distance football punt was executed with a wooden football loaded into an air blaster placed in the ground. Where the shot is tracking with Superman as he flies (such as in the Superman and Lois Metropolis flying sequence), front projection was used. Kirk Alyn and Noel Neill have cameo appearances as Lois Lane's father and mother in a deleted scene that was restored in later home media releases. I love the original and 2001 directors cut, Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 20, 2018, I love the original and 2001 directors cut. [9] Groundbreaking in its use of special effects and science fiction/fantasy storytelling, the film's legacy presaged the mainstream popularity of Hollywood's superhero film franchises. This involved photographing the actors suspended in front of a background image dimly projected from the front onto a special screen made by 3M that would reflect light back directly into a combined camera/projector. It was also Warner Bros.'s most successful film at the time. This new release also includes a standard Blu-Ray of the theatrical cut, plus select bonus features carried over from previous video releases, and digital copies of both the theatrical and three-hour TV versions. "[25] Donner was dissatisfied with the campy script and brought in Tom Mankiewicz to perform a rewrite. While, by contract, Richard Donner had major editorial control over what was theatrically released, the Salkinds had editorial control on what was shown outside of theaters. ", Learn how and when to remove this template message, highest-grossing film of 1978 in North America, Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media, Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles, Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema Award, "Bright Lights Film Journal :: The Superman Films of Richard Lester", "Superman (1978) – Awards and Nominations", "Special Edition Superman DVDs on the Way", "One-on-One Interview with Producer Ilya Salkind", Look, Up in the Sky: The Amazing Story of Superman, "Cash Box Top 100 Singles, February 10, 1979", "51st Academy Awards - Music (Original Score)", "SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE – 40th ANNIV. Massive earthquakes erupt across California, damaging the Golden Gate Bridge and breaching the Hoover Dam. Derek Meddings and Les Bowie were credited as visual effects supervisors. He's Woody Allen. [19] Brando hoped to use some of his salary for a proposed 13-part Roots-style miniseries on Native Americans in the United States. It compels him to travel to the Arctic where it builds the Fortress of Solitude, resembling the architecture of Krypton. I haven't done a movie review on Amazon or anywhere for that matter in probably over 5 or 10 years. [17] Shuster was "delighted to see Superman on the screen. Reeve refused,[16][30] undertaking a strict physical exercise regime headed by David Prowse. A TRUE COLLECTORS ITEM! Superman (1940s animated film series), a series of cartoons released in 1941 and 1942 Superman, a Fleischer Studios animated short film; The Adventures of Superman (radio series), a radio show which ran from 1940–1951; Superman, a 1948 movie serial starring Kirk Alyn "Being there all the time meant he [Lester] could take over", Salkind admitted. The third (and largest) segment, set mostly in Metropolis, was an attempt to present the superhero story with as much realism as possible (what Donner called "verisimilitude"), relying on traditional cinematic drama and using only subtle humor instead of a campy approach. "[25], Jerry Goldsmith, who scored Donner's The Omen, was originally set to compose Superman. Reeve won Best Newcomer, while Hackman, Unsworth, Barry, and the sound designers earned nominations. They can be a great people, Kal-El, and they wish to be. Due to complications and problems during filming, Warner Bros. also supplied $20 million and acquired television rights. [48], Many have noted the examples of apparent Christian symbolism. [19] Guy Hamilton was hired as director, while Puzo delivered his 500-page script for Superman and Superman II in July 1975. Superman agrees to sacrifice his powers to start a relationship with Lois Lane, unaware that three Kryptonian criminals he inadvertently released are conquering Earth. [31] Reeve was paid a mere $250,000 for both Superman and Superman II, while his veteran co-stars received huge sums of money: $3.7 million for Brando and $2 million for Hackman for Superman I. [12], Principal photography began on March 28, 1977 at Pinewood Studios for Krypton scenes, budgeted as the most expensive film ever made at that point. Larry Hagman and Rex Reed also make cameos; Hagman plays an army major in charge of a convoy that is transporting one of the missiles, and Reed plays himself as he meets Lois and Clark outside the Daily Planet headquarters. East's lines were overdubbed by Reeve during post-production. Superman Returns was released in 2006. It's exactly what comic book fans hoped it would be. Always hold in your heart the pride of your special heritage. For stationary shots where Superman is seen flying toward or away from the camera, blue screen matte techniques were used. As detailed in the Superman: The Movie DVD special effects documentary 'The Magic Behind The Cape', presented by optical effects supervisor Roy Field, in the end, three techniques were used to achieve the flying effects. He applied 3 to 4 hours of prosthetic makeup daily to facially resemble Reeve. However, during an inventory of the Warner Bros. library, an IP master of the full 188-minute television version was discovered. The third part follows the adult Clark Kent and his emergence as Superman in Metropolis. Superman is unable to reach her in time, and she suffocates. It was 550 pages. [13] George MacDonald Fraser was later hired to do some work on the script, but he says he did little. They only lack the light to show the way. Chris Reeve has just the right touch of humor. Since Superman was being shot simultaneously with Superman II, filming lasted nineteen months, until October 1978. Neill reprised her role in the 1950s Adventures of Superman TV series. The 1970s are remembered for a lot of things, from flared trousers and questionable moustaches, but one of the main aspects we remember is Superman. But always hold in your heart the pride of your special heritage. "[15][19] Though the Salkinds felt that Puzo had written a solid story for the two-part film, they deemed his scripts too long and so hired Robert Benton and David Newman for rewrite work. Because its first known airing was on the aforementioned KCOP, it is also known in fan circles as the "KCOP Version". [35], According to Rotten Tomatoes, 94% of 68 critics gave Superman a positive review, with an average rating of 8.08/10. Superman: The Movie is the original 1978 theatrical release that launched Superman: The Motion Picture Anthology.A landmark motion picture of its era, the film stars Marlon Brando, Gene Hackman, Christopher Reeve and Margot Kidder.. Its groundbreaking use of special effects and science fiction/fantasy storytelling has made it one of the most successful and influential films of all time. So by 1981, when the television rights reverted to the Salkinds, the producers had already prepared a 3-hour and 8-minute version that actually had been the first version of the film visually locked-down prior to being re-edited for theatrical release. [citation needed]. Prowse also auditioned for Non. The film is recognized by American Film Institute in these lists: In December 2017, the film was selected for preservation by the United States Library of Congress National Film Registry, for being "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant". [62] He would later go on to place it on his "Great Movies" list. Vic Armstrong was hired as the stunt coordinator and Reeve's stunt double; his wife Wendy Leech was Kidder's double. The first part deals with the last days of Krypton, the child Kal-El's journey from Krypton to Earth, and his discovery by the Kents. [71] Neal Gabler similarly felt that the film focused too much on shallow comedy. "[70] Harry Knowles is a longtime fan of the film, but was critical of elements that did not represent the Superman stories as seen in the comics. Witty banter, excellent chemistry between Christopher, Margot and Gene. At one point he said, 'Why don't you just schedule the film for the next two days, and then I'll be nine months over?'. SUPERMAN EXTENDED TV CUT IS WORTH THE BUY, Reviewed in the United States on December 11, 2017. [citation needed], Because Superman went into production prior to the releases of Star Wars (May 1977) and Close Encounters of the Third Kind (November 1977), some observers credit the three films collectively for launching the reemergence of a large market for science fiction films Portions of Jerry Goldsmith's work from Planet of the Apes were used in Superman's teaser trailer. The blue background would then be photochemically removed and Reeve's isolated image would be 'inserted' into a matted area of a background plate shot. This particular release also includes another version discussed below. Until 2017, it was thought the quality of the extended network TV version was inferior to any theatrical or previous home video release because it was mastered in 16mm (using the "film chain system") and a mono sound mix done, as by the time the extended cut was prepared in 1981, stereo was not available in television broadcasts (16mm television prints were, in fact, made and mastered on NTSC Standard Definition video for the initial ABC network broadcasts). After being freed, Superman diverts the eastbound missile into outer space, consequently preventing him from reaching the westbound missile before it explodes in the San Andreas Fault. Paul Newman was offered his choice of roles as Superman, Lex Luthor or Jor-El for $4 million, turning down all three roles. [78] In May 2001, Warner Home Video released the special edition on DVD. [80], Thau explained, "I worked on Ladyhawke and that's how I really met Dick [Donner] and Tom Mankiewicz. I've seen 480i broadcast TV that looked better than this disc. The Superman costume was to be a much darker blue, but the use of blue screen made it transparent.[41]. The release included making-of documentaries directed by Thau and eight minutes of restored footage. [8][13] Mankiewicz deliberately fostered analogies with Jor-El (God) and Kal-El (Jesus). [13], Kidder was supposed to sing "Can You Read My Mind? At age 18, after Jonathan's death from a heart attack, Clark hears a psychic "call" and discovers a glowing green crystal in the remains of his spacecraft. "[10], Roger Ebert gave the film four out of four stars. Superman instead takes the advice of Jonathan Kent, his father on Earth. ", "AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes & Villains", Superman/Shazam! Wow! It depicts the origin of Superman (Reeve), including his infancy as Kal-El of Krypton, son of Jor-El (Brando) and his youthful years in the rural town of Smallville. When the TV rights reverted to Warner Bros. in 1985, CBS aired the film one last time on network television in its theatrical version. Good performances. [13][19], Ilya wanted to hire Steven Spielberg to direct, but Alexander was skeptical, feeling it was best to "wait until [Spielberg's] big fish opens." Superman The Movie Slots. The search became so desperate that producer Ilya Salkind's wife's dentist was screen tested. National Comics Publications, Inc. v. Fawcett Publications, Inc. 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'Re going to do a sequel for quite a long time and remember this film with great.! Hours to finish Superman II Mankiewicz ' actions, joking `` I 'd work with Spengler again, you! And visual style movie, gets a Special Edition version & the 3 hour long TV version me! For HD Blu audacious—the penultimate shot where Superman flies out of four, calling it a... Rigs were suspended from tower cranes, whereas in the air movie ), reviewed the.

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