Starring
Marlon Brando, Gene Hackman, Christopher Reeve, Ned Beatty, Jackie
Cooper, Glenn Ford, Margot Kidder, Trevor Howard, Valerie Perrine,
Terence Stamp, Maria Schell, Susannah York. Directed by Richard
Donner. (1978, 151/188 min).
WARNER ARCHIVE
1978's
Superman remains one of the greatest superhero films of all
time. While the special effects look a bit archaic today (though
groundbreaking back then), aside from Nolan's Dark Knight
Trilogy, it's still far superior to anything
currently hailing from the DC Universe. But that's not the reason to
pick up this disc.
It's
actually a minor miracle the film turned out as good as it did, much
less become an iconic classic. Superman was not a happy
production. It was in development hell for years, ran way over
budget, underwent scores of script changes and was fraught with
frequent clashes behind the scenes, most notably between director
Richard Donner and the producers, Alexander & Ilya Salkind.
Movies like this are usually doomed before they even make it to
theaters. And apparently, Donner wasn't crazy about the final cut.
However, he got his chance to recut a Special Edition two decades
later, which runs eight minutes longer. This version, along with some
great bonus features (outlined below), has been available on home
video for years, so unless you haven't seen it, the film's inclusion here isn't really enough reason either.
 |
| Method acting is difficult when your co-star fills his pants. |
What
makes this set indispensable is the other disc, which features the
3-hour version that was originally assembled for its television
premiere and hasn't been seen since.
Back
in the day, blockbuster movies were occasionally expanded in order to
be broadcast as four-hour, two-part events. Though a few studios went as far as
to shoot new footage so the film could fill the required slot, most
had previously deleted scenes reinserted to pad out the running time.
The Salkinds themselves supervised Superman's TV cut, restoring a whopping 45
minutes of footage.
 |
| Everyone loves Underoos. |
This set provides a unique
opportunity to compare the two attempts to expand on the original. In doing
so, one thing becomes immediately clear: There's a damn good reason
Richard Donner is a director & storyteller and the Salkinds
decidedly aren't. Their three-hour cut is a fascinating curio, but
none of the reinserted footage enhances the film in any way
whatsoever. In fact, the entire pacing is adversely affected; it's
close to the half-way mark before the Superman himself even shows up
in Metropolis (and you thought Batman vs. Superman was pokey). The changes Donner makes to the Special
Edition are more subtle...and more effective. Superfans will spot
them immediately, but for the most part, the scenes he chooses to
restore fit more comfortably within the narrative.
If
forced to choose, I think the original 143 minute cut remains the best
version of the film. Too bad it isn't included on a third disc, which
would make this the ultimate boxed set dedicated to a single film.
Still, the extended cut alone is worth the investment. Though only hardcore genre
fans likely to watch it more than once, the opportunity to
draw comparisons is a great way to waste a weekend.
EXTRA
KIBBLES (Special Edition Disc Only)
FEATURETTES:
"Taking Flight: The Development of Superman"; "Making
Superman: Filming the Legend"; "The Magic Behind the Cape"
AUDIO
COMMENTARY - by Richard Donner & Creative Consultant Tom
Mankiewicz
SCREEN
TESTS
RESTORED
SCENES
ADDITIONAL
SCENES
MUSIC-ONLU
TRACK
KITTY CONSENSUS:
MEE-OW! A MUST FOR COLLECTORS & COMPLETISTS
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