Supergirl

Rating:
Summary: A Guilty Pleasure
Review: I saw Supergirl during its original theatrical release way back in 1984 and eighteen years and hundreds of movies later it is still one of my favorites. I bought the DVD a few days ago and have been really impressed at how Anchor Bay has taken what was really a forgotten movie and made one of the best discs I've gotten recently. Seeing Helen Slater flying (under rated special-effects) to Jerry Goldsmith's fantastic musical score in widescreen has been one of the highlights of my week. Plus, my five year old son, who is more critical of movies than I have ever been, gave it his approval. Welcome back, Supergirl, I've missed you.

Rating:
Summary: Better than Superman III and IV
Review: When I first saw this film on TV in the late '80s, I was of course struck by the wonderful comedy of Dunaway, Vacarro and Peter Cook, but otherwise thought it was awful.

In a second viewing years later I can appreciate this film much more. The special effects are good; the flying sequences are actually beautiful. Slater is better than I remembered her too.

Supergirl lacks the sense of wonder that Superman and Superman II had, but it really is a very fun film and in all honesty, it is vastly superior to the last two Superman films. Sure, this one has camp elements to it, but I really think it adds to the enjoyment.

I find it hard to really hate any film with Faye Dunaway, but even putting that bias aside Supergirl does not deserve its stinker reputation - as other reviewers here have obviously also discovered.

The DVD edition is great, but I find it a little sad watching the making of documentary in which cast and crew prematurely discuss the film's imminent blockbuster status and Helen Slater's imminent superstar status. Perhaps they jinxed it?

Rating:
Summary: JUST SUPER, GIRL!
Review: First Supergirl picture is still the best, with superior special effects and stylish direction by the great Jeannot Szwarc. A major influence on such later action hits as "The Golden Child" and the original "Terminator."

Rating:
Summary: Supergirl Special Edition DVD - Worth it ?
Review: It had been a long time since I sat down to watch this movie and after reading reviews of it, I had my doubts about whether it would be of interest all these years later.

Helen Slater was perfect for the title role - a real beauty who looks pretty darn good in that super-costume, but she wasn't given anything of interest to do, except fawn over a cute (but incredibly dim) 80's style hunk.

Poor Faye Dunaway tried her best but I kept expecting her to start screaming about wire hangers a la Mommie Dearest. I'm sorry but having Joan Crawford plotting world domination left me a little cold !

The special visual effects were (in my opinion) not that bad for the time, but there were not enough of them.... I guess they were very costly to produce, and therefore were given a limited screen presence.

But did I enjoy it....? Surprisingly enough yes I did ! As long as you watch this movie in the right context, and ensure that your tongue is planted firmly in cheek, you'll have some fun with this. The 2 disc set offers the International Version and a longer Directors Cut. I have not had the desire to sit through the 'longer' version just yet but it will be interesting to see what elements of the movie were removed prior to it's original release. I gather from other reviews that it probably won't enhance the experience too much but it's always interesting to see a movie in a different format - Just so that the viewer can make his/her own mind up.

Rating:
Summary: An campy entertaining film.
Review: When the people from the another planet, when one of them (Peter O'Toole) lost the power of a sphere-like that controls the planet. An young woman named Linda Lee/Supergirl (Helen Slater) goes to earth to get back the power. But when an evil woman (Faye Dunaway) found the power of the Sphere-like, she becomes a ruler & wants to take over the world.

This film was a Box Office Flop, when it's comes out in the fall of 1984. But the film has become an Camp Classic, because it's doesn't take it seriously like the Orginal first-two Superman films. Helen Slater is bland but quite good and also cute in the title role. The screenplay is not successful as it should be but director:Jeannot Szwarc (Jaws 2, Somewhere in Time) keeps the pace moving of this campy film. Panavision. Grade:B+.

Rating:
Summary: Will no one shed a tear for poor Peter?
Review: There is a long (though presumbably not proud) tradition of highly trained English actors prostituting themselves in trashy American movies. Alan Rickman's role in "Galaxy Quest" parodies the practice even as it embodies it - a pretty neat trick. Laurence Olivier in "The Betsy" was once considered the standard-bearer in this field. Jeremy Irons in "Dungeons & Dragons" shows how far the state of the art has been advanced since then. But, to my mind, Peter O'Toole's appearance in "Supergirl" sets a record that will never be broken. It is truly one of the great spectacles of human self-abasement. If you have ever paid money to watch a carnival geek bite the head off a chicken (or would, given the opportunity), you owe it to yourself to see this movie.

And what better way to do so than with this limited 2-disc special edition! I suppose I shouldn't sneer; plenty of my favorite movies are unlikely to ever appear on a Top 100 list from the American Film Institute. But this really seems like one of the most demented conceptions for a consumer product that I've ever seen. "The director's cut", for God's sake? You mean it was actually an Eric Stroheim-caliber masterpiece before those vulgarians at the studio got their philistine hands on it?

I don't have anything against camp. Honestly. I think "Big Trouble in Little China" is one of the best comedies of the 80s and I'll fight anyone who says otherwise. (Well, maybe I'll just say something really sarcastic about him after he leaves.) But I have a fierce enmity against incompetent movies that, to save face, try to pretend that they're camp. It devalues the currency.

One scene in particular demonstrates the utter lack of entertainment value in this fiasco. Supergirl is confronting two evildoers - street "toughs" who look like they belong in a Michael Jackson video. One lecherously begins to lift up the hem of her skirt, to see what color her super-panties might be. (Admit it: if you're reading this, you've wondered yourself.) Supergirl slaps his hand away (not even with super-strength - no broken bones here) and primly chastises him to "Stop that!" It's as if, in the middle of "American Pie", Shannon Elizabeth put on a bulky sweater and recited a Catherine MacKinnon lecture on the objectification of women.

Rating:
Summary: SUPERJOKE!!!!!!!!!!
Review: This film is nothing but a shameless cash in on the Superman series. There is no plot, the special FX were sub standard even back in 1984. The acting is really awful. Dunaway and Cook are really out of place in this film. This film is so annoyingly campy it makes Superman 3 & 4 seem like horror movies in comparison. The action scenes are tepid and unimaginative. I generally dislike female incarnations of male superheroes (like Batgirl!!) as it is a sign of a lack of creativity on the part of the comic book writers. It is much better to create a new female superhero, rather than to just recycle the traits of existing superheroes into female characters. The only saving grace of this turkey is the performance by Helen Slater who puts her best into the role, particularily that of Supergirl's alter ego of Linda Lee. Unfortunately she is not really given any great dialogue playing Supergirl as the story declines into some silly romantic comedy when it should have focused on the conflict between good and evil. I'm glad that this film flopped at the box office in 1984. This had the knock on effect of no more sequels, as well as the banishment of Slater to the realms of B list movies!!!!

Rating:
Summary: Supergirl DVD is more Super than the Movie!
Review: I was one of the many who first saw 'Supergirl' during it's theatrical release, and were stunned into disbelief by plotholes you could drive a TRUCK through, some really bargain basement FX, and acting that ranged from sleepwalking (O'Toole), to blandly sincere (Slater), to 'Mommy Dearest...The Sequel' (Dunaway). While the film wasn't QUITE as horrendous as 'Superman III' had been, it came close, and the critical and audience reaction soured the Salkinds on the entire 'Superman' franchise (they passed the torch to Golan/Globus, with Christopher Reeve taking on much of the production duties for 'Superman 4'.)

It is surprising, therefore, that the Special Edition 2-Disc DVD is amazingly good! Loaded with extras, it gives the viewer an enlightening glimpse at the behind-the-scenes work that creates a motion picture, from the casting (Slater was a charming, unpretentious girl of 19 when she won the role, and you can see her 'grow into' the part during the filming), to the tension on set (Jeannot Szwarc was not the easiest man to work with, and you can see him 'age' during the long shoot), to the marketing of the film (trying to revitalize a franchise that was already past its prime). 'Superman' expert Scott Bosco puts the film into perspective, noting its many flaws, but also acknowledging that there were good points, as well (there was a ballet-like quality to Slater's flying scenes, as well as her exuberance at having superpowers). Best of all is Szwarc's commentary...while he acknowledges that the film didn't turn out entirely as he had hoped, he was able to make it a more personal film than Richard Lester had, in his 'Superman' efforts.

The viewer is given two versions of the film to choose from; a slightly lengthened theatrical version, and a 'Director's Cut', with a lot of extra footage that never made it to the theatres.

While 'Supergirl' has never achieved more than a campy cult status, the Special Edition DVD 'set the bar high', and showed the industry what 'Special' meant. If you are a fan of DVDs that really give you your money's worth in extra features, this will be a very welcome addition to your collection!

Rating:
Summary: 80's-live long and prosper
Review: I am so grateful that someone thought to release this film in a director's cut. I have loved Supergirl since i was small. I had always seen it as a campy adventure film. Now with this director's cut I see for what it could've been. This should be re-released to every cineplex in that format so it can get the recognition it deserves but the DVD is a great start. I am an advocate for good comic book based movies and this should be up there with the likes of Superman, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Blade. Helen Slater really made Kara believeable. Actually, all of the acting is pretty top notch. With the likes of Peter O' Toole, Faye Dunway, and Brenda Vaccaro this was more than a adventure film. The score is beyond words. It captures the power and vulnerabilty of Supergirl to a "T". The effects are outstanding especially considering this was made in the early 80's without Lucas or Speilberg's name on it. So let's get the record straight: before there was Lara Croft, even before Xena threw her first chakram there was a girl from Argo City named Kara and she was Super!! (pun intended)

Rating:
Summary: Great two DVD set,fun movie
Review: Supergirl is a fun movie.Certainly not great,but fun to watch.Helen Slater is beautiful and does a good job in the part of Supergirl/Linda Lee,and the rest of the cast (including Faye Dunaway,Brenda Vaccaro,Peter O'Toole,and Hart Bochner) do a decent job as well with the material they are given.The story is pretty weak in places,but it's a very well made film,and watching it,I just couldn't help but think what a great movie (instead of just fun)that it could have been.The special effects are very good and Jerry Goldsmith's musical score is excellent.

The 2 disc DVD set is outstanding.It contains both the international(124 minutes on disc 1)version and director's cut(138 minutes on disc 2)of the film.The picture on both versions is very sharp,and the sound on the international version(in digital stereo)is very good.The director's cut is presented in monaural sound,however.There are a load of special features including trailers,TV spots,and a very interesting making of documentary.