Rating: 
Summary: OTISburg?
Review: Man, do I love movies on DVD. How much do I love 'em, you ask? Well, it's not just because of the extra features included in the Special Edition presentations. In the case of SUPERMAN The Movie, I decided to make a direct comparison between the DVD and the regular cut VHS edition. I got the disc, rented the tape, and then played both simultaneously on my TV, trying my best to keep them synchronous. I constantly switched back and forth between the VHS and DVD to see exactly which scenes were restored to the Special Edition. Yes, folks, this is my idea of a good time. Sad, isn't it?But, thanks to my little side-by-side comparison, I was blown away by the amazing differences between the picture & sound qualities of the two formats of the first flick I ever saw in a theater. I was able to hear all of those subtle little background noises that are harder- if not impossible- to perceive on VHS. The tinkling of broken glass and the upheaval of Krypton's crust following the movies' opening credits is a wonderful example of the DVD's excellent sound variety & clarity. Of course, it also helps when the folks who released the DVD edition decided to enhance the sound as well! Another great benefit of the superior audio is a better-sounding musical score. The opening titles theme is by far my all-time favorite piece of John Williams-composed movie music. No previous or subsequent Superman movie or TV show soundtrack score has even come close to capturing the essence of the character like Williams did for this movie. Ofttimes I'll watch the opening credits sequence several times in a row just so I can listen! There's even a music-only track where you can just kick back and play the DVD pretty much like it was a soundtrack CD! The picture quality, aside from having a bit of a solarized glow during dissolves, was way sharper that its VHS counterpart. It was so sharp, in fact, I could see the matte borders around Kal-El's geode-cradle space ship-thingy as it flew through the psychedelic cosmos, as well as other limitations of the special effects of that era that were somewhat hidden in the muddier magnetic media. Hmm... perhaps having superior picture clarity isn't all it's cracked up to be. Still, it's kinda cool to look back at the FX of the times and see how far things have advanced since then. Even director Richard Donner gets a bit nostalgic about the "good ol' days" of special effects on the commentary track. Then there's the new scenes. Some of the restored moments are extensions of existing scenes, most of which passed me by without me noticing much difference. It's likely due to the fact that I kinda remember them, since many of these bits were restored to the network TV broadcasts of the movie back in the 80s. One weird extra smidge of footage was the Kryptonian Council sending an enforcer to stop Jor-El from launching his sons' ship. Strangely enough, this little moment was never followed up- the enforcer was never seen again, save a brief appearance at the beginning of SUPERMAN II. Another cool addition is Superman running through Luthor's gauntlet of bullets, flames, and frost on his way to the criminal genius's lair. My favorite new moment, however, was an extension of the scene where young Clark Kent outruns the express train. The added segment is one of those strange co-inky-dink-twist-of-fate-type moments that classic superhero books seem to have in spades. There's even a couple deleted scenes involving Miss Teschmacher and Luthors' "babies". Fortunately, no footage was shot that made references to Ned Beatty's (Otis) performance in 'Deliverance'... Included in the bonus features is a three-part "making of" documentary hosted by Marc "Jimmy Olsen" McClure, a teaser trailer, and a couple screen tests featuring a laughably skinny Christopher Reeve in the Big Blue togs before he got himself beefed up for the flick. It's almost as entertaining as the movie itself! Before I wind this review up, I'll leave you with a totally useless and time-wasting activity for you to perform while watching this film. There's a not-so-magic moment where you can see director Richard Donner's reflection on a pane of glass! He also has an intentional cameo later on in the movie. His brief performance isn't exactly Hitchcockian or Tarantino-esque, but I think he makes out okay. Oh, and no fair listening to the commentary track (he points out both moments) while you're looking! Happy hunting! 'Late
Rating: 
Summary: This DVD flies high.
Review: "Superman:The Movie" is a tremendously magical fantasy that delivers the imagination in those who really believe a man can fly.23 years after its release,the acting,story,cast and special effects hasn't lost its touch.The restoration of this film is the most pleasing I have seen and it's a thrill to watch the film in its original widescreen format.Christopher Reeve is a delight to watch.I love the screen tests and the theatrical trailer.
Rating:
Summary: The greatest epic in film history!
Review: This movie is the greatest movie ever made, and for a superman fan like me, its a must buy. The film is directed with perfection and the special effects are superb, much better than later superman films. What makes this film different compared to most superhero films is that the movie contains emotion as well as nicely staged sequences, the first transformation of superman couldnt have been better at the helicopter scene. The acting was excellent, Christoper reeve couldnt have been replaced, and turned out to be a major aspect of the movie. The soundtrack was brilliant! John Williams composed the perfect tune to cohere with the superman feeling, and throughout the movie the music moves nicely with the sequences. However, mistakes were made and the acting of the cast saved any questioning of these mistakes, they include that Jor-el was wearing his rolex watch while placing the green crystal on the babies craft, Clark not being noticed when he jumps out the window, when the world is turned back jimmy turns up at a time he also should've turned up when superman was mourning lois's death, when superman transorms for the first time a full crowd doesnt notice him at the helicopter stage, when superman is told with his super speed he wouldnt catch the rockets, he is in the water for at least 5mins, when he's saved he catchs one of them but not both, it would've taken him the same time he was in the water to catch the other rocket. This might also mean that luthers judgement of supermans superspeed was wrong. The uncut scenes are worthy, although there is one uncut scene that is not added, this is when miss tesparker is dropped in the lion pitt and superman saves her. The three documentaries are good, especially when they show how superman flew. Overall a great epic! Well done Superman crew.
Rating:
Summary: Top-notch DVD, slightly coy commentary
Review: Without knowing some of the behind-the-scenes wrangles during production of 1978's Superman: The Movie, listening to the DVD commentary by director Richard Donner and "Creative Consultant" Tom Mankiewicz can be like watching Austin Powers without ever seeing a James Bond film--it's enjoyable, but you may miss some of the jokes. Whether there were legal restrictions or just a desire "to work in this town again," Donner and Mankiewicz are often a bit coy when discussing the production. For starters, there's Mankiewicz' title--he was denied a writing credit on the film, though Donner and others have praised him for reshaping the Puzo-Newman-Benton script into a workable movie. So his alternative designation appears right after the writers during the opening titles. Donner's grievances got a bit more press at the time. Producers Ilya and Alexander Salkind, taking a page from their Three Musketeers films, wanted to shoot Superman I and II simulataneously. Donner shot extensive footage for the sequel, but later had a falling-out with the Salkinds, who brought in Musketeers director Richard Lester to finish the sequel and re-shoot much of Donner's material. Knowing this helps understand why Donner and Mankiewicz take the occasional swipe at movie producers, and the Salkinds in particular. (My favorite: Donner praises editor Stuart Baird, then mentions how he's also directed two great films "in spite of his producers.") It also clarifies some of their comments regarding plot points in both films.Originally, one of the two missiles Luthor fires in I accidentally frees the Phantom Zone villains to set up II. And the famous turning-back-the-world scene was initially planned for the sequel, to erase Lois' memory of Superman's secret identity. The commentary is just part of this well-crafted DVD, which includes an extended "director's cut" of the movie itself, two additional deleted scenes with Luthor (too campy by far, they were rightfully kept out of the extended film), and screen tests for Christoper Reeve and a slew of would-be Lois Lanes (after Margot Kidder, Lesley Ann Warren would've been my pick). Nearly a quarter-century later, Superman is still one of the best superhero films ever. I have never understood why so many people prefer Superman II, with its cartoonish comic antics and its make-'em-up-as-we-go superpowers (how about that amnesia kiss?). For my money, Richard Donner and Tom Mankiewicz made the definitive Superman movie--in spite of the producers.
Rating:
Summary: At last.....
Review: Finally, this film is given the treatment it has been denied for years. No longer imprisoned in a frustrating pan-and-scan format, "Superman" comes to life in this gorgeous widescreen transfer. There are tons of great special features as well, particularly the numerous screen tests with multiple actresses for the part of Lois Lane (Stockard Channing????!!!!). If you grew up in love with this film as I did, you owe it to yourself to add this DVD to your collection.
Rating:
Summary: This movie stands up over the years
Review: I was skeptical when I sat down to watch this movie again because I didn't know if it would be as good as I had remembered it from the last time I had seen it when I was a kid. Luckily, it was all that and more. This time around I was able to appreciate how well Donner balanced a love story with comedy, action, and camp to maintain the dignity of the story of Superman. Reeve plays Clark Kent/Superman with such skill, you can tell he put a lot of thought into how he would tackle such a beloved character. The special effects were ahead of their time and some of them still stunned me today. This DVD is a great presentation of this excellent movie. The commentary is insightful and gives you all the inside dirt on the production and how bad and long it really was. The three documentaries on here are awesome too. They show you the production step by step from casting to editing, and focus on the special effects. This disc should be enjoyed by everyone, if you're never seen the movie or are catching up on old times.
Rating:
Summary: REALLY COOL BUT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER!!
Review: As a massive Superman fan as a kid I was really excited to hear about the Release on DVD. The DVD is Cool. Picture is Good, The Digital sound is Good, The Extras Are Good!! My Only Criticism is the Fact that they did not include all the other extra scenes that were shown on the Network TV version In California. I saw this when I was younger because one of My friends had it on VHS. Don't know how he got it? That was an Amazing Version, and I expected to see that on the DVD. But still buy this DVD for the Extras and because it's just such a Great Film along with `Superman II. Shame about III and IV.
Rating:
Summary: One of (if not the best) restoration I've seen to date!
Review: The quality of the picture and sound will blow you away. It looks like it was filmed yesterday. I have no idea how they pulled this off, but the result makes you feel like you're watching it for the first time. My 5 star rating is not for the movie it's self but for the quality of this DVD based on it's price and features. Superman the movie is a classic, but not my favorite in the series. Had I been judging for the film alone, I would have given it 3 stars. Chances are if you're buying it you've seen this before. The restoration work is beautiful, the bonus material is great, the added material is somewhat frustrating at times. It's obvious why they cut many of these scenes.
Rating:
Summary: Watch it again, for the first time!!!
Review: this is how a comic book character should be brought to life. A strong cast. Great special effects (which still hold up well). And a slightly self-mocking sense of humor. Director Richard Donner (Lethal Weapon) was kicked out before completing this movie, but it's a tribute to his abilities none-the-less. Christopher Reeve stepped into the role that had ruined the careers of Kirk Alyn and George Reeves. And while his Clark Kent was a little too broadly played, Superman lived on in his jaw-first portrayal. For those who wondered about the casting of Margot Kidder as Lois Lane, just watch the screen test footage to see why she was chosen. Still a remarkably good movie after all these years.
Rating:
Summary: Stunning and brilliant....a true American masterpiece
Review: I have had this DVD for over three weeks and I havent grown weary of any part of it. Just to compare this DVD with the previously release VHS version, I played them both simultaneously. It is absolutely staggering how much better the DVD is. I could actually make out the veins on Reeve's neck, it was so clear. And the graininess from the video is obvious and the sound is poor and it is just so fitting that they made such an amazing DVD for this movie. It has been 23 years since I saw this movie in its' true form and it has been worth the wait. The best hero movie, super or otherwise, it as much a piece of American mythology as Zeus is to Greek. Reeve says in the documentary that he was carrying the torch of previous generations, the he was the temporary custodian of a part that was an essential part of American mythology. I thought how right he was, but also that he had not just added to that myth, but created a new one in his performance. It was one of those times when everything fell into place perfectly. The actors, director, composer, producers, everything. This is a movie for the ages, it really is.
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