Rating: 
Summary: Too spectacular for pan and scan!
Review: I am writing this review to help bring the average rating of this movie up to five stars! When I first saw this movie at about 5 years old, some segmets of it scared me. Now that I am 16, this is one of my all time favorite movies! The cast does a great job, especially Christopher Reeve as Superman, and Gene Hackman as Lex Luthor. Not to mention John Williams' incredible music score! This is probably his best work, next to the Star Wars series. The print, however, is not looking good at all! I hope Warner Bros. decides to release it on DVD soon, restored, and in its original widescreen format! Long live Superman: The Movie!
Rating:
Summary: Superman has never been better!
Review: One of the grandest movies of all time! Christopher Reeve made his screen debut in the role he would be forever identified. And with good reason. He IS Superman! His presence as both Clark Kent and his superhero alter ego is astoundingly realistic when you consider the fantasy elements of the story! He is so real, he simply transcends the screen! And when you first see Superman take off, swoop over the camera and fly out of his "fortress of solitude" your breath is taken away by the believibility of it all.As good as Reeve is, I would be remiss to ignore the fine performances by the rest of the cast. Marlon Brando is excellent as Jor-El. His time on screen is brief but very worthwhile. No other actor could have done as well. The farewell speech he gives to his son before sending him on the long journey to earth is very moving and is reminiscent of at least one biblical passage. Margot Kidder is very convincing as Lois Lane. She makes you believe she is a street wise reporter who would do anything for a scoop. Jackie Cooper as the crusty Perry White is hilarious, particularly when he is reprimanding Jimmy Olsen as he is putting an order in for coffee: "And don't call me sugar". Ned Beatty as Otis displays more versatility as an actor in a role unlike anything he has ever played. He is very funny. But chief among them all and definitely the man from Krypton's equal is S.man's nemesis, Lex Luthor, portrayed here with equal parts humor and villainy by the great Gene Hackman. He should have received a Oscar nomination. From start to finish this film is an incredible journey that never leaves the audience feeling empty. From the opening scenes on Krypton, through the last shot of Reeve flying by the camera and smiling as if to say, "Don't worry, it's only a movie", you are never disappointed. Only the heartless viewer would be unmoved as Clark Kent says goodbye to his earthly mother. The scene is beautifully acted and photographed. And when Kent first arrives at the Daily Planet there are several good laughs as Clark is obviously trying to adjust to his dual persona in attempting to create an image of the klutz. Once again excellent performing from Mr. Reeve! Richard Donner directs with a sure hand this film that has everything-belly laughs, edge-of-your-seat excitement, heartwarming drama and spectacle. A great script by Mario (THE GODFATHER) Puzo certainly contributes to the proceedings! John Williams provides what is one of his finest music scores and captures all of the many moods of this incredible movie. Like so many others, this reviewer is hoping for the release of the completely restored version with all of the excised footage. This version is quite an improvement over the already superb, familiar release and deserves a wide-screen edition on ALL video formats. Let's hope we will see it soon. SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE (as it was originally called) is superb entertainment for ALL ages and deserves to be passed down through the generations. We owe it to our descendents.
Rating: 
Summary: The Man of Steel Needs a Tune-Up!
Review: This is not a knock of Superman, the Movie. Richard Donner's take on the the Man of Steel is a bit overlong, but is terrific, and features a wonderful cast, particularly young Christopher Reeve, who gives Superman a dignity not seen since George Reeves portrayed him, in the 1950s. The special effects are, for the most part, exceptional, particularly when you consider that the digital technology we enjoy today was nonexistant in 1978. (It's for this very reason that George Lucas 'remade' Star Wars; we can enjoy 'miracles' on screen today, thanks to the advancements of the last few years.) The flying sequences have an airy poetry that had never been seen in any live action 'Superman' prior to this film. The problem in S:TM lies in the quality of the master that the video transfers are being made from. It has aged, and deteriorated considerably over the last 22 years. What compounds the problem is that the 'Krypton' sequence opening the film was shot 'white on white', which shows the flaws and cracks on the acetate master worse than any other color combination. This is a suggestion to Warner Bros...Create a remastered, cleaned-up original, featuring the deleted scenes (which were aired when the movie was 'expanded' for its first television run), all the trailers, include the 'Making of' documentary, hosted by Reeves, that aired when the film was first released, add in an audio track with commentary by Donner, Reeve, and Hackman (getting Brando to participate is too much to hope for!), include an 'audio only' track of John Williams' fabulous score. Those of us who love this film (and there are a LOT of us!) would shell out the money for this truly 'special' presentation, and future generations would be able to see 'Superman' the way he was MEANT to be seen!
Rating:
Summary: The Real Superman
Review: Me am real Superman. Me am Bizarro Superman. Me not like pretty-boy Reeves put moves on Lois. Lois love only me. We am boyfriend-girlfriend. Metropolis no big enough for two Superman. But the Metropolis in the Warner Bros. production had little bearing on the vibrant city after which it was modeled. Though the New York skyline at night provided a serenely urban yet glittery backdrop to the aerial scenes, the acts of kindness which Superman performs rank no greater than picking up litter off the street. Me wipe up street with false Superman. Me Bizarro lay down challenge! You Superman meet me at statue of big lady! Then we see who is real Superman!
Rating: 
Summary: Great movie but horrible image quality!
Review: I wtrote this review several months ago but somehow it got dropped off. Superman The Movie is a great movie, one of my favorites, that deserves to be restored digitally in widescreen format. But this version is horribly disappointing! I bought the most expensive VHS I could find online, which was this clamshell version, to try to get widescreen (this was before you could get full descriptions). I left it in shrinkwrap until I was ready to see it again. What a disappointment! The video quality of this copy was washed out and has so many dust spots, scratches, and other flaws that it looks as though someone went to a second run theater and just videoed a tired old screening. I have a high-quality VCR & TV on which other VHS tapes look awesome. Wait for a remastered version!
Rating:
Summary: 22 years on. Helicopter scene = lump in throat!
Review: I should point out that this review is for the wide screen version of the video which I managed to track down a few years ago. If ever a film was deserving of a remastered DVD transfer this is it - current rumours have an DVD ETA for end of year 2000. From the rousing opening credits which features, in my humble opinion, the best movie theme ever written - sorry Mr. Lucas, but I'm afraid Mr. Williams out-scored himself for this one - through to it's cliffhanging climax this motion picture has it all. Great cinematography, superb performances - special mention must go to Christopher Reeve who played both roles to perfection -, a top notch script courtesy of Mario 'Godfather' Puzo and confident direction from the, at times uneven, Richard 'The Omen/Lethal Weapon 1/2/3/4' Donner. The special effects have stood the test of time very well indeed and, despite some dodgy blue-screen work, you WILL believe a man can fly. In fact if you compare the flying sequences from this movie to the subsequent sequels you will notice a dramatic deterioration from 1st to 4th - this in itself is a testament to the amount of work put into the original. So there you have it, whether you are a sceptical first-time viewer, a fan of the whole Superman mythology or just an ardent movie lover this is one film that more than holds it's own against today's inferior plagiarists. Sit back and enjoy. Then later, as you drift off to sleep, prepare to don those tights and take off.
Rating:
Summary: Superman needs restored soon
Review: This film is an absolute classic. I have never in my life seen such a film which had an impact on me like this film. This is by no means a children's film, now as I am in my 20s I appreciate this film for what it was a piece of cinema genus. It is a shame that a lot of countries round the world did not see the 3 hr 8 min cut of the film that was shown in KCOP in 1994
Rating:
Summary: Superman breaks the time barrier!
Review: From the comic book stands of the pre-war 1930s and 40s, to the big screen of the post-watergate 1970s, the Man of Steel does it again. Superman sours over the City of Metropolis and defeats the evil plans of Lex Luthor. And along the way captures the heart of America all over again in this cinematic display of special effects, action, and an excellent performace by Christopher Reeve. To the young who haven't seen this movie-see it. Those those of us who saw at the theater-see it again, and watch the Last Son of Krypton be, not just a hero, but what he said he was in the Movie..."A Friend"
Rating:
Summary: WANTED: SUPERMAN 1-4 ON DVD
Review: Nobody can portray The Man of Steel better than Christopher Reeve can. He has the ideal looks for the part, although the producers could have found a better actress to play Lois Lane. Teri Hatcher could do better than Margot Kidder. I can't wait for all four of the Superman Series to be out on DVD!
Rating:
Summary: Children's movie? No. Underrated? Yes.
Review: People who consider this to be a "children's movie" probably a) never saw the movie, or b) saw it many years back when they were kids, and hence, could not fully appreciate the magnitude of the film's achievement. The biggest hurdle was to convince viewers that "this is no fantasy", as Marlon Brando states in the film's opening line. This immersion is partly due to an ingenius screenplay, which essentially portrays Superman as an orphan who discovers his destiny to be the Savior. All the actors give brilliant performances, especially Reeve in his dual role, Hackman (as Luthor), Kidder (as Lois Lane), and Glenn Ford (as Pa Kent). The prologue, although quite long, is not to be missed. Blazing credits are pitted against the backdrop of beautiful photography and a glorious John Williams score. Keep the volume on high with stereo surround speakers to fully enjoy the introduction and for the musical cues throughout the movie as well. The special effects, by and large, are still very impressive. None more so than the famous helicopter sequence, which is perhaps the greatest rescue in cinematic history. The flying effects that were done in-camera are also remarkable. My only criticism is that a controversial plot development towards the very end of the movie injects a dose of unnecessary science fiction, which contrasts the realism that is so constant throughout. Director Richard Donner met the challenge of making us believers. The movie gives us a "human" superhero who we really care about and admire. "Superman" has a timeless appeal for all generations and age groups. Also worth noting for those who can't get enough of Reeve: a couple of very dramatic scenes surprisingly did not make the editor's cut and can only be seen in the extended version, which runs an extra 40 minutes. The film is set to be re-mastered for DVD release sometime late in 2000. A 2003 theatrical re-release is being considered for its 25th anniversary. Keep your fingers crossed.
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