Rating: Summary: An Epic Film! Review: Watching Superman The Movie is an experience. Not only are you treated to a film good for the kids, but there are also many moments that will thrill adults. The movie is filled with emotion, action and incredible excitement. The movie opens with long introductions about Superman's past and his time growing up on Earth. We are treated wish such scenes as his launch into space, his "naked" discovery on Earth and his "calling" to go north. All of this fills pretty much the first hour of the film but we are never once bored. Once the action moves to Metropolis, it is almost like a whole new movie. The interaction between Lois and Clark is simply priceless. Their early scenes together build on what is to come, even moving into Superman II. Margo Kidder was perfect for this role. She just had the right look for Lois: attractive without being a Super Model. It was just so sweet how Superman took to her. We are also introduced to Lex Luthor and his gang. Gene Hackman was perfect for this role and he really steals ever scene that he is in. The thing about Superman is that it has an epic feel to it and it never looks back. From the launch of "baby" Superman to the climatic ending sequences, we are drawn into the story. The witty dialogue is also one of the best aspects of the film. Whether it is the nonchalant comments from Superman (i.e. "Bad Vibrations") to the famous, clap inducing "You've Got Me? Who's got you?" you never feel that any of the film is scripted. And the special effects, while dated (the miniatures LOOK miniature), are also extremely good. The DVD version is an absolute joy. You get 9 minutes of new footage, including more scenes in the Fortress of Solitude with Marlon Brando. There are several behind the scenes looks and several trailers and cast bios. The enhanced sound is also very impressive. When the credits at the beginning started to appear and then fly by, I was just taken back! I wasn't expecting it at all and it was a taste of things to come. You can even hear shards of kryptonite flying through space after Krypton explodes. Superman The Movie is one of the best comic book movies in the same tradition of greats like Dick Tracy and The Shadow. If you or your kids have never seen it, this is a must have. If you have, relive the magic again.
Rating: Summary: Still the BEST!!! Review: This film is not only the best film adaptation of a comic book hero, it is one of the best films of the 1970s. Director Richard Donner made an epic film that is romantic, exciting, and just plain fun. The humanity that Chris Reeve brought to Superman/Clark Kent is what makes the film work. The DVD is wonderful. The behind the scenes stories are interesting. The best part is the screen tests. How fun to watch a very young and skinny Chris Reeve audition with not only Margot Kidder, but also Stockard Channing, Anne Archer, Leslie Anne Warren and others. The deleted scenes are good too. Buy it and enjoy it!
Rating: Summary: A great DVD remake of a Classic Movie! Review: Assuming you've already seen the classic Superman already, here are the items included in the new DVD release: They put in previously edited scenes such as Krypton footage, Superman's powers being tested by Lex Luthor when he meets him for the first time, conversations on the train that the young Superman races, etc. Included are 3 documentaries (all recently made): An overview on the process to get the film started. (casting, funding, etc.) An overview on the general making of the movie. An overview of the special effects used and created for the film. A director's commentary that features Richard Donner (the director) and the creative consultant, Tom Mankiewicz. A nice commentary and full of great stories about the making of the movie. Two deleted scenes, a teaser trailer that was shown in theaters a year before the movie's release, cast and crew bios, alternate music scores for the movie and a few others extras are included. The way a classic movie should be produced into a DVD. A great addition in your DVD library.
Rating: Summary: What a shame Review: This comment is aimed at the Studio/distributor, i.e. Warner. Why oh why do you encourage consumers to buy only half finished products. It is not as if this film is a recent blockbuster, but it was at the time a great film and even more so when you consider that it`s sequel was even better. Together Superman I and II were excellent pieces of entertainment. Forget III and Quest for Peace (not bad but nowhere near the same calibre). I along with many others would have thought that the first 2 in the series should have both been re-mastered etc. All I can imagine is that Superman II will be re-mastered due to public demand, then those poor consumers who bought the box set will be agrieved. This happened with Laserdiscs and also with DVDs (re-Kubrick). Greedy Studio is all I can say of Warner. Unless Warner announce a re-mastered Superman II, I will not waste my money as I consider the 2 films to be combined.
Rating: Summary: The way Superman SHOULD be seen! Review: I was very impressed with this DVD. This film has never looked better! It even looks and sounds better on DVD than I ever remember it being in a movie house. The missing footage was fabalous! Especially the Lex Luthor "baby" sequences. They were very funny and well done. I had no idea why they did not make the original print. As to the missing footage and screen tests, I was totally blown away on how well these were restored and preserved. No clicks, scratches or pops. All and all, well worth the low price tag!
Rating: Summary: The Benchmark Comic Book Movies Review: This film is an epic retelling of Superman, and stands up today as still the best comic book adaptation ever made. It takes Superman seriously, yet has comic relief that never veers into total camp. At the core of the movie is a wonderful love triangle between Superman, Clark and Lois. No comic book movie since has captured anything remotely close to romance. Superman's act of love in the end is touching and, like it's character and the movie itself, epic. It challenges a straight-and-narrow Boy Scout character with raw emotion. This new DVD is wonderful. It contains three half-hour informative documentaries, several funny and interesting screen tests, and a lush transfer. The 8 minutes edited back into the film don't add much beyond a curiosity level, but they don't detract from the final product either. At this price, this is definitely a must-have. My only complaint is the boring snap-case packaging Warner Bros. loves so much. There is something to be said about presentation, and they aren't saying it with this (or any of their other DVDs') packaging.
Rating: Summary: FINALLY! Review: After years of being treated like Warner Bros.' red-headed stepchild, Superman - The Movie has finally gotten the royal treatment. While I am immeasurably disappointed in the studio's lackluster attempt to theatrically re-release this film a couple of months back, I couldn't be happier that it's in my DVD player instead. I would buy this DVD for the extras alone. Three, count 'em, three documentaries on the making of this film (which come off as more of a tribute to Christopher Reeve, which is fine by me! If it had been anybody else in the suit, the film probably wouldn't have worked as well.), screen tests, trailers, deleted scenes, music cues and lots of text make this one of the more complete DVD packages. Then there's the movie itself: widescreen digital transfer, 5.1 audio, enhanced visual and audio effects and additional scenes. While this film does have it's flaws (the villains are too comedic - Otis is this film's Jar Jar Binks), it got so much right by taking the story seriously. The documentaries will tell you how close they came to screwing it all up and you'll get an idea of how good Superman II would have been had Donner not been screwed. Christopher Reeve and Richard Donner has made us believe that a man could fly all over again. And I couldn't be happier about it.
Rating: Summary: A GREAT MOVIE DONE JUSTICE AT THE HANDS OF DVD. Review: You've seen it before and you know it's a great movie. Well, the DVD magnifies that greatness by ten times. The video quality is, in a word, SUPERB. They really did a nice job of cleaning up the film. The audio is also spectacular. The 5.1 Dolby is mixed really well and there is a lot of rear speaker action. More than you'd expect from a film this old. There are a ton of extras on here and they are all entertaining. The three documentaries are especially informative. The only reson that I don't give this 5 stars is that I think it was packaged very poorly. The cover art is less than spectacular and Warner Brothers NEEDS to stop using the snap-case. It's just ugly. But don't let that stop you from getting this. As a matter of fact, if you own a DVD player you MUST own it. It'll blow you away.
Rating: Summary: The greatest film ever made finally comes to DVD! Review: Back in 1978, I could hardly believe a man could fly, and I could not believe I had seen the greatest film ever made. Now, 23 years later, at long last, "Superman" has been given the ultimate justice on the best home video format there is...DVD. From beginning to end, this digitally restored version is everything I expected...remastered picture and sound, restored beyond its original brilliance. Marlon Brando heads an all-star international cast in this definitive telling of Superman's origin, from Krypton to Metropolis. A motion picture masterpiece...great cast, great story, great score, and with what still is the greatest movie song ever, Margot Kidder's "vocal" of "Can You Read My Mind". Although the DVD could have used more supplements, whatever there is certainly is enough to last me the next 23 years...the documentaries are informative and revealing, the trailers look excellent, though I wish they would have included all the deleted scenes used for TV. However, this DVD remains an excellent achievement. I believed in 1978 (as I do now in 2001) "Superman" was the last great epic film we will ever see on the big screen, and history that will never be repeated again. Please, go buy this DVD.
Rating: Summary: This movie is the reason why we own DVD players. Review: Well, the release of the original Superman movie is long overdue, but I must say it was worth the wait. The movie is remastered and restored so beautifully, it's almost hard to believe. I was amazed by all the extras that come on the disc (behind the scenes, special effects demos, screen tests, etc.) This DVD is a must have even if you are not a big fan of the movie (although I don't know how you couldn't be.) Unfortunately, the case is a little flimsy. You would have thought the DVD would have been packaged in a firm case but it's not that big a deal. Anyway, this DVD is fantastic. Gives me goosebumps.
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