Rating: Summary: America: Freedom of Imagination! Amen! Review: Before you watch this movie, tell yourself these three things; 1. Its a comic and some escapacism is allowed due to the fact that the movie perfectly captures and places us in real time to make us feel Superman exists. I don't think any action adventure comic movie will get any closer than that. 2. I was a kid when it came out, and was too fascinated to notice any, even the most obvious, fumbly tricks of the trade. 3. This was a movie made before computers. It has a more of a depth feeling to the movie as if everything has mass, emotion, movement and inertia instead of a flat, click and drag feel to it. Not yet, maybe many more years from now, I think this movie will be looked at as a masterpiece because it was created by people who used their skill and dug out their creative ideas which is now done with the help of computers. The movie was set in 1978 and the quality made it revolutionary to this day. I originally wanted to set it at 3.5 stars. Flying against the city drop backs didn't match--this may have been from the better digital quality of the DVD which made the differences more obvious. Also because fast reaction scenes where the cameras were speeded up were more obvious, and towards the end the movie seemed to jumped through plots, but in the special features this reason is explained. Which is why I rated it four stars--I'll just say the special features is pretty cool.
Rating: Summary: Worth buying for the director's commentary alone Review: "Superman" is a great example of how minimalism was not a characteristic in 1970s filmaking. That said, I am one of millions who enjoyed this film when it was originally released, and I think it only gets better with age. Donner's vision of Superman had some eccentricities not present in any previous incarnation of the Man of Steel. For example, note the crystalline vision of Krypton, the great Metropolis one-liner dialogue, characters finishing each other's sentences are all unique to this film (an not necessarily its direct sequels). I'm told that this is a signature of Tom Mankiewicz' "assistance" with the script, and I believe it. "Superman" is the best-written of the 4 films in the series. It's worth a viewing just for the director's commentary track with Tom Mankiewicz. I had no idea Richard Donner was so witty; it's a special treat to listen to his banter with his writer (excuse me, "creative consultant"). There is as much background information in the commentary as there are details in the film. Most favorably, the commentary is clearly a reunion between two old friends who love this film. I remember some bitching and moaning in the trades about how Superman II was delayed for years over legal squabbles. It's ironic that a film made simultaneously with its predecessors took *4 years* to complete. You learn much more about this in this DVD. There are the obligatory (and I mean that) extras. "Superman" is in the top 5% in this regard due to its inclusion of recent documentaries, screen tests (Stockard Channing as Lois Lane?), several featurettes, added scenes that are conveniently included as a separate chapter as well as in the film, and deleted scenes. The only gripe is that the special edition cut is not the same as the ABC broadcast version - the scenes are available on the DVD, but they are not integrated into the film. Watch out for Luthor's "babies"... Buy it. It's one of the best out there, and it sets a standard for other larger-than-life superhero films.
Rating: Summary: STILL INCREDIBLE! A WINNER! Review: This film is incredible, one which has, and always will, stand the test of time. The best of the Comic Book Adaptations gets one of the ultimate DVD releases. The sound is incredible. The Widescreen presentation is unbelievable. The special features offer insight and incredible looks into the filming of this epic. But the best special feature of all is, as always, the film itself. I never thought that a SUPERMAN film could be made without being 100% campy (this is only about 30% campy). Exciting action sequences, stirring emotion, awesome visual effects and fine acting performances make this film one that adults AND children will love! Grade: A+
Rating: Summary: Paul Wentzells Review Review: I loved the movie since I was a kid. I also watched it on TV with the extra footage. Most of them were very cool. They added to my enjoyment of the movie considerably. Some of them though were pretty dorky. The DVD was superb. The extra features are great. The Documentries, screen tests with other actors, interviews with those envolved. The best part is the job they did on the remastering. The extra footage they put in was great. They chose the ones that were the best and left out the otherones. It's the best of all the super-hero films.
Rating: Summary: Wonderful movie Review: Recommended for anyone who needs an escape... fully entertaining and the views of the city are unequaled
Rating: Summary: Super - Buy of Restorated Classic ! Review: A wonderful restoration of Superman with never before seen superior restored pristine picture and remixed sound that truly leave all previous released version's for dead in the quality deparment. Story is well-known and retold many times by now however the new addition's are they extra feature's that are many and varied, none disappoint from the (3) behind-the-scenes documentaries to screen-test's, trailer's ect. Richard Donner & Tom Mankiewicz give jovial and funny commentary insight behind the movie which is enjoyable to listen to and fun. John Williams score is the one of the best he's ever done and Key cast member's Christopher Reeve,Margot Kidder,Hackman & Brando in top-form. They don't make Em' like this anymore, magic for all the family a film if ever there was one for all age's. An Epic fantasy telling, a Fan's wish come true!
Rating: Summary: Superman the movie. Hermy the Great has spoken. Review: Ok first of all this movie is great, no amazing! But I know for a fact that you picky and annoying little self proclaimed movie credits out there well hate it. I mean those picky little creeps, the ones who prob and prob for flaws. Ones who main purpose in life is to destroy the fun of everyone. You picky breed, will poke at the older special effects. You'll jab at obvious things like the fact there is no krypton. I know a guy who hates the movie just cause there is no such thing has flying men, or that's how he put it. Don't you hate people like that? Now I love this movie, cause it has such a strong story. It's filled with emotional scenes, from beginning to end. It probes at the inner desires, that hopefully most of us have, the urge of wanting the power to just stop the stuff we see on the news. Like when ever you see a shooting on tv, you just wish you could walk right up to the guys and pull their guns away. In this world of high school shootings, we need a good fantasy movie to escape too. And trust me even though you know it's just a movie, every time someone gets saved in the movie, you'll have a big grin to match the size of Superman's.
Rating: Summary: Super Comic Power Review: I love comics and movies but this was better than any comic or any regular movie. This is a movie for the whole family. If your a comic book fan it's a must sea movie.
Rating: Summary: Super entertainment! Review: The late 70s and early 80s was such a fantastic time to be a kid at the movies - the experience of seeing of "Star Wars", "Close Encounters", "E.T." and "Raiders of the Lost Ark" on the big screen was exciting beyond words. For me, though, one movie from that period stands a head and (broad) shoulders above the rest: Richard Donner's "Superman: The Movie". Warner Brothers deserves applause for their TLC lavished on this previously-neglected classic. Begone with the murky, faded pan & scan abominations - we now have a pristine, colorful transfer that finally restores Geoffrey Unsworth's gorgeous widescreen cinematography. And if that wasn't enough, we also have 9 extra minutes of (quality) footage, trailers, deleted scenes, screen tests (yeah!) and three new documentaries to boot. And for Superman fans like me, the documentaries and screen tests are a treasure to behold. Thank God for Richard Donner - it's scary to think what "Superman: The Movie" could've been without his reverent, loving vision of the comic-book legend. The new interviews with Christopher Reeve and Margot Kidder are insightful and often hilarious... Ms. Kidder, in particular, is a delight. It's impossible to imagine anyone else as the Daily Planet's intrepid reporter. Three cheers to Lynn Stalmaster for his dead-on casting! Although it would've been nice to see a special edition of "Superman II" as a companion, I certainly won't complain. I'm just happy that 20+ years later, "Superman: The Movie" is just as entertaining as it was the first time I saw it in theaters. From the destruction of Krypton, to the famous helicopter rescue, to the earthquake-disaster climax, "Superman" is a marvelous piece of cinema (and American pop culture, for that matter). I don't think I'll ever outgrow it. Add "Superman: The Movie" to your DVD collection today!!
Rating: Summary: Spectacular re-mastering and packaging Review: Finally, at long last! Superman is put back together for fans who've been enduring bad prints, butchered versions, and more on television and video for the last two decades. Finally the wide screen version of the story is told, with the footage that was always supposed to be there. You can even see the screentests for Chris Reeve, and more. There are TV ads and trailers for the film, but the famous "You Will Believe a Man Can Fly" one is not, for whatever reason, included. That aside, this is just fabulous. Pop some popcorn, and you'll be back in the late 70s when this came out.
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