Awful, hackneyed, insulting to its audience
Added 10/3/2009
I am simply astounded by the popularity of this terrible film. One would imagine that one of the most popular superhero films ever made would at least be entertaining in a base kind of way, but this film fails in nearly every way. The script is the worst I have ever seen. The Superman universe's fictional laws are constantly contradicted and broken when it fits the director's whim.
The dialogue and acting are atrocious. All of the actors (and it stars people like Reeves and Hackman, who are both very good actors) portray their roles with a kind of smirky self-consciousness, as if to underscore the ridiculousness of the production. The dialogue is an endless stream of boorish cliches, from start to finish. This particular quality (the low quality of the dialogue) is overpowering in two sequences: the opening scene on Krypton, and the the bit which was probably intended as romantic where Superman and Lois Lane go flying around the city. The latter is worse. Lane's voiceover seems like a distillation of the worst elements of dialogue in Harlequin romances, purified to their rotten, insipid core. Dialogue this bad shouldn't exist.
The film is unaware of whether it wants to be good campy fun or a serious work of cinema. It tries to be both, and fails to be either. The campy plot, dialogue, and acting serve to undermine the seriousness inherent in several of the film's attempts at poignancy. And, likewise, the seriousness undermines the film's campiness.
This is the worst kind of film: that which requires its characters to act stupid or incomprehensible in order to drive the drama. It goes all out. Characters act randomly, with no explanation as to why they are doing what they are doing.. Villains talk about how Superman cannot be harmed by bullets or fire... and then proceed to attack him with bullets and fire. Luthor (who boasts about having an IQ of 200) describes his plot in great detail to Superman, and then leaves him in the same room as a woman who has just expressed horror at his (Luthor's) plans. Clark Kent states that he must leave the home of his mother, without ever expressing why he must to the audience: we (and his mother, evidently) are expected to infer this information.
What makes this film so offensive, however, isn't the poor acting, dialogue, characters, or plot (this is, after all, a SUPERMAN movie - you can only go so far with the material), but the fact that the script disregards basic rules of narrative construction, contradicting logic and this world's fictional rules when it sees fit to do so. At one moment, Superman must change in a phone booth in order to rescue Lois Lane. During another, he can magically change what he is wearing in order to address a threat by Luthor. Moreover, Superman can not only reverse time by spinning the Earth backward on its axis (a dubious notion to begin with), but can select which aspects of the past he'd like to change.
This film was primarily a spectacle of Special Effects when it was released. It has suffered the fate all such films must: its techniques are not exceedingly phony looking, and when the graphical prettiness is no longer an element, the film collapses.
I am neither given to misanthropy nor to elitism, but I must question the collective sanity of the people of this world when such a lazy film as this is so widely loved to this day.
3 out of 19 people found this helpful.
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Great superhero flick looks as good as it likely can on Blu-Ray
Added 5/26/2009
The movie:
"You'll believe a man can fly." That was the advertising tagline. Well, I can't think of many instances of it, but this was one time when a movie delivered on its hype. "Superman" fires on many cylinders, but the main one, the integral one, was believability. This film is an absolute achievement in terms of tone, style, and effects. For 1978, the effects are terrific, but also the performances and the writing really gel and sell the concept to the audience.
We haven't seen yet the actor who can top Christopher Reeve's Superman. The solidness, the goodness radiating from his presence in costume, combined with the vulnerability and sheer hilarity of his Clark Kent are (perhaps) impossible to top. Margot Kidder turns in a feisty Lois Lane, and their chemistry is great. Gene Hackman is a credible Lex Luthor, both funny and menacing at the same time. Supporting players fill out a cast that just really inhabits the world and never feels less than real.
The run time of the movie is perhaps a bit flabby, and this edition adds about 3 minute of new material. But I for one am quick to forgive it - it just so captures a feeling of innocence, wonder, Americana, that I'm willing to just bask in it, even when the action slows down.
The Blu-Ray:
Well, this is not one of the discs you'll pop in to show off "how great HD looks." The film was shot almost throughout with soft focus filters which bump up the haze of lighting and obscure detail.
BUT: It looks as good as it probably ever can and ever will. In A-B comparisons with the previous DVD (which was great for its day) the upgrade is subtle but evident. Some shots show very strong detail, when it's in focus. Check out the foliage in Lois' rooftop apartment. Some facial shots show exceptional detail in fine lines. Whenever the soft filter is absent, you can really tell you're watching an HD presentation. The colors are the main upgrade in the Blu-Ray - reds and blues really pop, and black levels are rock solid in most shots not involving visual effects. Film grain is present and generally not too obtrusive, except during some effects shots. But I prefer its presence to excessive digital noise reduction. In the end, how you feel about this Blu-Ray will depend on your emotions for the film itself (mine are very strongly positive), and how you feel about a home video accurately replicating the look and feel of the original presentation's film stock (something I'm also strongly in favor of).
Audio is presented in a strong Dolby Digital 5.1 channel mix. There isn't much of a workout for the surrounds, but John Williams' iconic score really sings, nonetheless.
Extras include an hour's worth of documentaries, reprises from the DVD edition. Casting tests, trailers, a commentary by Richard Donner and Tom Mankiewicz, and a wonderful score only track highlighting the music, round out the disc. Overall, at least average and probably slightly above average.
**********
I grew up with this film. I'm predisposed to enjoying it. As a Blu-Ray, it is hampered by the stylistic choices of the filmmakers, but still gives us a very good presentation of the film.
It's a five star film in my book. It's certainly in the top 5 comic book movies ever made (and was the true pioneer in terms of big budget successes from comic book material.) I considered downgrading this disc by one star simply because it can't overcome the flaws inherent to the source material. For the paltry sum Amazon is asking for it, you really can't go wrong, though. Kids of all ages (ages 3 to 83?) who just want to feel good about the world will be transported to a better, simpler, more beautiful place. Fans of 1970's cinema will find a lot to love, as well. There are many shots which really shine in detail, and almost all of the shots benefit from zippier colors. If you don't own this film otherwise, or are just a fan of the action/comic book genre, this is a must-buy. It's a classic.
9 out of 9 people found this helpful.
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In It's Own Right
Added 5/7/2009
To be as honest as possible, I really did not enjoy this first chapter as much as the the other 3 Christopher Reeve Supermans.
But that said, I will try to be as fair to this movie as possible and review it in its own right. Part 1 starts off with Marlon Brando (the father of Superman / Clark Kent) on Planet Krypton having trouble with his colleagues. Marlon Brando knows that Planet Krypton is going to explode, but they will not believe him. Clark Kent / Superman is shipped to safety on earth, and take in by a kind married couple.
Clark Kent then goes to the north where there is a station where he can communicate with his dead father. People often say that Marlon Brando is off the screen 'faster than a speeding bullet.' But he does have 2 additional scenes after Planet Krypton explodes.
Clark Kent / Superman tries to make a life for himself as a reporter where he of course meets Lois Lane. He loves her, but he can not reveal his true identity to her. But of course, he can't allow her to get hurt if she is in danger either.
We then meet Lex Luthor who is planning to cause a disaster for the purpose of 'conducting some real estate business.' As he says: "you have to buy for a little, and sell for a lot."
The most popular scenes are undoubtedly the romantic scenes where Superman and Lois Lane fly together. If I say much more, I will probably ruin the movie for those of you who haven't seen it. But there is one 'cheat' method to save someone. (Even for a Superman movie.)
All in all, it's a decent movie that ended up being the start of a series. If you like it, be sure to check out the even better Part 2, the hilarious but still dark and suspenseful Part 3, and the interesting Part 4.
1 out of 4 people found this helpful.
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Superman Takes Off On The Big Screen
Added 5/1/2009
Man, time flies........not just Superman. I say that because I vividly remember when this movie came out in the theater and the excitement it caused. This was the first Superman anyone had ever seen with modern-day special effects, and I on the big screen, so it was pretty cool, to say the least. Now,
It's still very entertaining, and the more I watch this the more I'm amused with the villain (Gene Hackman as "Lex Luthor") and the lines he delivers. He's a funny guy. Christopher Reeve, meanwhile, was always a popular "Man Of Steel" and the special effects are still fun to watch, from the long opening scenes showing the end of the planet Kryton all the way to the ending credits. There's a solid soundtrack to this, too.
Personally, I never cared for Margot Kidder as Lois Lane but then again, Lane's character in the 1950s TV series was a bit annoying, too. I guess it comes with the territory. However, being a kid growing up with that series with all its innocence it was just too weird watching this movie and hearing Lois ask Superman what color her panties were! (The purity of the `50s is lone gone!)
Whatever, this is still great entertainment. As a superhero, Superman has always been THE MAN. Three sequels followed this film, the second one being the best in my opinion.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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Superman Soars On Blu-Ray
Added 3/31/2009
I was lucky enough to have seen Superman in the theatres when I was a child back in the 70s, and the sense of wonder it evoked in me then is renewed every time I watch it as an adult. Its epic grandeur, its sense of gravitas, has never been equaled by any other superhero movie (I mean, Marlon Brando, Glenn Ford, Trevor Howard, Gene Hackman, Mario Puzo, all screen legends of the time for a film based on comics? What were they thinking!). Christopher Reeve is the quintessential Superman, incredibly handsome, incredibly wholesome and good-natured, and his heroism on screen is all the more poignant in the light of what happened to him in real life. I still think that the CAN YOU READ MY MIND night-flying sequence is among the most romantic scenes in all cinema. This blu-ray version is beautiful. If you're looking for the sharpness of IRONMAN or BATMAN BEGINS on blu-ray, you will be disappointed. Much of the film is shot in a soft-glow style, and this look has been preserved in the blu-ray transfer. The Krypton sequences seem to take place behind a veil of haze, which might be frustrating for those of us used to the crystal-clear images of hi-def. But the Smallville sequences are beautifully awash in golden sunlight and lush colours and the sharp outlines of prairie houses. They could have made the whole film sharper and clearer in the transfer, but this would have altered the sweeping, romantic, film-like feel of the cinematography. What you get here is better colour saturation. It's a pity that the studio did not offer the latest Dolby True-HD or DTS-HD Master Audio sound format; but the Dolby 5.1 sound here still soars (John William's magnificent score is itself worth the price of admission). Compared to the earlier DVD edition, the channel separation in this blu-ray is more pronounced; towards the end when Jor-El warns Superman against tampering with history, check out how impressively his disembodied voice scans across all 5 speakers. If you never had the chance to catch Superman in the theatres--or if you simply want to relive that experience-- the next best thing is to get this blu-ray and watch it in a darkened room at home on a large projector screen with surround speakers. (5 stars for movie, 4 stars for the blu-ray).
6 out of 6 people found this helpful.
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