Rate "Superman"!

[Josh500 1,615]

Superman, OK we can continue discussing this here!

For me...

Score: 4.5

Movie: 3.5

Sure, the score's great (I think no one is disagreeing), but this score somehow doesn't quite match the greatness of the original Star Wars, the original Indiana Jones, Jaws 1+2, and of course E.T. That's my feeling. Like I said, though, this IS great, just not in the top ten...

[Charlie Brigden 7]

Score 5, movie 3.5. I love the film, but objectively it could do with some trimming. But the good parts are great.

[Trent B 337]

Both the score and film I gave a solid 4.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Both polls are about the score, so I gave it a 10!

[Josh500 1,615]

Both polls are about the score, so I gave it a 10!

Whoops, corrected that!

[Luke Skywalker 1,795]

5 & 5.

i even like the song (sung, not spoken)

[Josh500 1,615]

5 & 5.

i even like the song (sung, not spoken)

You kidding? I absolutely love the spoken song... that's what makes it a JW vintage, after all!

[Delorean90 42]

This was a pretty easy vote for me as far as score goes. This was JW's primetime for writing sci-fi/fantasy/action/adventure scores, and Superman is no exception. The complete score is a rich listen; every cue has something good and interesting going on. I can't think of any filler cues, any place where the music isn't either doing something or leading to something good. It's hard to pick highlights just because it's all so good: "Prelude and Main Title," basically the whole Krypton sequence, "The Trip to Earth," "Growing Up," "Leaving Home," "The Big Rescue," "The Flying Sequence," "Chasing Rockets" (oh, that moment when he bursts through the ceiling to go after the rockets! Yeah!), "Flying to Lois, "Turning Back the World," "The Prison Yard/End Title," "Love Theme from Superman"? And of course, the "March of the Villains." But even as I cite particular tracks, I feel kinda bad for not including the others, because it's all great music to listen to. This should be in every Williams fan's collection--even if you end up having to get the Rhino release. Score: 5/5

I love the film, it's a classic, and a joy to watch. This is one of those films that makes me, when someone calls a film like The Dark Knight "epic" (not to knock that film at all), scratch my head and go, "Huh?" The scope of the film is great. Geoffrey Unsworth's glorious cinematography is something that is sadly missed in later Superman films. Christopher Reeve absolutely nailed this role, and the rest of the cast doesn't slouch either.

I did have to knock a star down for the brain-bending deus ex machina, but somehow they make it so you don't care too much--even if by "you " I just mean "me." But overall, this film is a classic, magical ride. Film: 4/5

[pixie_twinkle 48]

Score and film are bloody marvellous. 4.5 for each from me. The score is only slightly let down by being a little uneven. The first half is some of the best music John Williams has ever written. The second half, while still good, is a little more pedestrian by comparison.

[Josh500 1,615]

I love the film, it's a classic, and a joy to watch. This is one of those films that makes me, when someone calls a film like The Dark Knight "epic" (not to knock that film at all), scratch my head and go, "Huh?" The scope of the film is great. Geoffrey Unsworth's glorious cinematography is something that is sadly missed in later Superman films. Christopher Reeve absolutely nailed this role, and the rest of the cast doesn't slouch either.

I agree with you there.

However, The Dark Knight the movie IS an epic in my opinion, just like Superman. The only difference is 30 years and... well, JW's involvement.

Suddenly I'm wondering what it would have been like if JW had scored The Dark Knight...

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Suddenly I'm wondering what it would have been like if JW had scored The Dark Knight...

I'd rather John Barry.

[Josh500 1,615]

Suddenly I'm wondering what it would have been like if JW had scored The Dark Knight...

I'd rather John Barry.

I'd rather Hans Zimmer... oh wait!

[Delorean90 42]

I love the film, it's a classic, and a joy to watch. This is one of those films that makes me, when someone calls a film like The Dark Knight "epic" (not to knock that film at all), scratch my head and go, "Huh?" The scope of the film is great. Geoffrey Unsworth's glorious cinematography is something that is sadly missed in later Superman films. Christopher Reeve absolutely nailed this role, and the rest of the cast doesn't slouch either.

I agree with you there.

However, The Dark Knight the movie IS an epic in my opinion, just like Superman. The only difference is 30 years and... well, JW's involvement.

Maybe if I hadn't heard people talking about how it was epic before I saw it, I wouldn't have combined the word "epic" with the impression that snippets in the trailer give you, but to me, I just didn't feel it. For starters, when I think of an epic, I generally tend to think of a long (or relatively long) stretch of time passing in the story. This didn't go there. The sequence of events was too compressed. There were major events, but...I don't know.

What did you find epic about it? And I'm not being snarky or anything here, I'm really curious. I've sadly only seen it once, although I do tend to get a lot of details out of one viewing (I thrilled my friends by quoting pretty much the entirety of Napoleon Dynamite after we left the theater.). Maybe I really am missing something. But for me, it just seemed like a standard--albeit major--sequence of events that they just happened to unfold over the course of about a half an hour to forty-five minutes longer than is usual today.

Suddenly I'm wondering what it would have been like if JW had scored The Dark Knight...

Well, it would have been better, for one thing.

In all honesty, I do really think JW could have done wonders for Nolan's Batfilms, using his current style. When I mentioned it before, Henry said something like "Like Munich, only more fun." Yeah, baby. I could even picture something like the dark fanfare at the end of "It Can't Be" being simply amazing in these films.

[crocodile 8,012]

Score and film are bloody marvellous. 4.5 for each from me. The score is only slightly let down by being a little uneven. The first half is some of the best music John Williams has ever written. The second half, while still good, is a little more pedestrian by comparison.

Same here.

Karol

[Josh500 1,615]

Suddenly I'm wondering what it would have been like if JW had scored The Dark Knight...

Well, it would have been better, for one thing.

In all honesty, I do really think JW could have done wonders for Nolan's Batfilms, using his current style. When I mentioned it before, Henry said something like "Like Munich, only more fun." Yeah, baby. I could even picture something like the dark fanfare at the end of "It Can't Be" being simply amazing in these films.

Hmmm, I'm thinking it would have been more like "Minority Report"... dark and dissonant, yet lots of action. Plus, one very cool theme for Batman, of course.

[Ollie 1,059]

5 stars for both score and film.

The greatest superhero score for the greatest superhero film.

[Elmo Lewis 6]

My favorite of all Williams' scores. 5 stars. 3 for the movie.

[Marian Schedenig 8,193]

4 stars for the score; some of it is easily 5-star material, but there's little that holds my interest after Fortress of Solitude. I believe up to that point the movie was fine, as well, but ultimately what I recall most about it is being annoyed. 2.5 for the movie.

[Trumpeteer 302]

Score and film are bloody marvellous. 4.5 for each from me. The score is only slightly let down by being a little uneven. The first half is some of the best music John Williams has ever written. The second half, while still good, is a little more pedestrian by comparison.

I agree wholeheartedly.

[Andy 4,128]

5 stars for both score and film.

The greatest superhero score for the greatest superhero film.

This, to me, represents purest joy of film and film scoring. As far as this being more Epic than Dark Knight? Well, Dark Knight takes place in one city, over the span of about one week. This is a legend of mythical proportions that spans different galaxies, different continents, and different tones of storytelling. From pure fantasy, to romantic comedy, to contemporary action, this one has it all. Truly definitive.

[Charlie Brigden 7]

I too think the TDK comparisons are odd. They're both superbly faithful to the source material, but that's about it. Although I will say TDK is epic in a Michael Mann HEAT kind of way, totally different to the standard definition but no less valid in my opinion. I will say that I think TDK is the far better film, though. SUPERMAN loses me once Luthor's plot starts, and doesn't really grab me again until the superfeats and the end with Lois dying. Also the pimp. But the other parts are pretty great, and obviously the film is scored impeccably.

[A24 4,333]

The first half is some of the best music John Williams has ever written. The second half, while still good, is a little more pedestrian by comparison.

The first half is the best thing Donner has ever directed. The second half, while still good, is a little more pedestrian by comparison.

Alex

[Red 75]

5 stars for the score. For some reason I haven't been able to fully get into it like I have Williams' Star Wars and Indiana Jones scores. That being said it is still a masterpiece, one that I just haven't totally "gotten" yet.

4 stars for the movie. It is a classic and the template for which all other superhero movies are measured (for the most part anyway), but I don't believe it to be as amazing as some do. Maybe it's because I didn't see it in the theater when it first came out, at a young age. Like Delorean said the crazy ending brings it down somewhat. Christopher Reeve as Superman is still arguably the best-cast character in the history of comic book movies, though. He pretty much is the definitive Superman.

[Hlao-roo 389]

My response to the score is pretty similar to Marian's.

By the way, if you opt not to buy the Blue Box, you're automatically not a real John Williams fan.

[Ollie 1,059]

Nor are you a fan of Ken Thorne, Alexander Courage and Ron Jones.

And you obviously hate Chaka Khan by not buying it.

[Hlao-roo 389]

Nor are you a fan of Ken Thorne, Alexander Courage and Ron Jones.

And you obviously hate Chaka Khan by not buying it.

You got me there, Mark. What can I say?

[indy4 155]

4 for the score. It has some tremendous highlights, but the second CD does not deliver the greatness that the first has.

And FYI, the term "epic" has evolved from meaning monumental to being a generic term for the word "great."

[Nick Parker 3,040]

I would really like to be able to judge both. I have to be honest, I never really liked the character of Superman (perhaps it is because I have suffered through an unholy amount of Superman jokes all throughout life). However, watching that BBC documentary on the music of Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back sparked my interest in the film. They had a brief segment on Superman, and one of the scenes they played (in PAL speed, yay!) was this scene where Clark Kent was shot by a mugger, and I thought it was a funny little scene. Unfortunately, it never comes on television, and Blockbuster does not hold it, either....

And FYI, the term "epic" has evolved from meaning monumental to being a generic term for the word "great."

I was thinking the same (though I would say devolved). I am tempted to start a petition that calls for the misappropriate use of the word "epic" to be punishable by law, it really gets on my nerves.

[Ollie 1,059]

In my book "Epic score" means large or massive.

Stuff like LOTR, Ben Hur, Hook...that's epic, although 2 of them qualify as great too.

[Nick Parker 3,040]

Stuff like LOTR, Ben Hur, Hook...that's epic, although 2 of them qualify as great too.

Ben Hur and Hook?

[indy4 155]

In my book "Epic score" means large or massive.

Yeah, I'm just saying that the guy Delorean heard saying TDK was epic was probably using the word with its new meaning.

[John Crichton 4]

Temporarily lifting my self-imposed boycott of Josh's polls to support one of my favorites...

Score: 5. The first half is great. The second half is great. It's great.

Film: 4.5. As Steef has said on many occassions, it may not be perfect cinema, but it is perfect entertainment. Gene Hackman and Ned Beatty are a joy to watch, and Christopher Reeve is more or less the perfect Superman.

[Josh500 1,615]

Temporarily lifting my self-imposed boycott of Josh's polls to support one of my favorites...

Some people take these polls (or this entire MB, for that matter) way too seriously...

4 for the score. It has some tremendous highlights, but the second CD does not deliver the greatness that the first has.

And FYI, the term "epic" has evolved from meaning monumental to being a generic term for the word "great."

Hmmm, I think you're right. Nowadays "epic" is just another word for "fantastically great"...

5 stars for the score. For some reason I haven't been able to fully get into it like I have Williams' Star Wars and Indiana Jones scores. That being said it is still a masterpiece, one that I just haven't totally "gotten" yet.

Yes. That's exactly as I feel at the moment... and I think it'll never change.

But who knows? 10 years or so after getting the album, I've come to appreciate Stepmom, after all...

[Marian Schedenig 8,193]

And FYI, the term "epic" has evolved from meaning monumental to being a generic term for the word "great."

Jane Eyre is epic?

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Temporarily lifting my self-imposed boycott of Josh's polls to support one of my favorites...

Some people take these polls (or this entire MB, for that matter) way too seriously...

Or maybe they're just sick of endless amounts of useless polls.

[Trent B 337]

Or maybe they're just sick of endless amounts of useless polls.

A lot of us are...

[Josh500 1,615]

Or maybe they're just sick of endless amounts of useless polls.

A lot of us are...

Yes. That's why you gave both score and movie a solid 4 star each...

[Koray Savas 2,251]

I didn't vote.

[Josh500 1,615]

I didn't vote.

But strangely enough, you keep popping up here!

[Marian Schedenig 8,193]

And of course that means we all love endless amounts of useless polls...

[indy4 155]

And FYI, the term "epic" has evolved from meaning monumental to being a generic term for the word "great."

Jane Eyre is epic?

I'm not saying I agree with it, but yes, that would translate into "Jane Eyre is great."

[Nick Parker 3,040]

More like "totally amazing!"

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

5 stars for the score , natúrlich.

2 stars for the funny movie.

[AI 0]

Score 4.

Film 3.5

[Greg1138 3]

4.5 for both

[Josh500 1,615]

And of course that means we all love endless amounts of useless polls...

36 people voted and we are discussing the score, so this thread (poll included) is not useless.

People who come here just to complain are more useless, IMO.

[Delorean90 42]

And FYI, the term "epic" has evolved from meaning monumental to being a generic term for the word "great."

Jane Eyre is epic?

I'm not saying I agree with it, but yes, that would translate into "Jane Eyre is great."

So we're pejorating a word to be synonymous with another word that has already been pejorated? For Pete's sake...

[Wojo 2,453]

My response to the score is pretty similar to Marian's.

By the way, if you opt not to buy the Blue Box, you're automatically not a real John Williams fan.

What does John Williams need with my $120? Seriously.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

FSM might be able to use it

[Charlie Brigden 7]

It could save Ken Thorne from sleeping on a tattered couch on Tottenham Court Road.