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For anyone who saw Superman: The Movie in theaters...


UCFKevin

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They could've sent it to ILM for some help on the SFX

Several effects were re-composited for the recent restoration.

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Before the restoration of the film, this shot was always a big complaint for Superman fans, because to assist in the compositing of effects, Reeve's costume was more greenish than blue. Time was running out for the post production crew, and this and a hand full of shots were not able to be "timed" properly. The restoration crew were able to make this shot correct, the way it was always intended, with the costume being the correct colors.

The only shot in the film to be completely re-done was the shot of Superman in the clouds ("It is forbidden for you to interfere with human history....it is forbidden...it is forbidden...forbidden"). The individual elements for that shot did not hold up (the negative apparently for the whole film was in pretty bad shape) and this scene was completely re-done utilizing the original elements, but composited digitally, so additional grain was not an issue.

Neil

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I would like to see what you people see in that movie. But what's there to see when the biggest villain of all time is turned into a clown and the world's greatest superhero is turned into a scrawny geek?

oh! tim, has just remembered to revive another post........

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I remember seeing the first film on its original release.

I agree that the first time that Clark changes into Superman, we all cheered in the Cinema.

That, and the score, still gives me goosepimples whenever I watch it again.

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Quote:

The reason why Superman is superior to Spider-man is because of what everyone has been saying: putting Reeve and Kidder on cables against a blue screen is far superior to seeing a superhero created 100% from ones and zeroes.

End quote.

That's right! What's next? Computer generated Darth Vader?

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Effects are merely a tool. Superman has a better story and better acting than Spiderman. I've never said that "X" movie is better than "Y" movie because of the effects. If that was the case, I'd think that Attack of the Clones was the best Star Wars movie ever, and we know that's just not true.

Neil

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Why is it that no matter how fast i ran and jumped as a kid, i NEVER took off into the sky like Superman?. I mean, i must of spent about 2 years decieved with false hope. :cry: Our school playground must of looked hilarious to onlookers. Lots of kids running like maniacs humming the Superman march with one fist in front of them jumping and then.........just stumbling on the grass at the last second with an expression of dissapointment :mrgreen:

Melange - Considering taking Donner to court for kid hope corruption and deception :sleepy:

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Why is it that no matter how fast i ran and jumped as a kid, i NEVER took off into the sky like Superman?.  

loser!!!!

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Remember, "there's an art, or rather a knack, to flying. The knack lies in being able to throw yourself at the ground and miss."

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Why is it that no matter how fast i ran and jumped as a kid, i NEVER took off into the sky like Superman?

Yeah, but did you run chanting "Up, up and away!" You gotta keep those details in mind!

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Ah, we all tried to fly as a kid, didn't we?

Tim said:

But what's there to see when the biggest villain of all time is turned into a clown and the world's greatest superhero is turned into a scrawny geek?

I'd wager my life savings that Chris Reeve in Superman: The Movie could swiftly and easily beat the crap out of you. Unless, of course, you're Lou Ferigno, but you aren't.....

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Why does the "S" logo in the chest look so weird in the movies? The upper right stick (the one which touches an angle of the diamond) is like veering right. Why isn't it straight? And why isn't it as thick as it should be? I keep staring at those incosenquential details whenever Supes is onscreen.

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I was seven, and I was awestruck.

Superman remains one of my favorite movies to this day. Yes, it's a little dated; sure, CGI has spit-'n'-polished effects to squeaky clean; I'll even allow that there's a thing or two that doesn't quite connect with logic (logic as it applies to a fantasy like this, that is). But it remains a superior film. It's far more than just a "superhero" movie; there's an epic depth in its patience and superlative timing that translated easily even to a seven-year-old back in the day. It also sports one of the slyest rapports with its audience that you'll ever see. The script got gaggles of miles and smiles out of the simple knowledge that everyone knows who Superman is, who Clark Kent really is, and all the common habits and trained mannerisms inherent to both sides of that same coin. Throughout the better part of the film's first half, we forgot our anxiety to see the Man of Steel in action because we were being entertained by both the heartfelt longing of his special legacy and the stylish sense of humor that played with a wink and a nod to everyone who knew better. Sure, I remember the huge (and well-deserved) laugh the phone booth engendered; but I remember just as well the sheer joy of the audience as Clark manages to retain his composure through the irony growing thick around him during his first scene at the Daily Planet. (I love--I LOVE--the exchange between him and Lois: "Any more at home like you?" "Uh....not really, no.")

That's one of the many things that makes me shake my head in wonder at those who would call Spiderman the better film. It's a good movie, sure, and I had a lot of fun with it....but when the best of its sly humor has to rely on a reference to its far more worthy predecessor, you have to concede that it's waging the losing argument. As for the SPFX--well, I suppose there were a few shots in Superman that looked a little faded, lacking the proper depth. But as far as I'm concerned, most of the effects shots in Spiderman were totally bereft of depth. CGI simply can't convincingly reproduce human movement. There was never a single shot when I soared with the web-slinger, because the web-slinger never soared. That inherent knowledge killed the effectiveness. I may as well have been watching a computer game. Superman completely convinced me. Call me gullible, but I know when I'm looking at a real person, and even if I know that building flashing by behind him isn't real, he's still as much flesh and blood as that ridiculous little kid who always went home, tied a towel around his neck, and made whoooshing sounds as he ran around with his arms stuck out like a zombie on speed.

I'm not even going to go into writing, character development, and the comparitive quality of the scores. That I would have to convince someone on those accounts means they'll never be convinced, so it's a wasted argument. But--if you'll allow me the pretense--I feel sorry for those of you who didn't grow up during those last years of the declining Golden Age of film. Movies will never be the same. I know there are those of you who don't see that, but trust me. Trust us. There's a difference between DVD retro and the thrill of the big-screen, and the basic, unconscious knowledge of the difference between real people and sets and bitmapped versions of the same is a chasm only Superman could cross.

- Uni

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The FX is Superman to me didn't convince me more than the Spiderman CGI did, the methods they used.... it sometimes looked like the camera was soaring, not Superman and models/mat paintings/blue screen, while being very high in quality, weren't perfect. And the Spiderman CGI.... it moved too quick and too unreal, it looked real, it just didn't move real. But newer generations grew up with computers and don't have problems thinking that something is just bits anymore than thinking it's optical effects.

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I feel sorry for those of you who didn't grow up during those last years of the declining Golden Age of film. Movies will never be the same. I know there are those of you who don't see that, but trust me. Trust us.

'Sorry kids, you're all basically screwed.' :angry:

Ray Barnsbury

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God, some of you are the most incredibly insensitive, infantile people I have ever encountered in a chat room! A young person writes and asks people who saw "Superman" in the theater to write about their experience and some of you see fit to write nasty and inappropriate comments about the film. I'm sure from the way some of you write that your parents were newborns when the film came out, so why are you responding? The guy doesn't care if you liked or disliked the the film... that's not what he asked for. Start your own thread if you want to write your dissention! And some of you, incidentally, are some of the same cry-babies who feel picked on when someone disagrees with you.

I saw the film in the theater when I was 19 years old and it was pretty remarkable for it's time. My fondest recollection was when Superman flew for the first time leaving the fortress of solitude. People actually cheered because, up to that point, a person flying onscreen never looked so realistic. People responded well to Chris Reeve (many swooning women) and Gene Hackman got a lot of great comments as people were leaving the theater. It was a great film and has stood the "test of time" to remain good even against some of the more recent super-hero films.

Now, go on, take what I said in the first paragraph and blast away.

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Wow....

I think, if I saw Superman in a movie theater with a full audience, and people applauded when you first see him fly, I would just begin to cry.

I can't even begin to imagine how amazing it must've been to see it all for the first time in 1978 with a full house.

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I can,

and I just remembered something.

it was how women were so caught up in the romance as Superman and Lois flew around NYC.

And you know why Superman works, its because it has a good story and characters you care about. Hint to any future filmmakers.

Story and Character.

Superman DVD...14.95

Superman the Movie CD...24.95

Seeing Superman at the movies opening weekend 1978...Priceless.

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I was about 6 when I saw it, and I all Ireally remember is being blown away by the opening credits, the music and the names swishing past as we flew through space!!

And about the same time I saw another movie and before the movie started Icould hear Superman music coming from the next theatre, I remember thinking cool..superman music!!!!! A fan was born.....but it would be 13 years before Ibought my first Williams CD ..which was actually Superman!!

What a nice little story!!!

pete

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Superman rocks for these reasons:

Killer main title sequence...

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It's got Marlon Brando...

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The Smallville moments...

clark-jon.jpg

clark-mom.jpg

The Fortress of Solitude sequence where Clark gets life lessons...

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Classic "faster than a speeding bullet" moment...

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It has Richard Donner's cousin (on the right) in it...

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Gene Hackman does a cool Lex Luthor...

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Miss Teschmacher is a hottie...

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Superman making his first public appearance...

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The helicopter sequence!

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Margot Kidder was actually pretty good looking in those days...

loislane.jpg

The flying sequence was kinda neat...

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Superman is quite a likeable guy...

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And it's a got a killer John Williams score!

musicbyjw.jpg

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Great post Eplicon! I still believe a man can fly.

Neil - who rode the "Superman" roller coaster yesterday, while humming "Chasing Rockets" the whole time. :D

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Ah, Superman: The Movie...

One of my top 4 favorite films of all time. I never had the opportunity to see it in theaters :) but I've been a fan ever since I saw it as a kid.

As for the film, it IS the best comic film ever made, without question. Why? One word - VERISIMILITUDE. This is what Richard Donner and Co. were striving for from the very beginning. To make it believeable, so that the story had it's own honesty. That way, everyone would believe that they were watching a man fly.

Are the special effects dated? Perhaps, but consider the film as a whole. They did things that had NEVER been done before in a film. Contrary to popular belief, no one had ever flown on screen before like the way Reeve did in that movie. Even in an interview, writer Tom Mankiewicz said that no one really knew how they were going to make him fly. They did TONS of tests using catapulted dummies, remote control figures, etc. and even some of the blue screen tests they did were hard because the people used in the harnesses had no idea how to act or fly, making it look cheesy. A lot of work went into making it look believeable, and Chris Reeve himself was the key element, as he knew how to fly and act beatifully. There are so many other things too. The hand done miniatures, the filming of the helicopter sequence, the editing, etc. and many more, not to mention that the crew was locked to a fast approaching release date and Richard Donner was going through hell with the producers of the film. It's amazing that Superman was able to come through the way it did.

Superman II WOULD'VE been better, without a doubt, but as previously stated, the firing of Donner, and the hiring of Lester negated that. While there may be more action, the film itself is cheesier. Complain all you want about turning back the world; erasing Lois's memory with a kiss is far worse. The other added new powers (beams from his hands, and the cellophone "S" on his chest in the fortress) and silly characters (Leueen anyone?) also brought the film down. Even the Metropolis battle suffers. As good as it is, when the villains start blowing and the townspeople react, its downright cheese (man on roller skates, phone booth falling, etc.). Then, insult on top of injury, John Williams was not brought back and replaced with Ken Thorne who was simply told to reuse all of Williams' music for the sequel. While it is a decent film to watch, it easily falls short of the original.

Is Spider-Man better? It comes very close. I LOVED Spider-Man. Spider-Man is my favorite hero, and I just loved the movie. I thought they handled the story and the characters wonderfully and the acting was superb. However if falls short a little. While I enjoyed Spider-Man's score (and honestly, if you listen to the CD, the unreleased music in the film, and watch the Elfman Bio on the DVD, you do learn to appeciate it. And it DOES have themes. It's pretty good stuff considering some of the other things Elfman had done before that), it's certainly no Superman. As for the effects, I think I was one of the few that really enjoyed all of them. When I first saw it (Spider-Man), I cringed a little at some shots, but after seeing the film a few more times, I actually thought they looked very well done. However, I'll always believe more in models and miniatures than I will in digital effects. And as someone stated previously, although I found both films believeable, I believed more in Reeve flying than Spidey swinging. I don't know, maybe it's just because I grew up with Superman, but I still felt Superman was the superior film.

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The first Superman is probably in my top 10-20 favorite movies of all time. I don't believe it's the best movie I've ever seen, however I do believe to this day it is ONE of the greatest movie going experiences I've ever had. Pure grand matinee entertainment!

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You been to Superman Cinema, McCallister?

Personally, I think the special effects hold up wonderfully even by today's standards.

I still believe a man can fly.

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To answer your question Kevin, I'm a frequent visitor os Superman Cinema as Blue18284. Fantastic site. I've been meaning to start posting again, but I haven't had time as of late. Hopefully soon. :spiny:

As for the effects, yes I believe they hold up, but I can understand how others may view them as dated given the film's age. Some people have no respect for verisimilitude.... :P

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