Superman (1978) Full Length Reaction

One of my earliest memories is of my late father taking me to see this and Superman 2 at a cinema in South London, at the age of 7. It always makes me feel good watching it again. Christopher Reeve was my Superman.

Chris Green

Hey Jen! Just watched this movie along with you. Iconic classic for sure. I don’t think I heard you acknowledge in the reaction and in case no one else has brought this to light, the actor who plays Superman’s Kryptonian father who sends his baby off a drying planet. That’s the legendary icon of an actor, Marlon Brando. Brando who played The Godfather. The producers knew that to bring to the screen something generally regarded for children at the time, they would need an iconic actor of weight and substance to let adult movie goers give in and take the movie more seriously. Even though it’s a fun movie. The casting of Brando helped engage moviegoers of all ages and tastes. This thinking would also influence the decision to cast Jack Nicholson as The Joker ten years later. Now this is a bit of a story here, but it’s a good one. So basically the producers offered Mallon Brando a whole bunch of money to come in and shoot for two days of work to act in the film. That’s the only reason Brando did it. But on set, when they were shooting the scene where he gives a speech as he speaks to his baby for the last time and sends him off. The scene, the dialogue, even the baby, everything was just synergizing, Brando’s speech was very moving. Everyone on set was dead quiet because they knew something really good was happening. When the scene finished and cut, Brando said something like, Wow, maybe there’s something this movie after all.

Bartleby

Jen, it was never made completely clear why Donner was fired, but apparently, the producers (Alexander and Ilya Salkind, and Pierre Spengler) and Donner had a ‘falling out’ and competing intentions for the film. Sigh. What’s done is done. Just know that if you ever want an idea of what Donner’s Superman II might have looked like, the Donner Cut can provide a *very rough* idea. (Oh, speaking of recommending other Richard Donner movies, there’s a fantasy film called Ladyhawke (1985) starring Rutger Hauer and Michelle Pfeiffer. Wonderful love story! … Donner met and fell in love with his wife-to-be Lauren on this production.)

David Olden

I'm very curious to see more of Sup and Lois! Will put #2 on my list 👍

Jen M

That's crazy-- what was his official reasoning for firing him?

Jen M

Please note that Richard Donner was well into shooting Part II, when the Salkinds inexplicably fired him and replaced him with Richard Lester. Several of the cast (Including Hackman) quit in protest. The footage of them in Part II is *footage shot by Donner*. After Donner’s firing, John Williams declined to return, and the Salkinds had to replace him with Ken Thorne. Part of what Donner shot remains in the film, but Directors Guild rules require a new director to shoot/re-shoot at least 51% of the final release print to have sole credit. Lester claimed to have shot more of the film than he actually did, and made changes that compromised the story. Please understand that the Donner Cut is *not* meant to be a finished version. It is a rough working-print What If — a very rough cut to give an *idea* what Donner’s version *might* have been like IF Donner had the opportunity able to complete it. Please know that I’m not arguing against seeing the ‘Theatrical version’; I was entertained by it on first release. But it could have been so much better if the Salkinds hadn’t so unfairly dismissed Donner (and as a consequence, lost so many talented cast and crew from protest).

David Olden

This was indeed Super! I'm trying to remember if this is technically "my first" Superman. I know I did also watch some made for television Superman episodes with George Reeves growing up. But Christopher is who I first think of as Superman. Nobody has played both identities better since impo. Some don't even seem to bother to make that distinction in their performance in any real meaningful way. You mentioned the TV show Smallville. I did enjoy most of that. As well we have... • Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (Some Romance!!! 😉) •The Current Superman and Lois show does have it's moments. 4 films with Christopher. The second being my personal favourite. 3 shows a decline, but I still like it. Then 4 is shockingly awful in a hilarious way. 🤣 • Superman Returns (New actor) 😕 •The Man of Steel (my eyes! my eyes!) 🤣 •Appearances in other DC television shows. •More appearances in newer DC films. Post 90's, each time the repeated inclination of wanting or feeling the need to push that darker envelope. Those flashier effects for a modern audience are inevitable as technology develops. But often with the unpalatable loss of some core elements of the character to varring degrees. But that's just my opinion. A regular theme across the Television Shows is appearances of know Superman related actors playing different roles as nods to the past. I'd really like to see you react to Superman II

Daryl

John Williams is fast becoming my fav movie composer. Had no idea he wrote so many iconic themes!

Jen M

Appreciate your input! I usually put a poll up when there are different versions of a movie 👍

Jen M

So sad 🌹 He seemed like a very awesome guy. Not to mention a terrific Superman

Jen M

That would've been cool to see in theatres! I definitely would've liked it as a kid 👍

Jen M

Thank you Todd, I appreciate that info! I really loved this movie 👍

Jen M

LOL! 😂 I ran around my yard in the cape with Boston! Can't stop humming that theme, it's brilliant!!

Jen M

Really enjoyed this one!! 😊😊

Jen M

I ran the VHS tape of this movie into the ground growing up lol. Now that I'm older I realized that John Williams wrote the music to my childhood. Almost all the movie I grew up on, he wrote the music to. The Love Theme for Superman and Lois is probably my favorite. Superman 2 theatrical Version is even better!

David Martin

I highly recommend Superman 2. And PLEASE watch the theatrical version. You'll hear a lot of people tell you to watch the "Donner Cut", but it's a chopped up, incomplete film, that even substitutes test footage for some of its scenes. It omits and replaces some all time classic lines as well. The original theatrical version of Superman 2 is great, and the better version, in my humble subjective opinion. It's worth watching the Donner Cut at some point, but watch and react to the original version first.

David Crabtree

We miss you so much Christopher Reeve. You were taken from us too soon.

Yes! (I saw it in the theatre as teen, and I had flying dreams for months!)

David Olden

Just finished watching this film with you. Some comments I have about this film: 1) John Williams who also scored the music for the Star Wars films and Indiana Jones, also did this film. He's done so many other great films. 2) For me, this is my favorite version of Superman. the boy scout. Christopher Reeve was the perfect superman. He fit the role like a glove. 3) That "pane of glass", in the beginning of the film, that in prison the three criminal and whisked them away, was Richard Donner's take on what's called "The Phantom Zone" of which is an "inescapable" realm meant to act as a permanent prison. 4) There exists a special edition of this film that is over 3 hours long that contains previously deleted scenes and among which only appeared in the televised broadcasts of the movie. 5) Jor El didn't go with his son because he was a good man and kept his word to the council that neither he nor his wife would leave Krypton. Seems foolish given the gravity of the situation, but his word was his bond. 6) If you do watch the sequel someday, and I do recommend you do so, I recommend the Richard Donner cut over the theatrical version. Richard Donner filmed the first movie and the sequel back-to-back but was fired after most of the sequel was film. The theatrical version was good, but the original Richard Donner version makes much more sense and makes a more seamless connected to the first. 7) That "palace" that green crystal created is called "The Fortress of Solitude". 8) Clark Kent being an awkward and clumsy dork, and seeming weak, is all an act. Part of his disguise to help people not even think he could possibly be Superman. Like, no way, man! 9) Yes, Superman is bullet proof. Invulnerable to conventional weapons thanks to the effects of the rays of our sun against his Kyrptonian biology. Were Superman to go back to Krypton, he'd just be an average guy. Therefore, that green Kryptonite neutralized his powers and furthermore was killing him. There are other types of Kryptonite that have different effects on him. 10) In this movie, we get a time travel film, if consider the ending. :)

Todd Preble

In case you were wondering... No I wasn't just humming a catchy theme tune, whizzing around my house arms stretched out, with a towel on my back. Rushing to swift stop and placing my hands on my hips. 😎

Daryl

Oh, this is going to be a treat!

David Crabtree

It's so awesome!!

Jen M

YYEEESS!!!! Been looking forward to this one...

Todd Preble