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Superman: The Movie (4 Disc Special Edition) [1978]


RRP: £21.99
Our Price: £4.10 (subject to change)

The ultimate superhero film-and don't you forget it!
Review date: 2008-02-24 Rating: 10 out of 10

Yes, Superman, the superhero everyone knows about. What is there to say, that hasn't already been said. This film is superb! Perfect, outstanding, touching, tear-jerking, and everything else good one could possibly say! That is because this film was made by people who knew what they were doing, and they knew how to give us a real story. Richard Donner has given us this total depiction of a real Superman, and in no other way, could we receive anything other than this. Donner has filled this movie with so much heart, and inspiration, so much talent, and every bit of hard work and dedication one could imagine. Tom Mankiewicz revised the story with clever dialogue, so the characters would not just appeal to children, but to adults as well. Like them, or hate them, the Salkinds really gave us the works with their effort to produce the film with extreme effects and a terrific crew to pull the film off. What they did to Donner while production for #2 was halted, was wrong! We can hate them for that, but we cannot deny that they knew how to make a good movie, and make it right! Warner Bros. Pictures are also to give credit, for they gave themselves the chance to give audiences the movie of the decade! Marlon Brando is just powerful, although he was seen as powerful many times before in earlier films. He is subtle, but tense, and his opening brilliance is that of god sending his only son to earth. Just amazing! Gene Hackman, you can never get any better! With witty dialog, and smart, quick character developments, Hackman is the only one who could've pulled this film off as Lex Luther, then again, only they who were in this could've done right at all. Christopher Reeve, hansom, smart, charming, strong, brave, and as super as they get! He was the only man on earth to have the look, the style, and the strength to show what no one else could possibly show. He was Superman. Luthers crazy side-kicks, Otis and Teschmacher, are as convenient as ever. Both Ned Beatty and Valerie Perrine are just adorable as the co-conspirators of Lex Luther, and the three villains have great chemistry, as does the rest of the cast! Then comes the lovely Margot Kidder, the definitive Lois Lane. Again, like Reeve, the only woman, who was sexy, sultry, witty, charming, and yet vulnerable as the leading lady, and the love of Supermans' life. Kidder is head-over-heals in this one, getting herself into trouble, but the man of steel is always watching. With state-of-the-art special effects, the crew behind the scenes of this masterpiece were the only ones who could make a man fly, and they did. You will believe a man can fly, and afterward, he will fly in your heart for always. They story is just remarkable. The writing consists of such dramatic introductions for every vital character. So, we have a fully engaged film, with characters we love and cherish. Superman doesn't fight off monsters and aliens, but instead needs to look after the world, in order to save them from natural monsters, of the cruel people on earth. John Williams has never written anything better, next to "Jaws", Superman is one of his all-time best! From the mysterious opening of outer space, to the tear-jerking moments in Smallville, to the action-packed conclusion all over the world! This was the first, and the strongest superhero film ever. It has set standards. It gave us three sequels, and an exciting spin-off in 1984's "Supergirl". But this one will always be the first, the granddaddy of all action films that follow in it's footsteps! Super man is the ultimate superhero film, filled with love, heart, and strength, and no sequel, or remake will EVER take that away!

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Reviews


Great stuff... so long as you don't have the 2001 release
Review date: 2007-09-18 Rating: 10 out of 10

Superman the movie still stands up as the best comic book adaptation or super hero movie of all time, a classic piece of action adventure cinema and one of the best movies of the 70's. This package includes the remastered 2001 2 disc DVD release which features some of the best `making of' footage I've seen and a truly brilliant commentary from director Richard Donner. This new expanded version adds 2 extra discs, but very little to get excited about. Disc 1 features the `original theatrical' cut of the film (but as other reviewers have pointed out, this isn't as `original' as it should be) and a fairly run of the mill commentary from two of the surviving producers. The other disc is a bunch of archive stuff that isn't really related to the film (cartoons from the 40's & a movie from the 50's). These are OK, but far from essential.
If you already have the 2001 DVD release it's not worth paying extra for what's included here (unlike the 3 disc Superman 2 set which includes the lovingly restored Donner cut of that movie). But if you don't own Superman yet then this is a great package.

What are you waiting for?
Review date: 2007-07-01 Rating: 10 out of 10

At £2.97?! You shouldn't even have to think about it - just get this classic !

Still the greatest superhero movie of them all
Review date: 2007-03-20 Rating: 10 out of 10

The theatrical version of Richard Donner's Superman still holds up as the cinema's best superhero movie despite three decades' worth of advances in special effects and the arrival of almost every other comic book hero on the big screen, largely because at heart it's more a movie about what it means to be in a position where you have the power to do anything except what you really want. Although it's not without humor - it's dotted with neat little in-jokes that compliment rather than swamp the film, like Clark's brief glance at a payphone that's definitely not fit for his use - it takes itself and its characters seriously, with the absolute belief and integrity that Christopher Reeve brings to the part managing to transcend the inherent ridiculousness of a flying man who wears his underpants outside his tights. Marlon Brando's dignified performance sets the tone perfectly - this is indeed no mere fantasy, but something that carries some real emotional weight, with Kal El's journey to becoming Clark Kent and Superman one of loss and powerlessness despite his abilities. Yet rather than burying the picture the way the relentless one-note gloominess of Bryan Singer's take on the character did in Superman Returns, Donner mixes a classic epic style of filmmaking with a sense of joy and exuberance that makes the film seem a lot shorter than its 143-minutes, and throws in one of the great action setpieces of all time in the helicopter rescue sequence. Great filmmaking and great fun too.

Also included on the 4-disc set is Donner's slightly longer director's cut and a wide variety of excellent extras including all the extras from the previously released double-sided Director's Cut edition as well as nine of the classic Max and Dave Fleischer Superman cartoons from the 1940s.


The original super-hero movie blockbuster!
Review date: 2007-01-07 Rating: 10 out of 10

The truly grandiose, operatic adaptation of one of the greatest comic book heroes returns in this terrific four-disc set.
Originally, not only were the producers and filmmakers bent on delivering a huge scale, spectacular production that would do justice to the myth, legend and cultural impact that the "Superman" character had garnered over the years, but the talent involved in its making turned it into a timeless, magical classic. The script cleverly avoided all the abundant silliness and camp of previous film and TV adaptations by awarding dramatic gravitas, wit and character development to the screen story. The special effects and action heroics featured on the film were groundbreaking for its time. The director, Richard Donner, handled the project with noted passion and thorough respect for the essence of the Superman character and its comics' roots. All the acting talent involved delivered strong performances and, above all, Christopher Reeve gave outstanding credibility, soul and charisma to his dual role of Superman/Clark Kent - he made us 'believe a man can fly', and to me he will always be the best 'Superman' to have ever graced the silver screen; R.I.P. Chris, you were the greatest.
The special features presented on this set are abundant, including all the extras that were in the 2001 edition from Warners, and of special notice are the superior animated cartoons from the Fleischer studios, featured on the fourth disc. Released in the early 1940's, they were fresh, innovative for its dynamic animation style (a special new method of rotoscoping performances from actors was used to enhance the animation of the characters!), and all of the aesthetics and scene staging - 'camera angles and setups' in cartoon terms were incredible! - were dazzling and inspirational.
In short, this is the first amazingly successful blockbuster in the super-heroe genre, that paved the way for the 'Batman', 'Spiderman' or 'Blade' franchises in the past 20 twenty years, and it has been given a terrific and unmissable DVD edition on this set.

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Gene Hackman
Christopher Reeve
Margot Kidder

Creators:
Christopher Reeve (Primary Contributor)
Margot Kidder (Primary Contributor)

Director(s):

Recording label: Warner Home Video
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
EAN: 7321900753418
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 4
Format: Box set, PAL, Special Edition,
Release date: 2006-11-20
Audience rating: Parental Guidance
Region code: 2
Running time: 751 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1978
Language: English (Original Language)

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