Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #7297 in DVD
• Released on: 2006-06-01
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Dubbed, PAL, Special Edition, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: Arabic, Bulgarian, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Romanian, Spanish
• Dubbed in: French
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 146 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Modern blockbuster cinema came of age with the release of three huge science fiction/fantasy extravaganzas in the late 1970s. In 1978 Superman was the last of these, a gigantic hit unfairly overshadowed by Star Wars (1977) and Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977). Christopher Reeve is completely convincing as both Superman and mild-mannered alter ego Clarke Kent, sparking real chemistry with Margot Kidder's fellow reporter Lois Lane. Very much a film of two halves, the opening tells the origin of Superman from the apocalyptic fate of Krypton to his nostalgically rendered boyhood in the mid-West. After a wonderful sequence introducing the Fortress of Solitude the film changes gear as the adult Clarke Kent arrives in Metropolis and Superman battles arch-nemesis Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman). Though the tone becomes lighter and introduces comedy, Superman succeeds because Donner plays the titular character straight. From Marlon Brando's heavyweight cameo to the surprisingly wrenching finale, Superman unfolds as an epic modern myth, a spiritual fable for a secular age and a fantastic entertainment for the young at heart. With breathtaking production design, still special effects, gorgeous cinematography, thrilling set-pieces, wit, romance and John Williams' extraordinarily rich music score, Superman has the power to make you believe a man can fly.

On the DVD: Superman is presented in an extended director's cut which adds eight minutes to the theatrical original. The restored material is so artfully integrated many viewers may not even notice, but it would have been nice to at least have the opportunity to watch the original via seamless branching. The sound has been remixed into extraordinarily powerful Dolby Digital 5.1--the superb main title sequence is worth the price alone--and the anamorphically enhanced 2.35:1 image is, except for some unavoidably grainy effects shots, pristine. The commentary by Richard Donner and writer Tom Mankiewicz reveals more about the background than all but the most dedicated fan will ever need to know, while film music aficionados will revel in the opportunity to listen to John Williams' score isolated in Dolby Digital 5.1. On the second side of the disc are a eight alternate John Williams music cues, a selection of deleted scenes and the screen tests of a variety of would-be Lois Lanes, introduced and with optional commentary by casting director Lynn Stalmaster. These are fascinating, and show how right for the part Margot Kidder really was. A DVD-ROM only feature presents the storyboards plus various Web features, while the real highlight is a 90-minute documentary divided into three sections covering pre-production, filming and special effects. The picture quality on all the extras is very good indeed. An enthralling package, DVD doesn't get much better than this. --Gary S Dalkin

DVD Description
DVD Special Features:

Side A:
Feature-length commentary by Director Richard Donner and Tom Mankiewicz
10 added scenes
5.1 Music only track
Side B:
"Taking Flight: The Development of Superman" documentary (30 mins approx)
"Making Superman: Filming the Legend" documentary (31 mins approx)
The Magic Behind the Cape (23 mins approx)
Three screen tests
Additional music cues
Deleted scenes
Vintage TV spot
Trailer
Storyboard to screen (DVD-ROM only)
Widescreen 2.35:1
Dolby Digital 5.1-- English, French
Subtitles: English, French, Italian, Dutch, Arabic, Spanish, German, Romanian, Bulgarian, Hearing Impaired English

Synopsis
In Richard Donner's blockbuster, the Superman myth is well told, from his birth on the doomed planet Krypton to his childhood in a small Kansas town and beyond. After he comes of age, young Clark Kent, as his Earth parents have named him, learns the truth of his alien birth on a voyage of discovery to the Arctic. It is there that he learns--through a link to his long-dead birth parents--of his superhuman abilities and his responsibility to preserve and protect "truth, justice and the American Way." Once he adjusts to life in the big city, Metropolis, he discovers that hiding his superpowers as mild-mannered reporter Clark Kent (Christopher Reeve) isn't easy as he flirts with hard-nosed Lois Lane (Margot Kidder) and battles supervillain Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman). The film's all-star cast includes Jackie Cooper, Marlon Brando, Ned Beatty, Glenn Ford, Terence Stamp, and Valerie Perrine, among others, all camping it up wonderfully.

Customer Reviews

Movie Magic
Arguably the best superhero movie of all time, and certainly the first decent one, is Superman: The Movie.

From the rousing opening credits to the iconic fly-by at the end, the film remains one of the most enjoyable spectacles you could ever see and even improves on dvd. The sound and picture quality is excellent although the full anamorphic frame is not always utilised in terms of setting scenes, it still looks great on a big tv.

Of course everyone knows the story, but what may surprise newcomers is the time frame in which it happens. Roughly 15/20 minutes are spent on Krypton, and another 25 minutes or so describing Clark Kent's early life. Many criticize this section for various reasons, including Brando's overpriced cameo. However, I think it adds to the epic scale of the film and makes it a true classic.

Christopher Reeeve IS Superman. His performance in both guises is spot-on and everything that he does manages to make you either smile or cheer. Gene Hackman is given plenty of one-liners and (too many) slapstick gags, but still comes across well as the genius who may just get the better of the Man of Steel. Margot Kidder is also terrific as Lois Lane, and although she gets a better-written part in the sequel, she captures the awe and amazement that we are all feeling.

The effects are probably the only thing that breaks the film up and (ironically) takes you away from the film's world. Although very impressive at the time, I'm sure, you just can't believe some of the flying images. Dont get me wrong,I hate CGI, but some of the rear projection shots don't seem to match with Supes' movements occasionally - for instance, one shot over the city sees Superman turning in the air, but the background seems to zoom in and pan etc. even though he's just turning...

But nevertheless, the overall tone and good-natured spirit of the film, combined with some of the more poignant moments, makes this an awesome feat and easily worth owning on dvd.

Classic film. Annoying disc...
First things first - Superman is a fantastic film, one of the greatest, an all time classic, one of the key blockbusters of the seventies, one of the greatest comic strip films of all time, and easily worth five out of five. It's well served by a DVD which includes some brand new scenes slotted into the film, three documentaries, a commentary, screen tests and trailers. The picture and sound quality are superb throughout.

Unfortunately, instead of the usual 2 disc set (one for the film, one for the extras), Warner Bros have decided to include the film on one side of the disc and the extras on the other, in the four layer DVD18 format. Fine, if your DVD player can take it.

MINE CAN'T. The film played fine all the way through to the layer change, where the laser realigns to read the second layer of film data. Then, for an agonising few seconds, the image froze. I'm used to that, but with Superman the pause seemed much longer than usual. Then, the film jumped right through chapter 24, missing two minutes of the movie, and picked up again at chapter 25...

At least the scene it skipped through wasn't entirely essential (Superman discussing his first day as a superhero with his father). Had the movie skipped through essential plot development, or effects scenes, I would have been even more annoyed. I just hope that when the new Superman film is released, a two disc set of DVD9 discs is issued to replace this...

So, a great film and well worth owning on DVD... just be warned...

Someone to love
For critics in the late seventies, it was very easy to be derisive of Superman. Brando's outlandish fee, the sledgehammer marketing and the film's own pompousness- not least in delaying the appearance of its title character for a whole hour- made it stick in the craw for many people.

But for children, innocent of such things, it was a tremendous, uplifting (excuse me) experience. I remember leaving the cinema and instantly punching the air in the full belief that I too could streak into the sky. And I know I'm not the only one.

Seeing the film now, it's possible to make sense of both responses. Now that it has dated badly, its commercial exigencies are all too apparent, and more than once come close to knackering the narrative (see any scene with Brando in it).

However, the film is still bursting with charm. The cornfield Smallville sequence and yappy Metropolis are extremely well realised, and take life from a raft of quality performances.

Central is the casting masterstroke of Christopher Reeve, whose sensitive reading of the role is about as perfectly judged as they get. His Clark Kent is a klutzy fish out of water, but it's the way he lets that vulnerability seep into the Man of Steel that makes it a performance to cherish. The effect is this: Superman has the looks and powers of a god, but he's also an outsider who just wants to be loved.

The new release is excellent, with a much-improved soundtrack and supplementary materials that enrich the experience rather than just prolong it. Like the best DVDs, the documentaries and lively commentary provide an illuminating insight into the passions and struggles involved in making films, and recommend it as an essential buy, not only for fans of this film, but for everybody who loves the movies.