The Movies
There are movies, there are comic book movies, there are great comic book movies (The Dark Knight, Spider-Man 2), but Superman pretty much remains in a class by itself. None of the other installments in the series were so damned big (made without the benefit of the technology we take for granted today) and at the same time with such an attention to seemingly small details: a look from an actor, the Daily Planet logo on an outgoing letter, the convincing way Christopher Reeve moved. As you might guess, I consider the first film to be the highlight of Superman: The Motion Picture Anthology 1978-2006, newly released on Blu-ray.
The story, honed by Mario Puzo, faithfully draws from the Old Testament roots of the original comic books, with our world's future savior--name ending in "-El"--set adrift as a baby by parents hoping to avoid certain doom. Thirty-three years later, the style of Superman might feel a tad dated (the movie works best if you remember seeing it in the theater in 1978) but the broad strokes are iconic, a squeaky-clean hero with mythic power and an unshakeable dedication to truth, justice and the American way.
Well, that is until Superman II shakes things up, as he and sassy misspeller Lois Lane finally surrender to their mutual attraction, and he gives up everything in the name of love. Director Richard Donner famously left the sequel unfinished, until he revisited his work in 2006 for his eponymous home video recut, a unique creative undertaking. The results are unavoidably rough around the edges and so it plays more like the greatest special feature in history rather than as a true movie on its own merits, but it is also incredibly satisfying to longtime fans.
Superman II - The Richard Donner Cut also commands a new appreciation for the theatrical version completed by Richard Lester in 1981, for the changes and inventions necessary to create a cohesive final product, practically directed with one hand tied behind Lester's back in the face of extremely high expectations. Some people actually like II better than I. They're wrong.
Superman III, also directed by Lester, is a would-be-wacky Richard Pryor romp, with a romantic comedy subplot. Oh, and by the way, Superman has a supporting role as the straight man. It was barely funny in 1983, less so now.
Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, a passion project for Reeve about nuclear disarmament, began with good intentions but is ultimately borderline unwatchable, barreling along out of control like a subway train with an unconscious driver at the switch.
Which brings us, 19 years later, to what was to be a franchise reboot, optimistically entitled Superman Returns. Bryan Singer, who opted out of his third X-Men movie to direct this instead, demonstrates an off-putting fanboy's obsession with Superman I and II, to the point that we are all but begging for him to do something, anything original. That is, until he does, giving us a weak, selfish Cad of Steel, and [SPOILER ALERT!] a deadbeat dad to top it all off. Some people, including co-workers, consider Returns a worthy entry in the ongoing Super-saga. They're wrong. [Hey, Chris, don't forget who signs your paychecks - Ed.]
Standing by for Zack Snyder's re-reboot....
The Picture
The set contains all five theatrically released feature films plus the 2001 "Expanded Edition" of Superman and the aforementioned Richard Donner Cut of Superman II. New high-definition masters were created for the Blu-rays of the original versions of the first four films. The expanded Superman--previously released on HD disc--benefits here from enhancements to an existing 1080p master, while The Richard Donner Cut and Superman Returns are basically identical in quality to their prior Blu-rays.
Both versions of Superman are generally clean and pleasingly if not exceptionally sharp. They're noisy and grainy of course with such busy analog frames shot on genuine 1970s film stock. Blacks are a mixed bag, and the abundant rear-projection photography doesn't help the situation. The movie has been color-corrected both to amp up the primary colors of the Supersuit but also to fix the notorious green costume needed when shooting the de rigueur bluescreen special effects. That distinctive red/yellow/blue is now fairly consistent across all four Christopher Reeve movies. Portions of Superman II were shot soft, but it does show more detail than I. The Richard Donner Cut displays a fine visual polish but also a video harshness in many of the new effects shots, as they were rendered digitally.
The high-def Superman III is the best this movie has looked since I saw it on the big screen, despite the cheeseball imagery. The bargain-basement Quest for Peace is the least impressive, its blacks downright ugly at times, although certainly a step up from the DVD. Returns was lensed in the digital age (okay, some high-speed shots were captured on film) and so it is right at home on Blu-ray, looking punchy and sharp enough that we can readily spot the dead-eyed CGI Superman when he appears.
The Sound
All but one of the movie discs pack a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1-channel soundtrack, the exception being the DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Superman IV, which not surprisingly is the least distinguished of the bunch, uninspired and over-relying on the music, which doesn't quite save the day. (Taken on their own merits however, the original compositions of Alexander Courage and John Williams for Superman IV are actually quite enjoyable, go figure.) Superman carries a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 presentation of the original theatrical audio as a secondary track, but the disc defaults to the high-res 5.1 channels of the 2001 remix. If for example you want the thrill of the credits whooshing over you, and superior depth and detail in John Williams' downright legendary musical score, then do nothing. The remix introduces mondo-bass (which for the most part I don't mind, this is home theater after all), but also hinky bits that just weren't there in 1978, like the squeaky shaft of light in which the three criminals stand before the Phantom Zone claims them. To go authentic, switch over one.
The Extras
A full accounting of the supplements can be found below, but the extras on both of the Superman II discs are especially worth your time, unraveling a complex behind-the-scenes battle spanning decades. Every movie disc except Superman Returns has an audio commentary. Over on Disc Eight, the all-extras platter, we will discover the one and only episode of The Adventures of Super Pup, eerily reminiscent of the George Reeves TV show... but with giant dog heads and a talking mouse.
Almost all of the bonus material across the set is in standard definition, ported from existing Super DVDs or other previously released sources. HD exceptions include the expansive Bryan Singer/Kevin Burns documentary "Look, Up in the Sky! The Amazing Story of Superman" and the 51-minute "The Science of Superman," both upgraded for this package, and the deleted scenes on Superman Returns. Among these 13 scenes is now the original "Return to Krypton" opening, never before revealed beyond a glimpse in the teaser. (Shouldn't teasing an absent scene be illegal, like wearing false eyelashes in a mascara advert?)
Final Thoughts
The late creative consultant Tom Mankiewicz was often asked where they found star Christopher Reeve, and he would answer, "We didn't, he was sent by God." This handsome, gifted young actor took a huge, difficult role and wound up creating an unprecedented, unparalleled embodiment of one of pop culture's greatest characters. The first four movies, good or bad, at least had at their heart a grounded yet bigger-than-life hero committed to the story at hand. And his oafish/sly alter ego Clark Kent was, incredibly, every bit as entertaining as Superman. Reeve's total ownership of the role was obviously still felt when Brandon Routh was cast after the long hiatus, and remains the standard by which all Men of Steel will forever be judged.
I mention the legacy of Christopher Reeve because this set would be worth picking up for his presence alone. It also pulls together a vast assemblage of extras (always a sweet, juicy carrot for the comic book crowd) from disparate sources, some exclusive to these discs. Superman: The Motion Picture Anthology 1978-2006 is also the only way for us to acquire the theatrical I-IV on Blu-ray, bolstered by new HD video and DTS-HD Master Audio. With at least one more Superman in the works, we'd be foolish to think that this is the last Big-Red-S bundle that we will be offered. But for the foreseeable future, this long-anticipated collection is a first-class ticket to Metropolis, with stopovers at Krypton and Smallville.
Product Details
Extras in the Superman: The Motion Picture Anthology 1978-2006 Blu-ray:
Disc One: Superman: The Movie, Original Theatrical Release
Disc Two: Superman: The Movie, Expanded Edition
Disc Three: Superman II, Original Theatrical Release
Disc Four: Superman II - The Richard Donner Cut
Disc Five: Superman III
Disc Six: Superman IV: The Quest For Peace
Disc Seven: Superman Returns
Disc Eight: Additional Bonus Material
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