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Superman II, III, IV: Where Are the BD's? - Page 3

post #61 of 89
3/17/10 at 8:34am
Brandon, thanks for the insight on Star Trek The Motion Picture Directors Cut Edition.

Did David Fein give you any indication or know anything about a Hi Definition effort for The Directors Cut of Star Trek TMP? I guess they need the go ahead and funds to re-render the effects and to reintegrate the footage. I am assuming his company still has the materials, unless Paramount own all that material. In which case, someone else could be doing it.

Sorry for the digression!

On Superman, I am getting the sense that Warner may not release a BD box set any time soon. Based on earlier posts, the speculation is it may not be an economically sound venture as the sales aren't there compared to the Batman franchise? 

I'm tempted to pick-up the Superman TMP and Donner cut BD's.
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post #62 of 89
3/17/10 at 8:53am
I don't give a flying monkeys how much Warners spent releasing this fan edit on to the market, it doesn't excuse the fact the original theatrical version, the version most people were familiar with, isn't on Blu-ray, they simply fumbled the ball.

Quote:
Originally Posted by David Deeb View Post


But I also love the original, theatrical Superman II.  I loved it growing up and never knew all these "problems" existed until a couple of years ago.  I really don't care to dissect these things to death.  

It is what it is - and IMHO it's a great, classic companion film to Superman: the Movie.   Would enjoy it on BD.  
 


Quote:
Originally Posted by Ray H View Post

Would love to see the original theatrical versions of Superman and Superman II on Blu.




For a while back in the 80's, Superman II was my favourite Superman movie, I couldn't get enough of Zod and his companions. But later I switched back to Superman the Movie, which still remains IMO the greatest superhero movie of them all.

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post #63 of 89
3/17/10 at 11:14am


Quote:
Originally Posted by Nelson Au View Post

Brandon, thanks for the insight on Star Trek The Motion Picture Directors Cut Edition.

Did David Fein give you any indication or know anything about a Hi Definition effort for The Directors Cut of Star Trek TMP? I guess they need the go ahead and funds to re-render the effects and to reintegrate the footage. I am assuming his company still has the materials, unless Paramount own all that material. In which case, someone else could be doing it.

At the time of our conversation (back around October '09 I believe) he implied Paramount had yet to discuss with him the bringing of the DE of ST:TMP to HD. But the main focus of our conversation was what had happened back when they originally did it. From how he described it Paramount was essentially gonna scrap the whole idea and gave him a ridiculously low budget number. His impression was that it was so low as to be intended to convince him to no longer fight for it, but he countered with telling them he could still do it - in Standard Def.
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post #64 of 89
3/17/10 at 11:21am


Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Christou View Post

I don't give a flying monkeys how much Warners spent releasing this fan edit on to the market, it doesn't excuse the fact the original theatrical version, the version most people were familiar with, isn't on Blu-ray, they simply fumbled the ball.


Well, my point is that these two factors - the Donner Cut being on Blu and the theatrical not being on Blu - are two separate issues. There were a LOT of catalog releases back in 2006 that didn't make it to Blu because the format was brand new. The theatrical Superman II was one of them.
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post #65 of 89
3/17/10 at 1:02pm
Thanks Brandon, so we have David to thank for at least getting the DE of Star Trek completed, even though it was only Standard Def. Too bad Paramount at the time hadn't the interest in going all the way.
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post #66 of 89
3/17/10 at 9:08pm
Thread Starter 
Brandon, you hit it on the head. Most Superman fans are more familiar with the Lynch version. I think that's why I have such fond memories of the Superman 2 movie. Whether these movies are good or bad isn't the debate. It's whether these movies should be released. I just think all of the movies that Chrispher Reeves made should be preserved for future generations. 
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post #67 of 89
3/17/10 at 11:30pm


Quote:
Originally Posted by kemcha View Post

Brandon, you hit it on the head. Most Superman fans are more familiar with the Lynch version. I think that's why I have such fond memories of the Superman 2 movie. Whether these movies are good or bad isn't the debate. It's whether these movies should be released. I just think all of the movies that Chrispher Reeves made should be preserved for future generations. 

I think you mean Lester?

Doug
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post #68 of 89
3/17/10 at 11:37pm


Quote:
Originally Posted by kemcha View Post

Brandon, you hit it on the head. Most Superman fans are more familiar with the Lynch version. I think that's why I have such fond memories of the Superman 2 movie. Whether these movies are good or bad isn't the debate. It's whether these movies should be released. I just think all of the movies that Chrispher Reeves made should be preserved for future generations. 

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Douglas Monce View Post



I think you mean Lester?

 

After three pages, he still can't manage to get the right name for the actor he's supposedly so eager to honor. What makes you think he cares about the name of a mere director?
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post #69 of 89
3/18/10 at 12:01am
Yeah who is this Chrispher Reeves person anyway???

I shouldn't make fun, I'm dyslexic and can't spell to save my life.

Doug
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post #70 of 89
3/18/10 at 6:21am
Quote:
 
I shouldn't make fun, I'm dyslexic and can't spell to save my life.

 

That may be, but you're also not trying to dress up a run-of-the-mill request for a film release with pieties about honoring an actor's memory.



Quote:
Originally Posted by kemcha View Post

Now, while many may condemn these three movies, I think Warner Brothers should release them if nothing else than to preserve these classic films that featured "Christopher Reeves." To dismiss these films from the Blu-ray format would be a great disservice to the memory of Christopher reeves, who passed away some years ago after the horse riding accident that paralyzed him for life.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jesse Blacklow View Post


Oh, please.  Not even Reeve agreed with this kind of mopey nonsense, and playing on his injury in such a crass fashion would have pissed him off.  In any event, Reeve said multiple times (including in his autobiography) that he thought Superman III was an insult to Pryor, himself, the fans, the character, and the mythology.  He also said that even with his input, he knew Superman IV was going to be terrible and that he pretty much signed on entirely because of his anti-nuke stance. It's highly doubtful he cared for the release of either or both on any home video format.
 


Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael Reuben View Post


If one wants to honor the film work of Christopher Reeve (there's no "s"), I can think of several more deserving (and probably more popular films) to release on Blu-ray. Off the top of my head:
 


Quote:
Originally Posted by kemcha View Post

Michael, I'm not disagreeing that there are probably better films out there that Reeves has done, I'm merely saying that Warner Brothers should, at the very least, make these films available to Blu-ray because I'm pretty sure that there are a lot of fans who would buy them. I know I would.

And the kicker:

Quote:
Originally Posted by kemcha View Post


Personally, I never did like the third or fourth movie, I actually enjoyed the first movie and the second movie (the original theatrical version) better but I do think that they really need to be released. I'm sure that there are many movie fans who would buy all four movies on Blu-ray.

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post #71 of 89
3/18/10 at 6:38am
What about the rumour that he was related to 50's Superman George Reeve? 
[Michael bites fist]
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post #72 of 89
3/18/10 at 6:45am


Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Christou View Post

What about the rumour that he was related to 50's Superman George Reeve? 

 

The guy in Hollywoodland played by Ben Efflack?
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post #73 of 89
3/18/10 at 6:55am
That's the one Michael. Ban Efflack was surprisingly good in that.
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post #74 of 89
3/18/10 at 8:42am
 Ban and Jimmy and Jen?
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post #75 of 89
3/18/10 at 9:29am
The original release of the first two films on bluray just seemed kind of botched to me. It made no sense. I remember the big deal about the Superman box and the possibility of all the films in hi-def in really classy, spec-edition packages.

Then all we got was the extended cut of the first movie and the donner cut of the second, no third and fourth films at all and no box set. And the coverart was terrible. I'm not suprised they didn't sell well as they just looked chintzy and cheap.
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post #76 of 89
3/18/10 at 10:04am
To think these films are never going to be done on BD is absurd.  Of course they will.  Just give it time.
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post #77 of 89
3/18/10 at 11:40am
I'm sure it's safe to say these films well never come out on blu ray around the time of the new Superman film.
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post #78 of 89
3/18/10 at 4:49pm


Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Christou View Post

What about the rumour that he was related to 50's Superman George Reeve? 
[Michael bites fist]

I think you mean George Reeves.

Doug

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post #79 of 89
3/18/10 at 4:58pm


Quote:
Originally Posted by kemcha View Post

I just think all of the movies that Chrispher Reeves made should be preserved for future generations. 

It's not like they're torching the negatives. They'll be around for future generations in some form or another. Releasing a movie is not a moral imperative. It's a business decision. These movies will show up on Blu-Ray when Warners thinks they can make a few bucks off of them.
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post #80 of 89
3/18/10 at 5:09pm


Quote:
Originally Posted by Douglas Monce View Post




I think you mean George Reeves.

Doug
 


Yeah I know, I was joking around. Reuben started it. [points]

Or was it Kechma?
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post #81 of 89
3/18/10 at 6:07pm


Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Christou View Post





Yeah I know, I was joking around. Reuben started it. [points]

Or was it Kechma?

Yeah I know, I was just playing along.
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post #82 of 89
3/18/10 at 7:41pm
I was watching a portion of the Making of Superman 2 featurette from the Ultimate box set today. Interesting to hear Lynch, er Lester  talk about how he was approaching the film and reworking bits he felt he needed to change from the original script. That kind of comment has new meaning for me now. 
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post #83 of 89
3/18/10 at 8:40pm


Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael Reuben View Post

The guy in Hollywoodland played by Ben Efflack?

Yeah - that's the guy.  Ben Aflac.

AFLAC.jpg

Quote:
 
Most Superman fans are more familiar with the Lynch version.

I kinda liked the Lynch version myself.  It was dark and twisted, but fun.  I especially enjoyed the part where young Clark finds the severed human ear in the field. 

Regards,

Joe



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post #84 of 89
3/19/10 at 7:36am
Thread Starter 
I'm with Joseph. I think if maybe Warner's had taken the time and tried to complete the Richard Donner cut on their own that it might have been more highly regarded.

However, most fans are familiar with the Lester version and they still broadcast the Lester version on various cable stations. I think the problem is that only the hardcore Superman fans care about the Richard Donner version and that most entertainment fans don't like unfinished movies.
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post #85 of 89
3/19/10 at 7:07pm

Quote:
 
I think the problem is that only the hardcore Superman fans care about the Richard Donner version and that most entertainment fans don't like unfinished movies.
Actually, the creation and release of the Donner cut was rather well publicized. There were plenty of news articles that made mainstream publications (major newspapers, magazines) there were stories about it on daily entertainment news shows. Friends of mine, knowing I'm into this stuff more then they are, were asking me about it because they had seen news of it. Now, it may not have made people forget about the official Lester version, but it's not like this was some obscure project.

I would venture that most entertainment fans probably don't realize that it's not a finished film.

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post #86 of 89
3/19/10 at 10:19pm
Thread Starter 
Truth be told, I bought the DVD and I can say that I really didn't care too much for it. I never did like watching movies that weren't completed and the Donner Cut just suffers as a movie because it's not a completed film.It works fine until about 3/4 through and then I get lost. I've never watched it again because it sorely lacks any cohesion.

I'm not complaining about the Donner Cut. I'm just disappointed that Warner Brothers chose not to release both versions of Superman II on Blu-ray at the same time. I mean they released both versions on DVD at the same time but decided to pass on Blu-ray? It just didn't make any sense.
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post #87 of 89
3/28/10 at 11:13am
If they did release and restore all 4 movies, do you think it's possible to digitally remove all wires holding Superman? I mean, you could spot those mistakes in countless scenes even on the DVD versions, but they were not that visible. In Blu-ray it looks much worse, and fake.

Is that going to be a problem in terms of image quality, or that will certainly not influence the results?
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post #88 of 89
3/29/10 at 9:25am

Quote:

 If they did release and restore all 4 movies, do you think it's possible to digitally remove all wires holding Superman?


 

You would think with today's technolgy, it would be relatively easy to digital remove some visible wires from some of those shots. When the Indiana Jones films were first released to DVD, Spielberg had some things fixed (most notibly the guide track for the runaway boulder and the reflection of the cobra on the pane of glass used to protect Ford in "Raiders) Of course, this is Spielberg/Lucas were talking about and they get to do whatever they want. It's much less likely the Superman films would get the same treatment (maybe they would do something like that for S:TM but as far as the others, much less likely)
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post #89 of 89
3/29/10 at 2:19pm


Quote:
Originally Posted by kemcha View Post
I'm just disappointed that Warner Brothers chose not to release both versions of Superman II on Blu-ray at the same time. I mean they released both versions on DVD at the same time but decided to pass on Blu-ray? It just didn't make any sense.

It made perfect financial sense. We're talking 2006, very early in the HD-DVD/Blu-ray landscape, and not only were they releasing dual format to very low sales, but they were releasing other non-Superman catalog films that they were hoping would entice people to buy into HD tech. Releasing more of the films (or the alternate versions) on HD-DVD & Blu-ray would have likely been financially impossible at the time.
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