Pre-Order Superman 5-Film Collection (1978-1987) and Amazon SteelBook Exclusive (4k UHD Combo) (1 Viewer)

[Bryan^H]

I would rate the Superman Films as follows.

Superman:The Movie
Man Of Steel
Superman II
Batman vs Superman
Justice League The Snyder Cut
Superman Returns
Superman (Jose!) II The Donner Cut
Superman III
Superman IV

I'm almost in-line with you, Tino:

Superman:The Movie
Superman II
Man Of Steel
Justice League The Snyder Cut
Batman vs Superman
Superman Returns
Superman (Jose!) II The Donner Cut
Superman III
Superman IV

My list is similar but very different:

Superman The Movie

Superman II

Superman III

Superman IV

 

[Malcolm R]

The tragedy was that it was the right actor for Superman at a time when (with very few exceptions) Hollywood wasn’t good at sequels, and most comic book properties are really made for multiple installments. I never understood the thinking of studios in that period that they’d spend top dollar making a first film establishing who a superhero was and then would rarely follow it up with a worthy second act.

So the whole attitude was different then. Now, sequels are the biggest films on people's agendas. They are the A productions, the most important films being released, will make a company's entire year. So, they pour money into them in the expectation that they will be able to make a sequel to the sequel and then a sequel to that. Rather than trying to keep a budget down on these, they are trying to blow the budget up. The talent all generally is willing to return because now when you sign on to the first film the expectation is you are going to make more than one and hopefully a minimum of 3.

Yes, back in the day the rule of thumb was if a sequel grossed about 70% of the prior film, it was considered a success. Few producers expected a sequel to match or exceed the prior film, so they usually cut corners and trimmed the budget in line with those lowered expectations. This led to a vicious downward spiral with multiple sequels made with ever shrinking budgets and no one wantng to see them because they were so bad/cheap.

The concept that sequels should always out-perform the film before is a relatively modern concept, and most every film these days is planned as a trilogy or the start of a franchise specifically with sequels in mind. That's what leads to "disappointment" when a film like Quantumania spends an extra $70 million more than was spent on the prior film, but it only grosses about the same.

 

[Jonathan Perregaux]

I find the extended cut of Batman v Superman more tolerable and coherent than the chopped suey that was released theatrically. Though I still don't like it enough to make any kind of "best of" list in my head. So I'm with Bryan there.

I really hated Superman III when it came out in 1983 (Supergirl even more so, despite the "superior" international cut). It was all so bitterly disappointing, starting right from the opening titles. However, in light of Superman Returns, which I find nearly unwatchable, I must reluctantly admit that I prefer watching III over Returns or MoS or BvS or Justice League, lol. How the heck did that happen?

 

[Todd Erwin]

By switching from a DD 5.1 to a DTS-HD MA 2.0 track, they shaved about 2 Gb from the disc. Regardless, both the 2018 and 2023 authorings are pressed on BD100 discs. Warner really should have issued a new UPC if they were going to make a change to the disc.

 

[Lord Dalek]

By switching from a DD 5.1 to a DTS-HD MA 2.0 track, they shaved about 2 Gb from the disc. Regardless, both the 2018 and 2023 authorings are pressed on BD100 discs. Warner really should have issued a new UPC if they were going to make a change to the disc.

Its head scratching that they would reauthor the disc at all just to remove the 5.1 for that horrible 2.0 track. See now if that alleged new transfer was here instead of being vaporware, I'd understand. But no. So now its all a waste of time.

 

[Todd Erwin]

Superman: The Movie (2023 Re-issue) UHD Review • Home Theater Forum

Superman: The Movie released as part of the Superman 5-Film Collection boxed set. Overall opinion of Home Theater Forum experts: WTF Warner?

www.hometheaterforum.com

 

[AcesHighStudios]

The 2018 UHD was from a 4K scan of the OCN. Where are you seeing reports that the new release is different?

Several YouTube Reviewers that I will never listen to again.

 

[Richard Kaufman]

Brando's use of cue cards and other methods of seeing his lines was not laziness--it was a specific technique which served him well in many of his later films. You can't argue with his performances in The Godfather and Last Tango in Paris.

 

[Stephen_J_H]

Brando's use of cue cards and other methods of seeing his lines was not laziness--it was a specific technique which served him well in many of his later films. You can't argue with his performances in The Godfather and Last Tango in Paris.

 

[Bryan Tuck]

Neither of these examples were of a film with the insane shenanigans that went into Superman II. I was shocked they could even pull off a coherent edit to the degree that they did, to be honest. The fact that we have this cut on home video at all is a miracle, but it is also by its very nature an oddity.

One time on Hollywood Squares, Paul Lynde was challenged with the question: "In what state was Abraham Lincoln born?" And after a moment, his tarty reply was: "Naked and screaming!" I feel like Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut has a similar heritage.

That's a pretty good assessment. I'm glad what we have now as "The Richard Donner Cut" exists, but it should by no means be considered an "official" version of the film. It's an admirable attempt to approximate the original intentions, but it can't help being what it is: an unfinished film.

But like you said, the fact that they were able to pull together a mostly coherent movie at all is pretty impressive. (The music editing is quite sloppy in spots, though.)

 

[Jonathan Perregaux]

Oh, I forgot about the music! They jarringly butchered John Williams’ score to fill scenes with music whether it made sense or not.

I’ve been a collector of movie soundtracks since 1979. That said, I’m starting to get tired of movies needing to be wallpapered in music, just because we have to have music.

Then again, every good hero should have some theme music.

 

[B-ROLL]

Brando's use of cue cards and other methods of seeing his lines was not laziness--it was a specific technique which served him well in many of his later films. You can't argue with his performances in The Godfather and Last Tango in Paris.

But not in Godfather Part II ... ...

 

[Konstantinos]

Does anyone know where can I buy a standalone Superman II 4k in UK?
I thought this was available there, but I can't find it at amazon.

 

[dpippel]

Does anyone know where can I buy a standalone Superman II 4k in UK?
I thought this was available there, but I can't find it at amazon.

See on Amazon

 

[Konstantinos]

See on Amazon

It shows currently unavailable to me.

 

[dpippel]

It shows currently unavailable to me.

Same here, but it WAS available earlier when I posted the link.

 

[Todd Erwin]

Does anyone know where can I buy a standalone Superman II 4k in UK?
I thought this was available there, but I can't find it at amazon.

See on Amazon

 

[AcesHighStudios]

Brando's use of cue cards and other methods of seeing his lines was not laziness--it was a specific technique which served him well in many of his later films. You can't argue with his performances in The Godfather and Last Tango in Paris.

Brando said it gave his performance spontaneity, and he may have been right about that, but there is no question it was done out of sheer laziness.

 

[Richard Kaufman]

If you're not an experienced film actor, then you don't know squat.

 

[Brian Kidd]

If you're not an experienced film actor, then you don't know squat.

It's unprofessional at the very least. Brando's head was so far up his hind end by the 1970's that he would intentionally do outrageous things that he only got away with because he was Marlon Brando. Was he a legitimate generational talent who helped to change the craft of acting? Unquestionably. Did he like to mess with people because he had a massive ego? Multiple reports from people who worked with him seem to support this. In the end, it has become clear that Brando was a brilliant actor who could also frequently be kind of an unprofessional jerk. Refusing to learn lines is just another example of this, regardless of the "spontaneity" it may have lent his performances.