Warner Bros. – We Want A Richard Donner Re-Cut of Superman II (1 Viewer)

[Dharmesh C]

Looks like our pestering has been successful
WB and Salkinds are working together for a Superman 2 SE next year

 

[Tim Moore]

Reflecting what you've obviously got on your site...
From The Digital Bits...

Also today, there are online reports from various Superman-themed websites (including Superman Cinema) that Warner Bros. and producer Ilya Salkind have finally negotiated a deal for the release of director Richard Donner's original unused footage from Superman II. This would allow for the creation of a long-awaited Superman II: Director's Cut that would be closer to the film Donner was crafting before the film was taken away from him by the studio back in 1979 and given to replacement director Richard Lester. Donner, as many of you know, also directed the original Superman: The Movie (the two films were shot, for the most part, simultaneously). The idea behind all of this, of course, is that Warner wants to release new DVD special editions of Superman II, Superman III and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace in conjunction with the theatrical or DVD debut of Bryan Singer's currently in production Superman Returns. The new film is expected to hit theaters in June 2006.
We've got our sources checking on both of these stories, and we'll let you know when we're able to confirm them.
Stay tuned...

 

[Brian Harnish]

I cannot BELIEVE they are finally doing this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :jumps up and down with uncontrollable excitement:

 

[Tom Brennan]

I won't be celebrating til I see the actual specs on the DVD. I knew from the beginning that the thing that what would motivate Warner would be money...and capitalizing on the success of a new movie. I'm glad to see that rang true, I just hope they give us what we want and not a half-hearted effort.

 

[MattMC]

I agree with you Brennan, I will believe the announcement when I see it on my own DVD player!!!

 

[Marc Klein]

Warner just got tired of hearing everyone bitch and complain about Superman II so they are doing it to shut us up. All kidding aside, I'm not surprised that Warner is working on it now that Superman Returns (is this still a working title?) is in post. Talk about exploiting. By the way until Warner Brothers officially confirms this news, we need to take it with a grain of salt. However, if this is true, let's hope that the special features are worth it. We waited a long time. we deserve it.

 

[Ryan_M_M]

From UK magazine Dreamwatch

Warner Bros. have greenlit Richard Donner to restore his original Superman: The Movie and Superman II for DVD release in 2006. Donner shot nearly 60 percent of Superman II before the producers fired him and hired Richard Lester. Fans have lobbied for the release of a new cut after original drafts of the screenplay circulated, while an alternate, unsanctioned version was produced using 24-minutes of material from an 1983 international TV version. Now, Warner Bros. plans to release Special Edition DVDs of Superman II, Superman III and Superman IV: The Quest For Peace to coincide with Bryan Singer's Superman Returns. The studio has negotiated with Ilya Salkind for the release of Donner's unused Superman II footage, and it will be included with the new DVD release either as a bonus feature or in a new cut.

 

[Dale Cornibe]

"The studio has negotiated with Ilya Salkind for the release of Donner's unused Superman II footage, and it will be included with the new DVD release either as a bonus feature or in a new cut."

NEW CUT! NEW CUT! NEW CUT! I don't wanna see no stinkin' loose scenes just thrown on the DVD like dogs' scraps. I wanna see a whole new (to me and to everyone of us not named Richard Donner or Tom Mankiewicz) Superman II, the way Donner intended it to be structured. For grins, Warner Bros., give us a two-disc set with Lester's original theatrical version -- or international TV version, whatever, I don't care -- on one DVD, and Donner's Special Edition on the other. WE'LL BUY IT!!!

And one more thing. John Williams MUST re-score the movie (i.e., re-record the score, I don't mean re-write the music), with the best that today's digital 5.1 audio technology has to offer. Ken Thorne's orchestration sounds like a high school band on the theatrical Lester version.

 

[Ben J Loews]

I'm all for a Donner version of Superman II, although I actually really like the theatrical version that already exists, and even like the Thorne's score - the drum "rummble" that accompanies the bad guys is great! However I do agree that it does lack the grandure of a Williams peice.

I'd be all over a Donner re-cut.

 

[Kenneth s]

I love the re-use of the drum "rumble" Krypton theme for Ursa's entrance on the moon. I'd hate to see effective moments like that go. But, if they have footage of the villains actually doing villainous things that would be great. Other than the moon scene and the White House scene, and Ursa downing the chopper, the villains don't kill anyone and are mostly a nuisance rather than brutal intergalctic terrorists. I don't think any additional footage exists and that will not help a Donner Cut. I think all of the extra footage is mostly just Lois and Clark.

 

[Dale Cornibe]

If I recall, that same drum beat could be heard in the very beginning of Superman: The Movie -- when the 3 villains were in those "hula-hoop" looking rings. Maybe it wasn't as pronounced as in Superman II, but I think I heard it.
Anyone correct me if I'm wrong, but Ken Thorne didn't compose a single note for any of the Superman films. He was just hired to re-orchestrate and recycle John Williams' score from Superman I. If the Salkinds were the sham-artists the making-of articles about Superman I & II seem to indicate, I figure they got Ken Thorne really cheap. (Anyone see Thorne's name in any film credits lately? He's not exactly "A" list.) Besides, I bet for the right price John Williams could even write some new music for the SII SE, that would be even more powerful and effective than anything Ken Thorne did. When it comes to movie music, John Williams RULES! (He needs to be honored with a lifetime achievement award soon -- he's pretty up in age.)

 

[Numan Parada]

I'll definitely vouch for Donner's Superman II cut. I hope to see it soon. It's been ages since I've seen this film, though.

 

[TheoGB]

Mmm. I so want to see that re-cut. This thread is very old yet very welcome. I've posted on it a couple of times.

 

[galenPP]

I never relaized until last night when I rented the oroignal Superman SE that Superman 2 had a different director and the scandal. I am a musician and I love the Williams. He is a genius. I just watched a sample of Superman 2 with a Ken Thorne arrangement. It is appallingly bad. Most people don't realize what a music score can do for a film. It is huge!

I am so sad to learn of the lost footage and all that happened to Richard Donner. I'm sure he was heart-sick for years. I'm sad that I/the world didn't get to see the original vision by the makers of Superman. I would pay to see a director's cut of Superman 2. I hope it happens soon because everyone is getting older. If Conner dies, then it's really all over, because he knows the material the best. They could recreate scenes using digital technology now. See the restoration of the Lost Spider-Pit scene on the new release of the original King Kong film. It is amazing what they can do!

I just read that TOTAL FILM in the UK has written about Peter Jackson and his knowledge that Donner is actually in the editing process as of this writing. I hope it happens and that it gets a theatrical release. I wouldn't even mind if he used material from the first movie to complete his S2.

I will support the DVD or film release.

Galen Prenevost

Chicago Jan. 2006

 

[Stanton Heck]

Well looks like we will see a "Superman II" special edition. However don't look for the DVD until fall 2006. It will take time to restore a directors cut! Not to mention that they might have to complete some FX shots! Also since Warner Brothers is using the unseen "Brando Footage" in Superman Returns Warner Brothers will hold off on a release of a Special Edition of Superman II (with Brando Footage) until Superman Returns hits DVD! Warner Brothers had to pay big buck$ for this footage so they try to milk this for all its worth!

 

[TheBat]

ken thorne has been doing tv movies and series now..

more so then movies.

JACOB

 

[Dale Cornibe]

Lord help us...

 

[Stanton Heck]

Okay if we are getting a "Richard Donner" version of "Superman II" lets be nice about the Ken Thorne score. I think it plays fine. I think a re-mix of the score will do just fine. To get John Williams to re-score this might add to much money to the production and if we all demand Warners to get JW to re-score this it might get this Special Editon shut down. Ken Thorne did a fine job. The sound mix is okay that is not his fault. If all the fans of Superman want a Superman 2 with John Williams score then someone should lobby WB to releae it in theatres (like 200 screens) and the FANS can suppport this with not only DVD dollars but BOX OFFICE Dollars as well

 

[Dale Cornibe]

Okay Stanton,

Really, I'm not trying to be an @ss, but listen again to Superman I Original Soundtrack. Now listen to Superman II Original Soundtrack. The second sounds flat, like you could get a high school band in a studio and record the score.

C'mon, let's look at the facts. The Salkinds were cheapskates. That's why they wanted to cut corners on the project. Donner wanted more quality put into Superman; the Salkinds were number crunchers, and eventually, they crunched Donner. They were too cheap to continue with the greatest film composer of all time (John Williams); so they hired B-list (or possibly C-list) Ken Thorne just to recycle the old material JW composed, and re-orchestrate. Hmm, hey Salkinds, you know you could have gone even cheaper and just dubbed in the original session masters from Superman I -- you could have saved even more money and it would have sounded better! Superman II's music sounds exactly the same as Superman I.

It would be interesting to see, once the Donner-cut Superman II is released, if John Williams actually composed a whole new score for the sequel which has never been heard...Anyone know about such a score?

 

[Stanton Heck]

If they get JOhn Williams to re-do the soundtrack great nut I wouldn't count on it!