a5c7b9f00b This movie begins on Krypton, where Superman's father sends him off to Earth as a young child. He grows up to be a perfectly normal newspaper reporter named Clark Kent. At least, he appears perfectly normal, until he transforms into Superman - flying around with his underpants over his tights, saving the day. When the evil Lex Luthor plans to take over the world, Superman is the only one who can stop him. Surviving the destruction of the planet Krypton, young Kal-El is sent by his father Jor-El to live among mankind on Earth. Under the parenting of Jonathan and Martha Kent, Clark Kent discovers that he was born with extraordinary powers and abilities beyond imagination. Now living in Metropolis, Clark takes up a job as a reporter for the Daily Planet and starts to fall head over heals for fellow reporter Lois Lane. But then Clark is also using his powers to help the better of mankind as Superman, who the people of Metropolis start turning to for help. But in the shadows, criminal genius Lex Luthor launches a sinister plan to make himself known by detonating two missiles in different parts of the country with only Superman to oppose him. Will Superman save us? Or will Luthor's plan succeed? I'll start this off by saying I have never been much of a Superman fan. Batman, X-Men and Spider-Man have always been my favorites, going back to watching those great animated series as a kid in the early 90's. I guess my introduction to Superman was the Dean Cain, Teri Hatcher "Lois & Clark", which I also watched as a kid. With that being said, I can appreciate what this movie meant in giving the world the first real superhero blockbuster, and Christopher Reeve was and is the perfect on- screen portrayal of Superman. However, I can't say that I really enjoyed this movie that much. It is a pretty good movie, but, in my opinion, is nowhere near the great film it seems to be regarded as by most people. I liked the first half of the movie with the origin story, but the second half of the movie is too full of ridiculous plot points and nonsensical story-lines. Gene Hackman's Lex Luthor is basically a cartoon villain with an absurd Pinky & The Brain-esque master plan to sink the west coast of the U.S so that they would then own new "beach front" property. It reminds me of something The Joker might come up with in the Adam West Batman series, which I love. Problem is, unlike that series, this movie does not play like a comedy spoof. It is a lighthearted superhero movie for the most part, but its overall tone does not lend itself to ridiculous self parody, which it ultimately becomes in the end. I absolutely hate the reverse the earth ending. If he can do that, why not do it every time something bad happens? I know his daddy said not to, but that didn't stop him here. Why didn't he do a few more spins and stop the entire earthquake from happening? You can't tell me no one died during that entire thing? Come on! This is the problem with having a superhero with almost unlimited powers. It takes all the sense of danger and tension out of the equation. This is why I have never really been a Superman fan. He just isn't very interesting as a character. At least not to me. Some might say I am nitpicking and that every movie has plot holes, but the ones in this movie are so blatant and obvious that I can't overlook them. I could never buy the whole "he's wearing glasses and slouching so nobody can recognize him" bit. OK, fine for strangers on the street, but come on Lois! Isn't she supposed to be a top investigative reporter with a keen eye for detail?. Anyway, I probably sound like I hate this movie, but I don't. Overall, it is a fun movie with some good moments, but far from a masterpiece.<br/><br/>6/10<br/><br/>Recommended for those that enjoy flying men, falling women, x-ray underwear gazing, the transformative power of eyeglasses and single- hair curling, follicly challenged criminal masterminds, bumbling sidekicks, hairbrained schemes, Sophie's missile choice, earthquakes, earth reversing time travel...<br/><br/>...but that's just like, my opinion, man<br/><br/># Of Times Watched: Three When the credits fly onto the screen and the the John Williams score cues up, you know you are in for something very special. Superman the Movie is a game-changer, as well as a great film. It's fun, reverential, Americana, and nostalgic for all audiences. It did not come easily though, as it took a lot of creativity, sweat, and technical ingenuity to make the believability of Superman shine.<br/><br/>The producing duo Alexander and his son Ilya Salkind (more of Ilya's vision, Alexander could really care at all) sought to make an "event film." Writers (especially Mario Puzo) were brought in, but unfortunately, the many comedic writers made the approach seem campy and stupid. But when the Salkinds hired director Richard Donner, the project really got off the ground and took on a great form. Through his motto of verisimilitude, the special effects, writing, and acting all stepped up to a level of excellence not seen before in a film like this. This was a mammoth, making both Superman I and II AT THE SAME TIME. Imagine the pressure forced upon these filmmakers and their dedication to make it better despite this pressure. In the technical areas, the artists involved also excelled to greatness. The special effects are really good, and many of them still hold up beautifully well. John Williams followed up Star Wars with another truly great score, (one of his top 5 scores in my opinion.)<br/><br/>This film is essentially Superman's origin story, ranging from his father Jor-El (Marlon Brando in a phenomenal performance as per usual) sending his son to earth to escape planet Krypton's destruction, all the way until he becomes the Man of Steel. There comes a threat from Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman) to destroy California to own land and form it to his needs. Lois Lane (played by Margot Kidder) is the archetype of a strong determined career woman, but with a vulnerability and tenderness that is very believable. The chemistry between Superman and Lois seems very believable, which is the result of great acting and smart direction. It also lends to very sweet and touching scenes between them, as well as John Williams' best love theme ever composed (next to "Across the Stars" from Attack of the Clones)<br/><br/>The strongest aspect of this movie is Christopher Reeve. He was an unknown actor who got a huge opportunity. His performance is one of the greatest seen in any medium. He has done the impossible by embodying what people think Superman is, which is the true sign that something right happened when he was cast by Donner and casting director Lynn Stalmaster. And as Clark Kent, he is nerdy and hilarious (even though the glasses are a bit unbelievable these days) and hides his love for Lois (as both is characters) very well. When I first watched the film, I thought, "yeah, that's a good guy. That's Superman." Even after his tragic accident, he really became Superman when he refused to give up on his cause to cure paralysis. <br/><br/>I want to rank this film at 10/10, but I can't. There are some things that are dated, which isn't technically a problem but they are kind of noticeable these days. The ending is bit frenzied (Huge Shocker: the turning the world back was the original ending of Superman II, not this movie) and the special effects during the ending Earthquake sequence looked rushed (the crew had to make a certain release date therefore subcontracting the model effects to other lackluster companies to meet demands) Some lines of dialog are kind of silly nowadays, but in the 70s that kind of writing was the norm, so I give it a pass. <br/><br/>The solution Superman comes to (turning the world back in time) is very controversial, but I think it makes sense. After Lois dies in the earthquake, Superman cries and gives a blood curdling scream in pain. He can't live without her, and wants to save her. Jor-El reminds him that he can't interfere with history, showing to the audience that he actually can, something he didn't quite realize. I can see why people would question the logic and overall physics of the scene, but personally, it didn't think it dragged down the movie at all. It never bothered me as a kid, and it still doesn't bother me now.<br/><br/>But all nitpicking aside, this is one of the best movies ever made. Its fun, real, and exciting. You'll believe that a man can fly, and you may be flying along with him when watching this movie. Magnify James Bond's extraordinary physical powers while curbing his sex drive and you have the essence of Superman, a wonderful, chuckling, preposterously exciting fantasy. The movie Superman (1978) located the fictional U.S. town where the baby Kal-El was found and raised by Jonathan and Martha Kent in the state of Kansas. This tradition has carried through into subsequent Superman comic-book stories, animation, and television series. Earlier comics however placed Smallville in the north-eastern United States, somewhere near the eastern seaboard. Also, some comics-related sources in the 1970s and '80s placed Smallville in the state of Maryland. In the TV series Smallville, Smallville has been established as being located in the state of Kansas and also close enough to Metropolis that on clear days, one can view it in the distance. Metropolis is a fictional port city located somewhere on the eastern seaboard of the U.S. Where exactly varies depending on the source. The four superman movies made in 1978, 1980, 1983, and 1987 staring Christopher Reeve, do not specify its location, but based on the existence of various real-life landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty, it must be a stand-in for New York City. In the DC Universe, it is considered to be in New York State (which also is said to be geographically larger than its real-life counterpart). Some sources had previously placed Metropolis on the shore of Delaware Bay in the state of Delaware, across from Gotham City (from the Batman universe). However, this has been superseded by more recent continuity. In the latest Superman movie, Superman Returns, when Lex Luthor unveils his plan on a series of maps, Metropolis can be seen located on a Northeastern U.S. map exactly where New York City would be. (Also, on a side note, Long Island is not present at all.) In the TV series Smallville, Metropolis must be located either in Kansas, or close by in a neighboring state, as the show has established that (1) Smallville is in Kansas and that (2) Metropolis can be seen from town on clear days in the distance. At this point in Clark Kent's life, he has not yet fully developed, super-power wise. He has varying degrees of some of his powers, while others not at all, including the ability to fly. That is why he runs super fast home, instead of simply flying. The effect was achieved by dangling the actor just above the ground with wires, and having a fast moving rig pull him across the intended path. In some shots, it was clearly blue-screened though. Once he turned back time, he then had the time to stop Lex Luthor's guided missles, and in effect, prevented the earthquakes, etc. The controversy surrounding the time-reversal theme of the movie has been a discussion point since the film came out. Most viewers see it as a cheat, others see it as a ridiculous way for Superman to save Lois. Either way, Richard Donner has commented very little on his choice to include it. We have to assume that, although he turned back time to a point before the dam really breaking through (as is clearly seen being reversed), he did not take it back further than that, to before the explosion (crucially, we do not see that being reversed). Presumably, he is only prepared to defy Jor-El's warnings to a certain extent, otherwise why not reverse the whole thing and save all those killed in the nuclear blast and quake, messing seriously with "Earth history"? So, he simply had a little bit more time, which he used to save Jimmy a bit earlier (it is clear that he still did so and deposited him on the road, because Jimmy says so when he arrives at the car at the end) and also to deal with the damaged dam, perhaps not needing to stop the deluge because this time he has enough time to repair the damage before it bursts completely. He also somehow prevents the crack that reaches Lois' car, though she has still experienced the quake/aftershocks and the exploding gas station (she says as much). And of course, Luthor's huge crime has still taken place and so he must go to jail and for trial. She asks him about this during their interview: "Is it true that you can see through anything?" He then states specifically that he can see through anything but lead (when she steps out from behind the lead plant box she has on her terrace, he says "pink", giving an answer to her question about what color underwear she'd had on). Lois is primed with a lot of questions, though we are not privy as to how she knows to ask this one. Also, the printed article Lex Luthor et al. read the next day, "I spent the night with Superman", contains details about him that we do not see Lois and Superman discussing. So, we must simply assume that various rumors and facts had leaked out prior to the interview, during Superman's first few appearances, somehow (we do see him talking to Jor-El about his having been "showing off" and now being "revealed to the world") and a lot more putting the record straight must have taken place off-camera, while Lois is interviewing (flying with) Superman. In the original Superman comic book universe, it is safe to assume some, if not all, characters have trouble coming to this conclusion. In real life, although it is possible for a person to recognize Clark Kent, or Superman vice versa, there are numerous people who found they could conceal their identity from at least strangers with a single facial detail like Harold Lloyd (who was an inspiration for Clark Kent) with his glasses or Charlie Chaplin and Groucho Marx with their artificial mustaches. This was probably left out for plot reasons, and to allow a longer running series.<br/><br/>If the comic book series bordered too close to real life, with rational and smart characters, Superman would never have survived this long. His identity would have been deduced very early, and his closest friends and relatives would have been systematically killed. In the modern comics, the disguise has been supported by the fact that the public does not know that Superman have a secret identity since he does not wear a mask, suggesting he has nothing to hide. Furthermore, he has had the help of shapeshifters like the Martian Manhunter who have posed as Clark Kent with Superman in public appearances to make it seem obvious they are two separate people.<br/><br/>More than the glasses, the Clark Kent disguise consists of a completely different personality. Christopher Reeve was chosen, in part, because of his ability to play two completely different characters. Kal-el takes Jor-el's advice that his secret identity is absolutely necessary to heart and develops the Clark Kent persona in order to keep humans from over-relying on Superman and to protect those he loves. Clark Kent is a bumbling, "mild-mannered reporter", easily dismissed by Lois and everyone else; Superman is confident and charismatic with a witty sense of humor. Lois even considers the possibility that they are one and the same and then, considering Clark's personality, dismisses the notion as ridiculous. The skill of Reeve in portraying the identities is demonstrated in this film when Clark is tempted to confess in Lois' apartment; the sight of him simply taking off his glasses, straightening his back and speaking with unexpected timbre has a convincing effect of suggesting another person. In the year 2000, the Director's Cut of Superman was released. Most of the new material are smaller sequences with plot extensions, but there are two bigger sequences added as well. The first one shows Superman in the Fortress of Solitude, talking to his father Jor-El about the advantage of his supernatural powers. The second one shows Luthor trying to stop Superman by the use of heavy arms, fire and ice. The 4-Disc Special Edition is a Must Have for each fan of this film because it's the only DVD release including the Director's Cut and the theatrical cut as well.