Today is Superman’s 70th birthday. With his first appearance in Action Comics #1, comic books have been associated with superheroes ever since this iconic character. What timing too. This week we got the chance to rent the Richard Donner version of my favorite of the five Superman movies, I’ve just seen three so I only have a bad opinion of Superman III.
The first Superman’s opening scene was always puzzling. What did General Zod, Ursa and Non being sentenced to the Phantom Zone have to do with the rest of the movie? Those familiar with past Salkind-produced movies knew; it was cheaper to shoot two films while they had all the sets and actors in place; they did this before with their two Musketeers flicks in the mid Seventies. Besides, anything related to Science Fiction was a sure thing after Star Wars in 1977. Having the sequel made simultaneous could keep up the momentum by releasing it shortly after the original. How long the gap would be, I don’t know but I’m sure it wasn’t as long as it turned out. Seems easy nowadays after Peter Jackson succeeded with in his Rings trilogy. Then again, Jackson practically had all the resources of New Zealand at his disposal. Richard Donner didn’t fare so well. As everyone knows, Donner was rushed into completing film number one for the Christmas 1978 release date. Then the Salkinds fired him after over various differences regarding the second. Richard Lester, who did the Musketeers stuff, was brought in to finish it. According to Donner, he completed shooting 80 percent of Superman II and Lester used most of it; the movie is half of each director by Donner’s estimates. The end result was II being okay except for the lame conclusion.
This all changed in 2006 with Warner Brothers finally issuing Donner’s version because people had been asking him for years, “What would you have done differently?” The studio owed him too. Donner has directed all four Lethal Weapon movies which have made a fortune. This director’s cut is a solid reconstruction without relying on digital effects to enhance what was impressive for its day, rather amazing in an era fond of using computer-based crutches to cover up obvious weaknesses.
The plot remains the same: General Zod, Ursa and Non escape from the Phantom Zone, conquer the Earth while Superman is distracted by his relationship with Lois Lane, and then have their big fight over New York until the evil trio are defeated.
It’s Donner’s execution which I preferred. First, there’s a quick recap of Superman from the Phantom Zone’s prisoners’ perspective: they saw Krypton explode, they saw Kal-El’s ship and they drifted toward our solar system over the years. How they escape is tied in with the previous movie, not Lester’s Eiffel Tower terrorists’ crap. Second, Marlon Brando returns as the essence of Jor-El, advising Supes through the Fortress of Solitude’s computer. This was a much better and more plausible solution for Superman regaining his powers. Meanwhile, Zod and his cronies are even more destructive in their conquest and fight against Superman. Finally, Donner’s ending is better by retaining the spirit of his predecessor, not Lester’s puzzling solution which makes Lois forget that Clark, Kal-El and Superman are the same guy.
It’s not completely flawless. One scene Donner insisted on inserting was only done as a screen test so it has a rather jarring continuity problem. Even the casual viewer will find it weird. However, Donner’s instincts were right. The interaction between Clark and Lois is too important to let the nit-picky details ruin it. There are noticeable differences in sound quality too, making the restored/reconstructed elements stick out easily.
Donner’s stronger execution clobbers its shortcomings easily. I think for most who don’t have memories like a steel trap would be better served by watching the first Superman then following it up with this. Then it’s a less puzzling experience or maybe most people don’t care so much.
Of all the Superman movies to choose from to celebrate the Man of Steel’s big Seven Oh, this is my selection. The first is great too, it just dwells on his origin longer than I’d care for because his early career isn’t as compelling as Batman’s which was finally captured successfully in Batman Begins.