'Superman: The Movie' 4K UHD Blu-ray... it's official.

Discussion in 'Visual Arts' started by The Hermit, Sep 26, 2018.

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  1. genesim

    genesim Forum Resident

    Location:
    St. Louis
    I never ever said Vidiot said "zero grain" or criticized managent according to artist intention.

    I stand by my criticism and have no interest in your goal of taking it to a personal level by painting a false picture of my stance.

    BACK TO TOPIC
     
  2. Matthew

    Matthew Senior Member

    Dial it down bro, thanks.
     
  3. genesim

    genesim Forum Resident

    Location:
    St. Louis
    Getting back to topic. I was curious if anyone has felt like I have which is the attitude that this was and still is the greatest superhero movie ever made?

    I have never thought any other movie has captured it so well. The music, the acting, and most of all the atmosphere.

    Nolan's Batman Trilogy has came close and of course the countless marvel movies done so well...but there is something so magical about this work.

    I think Wonder Woman as a TV series has its place as well. Sure wish it would have hit bluray.
     
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  4. Oatsdad

    Oatsdad Oat, Biscuits, Abbie & Mitzi: Best Dogs Ever

    Location:
    Alexandria VA
    Nope. Too slow and too erratic.

    I do like it, but I'd take the Dark Knight trilogy over it as well as the 2 Burton Batmans, the Raimi Spider-Mans, and probably a handful of others as well.

    Crud, I'm not even sure "Superman" is the best in its own series!
     
  5. Encuentro

    Encuentro Forum Resident

    It’s certainly one of the best. I may take a little heat for this, but X-Men: Days of Future Past is one of my favorites. I absolutely love it! I enjoyed all three Sam Raimi Spider-Man movies, as well. I suppose if I had to narrow it down to two, they would be Superman: The Movie and X-Men: Days of Future Past. Yes, I love Days of Future Past that much!
     
  6. genesim

    genesim Forum Resident

    Location:
    St. Louis
    The Spider-man Trilogy (yes I said it. 3 is just fibe to me) and X-men series rocks!

    Blasphemy. ;)

    I think a lot of people dislike the Brando beginning but the film wouldn't mean much to me without the buildup.

    I really really like the TV version. I can't help it.

    I appreciate your opinions. So many great films. Fortunately they have mostly been treated well on bluray. With the recent Xmen 4K trilogy the only thing I think gets the super hero shaft is Blade. Bring on 4K baby!
     
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  7. Dan C

    Dan C Forum Fotographer

    Location:
    The West
    What? No “The Incredibles”?!

    When Raimi’s “Spider-Man 2” came out I was convinced it set the gold standard for all superhero movies. Before that in my book it was “Superman: The Movie”. Admittedly it was among of the best childhood theater memories I’ve got, so there’s a lot of built in bias. I still think its charms far outweigh its flaws.

    dan c
     
  8. Encuentro

    Encuentro Forum Resident

    I LOVE the Brando beginning! John Williams’s score as the camera pans in on Krypton is just one of many reasons this movie rises above the level of great superhero movie and into epic masterpiece territory.
     
  9. Vidiot

    Vidiot Now in 4K HDR!

    Location:
    Hollywood, USA
    I'm about an hour into the Superman Expanded TV Edition Blu-ray, and while I like the film, it definitely drags more with the extra shots. I'm reminded of the one massive logistical problem, where 18-year-old Clark Kent grieves his father Pa Kent, then grabs his backpack and walks to the North Pole (!!!), where he builds the Fortress of Solitude with a single green glass crystal -- which I'll buy as Kryptonian Magic -- and then Marlon Brando starts narrating and tells us that 12 of our Earth years will pass by the time Kal-El gets back, and now he suddenly has the costume and knows how to fly. WTF?

    I think they did this because they needed a fast way to bridge the years between Clark Kent as a kid growing up in Smallville and then as an adult reporter in Metropolis. But it's just weird.

    I still love the film, despite these flaws, and the perfect casting, terrific direction, great lighting, and wonderful music all add up to an enormously entertaining movie. I could've done with a little less Otis (sidekick to Lex Luthor), whose scenes really get long in the 3-hour version.
     
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  10. There is definitely too much Otis in the extended television cut.
     
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  11. The Hermit

    The Hermit Wavin' that magick glowstick since 1976 Thread Starter

    I still rate Watchmen (in it's tighter and more concise theatrical cut) as the best CBM to date... but Superman: The Movie, Spider-Man 2, The Dark Knight, and Iron Man would probably round out that Top 5 in my ever-so-humble opinion.

    That being said, there is something of an elemental magic to Donner's Superman that I just can't put my finger on... like Star Wars (the film not the franchise), they just caught lightning in a bottle, the right people with the right material at the time under the right circumstances... S:TM is cinematic alchemy for sure and Chris Reeve's definitive portrayal played a huge part in that alongside Donner's vision!!!

    Still prefer Lester's version of II though ;)...
     
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  12. Vidiot

    Vidiot Now in 4K HDR!

    Location:
    Hollywood, USA
    There's something to be said about being very respectful to the original material, plus treating the story seriously while at the same time having a sense of fun and adventure with the fantasy. It's a very, very delicate balance that you rarely see in movies. Don't forget that the pre-release tagline for Superman was "You'll believe a man can fly!", because everybody was painfully aware that all the previous incarnations looked like a guy on wires or bouncing off a spring board. They did it right in this film, and given the very, very primitive conditions they had to work with (gulp) 40 years ago, it's astonishing it still holds up and look as good as it does.

    [​IMG]

    Christopher Reeve was a real find and had an amazing "star" quality that just blows you away. The fact that a guy could come from out of nowhere and jump into the starring role of the most expensive film ever made and have this much charisma and talent... there haven't be a lot of examples like that. Peter O'Toole in Lawrence of Arabia would be one of the rare other people in that category, as was Sean Connery in Dr. No (and admittedly, Connery had done a few minor films before this). The casting was amazing.

    BTW, I had forgotten that poor Jeff East, who played young Clark Kent, suffered the indignity of having all his lines re-recorded by Chris Reeve before the film came out. I think it was decided that they wanted the "two Clarks" to have the same voice. Still great in that role.
     
  13. I forget where I learned such details, but wasn't Jeff East fitted with a prosthetic nose so he'd more closely resemble Christopher Reeve? Also, I once heard that young Clark's additional lines in the extended TV version of Superman weren't overdubbed, which is supposedly why his voice is so inconsistent during these - I'm not sure if that last bit is true or not, though for what it's worth, I don't notice much of a difference.
     
  14. Ignoring the brief introduction and the lengthy opening credit sequence, there really is no better proper start to a movie than that slow zoom into Krypton (which showcases some fantastic miniature work, by the way!), all happening while the music builds, followed by Marlon Brando proclaiming "this is no fantasy." As someone who was introduced to Superman long before I saw the original teaser poster with its iconic slogan, I believed every second of this cinematic experience based purely on all these aspects perfectly coming together.
     
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  15. gabacabriel

    gabacabriel Forum Resident

    Location:
    Bristol, UK
    Still the best superhero movie ever made.
     
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  16. audiomixer

    audiomixer As Bald As The Beatles

    Pass. Mediocre film. YMMV.
     
  17. genesim

    genesim Forum Resident

    Location:
    St. Louis
    Kent has superpowers where he runs superfast, kicks super hard, but can't take a stroll?

    What else would it be? You buy holograms and space crystals that travel through galaxies and smash through earths gravity without so much as harming passenger right but a frystal like what was made with an entire planet is too far. Have you seen the magic crystal tree grow in a few hours...think that on steroids.

    Also perhaps it looked fast to us but it took place over a longer time while we watched. I compare this with th zoom in on the Kenobi Vader fight where when seen from afar it is sped up.

    I assume that Kent learns information to hone his skill. Though along with the flight harness power lesson we don't see bathroom breaks or kryptonian adult films that were used to pass the time either.

    No weirder than a flying alien who picks up cars as a child for his first magical feat. I guess some people draw their lines and call them flaws.

    I think all mentioned is masterful story telling that got it so right where the remakes got it so wrong. Man I am so pumped for this.

    I kinda agree with this but Ms. Teschmaker had my attention anyway.
     
  18. David Campbell

    David Campbell Forum Resident

    Location:
    Luray, Virginia
    It's never really stated in the movie, but its inferred either the costume was made from the multi colored blankets that were left behind in the ship by Martha Kent for her son prior to his leaving Kansas( which is the origin of the suit in the comics) or that he brings with him those red yellow and blue blankets with him and sometime in that 12 years he with help of the fortress technology makes the suit. If you play close attention to the shot where teen Clark removes the green crystal from his backpack you can see red and blue cloth inside there and it sort of looks like its a finished costume but it's hard to see clearly. As for the lack of flying...i guess he doesn't learn until Jor-El teaches him?

    Anyway the biggest leap of logic (aside from the obvious of course) in this movie is how Clark who never went to college or had any sort of previous reporting or journalism work on a resume gets the city beat on a major american newspaper. Did Jor-El also teach his son to forge documents and create fake resumes? When Perry White calls Clark's listed references did he get redirected to the Fortress where Jor-El pretended to be Clark's old boss Jordan Ellis at the Smallville Gazette? The mind boggles.

    To be fair most big and small screen Superman adaptations fail to explain it realistically. The George Reeves series has him go directly from the farm to the newspaper without any sort of education as does SMALLVILLE and the DCEU movies. Only the LOIS and CLARK series strangely enough had Clark be a college graduate and a world treking journalist before coming to Metropolis.

    Of course its all moot to really try to apply logic to a story about a guy in tights who can lift tanks with his pinky finger and fly faster than a jet and whose disguise is slick backed hair and glasses, So forget everything i just said. :)
     
    Last edited: Oct 3, 2018
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  19. Quadboy

    Quadboy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Leeds,England
    I thought Perry gave him the job because of his lightning typewriter speed?
     
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  20. I still believe Christopher Reeve playing Superman and Clark Kent is the best casting in Hollywood history. He is Curt Swan's Superman come to life.

    Hollywood keeps threatening to use digital likenesses for characters and I imagine the technology will be there someday. I sincerely hope I live long enough to see Superman 2040, when a digital recreation of Christopher Reeve plays Superman in the cinemas once more.
     
  21. genesim

    genesim Forum Resident

    Location:
    St. Louis
    Note, since some people are put off by my style, though I am very direct, I am in no way disrespecting your view and I find most all of your posts very enlightening. Getting on..

    First of all, as the tv show Mad Men and life will tell you, references are often not checked at all, and he did have a foster kind of mom who no doubt had some friends that could speak highly of him. Not seeing this phone call back to the fortress being necessary. I am sure forgeries happened long ago. It happens from the moment that the Martha said that she was willing to lie as a reason to keep this alien that just fell into the lap, and as you quickly point out was inside his vessel as his child body first emerges with the Superman outfit blanket that he obviously cherished with the crystal throughout his teen years (man do people watch details anymore??). While college is nice, you can work in any profession in the world with the right connections and confidence. I sadly know this all too well with some of the people I have worked beside and hiring managers employing out of desperation. In the case of Clark being a super typist, I am sure with one demonstration and a volume aspect this one would be an easy sell. I don't blame them for hiring this human copying machine. No carbon paper expense for copying necessary.

    To me it is made clear from Jor-El saying that he "though you have been raised AS a human being (where the forgeries came in), you are NOT one of them (where the know how and the physical manipulation capabilities come into place)". I mean for crying out loud dude had to spend a year on the human heart. :laugh: I would think how to survive in a primitive human society would be a mere footnote.

    The "disguise" was always the weirdest moment to me. Here is a man that can change things physically by willing it. Forget super strength from molecular density, some of the feats are out and out magic. The problem I had is him bumbling around putting on glasses while he obviously seems to be manipulating people into just not seeing what is in front of them.

    Of course the old hide in plain sight is another thing, that and who would really think that this dude that looks kinda like him (because of being nerded down) would really be this guy picking up helicopters in mid flight? Then again, Louis caught on many times so it wasn't like they ignored this point.

    The story is what matters to me, plot "holes" are silly when you look at the grand scheme. Reminds me of the criticism for the Walking Dead while virtually ignoring the obvious like the dead walking around like it is all good. Some people just nitpick, even if it makes no logical sense. I nitpick the nitpickers which makes me just as bad....no worse...because I should recognize the futility, but then where is the "fun" in that?

    But for most of us in this thread, still love the movie. It could have been so much worse, but instead it is so much better. From what I am seen posted here by some, I am not alone.
     
    Last edited: Oct 4, 2018
  22. David Campbell

    David Campbell Forum Resident

    Location:
    Luray, Virginia
    I was being a little bit tounge in cheek with my forgery/phone call remark. ;) I don't think it's that big of a deal, but being a bit of a wiseass. Should have used an emoticon probably.
     
  23. Brando actually recorded a line explaining about the blankets, but it remained unheard until its inclusion in the opening recap to Donner's cut of Superman II:

    Regarding when Clark first learned to fly, we have Bryan Singer to thank for ruining this particular detail of the overall continuity, since it's suggested in Superman Returns (which is designed to be a direct continuation of Lester's II, retconning the events of III, IV and Supergirl) that he discovered this ability by accident while still in his childhood. I prefer to ignore that one change, as it makes him look stupid for originally walking to the North Pole. In terms of what form the "blankets" take at any given point in the so-called Donnerverse, I don't think there's any rational explanation for this. While they appear to be items sent from Krypton, that were later fashioned into Superman's costume, we later see these very same clothes appear from thin air on several occasions. I gave up trying to make sense of everything in these films long ago - now I just stick them on and somewhat detach my brain, especially for the later installments where Donner's original goal of achieving a sense of verisimilitude was mostly forgotten.
     
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  24. genesim

    genesim Forum Resident

    Location:
    St. Louis
    I take everything literally even emoticons. Stop flirting Olivia!
     
  25. captainsolo

    captainsolo Forum Resident

    Location:
    Murfreesboro, TN
    I’m curious what the glitch is you mention.


    As for the film it is really the only film in the genre that feels larger than life along side Batman ‘89 which is fitting as they are the bedrock and foundation of all the films that followed and have liberally borrowed from or ripped off. As for the best-it’s close for me but as a Batman fan I think the artistically best is Batman Returns and the best overall is Mask of the Phantasm. The best adaptation period is Batman the animated series.

    As for modern films none hold up well at all. The better ones are older such as Spider-Man and X2 and I have a soft spot for some of the 90’s attempts. That being said the best story I’ve seen since those two above is actually the new Spider-Man ps4 exclusive and actually I’d argue is even better. It’s hands down the best Spider-Man movie ever made.

    To me the ‘78 film is great but it lacks in some of the early Superman spirit of the late 30’s and ‘40s and has the operatic mythic tone from Puzo’s original script. I think if Mankiewicz hadn’t stepped in that the film wouldn’t have really worked as he was an unsung master.
    While I adore the film-and the theatrical version is best-it isn’t the best adaptation. For me that will always be the Fleischer theatrical cartoons which are still absolute magic and cry out for an HD release with the errors corrected.

    I also adore the animated series which of course nailed the correct tone with modern flourishes just as you’d expect from the DCAU crew behind Batman.

    The new 4k release will be great if it is indeed the original sound mix and does a good job of conveying the very tough to transfer photography style. And it will be grainy as all get out that’s for sure. Vidiot brought up CEOT3K which has a great new scan full of grain which was great by had revisionist color timing throughout some of which was at Spielberg’s direction but thankfully it wasn’t as bad as the Raiders of the Lost Ark fiasco. (The color has been manipulated from a otherwise beautiful new scan to the point where it feels totally different and of course the original audio was nixed in favor of an awful remix.)
     
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