Anyone Else Not Like Theatrical Superman 2?

Discussion in 'Visual Arts' started by saborlord123, Nov 19, 2020.

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  1. saborlord123

    saborlord123 "I'm not a genius. I'm just a hard working guy." Thread Starter

    Location:
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    I have always not liked the theatrical version of Superman 2. Everytime I try to watch it, something feels off about the film. The abescene of Marlon Brando and Gene Hackman's terrible voice double weigh it down for me. When I watched the Donner Cut for the first time, I absolutely loved it. Does anyone else feel the same? It's a much better film.
     
  2. Dark Mavis

    Dark Mavis Local Congressman

    Location:
    Houston, TX
    I bought the theatrical version at Dollar Tree a few weeks back, and yeah, it does feel off. I haven't seen the Donner cut in a while but I do prefer it. The best way I can describe it is "less ham fisted."
     
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  3. saborlord123

    saborlord123 "I'm not a genius. I'm just a hard working guy." Thread Starter

    Location:
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    I really can't put my finger on what's wrong with it, maybe it's Richard Lester's direction. He's a wonderful director, but he wasn't right for the material. Donner was.
     
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  4. Oatsdad

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

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  5. The Hud

    The Hud Breath of the Kingdom, Tears of the Wild

    I prefer the Donner cut of II, but I think a better solution would to have combined Superman 1 and 2 so we would have Superman turning back time only once. It is a shame that things didn't turn out as originally intended, maybe both movies could be better than what we have.
     
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  6. AirJordanFan93

    AirJordanFan93 Forum Resident

    I have struggled to watch the theatrical cut of II after I first saw the Donner Cut. The Brando scenes alone make the Donner Cut the superior version of II. I think there is a very good version of Superman II if you take elements from both the Donner and Lester cuts.
     
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  7. The_Fourth_Doctor

    The_Fourth_Doctor Forum Resident

    The theatrical version trims too much Donner footage. There is another version out there that aired on TV in the 80s. The full international cut of this version adds both Lester and Donner material, but a lot of it is fluff, especially the Lester additions. The cut aired on the U.S. ABC network trims this down a bit, and is probably the best version, though sadly these all lack Brando.

    Hopefully since they released the extended TV version of Superman: The Movie, they have the power do the same with Superman II.
     
  8. Uther

    Uther Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicagoland
    Having grown up with the theatrical/Lester cut of Superman II, and seeing it probably 40 times or so over the years... I now only watch the Donner cut. So much more interesting and powerful. Sure, there are the issues and incongruities that arise from Donner not being able to shoot everything he wanted, but I can live with it.

    Donner and Mankiewicz were the only ones, it seemed, who wanted to usher in the modern superhero. The Salkinds, Lester and the Newmans (screenwriters) wanted a comic strip movie full of cheese and farce. We're lucky that Donner was there to restrain them as much as he did for the first two films.
     
  9. Djmover

    Djmover Forum Resident

    No I much prefer the Lester version .
    The best version to get is the International Cut that circulates ,though it is getting harder to track down .
    Hopefully Warner is going to release it like they did with Superman the movie .
    Let’s hope so
     
  10. forthlin

    forthlin Member Chris & Vickie Cyber Support Team

    You may be on to something here. There's a fantastic edit of The Godfather 1 & 2 that runs about 6 hours. Maybe something like that?
     
  11. The Hud

    The Hud Breath of the Kingdom, Tears of the Wild

    Exactly!

    Superman and The Godfather both written by Mario Puzo too. Strange coincidence?... :)
     
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  12. Squealy

    Squealy Forum Hall Of Fame

    Location:
    Vancouver
    It didn’t make sense to put the “turning back time” ending into the Donner cut — it might have been written that way originally but since they used the gimmick for Superman I, Superman II wouldn’t have ended with that even if Donner had finished the film.
     
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  13. forthlin

    forthlin Member Chris & Vickie Cyber Support Team

    I totally spaced that off! I was just thinking that they took two movies and created a phenomenal edit from them and that watching 6-7 hours flew by in a flash. I think that epic Godfather version also included some previously unused material, not sure if something like that exists for Superman.
     
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  14. The Hud

    The Hud Breath of the Kingdom, Tears of the Wild

    I don't know, but there is already a lot of material, with the director's cut and television cut of Superman 1, and the footage exclusive to both versions of Superman 2 as well as the shared footage.
     
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  15. saborlord123

    saborlord123 "I'm not a genius. I'm just a hard working guy." Thread Starter

    Location:
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    I actually dont have much of a problem with it. Return Of The Jedi did the same ending as Star Wars (death star being blown up) and no one complained as much as they do about Superman turning back time again.
     
  16. Squealy

    Squealy Forum Hall Of Fame

    Location:
    Vancouver
    I mean... it shouldn’t ever have been in the movies at all! Imagine the reaction if someone put “turning back time by reversing the earth’s rotation” into a comic book movie today. Plus being able to just undo events that way is bad storytelling.
     
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  17. saborlord123

    saborlord123 "I'm not a genius. I'm just a hard working guy." Thread Starter

    Location:
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    I do agree that is definitely not ideal to have in either film. I think it works better in the first one than the second one. I would have just left it with lois knowing his identity.
     
  18. jojopuppyfish

    jojopuppyfish Senior Member

    Location:
    Maryland
    The Donner edition is a big let down to me. (I've seen Fan edits that are better than the Donner edition)
    I prefer Lester's version. When I was growing up when it first came out in the theater, many people I knew liked Superman II over the first one.

    BTW I still think the first Superman is the best superhero movie ever made.
     
  19. mBen989

    mBen989 Senior Member

    Location:
    Scranton, PA
    Somewhere in between the original theatrical cut and Donner's 2006 reversioning is the definitive Superman II but if I had to pick one, I'd go with Lester.

    By the way, I don't have to mention that kiss in Lester's cut has a basis in continuity, right?
     
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  20. saborlord123

    saborlord123 "I'm not a genius. I'm just a hard working guy." Thread Starter

    Location:
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    You don't. I know he had the power in the comics, but if I could guess the David and Leslie Newman didn't even know that based on the other powers they just shoehorned into the rewrite (could be wrong).
     
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  21. saborlord123

    saborlord123 "I'm not a genius. I'm just a hard working guy." Thread Starter

    Location:
    U.S.A.
    Definitely agree the first one is the best superhero film yet made. Surprised but not at the same time for people to not even mention it in the top 5.
     
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  22. Pizza

    Pizza With extra pepperoni

    Location:
    USA
    I love the theatrical cut of Superman II. One of my favorites.
     
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  23. It’s Ok. It’s very uneven and the stylistic approach of the Donner stuff can. The Lester stuff doesn't mesh well IMHO. The effects work is,also not very good for many sequences as well. All of the magic of the first film evaporated for the second although I do love Terence Stamp as Zod.
     
  24. MPLRecords

    MPLRecords Owner of eleven copies of Tug of War

    Location:
    Lake Ontario
    Precisely! If Superman can fix everything by turning back time, why wouldn't he just use that as a solution for every conflict in every film?
     
  25. I enjoy the theatrical cut of Superman II as much as the first film. I understand why some prefer the Donner Cut but it feels somewhat incomplete in my eyes.
     
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