Which Superman film is the best?

Which Superman film is the best?

  • Superman: The Movie

    Votes: 26 68.4%
  • Superman II

    Votes: 4 10.5%
  • Superman III

    Votes: 1 2.6%
  • Superman IV: The Quest for Peace

    Votes: 2 5.3%
  • Superman Returns

    Votes: 4 10.5%
  • Man of Steel

    Votes: 1 2.6%
  • Batman v Superman

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    38

fixer79

New member
For some reason, I've always preferred Superman II over I...
Boy, did I LOVE the scene where Supes breaks Zod's hand at the end! I remember jumping up 'n down our couch and cheering every time I saw it ;)

CHRIS REEVE = SUPERMAN

:)
 

Eric Solo

Member
You are right, Fixer. Christopher Reeve was perfect for the part. Watching Brandon Routh as Superman is like watching a really good Elvis impersonator. He's good, but there's only one King.
 

Niteshade007

New member
Since I have only ever seen Superman, I can't really vote, but I did really like Hollywoodland. That should be on there.
 

metalinvader

Well-known member
ClintonHammond said:
George Reeves did it before Chris did....

and a few actors before that in some serials..

While I do think Chris was the best,It isn't THAT hard to play Superman...It's quite the one dimensional character...
 
"It isn't THAT hard to play Superman...It's quite the one dimensional character..."
A point that's been made over and over and over, yes....
 

nezobiwan

New member
fixer79 said:
For some reason, I've always preferred Superman II over I...
Boy, did I LOVE the scene where Supes breaks Zod's hand at the end! I remember jumping up 'n down our couch and cheering every time I saw it ;)

CHRIS REEVE = SUPERMAN

:)

Yes! That is an *awesome* scene. Terence Stamp is cool, but seeing him in Pricilla Queen of the Desert has warped my brain a bit. Can't help imagining him in a strawberry-blonde wig!

Eric Solo said:
You are right, Fixer. Christopher Reeve was perfect for the part. Watching Brandon Routh as Superman is like watching a really good Elvis impersonator. He's good, but there's only one King.

Nicely put! (y)

If anyone has the DVD of either the first movie or the Donner ed. of II (like myself) you can see some of the auditions of the other fellahs who tried out for the movie... it is VERY evident why Reeve was chosen despite his gangliness and lack of muscle definition.

The reason Superman was so great was because they took it more seriously than previous superhero attempts (Superman series with George Reeves, Batman series with Adam West). There's more of a balance with Donner's take ... without Donner's vision to bring superheroes into the "real" world, we wouldn't have today's X-Men or Spiderman or Batman (Keaton or Bale) movies. Hell, we wouldn't have the hit series "Heroes"! Donner brought the heroes out of the "camp".

(Does anyone else watch the Sci-Fi series "Who Wants to be a Superhero?" This is a somewhat unrelated note, but every time I type "superhero" I say it aloud in my brain the way Stan Lee does: "soopuh-hearah". Tee hee.)
 

Montana Smith

Active member
I'm pretty sure I saw Superman: The Movie in the cinema, or maybe it was Superman II. I was young and it couldn't have left much of an impression on me.

It would have been before I realized how dull he was as a character, and yet how inexplicably popular he's been for so many years.

I recently picked up a tin box set of Superman DVDs for a couple of quid from a family who were emigrating. It was very deliberately the last thing I picked up from them.

When I opened it up at home I found it was the 13-disc 'Ultimate Collector’s Edition'.

I forced myself to revisit the films. It was a morbid curiosity.

Made it through the first two with heavy use of the fast forward. While the commentators said they were breaking new ground with special effects, even they had to admit that some of it was pretty bad.

In fact quite a bit of it looks surprisingly clunky, especially the miniature work.

The best bits were Christopher Reeve hamming it up as Clark Kent; Luthor's lair; the wheatfields that seem to go on forever; and the double entendres.

As for the worst the campy outfits (including Luthor's) come near the top. The scenes on Krypton where the three glam rockers got turned into an album cover made me think of a cheesy music video.

Scouring the DVD extras I've so far found the George Reeves 1951 film, Superman and the Mole Men, which naturally makes the '78 movie look like a masterpiece.

The real highlight, however, were the nine Fleischer Studios Superman cartoons from 1941-1942. Some really high quality animation.

I'll eventually struggle on through the other eight discs to see what else there is to find, purely in the name of science of course!
 
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AndyLGR

Active member
Superman 2 is IMO the pick of the films, it was one of the first films I ever saw at the cinema. I think the fact superman had adversaries who were his equal is what made me enjoy it. For me it just pipped the original as I much preferred seeing more of Christopher Reeve on screen. 3 & 4 were so bad it's hard to believe they thought they were a good idea.

I'd agree with the above point that superman is actually an uninteresting character. Maybe they will try to make him more interesting or complex with the upcoming new film.
 

Montana Smith

Active member
AndyLGR said:
3 & 4 were so bad it's hard to believe they thought they were a good idea.

I still have those to look forward to. :D


Next highlight on the discs was the eight episodes of the Famous Studios cartoons of 1942-1943.

Both these and the Fleischer ones were so well made. Shadowy and stylized film noir of the kind picked up again for the later Batman and Superman animated series, only with even better artwork than the later examples.
 
Superman 1978...always and forever

It took Marvel decades to catch up to this one...but try as they might, none will ever surpass. The first and greatest blockbuster comic book movie.

You can keep your CGI kiddie fare, Whedon...Donner did it best, Superman did it best
 

kongisking

Active member
Recently re-watched Superman: The Movie, and continue to be amazed by how great it is. As pumped as I am for the new take on Supes we'll be getting in a few weeks (in America, at least), this version is the definitive "classic" Superman.

Though the first act on Krypton, what with its overly serious and "Doomy Dooms of Doom" vibe, is somewhat funny at times, ("YOU WILL BOW BEFORE ME! YOU, AND EVENTUALLY, YOUR HEIRS!!!") it actually helps sell the epic tone the movie strives for.

The second act is very heartfelt and touching, giving you great empathy for Clark.

Third act is full-on comic book gee-willikers fun. If I remember correctly, there's a little girl who says at some point to Superman, "Golly, mister, thanks!" That kind of goofy sincerity just rocks sometimes.

In fact, if I could briefly describe why this film is a masterpiece, it would be that it is sincere. Blockbusters like this are so rare nowadays, that have a very clear, honest and good message to give, and do it with earnest conviction. I've always been something of a retro-minded guy, and youngsters like me need more movies that are just this simply compassionate. Superman: The Movie remains a classic because it feels.

Yes, I'm dying to see a darker, more gritty take on the Man of Steel, but I do hope that for the reboot, they at least retain Superman's essential nature: he is a symbol of humanity's potential for good. As long as they keep that, I'd have no problem with, I dunno, decapitations and dismemberment.

P.S. Still love Returns, though.
 

Montana Smith

Active member
Having struggled through all four of Chris Reeves' campy, sugary sweet entries I'm relieved that superhero movies not only grew up but also committed grand-patricide and embraced CGI!

Not to take anything from Reeves, who did a remarkable job while acting like a dork as Clark, and looking like a dork as Superman. It couldn't have been easy.

Were the first two films sincere? I'm not sure as there was so much comedy and intentional self-parody. The commentary noted that they threw numerous genres into them. Lois almost had a musical number during her first flight - she recorded a sing-talk version - but the producers decided in the end to go for plain narration instead.

Flying, as dictated by the technology of the day, was obviously by wire. No self-respecting superhero would commit permanently to that today.

Miniature work was often pretty unconvincing. George Lucas was already doing it better. When the Superman crew got it right, they really did get it right.

However, I can see they were breaking new territory with the genre. With III and IV they lost their way and all but broke the genre (and the hearts of those involved). The underlying humour and ribbing of I and II became full-blown superhero spoof in III and IV.

My pick of the movies are still the film noir animated shorts by Fleischer and Famous Studios (later renamed Paramount Cartoon Studios). These are what the pulp serials of the day would have looked like if filmed in colour and with a much bigger budget.

I started on Superman Returns and almost immediately got a greater sense of sincerity. It's also a lot more stylish and engaging to watch. Lighting, direction, camera work, and above all CGI, make the others look bland.
 

Montana Smith

Active member
I found Superman Returns to be the best of the actual movies.

But, what was up with the chronology?

There's the 1978 Addis Ababa Kryptonite and the son of Superman presumably from Lois' 'Night With Superman'. Yet the film isn't set in the mid-1980s. Which makes it a 'rebooted' sequel of sorts.

And the staff at the Daily Planet didn't think it strange that Clark returned after a five year absence, coinciding with Superman's own return?
 

twlightzone1205

New member
Kate Bosworth was quite attractive in SR, but I think she was all wrong for Lois Lane. And I didn't like Supes eavesdropping on private conversations.
 

kongisking

Active member
Montana Smith said:
I found Superman Returns to be the best of the actual movies.

But, what was up with the chronology?

There's the 1978 Addis Ababa Kryptonite and the son of Superman presumably from Lois' 'Night With Superman'. Yet the film isn't set in the mid-1980s. Which makes it a 'rebooted' sequel of sorts.

And the staff at the Daily Planet didn't think it strange that Clark returned after a five year absence, coinciding with Superman's own return?

Really? What on Earth is going on here? Why is Smiffy, of all folk, one of the few human beings on this planet that thought Returns was excellent, like I did? Montana, explain yourself! ;)

No, really, I stand by my opinion that Returns is a very sweet tribute to the Donner film, and also manages to bring up some really poignant points about Superman's role in the world, and what it would be like to lose him for a few years. I don't mind the more selfish moments by Supes in this, such as him eavesdropping on Lois, because I like that this film shows the supposedly-all-good superhero actually has some character flaws deep down.

Remember in The Movie, when Superman admitted to Jor-El that he enjoyed humiliating criminals? Not only that, he frickin' altered time, which was forbidden by his father. So these films do show that Superman, on occasion, has human flaws like the rest of us. It helps me relate to him, actually. And I hope MOS takes this idea all the way and really gives us a Superman struggling with the temptation to misuse his power, only to overcome it and become the hero he was meant to be.

That, and the plane set-piece is still spectacularly intense. Well done, Singer. (y)
 

Montana Smith

Active member
kongisking said:
Really? What on Earth is going on here? Why is Smiffy, of all folk, one of the few human beings on this planet that thought Returns was excellent, like I did? Montana, explain yourself! ;)

:D

kongisking said:
No, really, I stand by my opinion that Returns is a very sweet tribute to the Donner film, and also manages to bring up some really poignant points about Superman's role in the world, and what it would be like to lose him for a few years. I don't mind the more selfish moments by Supes in this, such as him eavesdropping on Lois, because I like that this film shows the supposedly-all-good superhero actually has some character flaws deep down.

Remember in The Movie, when Superman admitted to Jor-El that he enjoyed humiliating criminals? Not only that, he frickin' altered time, which was forbidden by his father. So these films do show that Superman, on occasion, has human flaws like the rest of us. It helps me relate to him, actually. And I hope MOS takes this idea all the way and really gives us a Superman struggling with the temptation to misuse his power, only to overcome it and become the hero he was meant to be.

That, and the plane set-piece is still spectacularly intense. Well done, Singer. (y)

As Superman movies go, I thought Superman Returns was head and shoulders above its predecessors in every respect.



One of the documentaries on the 'Ultimate Collector?s Edition' was a cultural history of Superman. As his powers grew it became more difficult finding credible physical challenges, leading to more stories dealing with emotional dilemmas.

It's Superman's wealth of powers that has long turned me off the character. So, it was a nice touch during Superman Returns when "Gotham" got a name check!

Another issue was the decision about what to do with Superman during wartime. While comic book covers depicted him battling the Axis powers, apparently the stories themselves didn't often focus on that. If Superman was to win the war it would take away from the sacrifices being made by the "real heroes" of the day.

On the last and thirteenth disc were three vintage cartoons, including Super Rabbit which first aired on 3rd April 1943:

superrabbit1943.jpg


When Bugs Bunny enters the telephone booth to change for the last time he emerges as a US Marine proclaiming it to be the uniform of a real hero, before proceeding to a signpost pointing to Berlin and Tokyo.

2vn15hd.jpg
 

Sea Monarch

New member
Very interesting turn out on the polls! I guess I shouldn't be surprised at the results. It's just that, it seems like about 10-12 years ago, or so i heard of an increasingly common concesus that upon looking back at the Superman movies, many fanboys and uninitiated, were deeming
Superman II as the best. Seemed like many were hailing it as the movie that had it all, or at least, was the most entertaining of the series. Kind of similar to Goldfinger, in relation to James Bond for alot of people.

Always had great memories of the first sequel, and was beginning to think I agreed. Been on the fence over the last few years between the first two, but kinda leaning towards the second one as well. Especially after seeing the great improvements of the Richard Donner vision of Superman II (although I personally, still prefer the Eiffel Tower opening).

But to my surprise, when posed with having to choose for this poll, I realize what I should have always known. That the original Superman may be, not only the greatest Sups movie, but quite possibly the penultimate of all Superhero movies! I vote for Superman: The Movie with confidence!

Let's face it! The story, was great! The dialogue sharp! All around cast and performances were SUPERb! Far and above what most Hollywood suits probably felt a comic book movie deserved at the time. The effects still hold up quite well today, and were ahead of their time! :cool:

And as much as I like Terence Stamp as Zod, You have the great Gene Hackman as Lex Luthor. You can't just relegate Gene to being a side character. In this movie, It felt like many of the character roles were treated and performed with such care, that they were almost equals (Superman Returns for the most part, got this right as well). It was a great ensemble cast. (y)

Anyone old enough to remember seeing this in Theaters, remembers that this was not just a movie. It was an event! And Christopher Reeve pulled it off with so much Charisma and charm, that all sequels still pale in comparison. Sure he starred in 3 sequels but story and performance wise, this was Superman at it's best. Don't know if 2nd one was more expensive to make, but of the original 4, I think this ones effects reach, didn't exceed it's grasp.
 

Moedred

Administrator
Staff member
http://www.slashfilm.com/superman-t...ded-edition-is-coming-to-home-video-this-year
The 188 minute version of Superman which first aired on ABC in 1982 over 2 nights is coming to Blu. It has some fun bits but also pointless sequences like Kryptonians seeking shelter and Superman diverting water to an Indian reservation before turning back time. There's a phrase for that, a something... giver. Apparently fans have been clamoring for extended cuts of the whole tetralogy.
 
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