ALL SCI-FI

[Bud Brewster]

If the original movie's director, Richard Donner, hadn't been taken off the production (after finishing 75% of the photography) and replaced by Richard Lester, this movie would have been a tad less campy and fragmented Dark Star John Carpenter Sci Fi 1974 theoretically.

The 2006 DVD "Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut" is decidedly better, but the story still contains wacky things — like the way Superman chooses to strip himself of his superpowers just so he can ask Lois that age-old question, "My place or yours." Wacky Thing # 1.

Actually it had to be his place, because only the Fortress of Solitude was equipped with a handy-dandy device for uninstalling Kryptonian abilities. And that, friends and neighbors, is Wacky Thing # 2.

The three Kryptonian criminals consigned to the Phantom Zone (a wonderful penal system with zero maintenance costs) are accidentally release from their crowded two-dimensional "prison cell" in different ways, depending on whether your DVD box has "Richard Donner Cut" on the front or not.

If it doesn't, the Three Super-Stooges get their reprieve compliments of a terrorist bomb that Superman throws into space to prevent the destruction of Paris' favorite cash cow, the Eiffel Tower.

However, if Donner's name [i]is]/i] on your DVD box, the whole Paris fiasco is happily absent, and in it's place we get the nifty idea that Krypton's explosion sent the floating Phantom Zone window tumbling along through space on the same course as little Kal-El's ship — a remarkable coincidence indeed. But for reasons not made clear, they arrive near Earth thirty years after Superbaby landed — just in time to encounter the explosion caused by the missile the Man of Steel hurled into space in the first film, releasing three pissed-off Kryptonians with serious chips on their invulnerable shoulders.

Another remarkable coincidence, easily qualifying as Wacky Thing # 3.

The list goes on, but in spite of these quibbling criticisms, it's fun to watch Christopher Reeve as Superman one more time before the subsequent films degenerated into embarrassing nonsense.
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Bud Brewster]

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This starts out as a somewhat lackluster trailer, but picks up a bit at the halfway point.
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__________ Superman II (1980) Official Trailer


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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Gord Green]

[Bud Brewster]

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Today is the 79th anniversary of the first Superman comic, so here are a few trivia items about this great movie.
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~ In a 2004 interview, Margot Kidder claimed that Richard Donner shot enough scenes to make his own cut of the film, and that the unused footage was "somewhere in a vault". A website started a petition for Warner Brothers to allow and sponsor Donner's cut of Superman II (1980). The footage was re-edited into Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut (2006) a.k.a. "The Donner Cut".

Note from me: "Lois" scored a knock punch with that wonderful interview, too. (Way to go, Margot!)





~ U.S.-born Richard Lester, an American expatriate living in England, claimed he'd never heard of Superman before he was hired to replace Richard Donner. He said that comic books weren't allowed in his house when he was child.

Note from me: Well my goodness, doesn't that explain a lot. Like many other folks, I resent the firing of Richard Donner, along with the overly campy way Richard Lester treated the sequel.

~ In the original script, the nuclear missile from Superman (1978) releases Zod and companions from the Phantom Zone. This scene was added to "The Richard Donner Cut" DVD edition, and the scene in Paris was deleted.

Note from me: This is one of the best things about the director's cut, and it greatly helps the story.

~ Anti-smoking campaigners opposed the film, as the largest sponsor was the cigarette brand Marlboro, who paid 43 thousand dollars (approximately 20 thousand pounds), for the brand to be shown 22 times in the film. Lois Lane was shown as a chain smoker in the film, although she never smoked in the comic book version. A prop included a truck sign written with the Marlboro logo, although actual vehicles for tobacco distribution are unmarked, for security reasons. This led to a congressional investigation.

Note from me: Interesting. Just what was Congress investigating, I wonder?

~ John Williams did not return as composer, due to scheduling commitments with Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981). However, Williams granted the Salkinds permission to use his original themes, and even recommended Composer Ken Thorne, a personal friend of Williams, to compose the film's score.

Note from me: When I saw this movie for the first time I was immediately aware that the title theme lacked the ummph! which the original had. Or maybe it was just the way the title work was less dramatic. I'm not sure.

Anybody else feel this way?

_______________________ Superman 2 - Intro


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~ Clifton James, who played the Sheriff, previously appeared as a Sheriff in another famous franchise ??? he played Sheriff J.W. Pepper in two 007 films, Live and Let Die (1973) and The Man with the Golden Gun (1974).

Note from me: Gee, ya think maybe Mr. James might feel a bit type cast? (Naaaw, probably not. )

~ During one take of the shot in which Lois punches Ursa, Margot Kidder accidentally punched Sarah Douglas and knocked her unconscious.





Note from me: A clear example of the Power of the Press!

~ Clark uses the rare "super-kiss" to make Lois forget he is Superman. While this was a real power Superman had in the comics, it was rarely used, and eventually removed.

Note from me: Gack! This stupid idea was in the comic books? Incredible!
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Pow]

In a recent interview, Sarah Douglas (Ursa) discussed the making of this movie.

She and her fellow Kryptonian criminals Terence Stamp (General Zod) & Jack O'Halloran (Non) all got along famously. S arah & Jack are still good friends to this day.

Sadly, she found that Chris Reeve (Kal-El/Clark Kent/Superman) could be a bit of an ass.

At one point, O'Halloran who was 6'5'' and an ex-boxer had 6' 4'' Reeve pushed up against a wall after Jack had had enough of Chris's 'tude.

Director Richard Donner came running over to Chris and Jack in order to break up the confrontation.

Years later, Jack said that his heart went out to Chris after the tragic riding accident that paralyzed Reeve. Jack said that Chris did a great deal of good afterwards and he always has admired Chris for that work.

Jack's father was Albert Anastasia (1902-1957) a mobster boss in the Gambino crime family.

Jack was considered for the role of the villain Jaws in the James Bond film "The Spy Who Loved Me.''

[Bud Brewster]

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Here's the full movie! Enjoy!

______________Superman II (1983) Full Movie


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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[tmlindsey]