Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Movie Magic, 15 April 2006
Arguably the best superhero movie of all time, and certainly the first decent one, is Superman: The Movie.
From the rousing opening credits to the iconic fly-by at the end, the film remains one of the most enjoyable spectacles you could ever see and even improves on dvd. The sound and picture quality is excellent although the full anamorphic frame is not always utilised in terms of setting scenes, it still looks great on a big tv.
Of course everyone knows the story, but what may surprise newcomers is the time frame in which it happens. Roughly 15/20 minutes are spent on Krypton, and another 25 minutes or so describing Clark Kent's early life. Many criticize this section for various reasons, including Brando's overpriced cameo. However, I think it adds to the epic scale of the film and makes it a true classic.
Christopher Reeeve IS Superman. His performance in both guises is spot-on and everything that he does manages to make you either smile or cheer. Gene Hackman is given plenty of one-liners and (too many) slapstick gags, but still comes across well as the genius who may just get the better of the Man of Steel. Margot Kidder is also terrific as Lois Lane, and although she gets a better-written part in the sequel, she captures the awe and amazement that we are all feeling.
The effects are probably the only thing that breaks the film up and (ironically) takes you away from the film's world. Although very impressive at the time, I'm sure, you just can't believe some of the flying images. Dont get me wrong,I hate CGI, but some of the rear projection shots don't seem to match with Supes' movements occasionally - for instance, one shot over the city sees Superman turning in the air, but the background seems to zoom in and pan etc. even though he's just turning...
But nevertheless, the overall tone and good-natured spirit of the film, combined with some of the more poignant moments, makes this an awesome feat and easily worth owning on dvd.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Classic film. Annoying disc..., 2 Jan 2005
First things first - Superman is a fantastic film, one of the greatest, an all time classic, one of the key blockbusters of the seventies, one of the greatest comic strip films of all time, and easily worth five out of five. It's well served by a DVD which includes some brand new scenes slotted into the film, three documentaries, a commentary, screen tests and trailers. The picture and sound quality are superb throughout.Unfortunately, instead of the usual 2 disc set (one for the film, one for the extras), Warner Bros have decided to include the film on one side of the disc and the extras on the other, in the four layer DVD18 format. Fine, if your DVD player can take it. MINE CAN'T. The film played fine all the way through to the layer change, where the laser realigns to read the second layer of film data. Then, for an agonising few seconds, the image froze. I'm used to that, but with Superman the pause seemed much longer than usual. Then, the film jumped right through chapter 24, missing two minutes of the movie, and picked up again at chapter 25... At least the scene it skipped through wasn't entirely essential (Superman discussing his first day as a superhero with his father). Had the movie skipped through essential plot development, or effects scenes, I would have been even more annoyed. I just hope that when the new Superman film is released, a two disc set of DVD9 discs is issued to replace this... So, a great film and well worth owning on DVD... just be warned...
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Someone to love, 26 Sep 2001
For critics in the late seventies, it was very easy to be derisive of Superman. Brando's outlandish fee, the sledgehammer marketing and the film's own pompousness- not least in delaying the appearance of its title character for a whole hour- made it stick in the craw for many people.But for children, innocent of such things, it was a tremendous, uplifting (excuse me) experience. I remember leaving the cinema and instantly punching the air in the full belief that I too could streak into the sky. And I know I'm not the only one. Seeing the film now, it's possible to make sense of both responses. Now that it has dated badly, its commercial exigencies are all too apparent, and more than once come close to knackering the narrative (see any scene with Brando in it). However, the film is still bursting with charm. The cornfield Smallville sequence and yappy Metropolis are extremely well realised, and take life from a raft of quality performances. Central is the casting masterstroke of Christopher Reeve, whose sensitive reading of the role is about as perfectly judged as they get. His Clark Kent is a klutzy fish out of water, but it's the way he lets that vulnerability seep into the Man of Steel that makes it a performance to cherish. The effect is this: Superman has the looks and powers of a god, but he's also an outsider who just wants to be loved. The new release is excellent, with a much-improved soundtrack and supplementary materials that enrich the experience rather than just prolong it. Like the best DVDs, the documentaries and lively commentary provide an illuminating insight into the passions and struggles involved in making films, and recommend it as an essential buy, not only for fans of this film, but for everybody who loves the movies.
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