SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE [1978 / 2018] [40th Anniversary] [Extended Cut & Special Edition] [Blu-ray] [UK Release] You’ll Believe A Man Can Fly!
Decades before blockbuster Extended Cuts were common, Superman proved a true "Man of Tomorrow." ‘SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE’ received an ahead-of-its-time makeover for its television premiere and nearly 40 more minutes of story, creating a two-night television event. Audiences had already been swept off their feet by Christopher Reeve's Last Son of Krypton, and now there was more to enjoy. Unseen in decades, this version is paired here with Richard Donner's definitive vision of his film, the Special Edition Director's Cut [2000], to create a supersized celebration of Metropolis and their favourite son that preserves the director's intent while feeding super fan demands. The picture is dedicated with love and respect to Geoffrey Unsworth, O.B.E.
FILM FACT No.1: Awards and Nominations: 1978 British Society of Cinematographers: Nomination: Best Cinematography Award for Geoffrey Unsworth. 1979 Academy Awards®: Win: Special Achievement Award: Colin Chilvers, Derek Meddings, Denys N. Coop, Les Bowie, Roy Field, Zoran Perisic (For visual effects). Nomination: Best Sound for Gordon K. McCallum, Graham V. Hartstone, Nicolas Le Messurier and Roy Charman. Nomination: Best Film Editing for Stuart Baird. Nomination: Best Music for an Original Score for John Williams. 1979 Golden Globes: Nomination: Best Original Score for a Motion Picture for John Williams. 1979 BAFTA Film Awards: Win: Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles for Christopher Reeve. Nomination: Best Cinematography for Geoffrey Unsworth. Nomination: Best Production Design/Art Direction for John Barry. Nomination: Best Sound for Brian Marshall, Charles Schmitz, Chris Greenham, Chris Large, Gordon K. McCallum, John Foster, Mike Hopkins, Norman Bolland, Pat Foster, Peter Pennell, Richard Raguse, Roy Charman and Stan Fiferman. Nomination: Best Supporting Actor for Gene Hackman. 1979 Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films: Win: Best Science Fiction Film. Win: Best Actress for Margot Kidder. Win: Best Music for John Williams. Win: Best Special Effects for Colin Chilvers. Win: Best Production Design for John Barry. Nomination: Best Actor for Christopher Reeve. Nomination: Best Supporting Actress for Valerie Perrine. Nomination: Best Director for Richard Donner. Nomination: Best Costumes for Richard Bruno and Yvonne Blake. 1979 American Cinema Editors: Nomination: Best Edited Feature Film for Stuart Baird. 1979 Hugo Awards: Win: Best Dramatic Presentation for Richard Donner (director), Mario Puzo (story/screenplay), David Newman (screenplay), Leslie Newman (screenplay), Robert Benton (screenplay), Jerry Siegel (story) and Joe Shuster (story). 1979 Writers Guild of America: Nomination: Best Comedy Adapted from Another Medium for David Newman, Leslie Newman, Mario Puzo and Robert Benton. 1998 International Film Music Critics Award: Win: Best New Recording of a Previously Existing Score for John Williams.
FILM FACT No.2: ‘SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE’ was the most expensive film made up to that point with a budget of $55 million, Superman was released in December 1978 to critical and financial success; its worldwide box office earnings of $300 million made it the second-highest-grossing release of the year and it received praise for Christopher Reeve's performance. In 2017, ‘SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE’ was inducted into the Library of Congress's National Film Registry. The film's final sequence, which features Superman flying high above the Earth at sunrise, and breaking the fourth wall to smile briefly at the camera, featured at the end of every Superman film starring Christopher Reeve.
Cast: Marlon Brando, Gene Hackman, Christopher Reeve, Jeff East (Young Clark Kent), Lana Lang, Ned Beatty, Jackie Cooper, Glenn Ford, Trevor Howard, Margot Kidder, Jack O'Halloran, Valerie Perrine, Maria Schell, Terence Stamp, Phyllis Thaxter, Susannah York, Marc McClure, Sarah Douglas, Harry Andrews, Lee Quigley (Baby Kal-El), Aaron Smolinski (Baby Clark Kent), Larry Hagman, Rex Reed, Kirk Alyn (uncredited), Noel Neill (uncredited), Bruce Boa (extended version) (uncredited), Robert Dahdah (uncredited), David de Keyser (voice) (uncredited), Richard Donner (extended version) (uncredited), Harry Fielder (uncredited), Edward Finneran (uncredited), Aidan Harrington (uncredited), Alan Harris (uncredited), Rob Hawk (uncredited), George Leech (uncredited), Shane Rimmer (uncredited), Pam Rose (uncredited), Tony Selby (uncredited), Marco St. John (uncredited) and Guy Standeven (uncredited)
Director: Richard Donner
Producers: Alexander Salkind (uncredited), Charles F. Greenlaw, Ilya Salkind, Pierre Spengler and Richard Lester
Screenplay: Jerry Siegel (Superman created character), Joe Shuster (Superman created character), Mario Puzo (story/screenplay), David Newman (screenplay), Leslie Newman (screenplay), Robert Benton (screenplay) and Tom Mankiewicz (screenplay) (uncredited)
Composer: John Williams
Cinematography: Geoffrey Unsworth, B.S.C. (Director of Photography)
Image Resolution: 1080p (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1 (Panavision)
Audio: English: 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio
English: 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound
French: 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound
Italian: 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound
German: 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound
Spanish [Castilian]: 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound
English: 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo Audio
Subtitles: English, English SDH, French, Italian, Italian SDH, German, German SDH, Spanish (Castilian), Spanish (Latin), Dutch, Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish, Chinese and Korean
Running Time: 188 minutes (Extended Cut) and 151 Minutes (Special Edition)
Region: All Regions
Number of discs: 2
Studio: Warner Home Entertainment
Andrew's Blu-ray Review: ‘SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE’ [1978] is the Original film and the only one that is the best original story of a Superman who changes himself into an ultimate superhero. Christopher Reeve is and always will be the only SUPERMAN! No one could play Clark Kent/Superman like Christopher Reeve; and the film is still the ultimate cult classic film of its time. If anyone could be Superman, it is Christopher Reeve, and he fits the part perfectly as the shy yet great reporter Clark Kent, Kal-El last son of Krypton, and Superman, Earths saviour from the forces of evil and it is one of my personal favourite Superman film. But of course when the film starts with the dramatic designed credits and the rousing composed film music by the genius that is John Williams, you know you are going to experience the most exciting Superman film ever.
‘SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE’ begins on the distant, highly advanced world of Krypton, a great scientist, Jor-El [Marlon Brando] warns of imminent planetary disaster, but is ignored by its elders. As disaster and death loom, Jor-El sends away his young son, Kal-El, on a multi-year space voyage to Earth. There, the boy will grow up with incredible powers, courtesy of Earth’s yellow sun. But he will also grow up isolated and alone and the last of his kind.
On Earth, young Kal-El crashes in rural Kansas and there he is adopted by farmers, Jonathan Kent [Glenn Ford] and Martha Kent [Phyllis Thaxter], and is raised as their son, Clark Kent [Jeff East]. As Clark Kent matures, he resents the fact that he must always hide his powers away from humans. But after his Earth father dies from a heart attack, Clark Kent decides to pursue a grand destiny and heads north and creates, from the Kryptonite crystal, a Fortress of Solitude where he can learn about himself and his world.
After twelve years of study, Clark Kent [Christopher Reeve] emerges from the Fortress as “Superman,” a caped hero who can fight crime. He heads to Metropolis, whereas Clark Kent works as a reporter at the Daily Planet and soon falls in love with another reporter, Lois Lane [Margot Kidder], but soon learns that she has eyes only for Superman.
When the villainous Lex Luthor [Gene Hackman], launches a deadly real estate scheme to destroy the west coast of America, Superman confronts the twisted genius. Unfortunately, Lex Luthor has discovered the only substance on Earth that can harm the Man of Steel: a rock from his destroyed world and especially Kryptonite.
‘SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE’ embodies three distinctive settings and movements in its final cut. The first segment or section takes place on distant Krypton, the second in 1950s Kansas, and the third in Metropolis of the 1970s.
Arguably the most memorable aspect of the film outside of Christopher Reeve's portrayal is John William's grandiose film music score. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, John Williams was single-handedly responsible for a number of amazing film anthems like ‘Jaws,’ ‘Star Wars,’ ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark,’ ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind,’ ‘E.T.’ and of course ‘SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE.’ The majesty of the main theme title tune draws the viewer into the story. The love theme, "Can You Read My Mind?" is equally as effective, even though the vocally-challenged Margot Kidder only speaks and is not able to sing the words.
‘SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE’ is a superhero film directed by Richard Donner and it is based on the DC Comics characters, and the casting in this film is pitch perfect. Marlon Brando brings excellent gravitas to the brief but memorable role of Jor-El, Gene Hackman gives Lex Luthor a sense of humour that, while unusual for the character, works in this film, and Margot Kidder, Jackie Cooper, and Marc McClure perfectly embody Lois Lane, Perry White, and Jimmy Olsen, respectively. The actor who shines the most however, is, without a doubt, the late Christopher Reeve who is confident and charming as Superman while bumbling and awkward as Clark Kent, and Christopher Reeve sells the idea that people might not realize Superman and Clark Kent are the same person. However, rather than just play two different characters, Christopher Reeve inserts subtle nuances into his performance that combine the personalities, like a smile or a shift in tone of voice as Clark Kent that reminds us that he is still Superman. To this day, nobody has embodied this character as completely as the late great Christopher Reeve ever did.
In the final climax of ‘SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE,’ ignores reality in ways that only a comic book-inspired motion picture can get away with, is satisfying in the way it gives us an understanding of how deeply Superman cares about Lois. It also represents the moment when he chooses between Jor-El's mandate not to interfere with human history and his adopted father's claim that he was sent to Earth to make a difference. In conclusion some critics says of ‘SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE’ seems a little weak, but in reality it is because it is really only a pause. All the meatier material has been left for the film ‘Superman II.’ Looking back at both films in hindsight, one can see that the first film is just the appetizer and hopefully even more exciting action from the Superman franchise.
With the film ‘SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE,’ all makes for a highly entertaining mixture of sci-fi, romance and comedy, which could hardly have come off at all without such a brilliant choice for the central part as Christopher Reeve, who manages the two sides of his character, Superman the super hero and the very shy geeky Clark Kent, and wonderfully portrayed by bringing to both characters just the slightest hint and suggestion of burlesque, as if in fact, he was inwardly enjoying a rather good little tongue in cheek joke.
Overall, the CGI special effects for the film ‘SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE’ still look great today and it does not look false and this film definitely has a heart, despite the advancement of modern day computer generate CGI special effects. Marlon Brando is wonderful and especially with the touching and moving performance as Jor-El, Superman/Clark Kent's father. ‘SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE’ is an entertaining, ground-breaking film that defined the superhero film genre more than any other film. The story is well-structured, the acting is amazing, the special effects actually hold up well enough, and John Williams’s musical score is nothing short of brilliant. If you have not seen this brilliant film yet, then I highly recommend it, as it is still an incredible film after all this time, as it still holds its own against more recent superhero films and again all the amazing CGI that goes with it. Richard Donner's work is a true homage to this DC Comic classic hero that we have all come to love. I still get shivers when I hear the soundtrack as well, especially at the start of the film. Again, I love this film and to me it is one of the best superhero classic films ever made, so it definitely gets my 5 star rating for my ultimate personal favourite Superman film. Despite the big time difference between the Extended Cut and the Director’s Cut of the ‘SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE,’ I really enjoyed both versions, but the Extended Cut let us more into the characters of the film to a greater depth, and with the Director’s Cut, you can see where the Director decided to remove certain scenes, but the bonus is that the audio experience is in 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound and makes viewing the film a much more dramatic effect.
SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE MUSIC TRACK LIST
CAN YOU READ MY MIND (Music by John Williams) (Lyrics by Leslie Bricusse) [Performed by Margot Kidder]
GIVE A LITTLE BIT (uncredited) (Music and Lyrics by Rick Davies & Roger Hodgson) [Performed by Supertramp]
ONLY YOU (uncredited) (Written by Buck Ram) [Performed by The Platters]
ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK (Written by Max Freedman and James E. Myers) [Performed by Bill Haley and the Comets]
Blu-ray Image Quality – Warner Home Entertainment has given us with both versions in a truly fantastic 1080p image presentation and an even more brilliant 2.40:1 aspect ratio that really makes the two versions of the film looks spectacular, and with the new upgraded image presentation of the Extended Cut is a vast improvement. In both films, the grain structure is vastly improved, especially the colour palette. Superman’s uniform is now, finally, shown in just the proper primary shades of red, yellow and blue. Previous video releases concerning the hues, have always pushed too far into the bluish end of the spectrum on Blu-ray come back to glorious life on this release. As to the contrast, this is now much punchier and it makes all the difference in the world toward fully appreciating Geoffrey Unsworth’s breath-taking cinematography. With the lighting of certain scenes, especially at the start of the film, is still decidedly slightly diffused. With the striking new colours and slightly deeper blacks, give the images a totally wonderful high-definition experience and one you will not have enjoyed with previous Blu-ray releases and gives you a new filmic experience. Time after time, I felt myself grinning while watching this new Blu-ray disc release, and thinking to myself, “now this is how the ‘SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE’ is supposed to look and this is what I have always remembered when I first saw the film at the cinema and how the original release should of looked. I can think of no greater compliment than to give a 5 star rating for this wonderful image presentation, and it makes this upgraded version of the film a Superman fan’s dream come true and well worth the wait and I hope the other Superman films will soon be released again, especially with an upgraded like these two Blu-ray discs. Now you can truly see a man can fly!
Blu-ray Audio Quality – Warner Home Entertainment present us for the two versions of the film with a 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio and 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound and it is very clear that the technical people have done a brilliant job in providing a soundtrack that is worthy with the outstanding picture quality, and overall the results are surprisingly wonderful. With the Extended Cut in the 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio mix, it retains a wonderful stereo audio performance, but with the Director’s Cut and the 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound mix it really stands out and feels much more expanded and very immersive, and also gives a totally wonderful audio sound experience, and when you see the title credits at the start of the film, you really feel the titles are zooming over your head to the back speakers and a great start to the film. At certain points in the film, you hear a decent amount of bass, and especially during the dramatic action scenes. The dialogue is very well balanced with the original 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio mix, and tonal differences are smoothed out so that the viewer gets to hear a much better audio experience. The composed film music score by John Williams is wonderfully seamless, as well as very dramatic, and whoever was in charge of incorporating the missing cues has done a really exceptional job. I particularly enjoyed hearing all the Krypton music put back in place, from the sombre strings as Lara carries the baby Kal-El to be then blasted off into space towards Earth, and you get to experience some really dramatic music when finally we see the massive destruction of the planet, and ends with a dramatic drumroll before the planet totally explodes. The original showing of the Extended Cut on American television was broadcast only in mono, but now you get to hear the whole film in a glorious upgraded 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio and with the Director’s Cut of the film, it has had a massive improvement in sound quality with the 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound mix and in doing so you get to hear very explosive dramatic sound effects, good dialogue and the composed film score music are all well-integrated and presented; and overall the audio experience is a massive improvement, especially over previous Blu-ray disc releases.
Blu-ray Special Features and Extras:
Audio Commentary by Director Richard Donner and Creative Consultant Tom Mankiewicz: Here we are personally invited to this audio commentary by two brilliant people in the guise of Director Richard Donner and Creative Consultant Tom Mankiewicz. The comment on the dedication towards the film of Geoffrey Unsworth O.B.E., who they say was the greatest cinematographer and a tremendous loss to the film industry. The opening scene with the black-and-white DC Comic book of Superman, and was the idea of Richard Donner. They talk about the dramatic start of the title credits and say they were designed by Oscar-nominated title designer Richard Greenberg (1947 – 2018), and was a motion graphics and main titles designer from Chicago and in 1977 started R/Greenberg Associates (R/GA) with his brother Robert Greenberg and also designed the original teaser trailer for ‘SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE,’ and it was the one that was filmed on the front of an aircraft, flying through the clouds and also seeing the credits of the actors titles appearing. As the name Jeff East appears, they praise him for playing the young Clark Kent, but inform us his voice was dubbed by Christopher Reeve. When we see the sun that has the Planet Krypton orbit it, this was created by Les Bowie, was a Canadian-born special effects artist working mainly in Britain, and to get the special effect of the sun, he used a round tin and filled it with liquid petroleum and setting it on fire, and they castigated him in saying it would not work and eventually had to praise him for his genius special effect. When Clark Kent goes north to the ice wilderness and sees the fan of light effect in the distance, this again was produced by Les Bowie, where he used paint on glass and shoots light behind the glass to get that spectacular effect and again they said it would not work and of course they were proved wrong. When the Superman ice refuged finally gets built, it was done by a separate special effects team and took several months to shoot that scene, and when we see Superman fly towards the camera and back to Metropolis, this was shot at Shepperton Studios that is located in Shepperton, Surrey, United Kingdom and other big scenes were shot of the Pinewood Studio 007 Sound Stage. Richard Donner contemplated who to compose the film score music and thought of Jerry Goldsmith and John Williams, but due to work commitment, Jerry Goldsmith was not available, so of course contacted John Williams and was very keen and up to the challenge and of course the first task were the film credits at the start of the film, and when at the recording studio Richard Donner saw it all come together, was totally bowled over by the brilliance of John Williams. We find out that when Christopher Reeve started filming, he was only 185lbs, so to bulk himself up, they brought in a trainer at the Grosvenor Hotel in London and turned out to be Dave Prowse, who of course went onto to play the character Darth Vader in the Star Wars films. We hear from Richard Donner and Tom Mankiewicz about their clashes with executive producer Ilya Salkind and producer Pierre Spengle, especially regarding the budgets, profits, publicity, power players, key decisions, production disagreements, industry anecdotes, releases dates and the like and egos that run riot and rampant at times, but it only made their discussion that much more entertaining. They both talk in general terms about the filming techniques and the relenting time schedule, and especially for director Richard Donner who had to film at the same time, the two Superman films and did not have a break in the whole 18 months shooting schedule and was completely drained by the whole experience, but equally was very proud of his work on the two Superman films, but halfway through ‘SUPERMAN II’ the director Richard Lester was brought in by executive producer Ilya Salkind and producer Pierre Spengle, because of a clash of personality. As the end credits roll up the screen, Richard Donner and Tom Mankiewicz comment in great praise for Les Bowie, Denys Coop and Derek Meddings, who have now sadly passed away and also comment they all helped and contributed to help make ‘SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE’ a really wonderful experience and also comment that it is sad these talented people have been lost forever. Richard Donner asks Tom Mankiewicz how he feels now watching this film after 22 year later, and Tom Mankiewicz comments that he remembers everything of being involved in the film, and feels that if Richard Donner had not been able to direct the film, it would not of turned out so spectacular good, and despite all the pressures that Richard Donner had to endure, did an absolutely fantastic job, and was great trip from start to the very end, and for Richard Donner, it was a total pleasure and the best film he has ever directed and been involved with and comments he has very happy memories. So all in all, this was a very entertaining audio commentary, and both you feel both commentators were really great close friends, and bounced off each other really well, especially with comments about certain scenes that brought happy memories, but also remembers the very stressful moments with the filming schedule, especially the technical flying sequence filming sessions and sometimes their comments went right over my head, and not really understanding what their comments were, but I suspect people like cast and crew would understand what they were talking about. But overall it was a very enjoyable, informative and very interesting audio commentary from both Richard Donner and Tom Mankiewicz.
Special Feature: Taking Flight: The Development of “Superman” [2001] [1080p] [1.37:1] [30:14] With this special feature, it starts off like the feature film, where the cinema screen curtains pulls back to reveal a black-and-white comic book, but with hand drawn illustrations of all aspects relating to the Superman film and young girl Melody McClure describing events that happened in December 1978 and the start of movie making history and Marc McLure [Jimmy Olsen] is our host and guide through the trials and tribulations with the making of the ‘SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE.’ Also with this special feature the cast and crew talk about the story of how ‘SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE’ was made and also takes an in-depth look on how the cult film was basically how everything was put together to release one of the greatest films of all time. The documentary also hears from the cast and crew talking about how the film evolved, but also includes rare archive footage with a look behind-the-scene filming, lots of clips from the film and also rare Guy Hamilton 1976 concept designs, plus we get to see two screen tests between Christopher Reve and Margot Kidder and definitely makes for a really good viewing experience on the history of ‘SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE.’ Contributors include: Marc McClure [Jimmy Olsen] [Host], Andrew Fogelson [President of Warner Bros. Marketing 1978 – 1980], Tom Mankiewicz [Creative Consultant], Marlon Brando [Jor-El] (archive footage), Gene Hackman [Lex Luthor], Richard Donner [Director], Lynn Stalmaster [Casting Director], Christopher Reeve [Superman/Clark Kent], Margot Kidder [Lois Lane], John Williams [Composer], Lesley Ann Warren [Lois Lane] (Screen Test), Anne Archer [Lois Lane] (Screen Test), John Barry [Production Designer] (archive footage) and Melody McClure (voice).
Special Feature: Making Superman: Filming the Legend [2001] [1080p] [1.37:1] [30:41] With this second special feature, once again Marc McLure [Jimmy Olsen] is our host and guide through the trials and tribulations with the making of the ‘SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE,’ and on 24th March, 1977 was when the cameras started rolling on ‘SUPERMAN: THE Move’ and ‘SUPERMAN II.’ It covers the principal photography of ‘SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE’ [1978], visual effects work, and its eventual release during the Christmas period of 1978 when it was greeted with smashing reviews and of course great box office success. The work of exalted cinematographer Geoffrey Unsworth O.B.E., who sadly passed away before the film’s theatrical release, and is paid tribute to in a brief but emotional segment, and the gifted effects team that made audiences all over the world believe that a man could actually fly also get a little recognition. We also learn a lot of surprising information, especially of things you might not have known about, like when Robert Redford and Paul Newman were on the radar for Superman. Tom Mankiewicz, Richard Donner, Christopher Reeve, and Margot Kidder make regular appearances in the documentary. We also again get lots of rare behind-the-scene filming, especially the flying sequences, also lots of clips from the film and where hear Tom Mankiewicz remembering every single detail which made this a worthwhile to watch and again this is a definite must view. Contributors include: Marc McClure [Johnny Olson] [Host], Stuart Baird [Editor], Tom Mankiewicz [Creative Consultant], Richard Donner [Director], Christopher Reeve [Superman/Clark Kent], Margot Kidder [Lois Lane], Yvonne Blake [Costume Designer], Roy Field [Optical Supervisor], Gene Hackman [Lex Luthor], John Williams [Composer] and Andrew Fogelson [President of Warner Bros. Marketing 1978 – 1980].
Special Feature: Superman: Screen Tests [2001] [1080p] [1.37:1] [9:21] Here we get a personal invite by Lynn Stalmaster [Casting Director] to view some screen tests of Christopher Reeve [Superman] and Holly Palance [Lois Lane], which happened on the 1st February, 1977. We also get to view a screen test set in a Niagra Falls Hotel and was originally shot for ‘SUPERMAN II’ film.
Special Feature: Music-Only Track [1978] [1080p] [2.40:1] [2:31:25] Here you get to really indulge into the wonderful, masterful, brilliant and dramatic film music score from the equally brilliant and wonderful John Williams, for the ‘SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE.’ But of course in parts of the film where dialogue and sound effects are supposed to be, it is of course completely silent.
TV Spot [1978] [480i] [1.78:1] [00:31] Here we get to view a very standard theatrical trailer that was broadcast on American television.
Teaser Trailer [1978] [480i] [1.78:1] [1:14] This is the Teaser Theatrical Trailer for the ‘SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE,’ again it is very basic, and was filmed on the front of an aircraft flying through the clouds and you get the names of the main actors who appear in the film.
Theatrical Trailer [1978] [1080p] [2.40:1] [2:40] Out of the three trailers, this last one is by far superior and sure gives you a fantastic flavour of what you will see and experience in the very exciting ‘SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE.’
Please Note: Printed on the Blu-ray Cover regarding the EXTRAS, it says that you will view “The Magic Behind the Cape;” “Restored Scenes;” “Additional Scenes” and “Additional Scenes.” Well this is a printing error and I feel Warner Bros. have been very lacking in any kind of professional attitude, in not having someone check this mistake out before printing the cover and eventually releasing this Special Edition Blu-ray disc to the public.
Finally, with this Special Edition Blu-ray release of the film ‘SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE,’ let me say right away, if you are a fan of Christopher Reeve’s version of the “Man of Steel,” you definitely need to have this release in your Blu-ray collection, because without a doubt Warner Home Entertainment has now given the fans with this Blu-ray disc nothing short of a Superman’s pipe dream that comes to life and is the ultimate collection ever. With this Blu-ray release, you can now get to finally throwing those prehistoric VHS tapes away and especially the totally inferior DVD releases. The ‘SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE’ extended cut is a true gift for fans of this cult film, and deserves a place of honour in our homes. This 2018 Blu-ray release, will I hope galvanize Warner Archive Collection to release the other Superman releases like this one for our Home Cinema venue in the near future and it might even signal to other studios that rare, vintage versions of the classic Superman films can be a lucrative investment all round, as I know fans will snap up the releases, as the presentation is absolutely superb and also another reason is the plethora of bonus material that will keep you happy for many hours. Very Highly Recommended!
Andrew C. Miller – Your Ultimate No.1 Film Aficionado
Le Cinema Paradiso
United Kingdom
