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Genre
Fantasy, Other
Length
151 minutes
Director
Richard Donner
Major Stars
Christopher Reeve
Marlon Brando
Gene Hackman
MPAA Rating
PG
Year Released
1978
Review Posted on
3/28/2005
Rating
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Review by Jack Mangan
Superman: The Movie is arguably Hollywood's first legitimate
superhero movie, arguably the one that launched the current craze for comic
heroes onscreen, and arguably still the best of the bunch.
The film begins with the well-known story of Superman's origin; how his
parents on planet Krypton sent him as a babe through space to escape the
sudden destruction of their world, of his crash and discovery in a Kansas
field by the Clarks. We also get a glimpse into his teenage years, of how
his need to hide his powers has made him somewhat of an outcast, and of his
deep connection to his adopted parents.
It is awhile into the picture before he finally speaks to his dead father,
learns of his true nature, and thus truly becomes Superman (i.e.,
Christopher Reeve wears the blue and red suit and flies around). It's after
this that we see him in Metropolis, beginning his career with the Daily
Planet, meeting Lois Lane (Margot Kidder), and using his powers to fight
crime and to save innocent people and a cat in distress. Lex Luthor (Gene
Hackman), evil genius and Superman's greatest nemesis from the comics, also
takes notice, and practically invites Superman to try to stop his
catastrophic plan to wipe out the West Coast.
The film was released in 1978, but the special effects are ingeniously
executed, and believable. The scene where he rescues Lois Lane from a
helicopter out-of-control is a classic in the annals of film, and it looks
as good as any non-CGI sequence created today, nearly 30 years later. This
is not the appeal of Superman: The Movie, however. The characterization, the
storytelling, and the acting performances are all the makings of a true film
classic. The love story between Lois and Superman is a real and essential
part of the whole story, not just a required plot device, as seen in the
majority of the subsequent hero flicks. Gene Hackman, accompanied by his
bumbling sidekick Otis (Ned Beatty) and the sensual Miss Teschmacher
(Valerie Perrine), gives Lex Luthor life, rounding him out with humor, wit,
and a fully-realized ego. Christopher Reeve delivers an underappreciated,
nuanced performance as Clark Kent/Superman, that defined his career and to
some extent, his public life, outside of his tragic accident (Reeve became
paralyzed after a fall from a horse). Imagine the challenge of taking such a
hokey, arrow-straight-laced, goody-goody, and not having it come off as a
campy caricature? Reeve delivers with integrity and real emotion within
these difficult limitations, and the viewer has no choice but to believe.
Therein lies my greatest concern for any future film version of this
franchise. For me, Christopher Reeve is Superman. No one else will ever nail
it this perfectly. As for Margot Kidder as Lois Lane? Eh. She did the job
adequately.
The DVD is loaded with a few days worth of extras - documentaries about the
films and the Superman character, the filmed auditions, to name a few. I got
a kick out of the deleted scenes; the footage that links the original to the
sequel is great (though my personal favorite is Lex Luthor dangling Miss
Teschmacher(!!!!) over the pit of the "babies").
I feel a deep personal connection to this film, having seen it very young,
and while I was still in the thrall of experiencing the original Star Wars
for the first time. So yes, even as a critic, there's no realistic way
around my personal bias in favor of Superman: The Movie. But - repeat
viewings over the years have always provided me with new insights and a
deeper appreciation for all of the elements of this film. This, I think,
only serves to strengthen my argument that this is a cinema classic, and
will continue to touch movie audiences for generations to come. |
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