SUPERMAN 2 4K UHD BLU-RAY REVIEW
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- Опубликовано: 24 май 2023
- Review to the recent 4K UHD disc release of Superman 2. This pack comes with two 4K discs, one containing the original theatrical version of the film directed by Richard Lester and the second containing the 2006 reconstruction of Richard Donner's version of the film. Two Blu-rays are also included and contain extra features about the making of the films, plus the 1940's Superman cartoon series that are not available on the 4K disc. Commentaries are on the 4K discs though. Richard Donner cut has Dolby Stereo (aka ProLogic) sound whereas the original Lester version has a Dolby Atmos option which did not decode successfully on my THX 5.1 system and the original theatrical Dolby Stereo sounded much better.
Image aspect ratio is approximately 2.40:1 and the running time is 2 hours and 7 minutes but about 15 minutes shorter for the Donner cut.
To subscribe to Cinema Retro magazine as mentioned in this review click here: www.cinemaretro.com/index.php... 
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As a kid caught a Superman Trilogy (1-3) in 35mm at a local cinema. The days when you had to queue up in a long line outside the box office to purchase a ticket immediately prior to the performance starting, hoping it wasn’t sold out before it was your turn to be served.
The big one that I remember was Star Wars where even as a youngster, I knew there was no chance of us getting in to see it the first time around. Used to have to queue for the early Roger Moore James Bond films too. John.
@@moviecollector5920 I remember there was one for Batman Returns.
you will believe a man can queue.
@@purefoldnz3070 😂😂😂😂
Saw Superman 2 in its first run. It blew my mind as a 9 year old. Have not bought the 4K yet but you’ve sold me on it. As always I appreciate your opinion. Keep up the good work.
One thing I didn't spot was that apparently the final [duplicate] scene taken from the end of Superman The Movie with him flying over the Earth is squeezed. I was aware of that not being right out of the corner of my eye so I believe the people who have told me about it but I was concentrating on the next stage at that point. I needn't have bothered to think though because the Blu-ray doesn't match up at all so it didn't take more than a few seconds to see how much better the 4K is. Apparently someone did a review and claimed there was excessive image noise reduction but as I was looking at film grain all the way through that's not the case. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did Jon.
John.
It's actually 3 versions. The ''INTER-NATIONAL TV EXTENDED CUT'' which came out 40 years ago in 1984. I have this and believe it to be the BEST of all 3.
I didn't even think to look at the telly version George so thank you for pointing that out. There was a telly version on the Robocop release too but that looked just like a standard definition television broadcast so I don't suppose many people have watched that one.
John.
Always enjoy watching what you put out. I have a confession .. I’ve only ever seen the Superman films on the family television when I was growing up. You, Sir .. have made me (via watching this) decide to buy the 4K. Thank you, I’m sure I won’t be disappointed.
Well, I hope you enjoy it as much as I just have Ken. The first two films are wonderful and can be watched back to back as a great double bill. John.
Read an interview several years back with Ilya Salkind, in either Filmfax magazine or Outré: The World of Ultramedia magazine, wherein Salkind admitted that when they told people the budget for Superman: The Movie was 50 Million, they were lying to save face with the various media personalities harassing them in print over the sizeable budget for the film. Making the production of Superman The Movie the first to cost 100M. And apparently it held that mantle until Terminator 2, in the early 90's. The Abyss, Cameron's previous film, was rumored to have cost 100M, but it was later confirmed to actually cost 88M.
I don't think I ever knew any of that Jim. Thank you.
John.
Thank you! This was once again a wonderful review, and Superman 2 is one of my childhood favourite films! I really appreciate your way of constructing these reviews. They are full of interesting trivia, and really make me want to once again visit these films. Your personal take as a film collector and enthusiast is well appreciated, too. I have the Superman blu-ray collection and Superman the Movie on 4k, but it looks like I have to get this one on 4k as well.
Once again, you make great content - do keep up this good work!
Thank you Kalle. I'm glad you've enjoyed the reviews which do take far too long to put together but I'm only ever going to get once chance to discuss a film so it's got to be good. Apparently the Superman II release in other markets does not contain both films on a pair of 4K discs but I didn't know that when I recorded this. I believe that the USA has them both available separately but might be found in 50% off deals.
John.
Excellent review with some fantastic technical info too. Thanks for all your efforts once again John.
Thank you for saying so - again. It's good to be able to be able to get some film related information out there because most of us have only ever really known video, particularly in the home. I think a bit of an understanding of the nuances of film is required to fully understand the 4K discs because that's what they're often trying to replicate - the look of the original film. They can't be exact though because master prints and general release prints must have had at least minor differences owing to how the grading was applied to each i.e. general release from the internegative and master prints from the original camera negative. That's my understanding of it anyway.
John.
Superman The Movie (STM) is a timeless masterpiece, but Superman II (SM2) was always an excellent film as well, under the patched-up supervision of Richard Lester. However, had Richard Donner been able to complete his idea of the total project, we could’ve considered both films as one continuous story. Although some scenes of the SM2 Donners’ Cut are lovely and interesting to see in the movie, it is clear that Lester’s final version makes more sense, considering how STM ended, which, in my opinion, was brilliant. With all that in mind, there is still room for a possible re-cutting of both films into a final “originally conceived” idea, but, with it’s main author already passed, it would be akin to attempting to repaint The Mona Lisa by a different painter other than Da Vinci. SM2 Donner’s Cut is a nice inclusion that pays respect to the original visionary creator and must be seen as a stand alone project. SM2 is not the best sequel ever, as that distinction still belongs to The Empire Strikes Back. SM2 is better enjoyed as an immediate second act of STM. Your review of the 4K presentation is excellent, and warrants an immediate addition of this great film to any serious video library.
I suppose that to put the two film together as one it would only require putting the explosion of the nuke from the first film into the beginning of the second and therefore lose the whole Eiffel Tower section from the second. The rest of it could then run through as normal.
I think Aliens is the best sequel ever made. That one was almost as good as the original film it was following on from. The Empire Strikes Back had the climax in the first half of the film which I always saw as a flaw. Compare it to Star Wars and it's not quite up to that great standard. Nothing else has been in all the sequels that have followed it. Alien and Aliens though - two masterpieces and two of my favourite films. Then again, Star Wars isn't far behind them.
John.
Cinema could be brought back to life with these 4K releases for audiences that wanna see classic movies on the big screen and can't afford a device or platform to view 4K.
I tend to go to Prince Charles Cinema club in London to watch old classic movies and so cinema is looking to bring new life to the cinema then this is one of them particular when you then of all the great classic movies that were shot in 70mm and when you see them in 4K, mind blown.
4K isn't too far off the capability of 35mm so it is very good. Cinemas like the Prince Charles are proving that you have to offer patrons something different than what they can get on their phone. There could be a big advance is video cameras and projectors in the future now that it's known that the film look can be more successfully reproduced with the inclusion of shutters so just maybe the required improvement cinema so desperately needs will put things back where they were at the height of the 1990's and possibly even surpass it. Until then, film is the way to go to pack 'em in. Make sure you get to see OPPENHEIMER at the BFI IMAX in the meantime. Could be the greatest ever in terms of image quality given much of it has been shot black and white. John.
I've started watching your videos and am enjoying them very much. I love movies and have been getting into building a 4K collection of my favorite movies. I remember watching Superman 2 back in the day as a kid. That shot of the larger sized villain being thrown into that giant Coca Cola sign shall forever be etched into my memory. Possibly the greatest product placement in film, ever.
Per the Donner cut, I particularly like the scene where Lois figures out Clark is Superman, by shooting a blank from a revolver at him. That's so clever. The theatrical cut was much clumsier with that.
At the time of its release I considered the second film to be better than the first film. More action and the pay off in the diner at the end tipped the balance back then. I can see the original film is best now but they're both pretty darned great. These films were the template for superhero movies to this day.
John.
Great and useful review as always. Thanks
You're welcome Simon. John.
This is my favorite RUclips channel- your insight and information on film-particularly related to theatrical releases and release prints are extremely informative. Growing up in the Southwestern United States, most of the prints we got were second or third generation, I’m sure. It is for this reason I sometimes push back against the higher resolution formats (blu ray or 4k), because they don’t quite look the way they did when I saw them (for example, the Superman II dvd from 2001 is much closer in image quality to what I saw in the theater in 1981 than anything that has come out recently). But, I suppose these higher resolution formats are closer to first run or studio screening prints, and I can enjoy them.
A quick personal note on the two versions of II. I find the Donner cut to be so much closer to the first film, that I prefer it over the original release- even with the reuse of the time reverse gimmick; which I think works very well! I could write a whole paper based on my opinions on why I think it’s the superior version- but I’ll just say that the inclusion of the Brando Jor-El footage makes the film, and makes this my favorite Superman film.
Look forward to your upcoming reviews!
I think most of us would agree with you about the Marlon Brando sections in the Donner cut being much more successful Rory. You'd have thought that after the success of the first film they'd have just thrown the money at the second one to include all those scenes but it might be that Richard Lester wanted to re-shoot all that so that there would be enough of a percentage shot under his direction that he'd be credited as director rather than Dick Donner. He may have actually been instructed to ensure he shot enough of the film himself for that reason.
With regards to general release prints these are struck from the internegative which means they are fourth generation. To see a master print or 70mm blow-up meant seeing a film in major city centres. I think we'd all be surprised how good internegatives were so although general release prints weren't of the same quality as master prints they are still exceptionally good. All my own 35mm prints of films are general release prints and they're things of beauty to look at in the home. A different viewing experience for sure but very easy on the eyes. I always set up my video projectors (and any tellies for that matter) to replicate the look of a film as closely as I'm able but there is still just something special about film. 4K is more like film than any home video format we've ever been offered before and most come very close to 35mm if the equipment is set up corretly.
John.
My 2nd favourite film. After superman 1 As a kid I fell in love with it. 40 years later. Nothing changed. RIP CHRISTOPHER REEVE and RICHARD DONNER
. Thank you for the review ❤
These are the films that set the format for all comic book superhero films that came afterwards Adam. Not many that come up to the same high standard though. The first Batman, the Sam Raimi Spider-Man's and the Nolan Dark Knight films only perhaps. John.
@@moviecollector5920 absolutely 👍
I am excited to hear about the changeling, I always heard good things. Excellent video review on super man as always!
The Changeling arrived yesterday and I've been going through bits and pieces on my telly. I need to project it to see how good it really is but apart from the obvious optical composite to get the titles in at the start (fairly coarse film grain look to it during the titles) it appears to look very good. The pack contains the soundtrack on CD too so I've played that at deafening volume and the book that comes with it all is proving to be an informative read too. Looks like another great Second Sight Films release. John.
Thank you for another interesting video. I’m a huge fan of the Donner Cut-so much so that I don’t really feel the need to watch the Theatrical Version any longer.
I enjoyed seeing the Donner cut but more of a curiosity really. Such a shame he wasn't able to finish the film but then we wouldn't have got the re-worked Richard Lester version which is great too. John.
Hi John - another great review. When you say the image is too good, betraying the quality of the SFX, do you mean that you can see the wires holding up Reeve and the other Kryptonians or just that matte lines and so on are slightly more apparent? Dan.
You can't see the wires as far as I'm aware although I didn't exactly press my face up to the screen to check but what you can see is the image degradation because of optical compositing. The blue and/or green screen effects are often too obvious whereas when it was released to cinemas and projected on huge screens all this was disguised somewhat better. To have what is effectively a master print for a tiny home screen means that nothing can hide. When Zod is walking on water you can see the platform just beneath. which we probably couldn't on any previous home movie release, including the Super 8 I expect.
John.
Great watching this review as always, thanks. Look forward to The Changeling.
I watched The Changeling 4K last night Robert. It's pretty good. The Blu-ray isn't. John.
@@moviecollector5920 great thanks.
I have the first film on 4k and need to pick this up . Great review John 👍
Apparently the first film is a new disc too Matt. That could explain why I didn't think it wasn't quite such good image quality as the second film because I have the previous 4K release. John.
great review. I need to see this in 4k. I loved this movie as a kid.
I hadn't seen it for years Luis and thanks to this wonderful 4K disc release, I enjoyed it just as much as I did when I saw it at the cinema in 1980. A great film despite a few limitations with the special effects at times. Who cares when it's this good though?!? John.
@@moviecollector5920 I feel I haven't seen this since the 80s and 90s. yes the effects were great back then but some did not hold up.
Nice review. You have just talked me into buying Superman and Superman 2.
Apparently the first film is a new disc so it sounds like they've improved the original 4K release. Looks like you're in for a bit of a treat there Stephen. The first two reels of Superman The Movie have an intentional otherworldly look to them so anything that looks odd for the first half an hour or so, it's deliberate.
John.
Another winner, John! Always makes me smile whenever I see a a new video from you - such an engaging treat!
Apparently an early RUclips reviewer gave this one a slagging off but thankfully it doesn't appear to have affected sales too badly. It's wonderful to have the first two Superman films in such excellent quality and for less than £20 each. Who ever would have thunk it?
John.
@@moviecollector5920 - Agreed, John. These days, it often feels like we’re screening our own prints, which blows my mind! I was so chuffed with my Prince of Darkness buy - based largely on your recommendation - that I treated myself to both The Fog and The Thing. So there I was again, sat watching that delicious anamorphic widescreen, soaking up the film grain, and reflecting on how this feels like a home/physical media golden age (in terms of *quality*, if not sales). And like you say, it’s all relatively low cost. Very little to complain about these Superman transfers, when there’s so much to celebrate. Your enthusiasm for this SII release is spot on.
@@everygrainofsand I haven't seen sales figures for discs lately but 4K was a growing market which is why so many fllms have been given the treatment recently. If there's a downturn all of a sudden then HMV had better stop expanding. Although, that's mainly down to record sales anyway. I mention HMV in the review of The Changeling coming soon because they're re-opening the original store on Oxford Street. Wonderful! John.
I can’t wait to get a copy of this. I bought the first supermen in 4k based strictly on your review, and I was very happy with it, other than the fact that my digital code was expired and Warner brothers wouldn’t give me another one.
Hello again Khalif. Apparently the master for Superman The Movie has been re-worked for the new 4K disc but I can't categorically confirm that. It does make sense though as people have told me it looks better than Superman II which on my system, and with the older release, it certainly does not. I've just had an email from HMV and there's a steelbook for Superman II coming soon. It looks very nice too so maybe hold on for that if you can. John.
Great job John 👍.... Thanks for sharing
Great comment Roy... Thanks for posting.
I was obsessed with Superman 2 as a little kid. I still prefer it to the first film. But by a small margin.
That often happens with films we loved as children so you're certainly not alone there. John.
Good review, however, I'm not a fan of the Richard Donner Cut. I didn't care for the Screen Test or whatever that footage was (i'm referring to when Lois shoots Clark Kent with the gun.) Reminded me too much of the mishmash of the Bruce Lee movie, "The Game of Death" ... the Stuff with Brando in the Donner Cut is excellent, there should've been a compromise, to stick back the Brando footage, and leave the rest of the film alone but I guess Donner detested what Lester had done to the film. I was completely fine with the Paris/Elevator Nuke that frees the Krypton villains but I guess the missile that was bound for Hackensack NJ would fit a continuous storyline. You're 100% right, its too bad we'll never know what would've occurred had Donner been allowed to remain as director. The most annoying sequence in the old theatrical version was the whole Niagara Falls bit, but then he replaced it with that godawful Screen Test where Reeves looks 10 pounds heavier. Frustrating to say the least.
I think the Donner cut has to be viewed as a curiosity rather than a finished product. There is much to criticize if it's taken as a serious film but I think it's wonderful to see it and the direction that was being taken which I think I would have preferred even more than the great film we ended up with. Watch the little featurette about how it was put together and then perhaps some of the commentary and you should find you appreciate it more. If you ever get the time to do that of course. It's obvious to me that Dick Donner had a hard time going back to deal with what must have been a traumatic and disappointing event in his life but he seemed to have been pleased that he did in the end.
And by the way, Margot Kidder looks so young in that screen test section. Even more beautiful than she was in the rest of the film. I'd seen it before as an outtake, probably on the original Superman The Movie 4K release.
John.
The SUPERMAN films are definitely something of a challenge to review, especially when you consider all the travails in putting those pictures together -- it's a wonder we got even ONE decent film out of all the chaos, let alone two! I agree that they should have kept Lester's ending for II; there's a fairy tale quality to it that just feels right after everything that has come before. I'll go one further and state they should have kept Lester's Paris opening as well; it's a big and spectacular way to prime audiences for a more action-centric adventure, whereas Donner's opening feels small and more suited to a television episode. Cheers!
I like the Paris opening but it wouldn't have been required if the original ending to the first film had have been used. I think we're all just happy the first two films were great but it's also great to see what might have been. I regard the Donner cut as a bit of a novelty and I'm glad to have seen it. Shame it wasn't finished at the time but then we wouldn't have got the re-worked film under Richard Lester. John.
I think the best cut of S2 is a hybrid cut!
Quite a few of us are thinking the same thing there. John.
Great review. This 4k release looks so good. I think this is better than the first movie. Superman The Movie ia great but I think it has a one big flaw. This might be an unpopular opinion but its the bad guys. I like Gene Hackman but Luthor and his team are too funny/campy. I would have preferred more serious bad guys with better plan.
I know what you mean Ankka but if it weren't for the campy comedy side of things we wouldn't have got, "Miss Desbarker, when I was six years old my father said to me..."
"Get out!"
I've used that response a lot when people have started saying a similar line to Gene Hackman's Lex Luthor.
John.
Saw 2 and 3 at the cinema.. Was too young to see the first one in the cinema, but saw it on Betamax a loong time ago..
I loved the third film in the cinema Rick so I may just be tempted to give it another look. I did see it on a television broadcast a few years later but of course that was a pan and scan then and it just didn't work. John.
I remember being about 5 and seeing the magazine at the corner store with superman 2 on it so i knew it was coming , i saw it about 4 times at the theatre , once with my dad, three times with my friends, loved it more then the first as a kid but as i got older ofcourse the first became better and still is the best Superman movie ever made in my book. Thx John.
I too thought it was the better film when I first saw it Mic. Not so now I'm a teenager!
John.
That was masterful, John. A *commanding* review.
Thank you Erik. I did miss a fault at the end where Superman flies past camera and smiles as taken from the conclusion of the first film. Apparently it's squeezed but by that time I was thinking the whole thing through and not really taking any notice. I don't think it matters and shouldn't stop anyone from purchasing and admiring the quality of this release.
The Changeling has arrived and it's another Second Sight Films beauty of a package. I've looked at bits of the 4K on our telly and it's much better than the Blu-ray which is a bit of a surprise.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 No, I don't think it matters either, and yes, it shouldn't stop anyone from purchasing this release.
I hope you do a review of The Changeling.
The colour grading on the Donner Cut is a complete overhaul of the bluray colours, much better.
Both the 4K discs look like film prints to me. The colour and density is that good. Film grain is possibly more present on the original 4K of Superman The Movie though which suggests a little more image noise reduction to the second. I wish I'd thought of that in time to record the video. But the grain is still there and lovely to look at except for some of the optical composite shots where it's a little too obvious. That's normal though as the effects were shot 35mm too so not starting from a bigger image area to disguise them. John.
1st superman my dad took me to see it beginning of 1979 for my bday, blew out my mind and remains to this day Ze ultimate super hero movie ever, 100% perfect movie for basically evthing especially the magical music. I remember perfectly when Superman 2 came out but I am ashamed to admit that I only saw it the first time, I think, in the 2000's, I actually saw the director's cut which I found astonishing.
In conclusion, the 2 first ones are amazing, forget the other ones which are disastrous in my opinion.
I do probably need to look at Superman 3 again but I think it can wait. I thought Superman Returns was pretty darned good but surprised to learn that not many others feel the same. I suppose it wasn't Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder and Gene Hackman so it's understandable but I was prepared to accept new actors had to play the parts.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 "Superman returns" was fun to watch when it came out, enjoyable. Except the end that was a "what the heck was that", but the music was pretty good, not as memorable as John Williams' first movie soundtrack though.
But the one scene that was a big WOW in my opinion in "Superman returns" was the "Return to krypton" deleted scene. Never understood was that amazing sequence was cut from the movie, was pretty astonishing.
Great review John , I have this one but I haven't watched it yet I already had the blu ray of both , so I'll see how it looks 👍
Much, much better than the Blu-ray Paul. Quite amazed at the difference actually. I hope you find the same and then you'll have an absolutely great time re-watching like it's your first time... with the film that is!
John.
I would of liked the extended tv longer cut version done in 4k for superman the movie maybe we might get that someday if they decide to do supergirl the movie done for 4k
Maybe it has been released on DVD previously which might be looking into. After all, it's not going to suddenly be a high definition picture so just like all the other Blu-ray and 4K releases I have with television versions, they're practically unwatchable by modern standards. Probably alright on a telly though thinking about it. John.
@@moviecollector5920Its out on blu ray i have it why i thought they could of done a 4k steelbook release with the new box set they done
I love and share your love for the Superman films John! They are so fond and make the heart a bit mushy lol
I need to finally take a look at the third film sometime soon Chris. Not sure I want to try the fourth again though. John.
Finally got around to ordering it (Amazon UK). Mine arrived damaged (bent to hell). Sent it back. The replacement just arrived MORE BENT, with the inner plastic shattered! Needless to say, I am not all that happy. A third has been ordered, but I am not all that hopeful.
Amazon are renowned for being crap! I haven't bought anything from them in a long, long time but only because they're destroying our high streets and shopping centres and I'd rather support anyone else if at all possible. I hope the third copy arrives okay which proper packaging can help with but not something Amazon seem to do very often. John.
I agree with u sir,I liked the Donner Cut much better than Lester,he gave us a idea how the tone of the 3rd Superman.
Loved your review Sir! 😊
Thank you Chris. A few comments have suggested a combination of both versions of the film might make the best version of all. I think I agree with that sentiment. Extremely interesting to see how the Donner version might have turned out which is a style I prefer but I do love the Lester version with the added humour too. A great film whichever version is watched.
John.
I know the history of Superman II from way back in 1980. I always thought Superman The Movie was far more superior than the second film. Both in direction, music & special effects. The Richard Donner cut is much superior than the theatrical cut.
Many think a combination of both versions of Superman II would make for an interesting curiosity. I think it could - or maybe should - end up being the best version of all.
Hi John! Probably gonna get this one. I loved both 1 and 2 and the Donner cut looks so interesting for all the reasons you mentioned. Aside from quality it's a nostalgia thing for me being a young teen and seeing these in full theatres with the music loud etc just bring back memories ..Rip Reeve) The magazine looks super cool perhaps i'll take a look not sure if it's available here but when you showed the cover I noticed A bridge too Far another nostalgic film for me as a youngster lol Good luck with the Changling lol good or bad in the 4k department I think I remember it to be a pretty chilling go lol My best to you and all across the pond Cheers for now ! Dave !
Morning Dave. Apparently the Superman The Movie disc is an update too so it's possible that now looks even better. I'm more than happy with the original but if you didn't purchase it first time around it will be good to know your thoughts on the new disc and how well it compares to the second. Apparently the concluding, duplicate shot of Superman above the Earth taken from the end of Superman The Movie hasn't been unsqueezed but I didn't take any notice of it as I was concentrating on other things. The main thing to criticize is the Dolby Atmos sound on the original version of the film (not available on the Donner cut disc) which sounded poor but who cares when the Dolby Stereo surround tracks are so good?
I forgot to say that I had a few sections of the 4K of The Changeling on through our telly last night and it looks so much better than the Blu-ray. Less film grain for a start so it will be interesting to see how it holds up projected.
John.
Both are great but 2 is so campy & fun. I am in the rare camp that likes the theatrical cut the best.
That's two of us then Peter because I prefer the original. That's the case with almost all films for me. John.
Hi John. Thanks for a great video, as usual. Just out of interest, if the film-makers knew that Image Degradation on General Release prints would cover up obvious effects, does that mean this was visible on the Premiere and 70mm prints? If that is the case, then although the movie wows I do wonder how audiences seeing obvious effects felt, especially at the premiere? With your experience of having seen a lot of Premiere Prints in Leicester Square, did you ever notice obvious effects work?
Premiere houses had bigger screens David... usually much bigger screens. This resulted in enough image degradation over a general release print as shown on smaller screens. With almost everywhere now being smaller screens I don't suppose they'd get away with it. The bigger the image the more the degradation disguises any perceptible inadequacies. John.
I love both I and II, they were spetacular. Reeves was perfect.
I and many others will agree with you completely there. John.
Great review as ever John 👍
Thank you Andy. Apparently the colour of Lois Lane's coat is wrong when it's in the sunshine and the concluding, duplicate shot of Superman from the first film (the one of him over the earth that was used at the end of all of them) isn't unsqueezed. And from what some are saying, this means it's a poor release! You couldn't make it up really. Criticize the Dolby Atmos sound for not being as good as the Dolby Stereo but that should be just about it.
John.
The Donner cut is well worth checking out though it has it's faults for sure. As well as the ending being weaker than the Lester cut, the scene that showed Lois Lane firing a gun at Clark Kent was was a bit of a stretch. Richard Donner refusing to use any of Richard Lester's footage was a bad idea based on ego and politics. The Ending footage for the Donner cut looks like a low grade video format which doesn't match the quality of the rest of the film. Otherwise the Donner cut was darker in tone and grittier. Maybe one day Harmy films might re-edit the two cuts to make the ultimate Superman 2 version. I doubt it though. Great review John.
That scene where Lois shoots Clark was a screen test but I think that Donner Cut needs to be viewed as a novelty rather than a serious version of the film. I view the special editions of films like Aliens and The Abyss the same way. I've seen both of those through once but will only ever watch the outtakes on their own in the future as the whole pacing of the films is upset by the unnecessary additions. Although, I have to say that the smart gun sequence cut from Aliens would have made the film even better than it was, if that's possible. The Donner cut is a fun watch and a good indication of what might have been. It's a bit of lash-up but I enjoyed seeing it. I might even watch it again one day and I don't often do that with alternative edits and so-called director's cuts.
John.
It doesn’t even look like Margot kidder in the quick toothpaste scene!
@@chriswest7095 If that's the screen test scene then she was a few years younger. John.
Nice review, never upgraded my dvd’s of the 4 movies…maybe now is the time!
Maybe give the first a try and see how you get on Gary. The special edition with steelbooks is over £100 so quite an outlay. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Ouch, about $80 here, non steelie. Maybe I’ll wait to Black Friday, should be down to $50.
Greetings! For me, Christopher Reeve is the perfect Superman and Clark Kent. I like Superman and Superman II about the same. The first one is more charming and essential. The second is more action-packed. And I prefer the Superman II theatrical version more than the Donner version. I just prefer the more humorous and light-hearted moments; although I like the extra Marlon Brando scenes. Actually, I would really like a hybrid movie that mixes the best of both versions. Anyway, welcome back to reviewing movies!
I'd been thinking that a combination of the best of both versions of the film might be best. Great minds! John.
Don’t forget fans,2024 is the 40th anniversary of the release of Supergirl! I’m thinking Helen Slater commentary and theatrical and extended cut in 4k!! Should I hold my breath?
The ultimate home movie edition of Supergirl was released over 30 years ago Chris. That was the 'Scope Super 8 release from Derann Films and it was a stunner. It actually improved the film somewhat as a result. John.
I wish we got the Original & Donner cuts packaged in the same Case here in Australia, out here they are separate buys! Ripped off! I picked up The Donner Cut this weekend so I’ll now have to wait for another sale to get the theatrical cut. Another great review too ! Cheers Rod
It's a shame an independent hasn't set up importing 4K discs from around the world. Probably make a good living from that in Australia if it's actually permitted. We have dealers over here that do it and always have had. John.
@@moviecollector5920 John I probably could have imported it I guess, I do import a fair bit from the US & UK, I actually didn’t realise the UK release was in a single case until I watched your review. But yes, your points are very valid.
Hi John, a great review thank you and I'll be looking into buying this one, the 4k medium as you say does reveal the magic behind the effects sadly but with the superman films even on crt you could see the trickery. That being said I love them and they bring the past flooding back, speaking of the past I can't wait to see the Changling review, I watched it on dvd a few months ago and it's still a creepy viewing, I have to say though those literally ropey cobwebs in the hidden room with look even more daft in 4k. Many thanks.
Chris
I had a few sequences from the 4K of The Changeling on through our telly last night Chris and it looked so much better than the Blu-ray. I need to project it before I say anything too definitive but I did put the Blu-ray on too and went to the same chapter starts and the 4K does look streets ahead so I suppose the Blu-ray is the previous version from Severin that was issued some years ago. I need to check the dates of the extras to see if that's the case.
Apparently there's an error at the end of Superman 2 whereby the flyby of Christopher Reeve from the end of Superman The Movie is squeezed. Who cares really, but it's been pointed out to me. I did see it but I was thinking of other things by then having been concentrating hard on all the detail for the rest of the film and didn't take it in. I wouldn't slag a disc release off for something so trivial but it shouldn't have gotten through quality control with that. I'm surprised no one else has confirmed the Dolby Atmos sound is poor so perhaps it's alright through other systems. The original Dolby Stereo surround is pretty wonderful though so again, who cares?
John.
The best ending for superman II is to use Donner's scene of Lois and superman biding one another farewell on Lois's rooftop terrace, Superman agreeing that he can trust Lois, he flies away... long pull out shot on Lois....cut to Clarke exacting revenge on the diner guy...space flying shot, smile to camera...end credits
Good thinking. Get editing and we'll all take a look! I suspect the original ending of Superman The Movie and then being able to carry straight on with the story in Superman II and keeping the original turn back time for that one would have made for the best versions of the films. But both are great as they stand so probably best that they turned out the way they did.
John.
Look forward to your review of The Changeling, one of my favourite Ghost films, love it ....
I'm working on it right now Aidey. The 4K is just like having your own 35mm print but a little over bright perhaps which I think is HDR so easily controlled. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Very Nice, Hopefully i will have my copy despatched Next week sometime.
Thanks for another great review. Will have to check out the magazine you recommended. Superman II is the better movie overall. Love the first half of superman but the second half of the first movie is step down. Was never a fan of the time travel ending. Bit of a copout. I’ll take superman throwing logos any day. So good to hear the care they’ve taken with these releases.
Apparently Warner Brothers have also given the 4K of the 1978 film a bit of a work over too as a couple of commenters have told me that it now looks better on 4K than Superman II. Others have told me it no longer has all the same sound options so that does confirm it's a new disc but whether or not much or anything was done to the 4K video master is open to interpretation. These discs seem to look a little different on every system. John.
Hi John,
Iam lucky enough to have a 16mm scope print on llp stock so no colour problems, I really like both The first and second films. must run my print again soon.
Whoa, we should put that on at the next convention! I don't suppose there are many of those prints around today so keep it safe. John.
I love Superman II, and i still prefer the theatrical cut to the Donner Cut.
I can still remember the reaction in the theater when Superman returned after regaining his powers.
The slow buildup of the music, the iconic shot of Reeve standing on the flagpole, and the commanding way he asks, "General, would you care to step outside?"
I still get chills!
One of the best sequels ever made Bill. What a treat to be able to own our own copy in such wonderful quality for just £20. John.
John, I must agree with you that SUPERMAN 2 ranks among the best superhero film sequels ever. I put it only behind Nolan’s THE DARK KNIGHT. Thank you for your review of the different cuts on 4K, as I hold your opinion very highly and have been hesitant to purchase the 5-film set because of some of the more negative reviews I’ve seen from other RUclipsrs about this 4K’s quality. Can’t wait to hear your reviews of the other 2 later sequels. Cheers!
I don't know if I'll look at the other two films Joe but I'm told that they're even better than Superman 2 so you shouldn't be disappointed. Apparently the first film is a new disc so maybe that will be even better than the previous 4K disc release. I've just had a comment that mentioned another RUclipsr who has put people off by claiming there is excessive image noise reduction used in Superman 2 but as the film grain is present that's confirmation that it's not excessive. All these releases have to have some DNR owing to the scanning process to transfer a film which exacerbates film grain but not many people understand that. To be fair, without film experience how would anyone understand it all?
John.
Superman 3 - 4 ... uurrgghh my eyes bleed LOL
@@insanelook You want to see an optometrist for that! But I get what you're saying really.
@@moviecollector5920 😅
Great review as always John, I love the Superman movies and got them as soon as they came out on 4k, They did not release Superman 2 and the Donner cut on the same pack like they did for you we had to buy the two separately but i still got them all and looking forward to watching them all
I was surprised to find two 4K discs in the pack Paul. Makes it quite a bargain really, particularly as there are two Blu-rays in there as well. I hope you enjoy watching both versions as much as I did. The Donner Cut has to be viewed as a bit of a curiosity as it isn't a finished production and not using the Lester ending in preference to duplicating the ending from the first movie means it can't really be accepted as a finished film. And there is a screen test scene spliced in there where Lois shoots Clark to get him to admit he's Superman. Clearly out of place and slightly out of character. Plus, Margot Kidder looked younger and even more beautiful so that was a bit of a giveaway. John.
It seems the UK release was the real bargain; here in Australia I had to buy both 4Ks separately, however our local chain store had a 2-for-1 sale running this week, so effectively got them for the same price! Justice was served!
@@thedys70 Now that was a good result! Well done. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Thanks John, you just have to pounce on those sales without mercy when they come around...
@@thedys70 And worry about your ever dwindling bank balance afterwards!
Cracking review John, I must get this from HMV. Talking of the changeling, I tried to watch it on prime as I had it for free for a short period over a year ago but abandoned it as it was poor quality and im not talking film grain. I will await your review of it and get my own based on your recommendation.
The reason I've got the Changeling early is because it's a coarse grain film stock and I'm pretty sure that will mean that many 4K reviewers who don't understand film much at all will criticize Second Sight Films for a bad transfer when in actuality there's nothing wrong with it. I want to try to point out why the grain is heavy and more so when optical titles have been composited into the picture. It should be obvious to most reviewers why there is increased grain with the compositing of multiple film elements to produce a new element that has combined the two or more elements but there still seem to be a lot of people out there who don't understand it. Even fades are/were done using two elements to create a new element of it all merged together. With The Changeling, it does all help create that atmosphere required for a ghost story/haunted house sort of film.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 I understand, the prime streaming version was about 480p resolution which was why I abandoned it and no subtitles which would have helped as the sound was crap on it as well.
@@darkvader7231 I'll watch the 4K in the next couple of days but I have watched the Blu-ray and the sound was good. The score was beautiful so I'm pleased to see the soundtrack is included in the Second Sight Films pack - and I played it this afternoon. Very nice. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Look forward to your review, its a film I always wanted to watch as I loved the poster for it as a 12 year old and was always intrigued besides, I do love an atmospheric ghost story!!
@@darkvader7231 I've been comparing the Blu-ray to the 4K on my telly this evening and the 4K looks like a different film in places. I'll get it on the projector in the next couple of days but my first impression of the 4K is so much better than the Blu-ray. The Blu-ray might be an older master of the film which would explain it. John.
I was living in Rancho Penisquitos San Diego Ca when this came out.... I loved to ride my 14-speed to Poway to the theater over there.. and I watched this when it was released.... I came back every day I could the whole summer it played.... and I distinctly remember the scene when Non hands Zod the red light... Ursa snickers and turns away from the camera...
.
I don't know which cut that was.
.
I didn't know till I was older that a film can have multiple cuts, and those different cuts may be released in different regions... but I've never been able to find that cut again..
.
I agree with you... when I was a kid, loved S2, felt it was better... but now that I'm older, S1 is by far the better film..... but NOTHING comes close to the moment he pulls open his shirt and flies up to save Lois & the 'copter
Two great films that made all the subsequent superhero films possible and viable James. Perfect casting and a perfect director... even if that went a little bit awry for the second film. John.
Hi John, another superb review which I forgot to add to my 4K wishlist! I didn't even know that WB included 2 4K discs! I still think you are the best movie reviewer out there by a mile. I already own Superman The Movie on 4K as one of the first 10 4K movie upgrades and have not regretted buying it as I think it is still the best DC movie along with Superman II. It's worth having a look at Superman III with Richard Pryor but in terms of quality it is no way near the first 2. It had potential towards the end when one of the bad characters got encased in electronics and metal to create a kind of cyborg but was limited to money and special effects. I could imagine the main rogue computer transforming into a huge robot with CGI but it was limited by the special effects technology in 1983. Another great film of my teenage years was War Games starring Matthew Broderick which I would love you to do a review especially on the poor quality grainy picture on the 4K disc that I have seen by other reviewers. I'm put off buying it plus the rather high rip off price it commands at retail price!! Would be interested on your opinion.
I might give Superman 3 another try soon but I don't think I'm in any rush. I did very much enjoy it at the cinema but I don't think it will have aged as well as the first two. As for War Games - brilliant. I have the Blu-ray but haven't watched it in a long time. It did actually have a full length Super 8 release but I never got a copy of that which is a shame now I think about it. I don't think it's necessary to buy every film on 4K when they come out if we already have the title on a previous format but if it's a favourite film then it's got to be worth a try even if it does turn out to be a little underwhelming. Scanning a film exacerbates film grain so it can be a problem but the grainiest video transfers tend to be over bright. Work on getting the brightness down on your system and then you may have a 'eureka' moment. Video projection in cinemas tends to be too bright and this is the main reason why video is still inferior to 35mm film, let alone 70mm.
John.
@Movie Collector Thank you so much for taking the trouble to reply. I really appreciate that, especially when you are incredibly busy running your youtube channel. I was very fortunate to invest in a 4K telly, and I absolutely love the 4K resolution. I hope they will release the 1959 version of Ben Hur, which surely has the widest aspect ratio of 2.76:1 of any film. Do you know of any other film that has that unique aspect ratio?
@@chemistfacade It's 70mm squeezed at 1.25x when filmed and known as Ultra Panavision. Upon projection it's unsqueezed and so gives the really wide image. I believe there were ten films shot in the format but some will be credited as MGM Camera 65 which is what Panavision originally developed for MGM but then MGM were in financial trouble and Panavision bought it back and re-branded it. Of the ten films, the list probably includes How The West Was Won which shot some sequences in the format but was issued as a genuine Cinerama. Apparently there have been some movies shot on video but using the Ultra Panavision lenses so I suppose they could be included too but they certainly won't have the resolution of 70mm film so probably best not to bother looking any of those up for fear of disappointment. Quentin Tarantino's The Hateful Eight was shot, distributed and projected in Ultra Panavision and cinemas all over the world had to find 70mm projectors and all the ancillaries to re-equip their theatres to show it in 70mm. Biggest problem of the lot was finding the anamorphic lenses to unsqueeze it correctly. Film has been growing ever since The Hateful Eight and the reason for that is because it's better.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Thank you so much.
Great review as usual John and has been really helpful to me! I purchased the previous 4k release of Superman The Movie and have always been disappointed with it! Its only marginally better then the blu ray in my opinion. I also agree its the better movie too! I do agree the Donner Cut of Superman 2 is well worth a watch, I've the dvd and blu ray box sets previously released. Would love to get the steelbook 4k box set but a/ can't afford it and b/ its disappointing not to have a pristine copy of the first movie particularly in light of it being Warners Centenary and it being such an historic part of their history , so I'll invest in Superman 2 and be nice to have 2 excellent versions of a terrific movie! Thanks for a great video and review as per usual. Regards Alan
See what you think of Superman 2 Alan and if you like it as much as I then maybe it will be worth you also getting the Superman The Movie 4K because apparently it's had a bit of work and looks different to the original release. I don't know if there's been a new transfer, which seems unlikely, but as Superman 2 was shot concurrently both films should look the same, shouldn't they? Maybe not given the change of director and re-shoots. But if Superman 2 looks better then perhaps WB editors and graders have re-mastered Superman The Movie to look the same. The opening two reels will always look odd though so keep that in mind because it's possible our opinion of how that film looks on disc is clouded by the comparatively poor quality of the opening half an hour or so. That was how it was shot but the negative may have suffered a little too much fade to get it fully back to how it was now, I don't know.
John.
Thank you John.
Slipping there Cheekster - the video had been live for two whole minutes!
@@moviecollector5920 - Sometimes, for whatever reason, RUclips notifications seem to be delayed at my end. I tapped on the one received for this video the second I saw it yet the video appears to have been uploaded 2 mins earlier. 🤔
It could of course have something to do with my 4G mobile connection which is all I have (no broadband or WiFi).
A couple of things: I wish there was a 3rd cut of Superman 2 which incorporated Donner’s version with Lester’s version. The ending really let the film down for me (Donner cut) but otherwise it’s great, by taking out the slapstick in Lester’s cut. Second, there is a ton of footage that got shot and shown on the broadcast versions of these movies that I don’t think made it into the 4K or BR releases of these movies. Have they included them on the newest version? Thanks!
Nothing of the television versions Jonathan so you'll have to find an old DVD perhaps. Surely they've been released somewhere at sometime. It's possible those elements added to make the TV versions have disappeared so they might never see the light of day now.
You're not alone in wishing there was a combination of the two versions of Superman 2. Someone might do it one day.
John.
Thanks for the quick reply John, keep up the good work!
Good! If you can upload a clip from the theatrical cut - Chapter 19 Something More Interesting and make sure it runs all the way to Chapter 21 Made Mortal for Love, please do as I have yet to find it here on RUclips. Also, seeing each movie has a red disc (one disc is blue while the other is red), if it contains the deleted scenes - especially the parts where Non asks Zod if he can try attacking that jeep, the woman and family's programs getting interrupted by the breaking news event, along with Deputy getting in the line of fire of the bazooka, please upload them too so we cann see if there were some scenery things cut out from the TV resolution version compared to the theatrical resolution version!
Also, upload the scene from Chapter 22 White House Visitors along with the deleted scenes where a Whitehouse man says on the phone no one will get in, Zod attacks with the M16, the Nixon portrait gets damaged, a dog runs in and gets scared by Non, and Ursa pulls a badge off of one of the Whitehouse men.
This has to be the THEATRICAL CUT, NOT the Richard Donner Cut.
It's not possible to upload copyrighted material onto a public accessible platform so sorry about that... unable to comply! Someone else may have obtained permission to upload extracts though so someone might have shown something that you're looking for before purchasing the disc. I've heard there was an audio issue somewhere on this new release though and this has led to the discs being removed from shelves. I don't know if it's true but it might explain why it seems to be hard to get hold of.
John.
I haven't seen these films since childhood in the 80s. I think i saw the one with Gene Hackman (edit. I think this is the one) in Benidorm, either at an outdoor cinema or at one of those pubs that played movies during the day if you ordered a drink. Will revisit these films, I do have fond memories.
They're big screen films, no doubt about that. And well worth the £19.99 asking price on 4K. What a treat to be able to see them in such quality at home - and keep them too. Amazing really. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Is it worth getting the entire collection?
I picked us the Donner Cut a few months back and actually thought it was a better version- although it’s a bit pointless now especially as it repeats the ending of the first film, so it no longer makes sense, but I still really enjoyed it and, objectively speaking, it’s likely a better movie than the version we originally got.
The Donner version is clearly unfinished though so I see it as a window into a film that could have been but wasn't. I think I am more getting an impression of the film rather than the finished product and on that basis I do feel it would have likely been an even better film. Some of the additions made by Richard Lester were so that he completed enough of the film to be credited as director. John.
@@moviecollector5920 You’re right John. Had they actually made that version at the time it would have worked better.
@@ManCave1972 The producers didn't fully understand why Richard Donner was not able to keep to the schedule. Years later they realized and became good friends. Must have been an awful time for Richard Donner but we all tend to think that successful directors have the world at their feet when in fact they sometimes go through the same tribulations and setbacks that we all do. John.
I'm not surprised at your dislike of the Dolby Atmos mix; I don't have a 4K set-up, but I do have the laserdisc of Superman II, and the Dolby Surround mix on the LD is vastly superior to the 5.1 mix on the Blu Ray.
The one where I found the original Dolby Stereo stood out the most as the best of multiple soundtrack choices was Robocop. I don't think it's so obvious with Superman II but Robocop was so much better in Dolby Stereo that it was a bit surprising/shocking/astounding - can't think of the most appropriate word. John.
John, hi! It is so good to see you!
I only have a rather vague memory of the first movie. I did not know there were so many of them. I guess having multiple cuts of the same film is in DC's DNA - considering Jack Snider's Justice League Cut. In such cases, I am more interested in Director's vision, rather than a corporate take - same goes for Alien franchise.
I would love to hear your opinion on Deep Impact. Even if you decide not to make a full video review. I remember us talking on the matter of this movie and the Armageddon. I vividly recall your opinion on the latter! Ha!
I will write you a personal message very soon.
Please, send our warm regards to Susie.
Dmitri
Morning Dmitri. The fourth Superman film was a bit of a low budget affair by comparison Dmitri and I only saw it on VHS and didn't think much of it. I don't think I want to risk seeing it again as it might spoil the originals. I may give the third film another try but it's more of a comedy than anything else.
Deep Impact is a great film and I would have done a review if I'd have thought it would be popular enough but to spend a few days working on something and then get fewer views than hoped is something I'm trying to avoid a bit lately. I will get the 4K though because I love the film and did from the moment I saw it at the Leicester Square Odeon. Armageddon isn't one I liked. Coming after Deep Impact it didn't really stand much chance to be fair but many people think it's the better film.
Next video should be The Changeling which is based on purported events at a house in Denver just off Chessman Park. It's long been demolished but I thought you'd be interested as it's your part of the world.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Good morning, John!
I saw the trailer to the Changeling and it looks interesting - definitely a great choice for a video review - but I had no idea that the events were happening in Colorado. That is most interesting! So, does it mean that the story is based on real events? I will look it up and I definitely have some people to suggest a good horror film to! Thank you for a great recommendation, John!
I want to revisit the Deep Impact for sure! And yes, you are correct that you should hand pick the titles more carefully, since you clearly are putting so much hard work and love into these video-reviews.
I really want to get you something rare and special. Give me a week and I will work it out. It will be something unusual. Are you intrigued?? Ha! I hope so!
Enjoy the wonderful day!!
Dmitri
John, these films always remind me of that geezer lifting up Helen Slaters (what a gorgeous little darlin' that bird was 40 years ago) skirt in "SUPERGIRL" when he was trying to see the birds bum and quim.
I don't think I ever saw Supergirl all the way through but I do have the opening flying sequence on Super 8 and it looks spectacular. John.
@@moviecollector5920 John, there was also a surprisingly good invisible monster sequence in it as well, it put me in mind of the ID monster in 'FORBIDDEN PLANET' and it was genuinely scary too. Actually, speaking of 'FORBIDDEN PLANET', when is there going to be a 4K release of that classic ?, if they can put 'WAR OF THE WORLDS' and 'WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE' on a 4K double feature why not Anne Francis and Robby the Robot on one as well ! ?.
@@wernerherzog3502 I don't know about Forbidden Planet. If it hasn't been done already in the USA then it's got to be one either being worked on right now or under consideration for the future. John.
I'll ask again, John - just out of curiosity: Did the 1950s series _Adventures of Superman_ starring George Reeves air in the UK?
I don't know the answer to that I'm afraid. I don't think I ever saw it but I may have done. I remember seeing a live action Superman that because a drawn in cartoon whenever he flew off. If that's it then it may have been broadcast. John.
@@moviecollector5920 That would be the either of the two movie serials starring Kirk Alyn. I'll do some research about the TV show. UPDATE: _The Adventures of Superman_ aired in England in 1957 … at least, according to Wikipedia.
Lol I remember Ursa murdering the tween in the Houston small town scene, I’m the television cut!!
I've never seen that version Chris. Sounds a bit nasty. John.
Got my Steelbook box set but haven't actually opened em up yet.... Looks like a solid set though.... And the 4k discs will definitely be an upgrade from my region 1 dvd set (I never got the blu rays....)
Great review btw 👍🏻
Sorry if I didn't reply to this sooner but it got hidden away as 'held for review'. I don't know why. I hope you're enjoying the films if you've started watching them by now. I got an email from HMV this morning which showed the individual Superman II steelbook and it looks beautiful. If I hadn't have already had the first film and the set didn't include the fourth film I might have splashed out on the full steelbook box set.
John.
salut bien beau ses deux 4k et belle vidèo comme toujour
Merci Alain. John.
Hello John ;) You talked me into buying my copy of super-man 2 :)
I recommend Babylon a beautiful film shot on 35mm film
Fantastic detail. great sharpness. Of course, the film have Film grain
Beautiful colors, amazing HDR
The film itself is also very good,, about love for cinema and the changes that took place there,,
Honestly. Beautiful movie
You're not the first person to mention Babylon Henriek. Thank you for pushing it. It's just a shame that most movies come and go in cinemas now without any fanfare at all because I hadn't been aware of Babylon at all other than seeing a rather boring poster for it outside the Odeon on Shaftesbury Avenue. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Yes, the film was not a success in the Box Office
The director of La La Land, Margot Robbie and Brad Pitt, however, is not enough for a commercial success ... And it's a pity. because the movie is good
@@PwewX460 Not many films are a commercial success these days. Covid-19 certainly didn't help and I think many people are still too frightened to venture back into cinemas. The fact that the image quality is usually quite poor these days probably doesn't help either. John.
@@moviecollector5920 In my humble opinion, Babylon has the best
cinematography in
2022. also has an amazing scenography
This short video is a small piece of how beautiful this movie is
ruclips.net/video/mxSAGezvox0/видео.html
LOVE Superman II...did think it was a "little" strange when I first saw it, before I found out there were TWO different Directors.
Saw in the theaters with my sister, great time hanging with her.
I have "Superman the Movie" on 4K , have not bought Superman II on 4K yet...I will pick it up soon.
***Agree 100% that Superman the Movie is a superior movie compared to Superman II.
Apparently the first film is a new disc Bob and comments have suggested it's even better than the first 4K disc release. I'm perfectly happy with it as is but Superman 2 is even better. Amazing that we can get this quality to enjoy in our homes for £20 and we even get to keep it. Incredible.
John.
Hi John great review I think the picture is way better than superman the movie , and I was watching it in atmos and I thought that sounded a bit flat so I swapped to the theatrical sounded Dts hd and I agree with you it way better it has better dialogue and surround sound and I like atmos but not in this case thanks for the tip .
Robocop was another one where the original sound was better than two alternative soundtracks available on that disc. I suppose a lot will depend on our equipment though so it could be that soundbars and things doing Dolby Atmos emulations might produce different results those of us with high end equipment. John.
Did you get a slip cover when you ordered from hmv online ?
I didn't Rajesh. That was a bit of a surprise but as soon as I'd finished doing this review it went on the shelves and I haven't looked at it since so it's not really that important. I do occasionally take a disc out and look at the pack but not very often until it's time to watch a movie again. John.
Looking forward to the Changeling John, it's my favorite horror film along with Burnt Offerings and Magic with Anothony Hopkins.
I had a look at a few sections through our telly last night and the 4K looks good. The pack as a whole is a beauty - it arrived yesterday. Even has the soundtrack on CD in there which I played at ear splitting volume. I don't regard it as a horror film but a ghost story/haunted house film. It's more classy than anything being issues these days which always go over the top. It's just a shame that rarely, if ever, does anything scare me any longer but that's what happens after a misspent youth watching horror movies and even some of the most awful video nasties.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Thanks John, I agree ghost story with a good twist too. More haunting than scaring.
My favourite super hero. I went for the US box set. Not the Steelbook one just the films in a box. Katie got it for my birthday for me.
I was always confused why we saw the 3 prisoner's then didn't see them again until Superman II. I really like it. Not as much as Superman The Movie but it concludes the story nicely and it's great to see others with super powers fighting Kalel. The music is really good too and the ending is brilliant.
I watched the Donner cut but found it disjointed. Not helped by having to use alternative takes that were not really finished. I'll stick with the Theatrical cut, though I'll definitely check the Donner cut out in 4K.
Trev
Morning Trev. The Donner cut is a novelty item rather than a serious version of the film. I think it gives us a good idea of how the film would have looked if Dick Donner had have been able to finish making it and I suspect it would have been even better than the wonderful sequel we ended up with under the supervision and re-working of Richard Lester.
John.
Hey John, thanks again. I've never been a fan of the Superman movies - just not my cup of tea. My loss, I guess. That said, watching you talk about them - always interested.
The first two films might surprise you now if you watch them again Rob. Some films age well and while the special effects may not have aged particularly well in places, the way the first two Superman films were made certainly has and they've been the blueprint for comic book superhero films ever since. Only perhaps the first Batman film, Christopher Nolan's Barman films and the Sam Raimi Spider-Man films ever fully captured the same spirit though but there have been some other good 'uns. John.
Superman 2 is my favorite of the Chris Reeves movies. John Williams music is great. Thanks John
Judging by the comments on here, a great many of us love the film. Actually, we all seem to love the first two films. John.
Ken Thorne made the soundtrack for Superman 2, not JW, depite re-using some of JW musical pieces from the 1st one.
Great review. I'm with you Superman The Movie is the better of the 2 films and for me still the best Superhero film ever. The Donna Cut is better for me as well the Brando stuff blew my mind back in when they released the Donna Cut.
It's a shame all the sequences with Marlon Brando were dropped to save money but I think we can be sure it would have been a lot of money so it's understandable. Without that first Superman film I don't think the 1989 Batman would have gotten off the ground and then everything else that has appeared since, most notably the Sam Raimi/Tobey Magire Spider-Man films. John.
@@moviecollector5920 totally agree John
One word for this film "FREEEEEeeeeee" ;-)
The Donner Cut is an interesting one and fits more with the first film. It is weird to see the time travel ending that's so familiar with Superman (my 6 year old son cried at the cinema recently on the rerelease of the first film when Lois died, so thankfully the time travel brought her swiftly back!)
Lester's job led on to "Superman III: Carry on Clarke Kent".
'FREEEEEEEeeeeeee' does rather sum it up the Donner cut. Shame he didn't get the chance to complete the film properly at the time but borrowing the ending from Superman 2 did spoil the segue into the second film. The important thing was that he got Superman The Movie completed and met the release date otherwise that could have been the end of the whole project. Richard Lester made a great film with Superman 2 and I do like the nonsense with the Eiffel Tower to recreate the nuclear explosion to free the Krypton villains. Very clever now that I can see why that whole sequence was all introduced. What great fun. Good to know the first film had a nice effect on your son when Lois died. That's probably a good sign of a good upbringing.
John.
Great video. I myself used to think the 2nd film was better but the 1st film is now my fave of the original 4. I bought the steel book set boy was that expensive
Apparently the 1st film 4k is not the 2018 release. They have removed an audio format and restored the dolby stereo track. That gave more space on the disk and so the bitrate is higher. I am going to test that this week
This is what my mate said in the donner cut....
Another disk error.....
There is one issue to note with The Richard Donner Cut in 4K however: The iconic closing shot of Superman smiling at the camera has a geometry problem-it’s squeezed horizontally. The problem does not appear on the Blu-ray, so this is definitely a 4K remastering error.
I havent tested that but 1 for us both to look at next time we watch it.
Excelsior as always my friend :-)
The Donner Cut is a bit of a lash up and more of a curiosity really. It's fabulous that Warner Bros. invested the time and money to show it to us at all but to then go back and prepare it for 4K release is just incredible to me. If there's a minor error at the end of it I couldn't give a monkeys! Both those 4K discs and all the extras on the two Blu-rays and it only cost me £20! How is that possible?
Interesting information about Superman The Movie being a different 4K disc. That alone would have cost a fortune to reproduce. The first disc was very good but I expect the new one will be better and hopefully look as good as Superman 2 does because it is immediately perceptibly better.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 no problem john. I am not dissapointed. When a friend points out an issue to me i am always intrigued and mostly i will check it out just to see. My sugesfion was not an order and sorry if it came out that way.
The bitrate is easy to check. You play a movie and press an info button on the remote and the butrate mb rating will display so that one is easy.
I love movies and love your channel....until next time....excelsior :-)
@@delboy3k1 Sorry if my reply came across badly Delboy. There was no order or anything in your post, I think I was just getting through the comments too quickly and didn't take enough care with replies. We do need to be careful of people who point out errors on home movie discs because most of them really don't matter at all and when they do it's not like we've paid hundreds of pounds for them. We should more often than not be delighted that the studios and private labels have made these films available to us to purchase and keep because years ago it wasn't possible other than if we saved up for a copy of one of the rare feature releases on Super 8 (hundreds of pounds!). Nothing else could be considered home cinema until Blu-ray came about and video projection improved to an acceptable standard. John.
@@moviecollector5920 not badly at all john. I dont think i have ever complained about films or disks ever. When my friend contacted me i was more intrigued on why a geometry issue occured ? Is it lens ? The transfer? I havnt even looked lol ha ha.
I know my friend has had bad luck. Mad max had issues. His night gallery had audio issues. A lot of them are documented and recalled. However these were usa imports and he is in the uk so couldnt do much about it.
For me its about the love of film and the knowledge i learn afterwards like from people like you. Keep going john. Have you got your openhrimer ticket yet ? Excelsior sir
@@delboy3k1 I don't know why a 2x squeezed film would suddenly be unsqueezed for one sequence right at the end but mistakes happen. I probably should have taken another look at it and mentioned it but said that it didn't bother me but alas, I was concentrating on so many other aspects and at the conclusion thinking about getting the standard Blu-ray in and comparing that. Apparently the Panasonic 820 players can't play the standard disc or stagger through it so there are always compatibility issues to beware of too. I did know about that before doing the review, had it noted down but decided against mentioning it just in case it was one player that needed a firmware update and I was wrong. One has to be careful in this game. Some people are quite upset that I haven't claimed there is excessive image noise reduction on this disc but how can there be when the film grain is present throughout? John.
I was chatting to one of the folks at my local HMV and they were really surprised at how fast it sold out, I think he said it was just about two or three days before they were out of copies. And I have to agree with you about Superman 1 being better than 2, there's just something about it that gives it that edge. Another excellent video John!
That's good information about HMV selling out Thomas. I went into FOPP to get it a few days after it had been released and not a single copy remained. HMV had it in on their web site one day last week so I ordered it and then it was sold out again the following day. John.
I always have more fun watching Superman 3, I used to read a lot of Superman comic books in the 80's and 90's when I was younger and they always played out more like part 3. Part 1 is a perfect film though. Part 4 doesn't exist to me, sort of like Terminator Dark Fate lol
I did like Superman 3 James but I haven't seen it for many years. I might give it another try soon but I'm not chomping at the bit... yet. Terminator Dark Fate was terrific. Shame you didn't enjoy it as much as I did. Maybe you should watch the original Terminator (the best of the lot), then the sequel and then give Dark Fate another try. It might work better for you then.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 I just felt like it wasn't necessary to kill off John Connor only to rehash a similar plot. On a tactical aspect it was enjoyable.
@@innerlightfilms Aha, now you know he was unceremoniously shot and killed right at the start you'll be ready for it a second time. I was amazed at the reproduction of Edward Furlong but of course, he'd have to be killed to remove him from the rest of the film otherwise they'd be spending the entire budget and all the time drawing him into every subsequent shot. He had to be killed otherwise the film wasn't viable. I sat down expecting to watch a complete load of cobblers and came away having thoroughly enjoyed it. The third best Terminator film was my conclusion. That may change when I watch it again but that's the movies for you.
John.
The 4K of Superman the Movie is the 2018 scan also shown in selected cinemas this year and not, however the new scan which is done now or nearly done by WB so expect another double dip Coming Soon! Lol
Others have told me it's a new disc. They've also said it's better image quality than the 4K of Superman II which the original disc certainly is not. It's all a bit of a conundrum. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Thanks for the reply. There is a lot of confusion out there; some are saying it’s new, others not but with 6 track audio taken from the 70mm print is now missing that was on the standalone release of ‘18
@@corbomite1138 I wonder if the same 4K master has been re-worked to make the colour and density look more like the second film but it's essentially the same transfer we had in 2018. I say this because a few comments have said the new disc looks a bit better than the second film on 4K but it doesn't on my system. A tweak with the colour curves and hey presto, it might have had the desired effect. I thought the 2018 4K was pretty darned good but the opening two reels did cause many people to think something had gone wrong without understanding that was how it was shot in the first place. John.
I saw both _Superman_ and _Superman II_ at the theatre several times when I was younger. I love the first one more than the second. Depsite the advances in movie technology, I find them far superior to the more recent efforts with Henry Cavill. BTW, just out of curiosity, was the 50s TV show with George Reeves ever aired in England?
They were better films so any other shortcomings can be accepted. CGI isn't the panacea some try to portray it as and you've only got to look back at some of the early attempts to use computer animation on film and it often looked poor. It's not always particularly good today but most movies are aimed at children and youngsters who are used to the quality of computer games and seem to confuse it with real life. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Nicely said, John!
Now I Can Agree you this is going to be difficult to caption but we'll see how i do very soon
Aha, yes Joel, I understand because I did waffle quite a bit in this one. Shame I didn't write a script and learn the lines because then I'd be able to send it to you. John.
@@moviecollector5920 True But it's manageable haaa haaa
Hi there, I appreciate that your review of Superman II 4k is positive, but I want to know what your opinion is of Oliver Harper's review of this 4k release? He pointed out that there was too much noise reduction applied to this, hence Christopher Reeves face looks like wax in certain scenes. The colourist that worked on this transfer was inexperienced, they used a more experienced colourist for Superman III and IV 4k transfers. Also you missed out the fact that at the end when Superman flies across the Earth and looks at the camera, there is a shot where the aspect ratio is incorrect (problem only exists on Superman II). Would love to know your thoughts on all of the above.
I didn't really take too much notice of that concluding shot from the first film but I did spot it was a bit squeezed. It doesn't affect the film but I'm not sure if it's on the theatrical or Donner cut or both. Don't worry about it. Make up your own mind though and don't take any notice of any of us. It's just if you fancy taking a look at a film that you'll get a rough idea of whether it's something for you. If there is image noise reduction in this, it's very well done, but there is image noise reduction in every disc release owing to the cine transfer process now which is done by scanners. That means noise reduction is vital as it exacerbates the appearance of film grain. The image quality is very clean but the fact that the film grain is evident throughout so that suggests it is as it should be. If it weren't there then that would be a good indication of too much noise reduction.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Thanks John. On top of the defects mentioned above, Lois's coat during the Niagra falls scene is the wrong colour too. I'll stick with my dvd release. I feel some movies just weren't meant for 4k. By the way I'm not referring to the first film, I'm referring to the shot at the end of the 2nd film where Superman flies by the Earth, looks at the camera and then the credits roll. I have just checked my theatrical dvd version and it is perfectly fine, yet the 4k version they disorientated the aspect in error in one shot here. My dvd is perfectly colour corrected and has none of the issues of the 4k version so I'll stick with that.
@@TheHolisticVegan Many DVDs even look pretty terrific projected Johnny so you should be okay. Having said that, the Blu-ray looks poor after looking at the 4K. The colours are beautiful so don't take too much notice of what anyone says as colour always varies and possibly more often than not down to how the film looked when shot.
@@moviecollector5920 I like your work John. Keep doing what you're doing. Yea I avoided the bluray because Superman's costume was teal, that's why I say the dvd is correctly coloured version. Would love to see you review Back to the future and Indiana Jones 4k releases.
No comment on the anamorphic squeeze on the last shot?! They made the mistake on both cuts.
Apparently so. I was concentrating on the important aspects of other things too much by the end but I did spot something a little odd for those duplicate scenes from Superman The Movie. Didn't think too much about it to be honest as it's always been superfluous after the first film. A great 4K disc and don't let minor trivialities put you off. Some people who review focus on moaning about products because that generates views and therefore money.
John.
Prime days special bought for $70! Not quite $50, but not bad.
AAAAAAAAAARG!!!! That's Amazon Gary. Remember they're coming for your children in the end. Now that I've said that, maybe that's not a bad thing these days!
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Better watch out, my kids are both police and they will be packing heavy.
Great review! I am very happy they included the original stereo track on this 4k. I agree, it sounds really good for a film this old. The picture quality is amazing as well. It's feels great to have this in my collection. 👍
And it all only cost £20 Daniel. This is amazing to me. Years ago, something of this quality would have been almost impossible for home use. A 35mm print wasn't always viable and even when you did get a 35mm copy of a favourite film you had to keep quiet about it because it was illegal to own them. John.
Stil prefer Superman 1 but like this too, As for great sequels i always thought Psycho 2 was very good.
I've never seen any of the Psycho sequels Will. I didn't particularly care for Anthony Perkins but that's another story really. John.
One review I saw on these films WB screwed up the transfers on the superman films
You've got to cut some people some slack though Neil because they've never had experience of film and therefore can't really gauge why a video transfer of one film doesn't look as good as another. It's a shame though because some people will be taken in and think something is poor when most of the time what has been produced on video is of the highest quality. John.
@@moviecollector5920 they messed up on the sound on 2 and 3
@@chrisburns7979 That would explain why I thought the Dolby Atmos was substandard but it doesn't matter because the Dolby Stereo is so good. John.
Well, now this brings back memories on two counts. One being the fact that this film, and the original Superman film are definitely responsible for my almost life-long appreciation of the art of film. The second is the fact that I was looking up reviews for the earlier release of Superman The Movie on my phone, when my finger accidentally hit the thumbnail for your review. When it was over, I was so impressed with everything that I saw and heard that I subscribed immediately. And the rest is history. It would be interesting to know your thoughts on Man of Steel.
I watched Man of Steel for a second time about a year ago Timothy because I was going to watch and review the Superman v. Batman film and I actually enjoyed Man of Steel. I thought it was awful when I first saw it but I think that was because I was expecting another Superman film in the series rather than a complete remake or reboot. I'm glad I kept that Blu-ray because I did feel like slinging it out! I probably mention something about Man of Steel in the Batman v. Superman review. I then succumbed to pressure and reviewed Zack Snyder's Justice League and apart from the terrible alien villain, I very much enjoyed that too. But nothing comes up to Superman The Movie, Superman 2, Batman (1989), Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2 except perhaps for Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises which I thought was pretty terrific. John.
@Movie Collector I didn't like Man of Steel either when I first saw it. Thanks for the response.
@@moviecollector5920 I had the same reaction to Man of Steel on first viewing. But, it has become more enjoyable each time viewing it since. Henry Cavill makes a fine Superman, and I'd love to see him return, but looks like we're not going to get this.
@1165mac Henry Cavil should be James Bond, especially if the makers return to classic Bond tone and make the movies fun adventures again.
@@timothymathetes Wholeheartedly agree!
At the age of 18,l went to see this in a small local cinema in November 1980? that was renowned for the lack of a heating system. So me and my girlfriend at the time took a hot water bottle with us to keep us warm😂 but Whao, what a feeling l left the cinema with wishing we could fly home quickly for a heat,an amazing film and special effects at that time where very believable sadly modern cinema has lost that magic 😢
Cinema has certainly lost its magic James but I suppose a lot of that is down to the films they're offered to screen. Superman II was an event, a special occasion and it was in a period when cinema was one the way back. I think we saw the peak through the mid-1990's but then the downturn started towards the end of the 90's culminating in the debacle of Star Wars Attack of the Clones which was the worst quality I'd ever seen in a cinema... and there were some pretty awful examples being presented around that time. I gave up in 2005/2006 and apart from a couple of disappointing outings since then, I've only ventured out to a cinema when I know a film print is being presented. Problem solved.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Too true John Ps l forgot to mention l had to queue for an hour outside the cinema just to get a posh seat in the area known as "The Circle" think you'll know what that was lol
@@jamesoneill5810 Yes, I used to get front circle seats for opening nights at the Leicester Square Odeon. Only once did I not get into a film I queued for there and that was Crocodile Dundee. As it turned out it was just as well because we went around to the other side on Charing Cross Road and saw another little comedy called Ruthless People which was even better. Much better actually. I have never laughed so much in a cinema as that night. Happy memories. John.
the end of the 70's and early 80's were truely the last years of magic in movie business.
@@insanelook There have been exceptions though and maybe if you can get to a genuine IMAX for OPPENHEIMER then you'll re-live the sort of movie event type of occasion we used to take for granted. Now that I mention it, the BFI IMAX have INSTERSTELLAR on in the real deal 15/70 this evening and again tomorrow at about 8pm. It is sensational to see that one as it should be seen.
John.
Ok, you sold me.
Let me know what you think of it if you do get it. John.
You're my favourite reviewer on YT. All the best to you!
Hi John. I was fanatical about both films when I was a kid, must admit Superman 2 was my favourite. Totally agree with you on the sound the 2ch sounds incredible on my system, really pleased overall.
I preferred the second film at the time of original release too Danny. It's a great sequel and although I don't think it's as good as the first film, it's still great. John.
Another excellent video! Only the first SUPERMAN got Dolby Vision 12-bit color here but I agree the Donner cut of SUPERMAN II looks better than the older theatrical cut, probably because they spent the money to go over the elements. they were likely less faded then, as these film have some unavoidable fading.
Pre-1982 negative stock can fade just as well in a can without ever being used for anything Nicholas so it might not have made any difference. Having said that, a lot of film from the 1970s shows very little evidence of fade so a lot depends on the stock and how well it was processed at the time. Both versions of the film on the 4K discs in this pack look outstanding and too good for our tiny home screens. Amazing to have these films in such wonderful quality for only £20. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Yes, I know about 'Dark Fading' and am just suggesting because they got to the footage then and not recently, it might have helped. Dye-transfer prints notwithstanding, we are lucky so many films have not necessarily faded form the 1970s and earlier, but too many have. All the companies (Kodak, Ansco, DuPont, 3M/Ferrania, Agfa, Gevaert, Fuji, Svema, et al) has their good and bad color film stocks. Do you know if the first SUPERMAN had a Technicolor dye-transfer release in the U.K. by any chance?
@@nicholassheffo5723 I don't know Nicholas. If it had have done, I suspect an imbition print would have been used for the first two reels. Some Fuji and Agfa stocks from the 1970s have held up extremely well on Super 8 so it is possible there are prints of many films out there that are still good on 35mm and 70mm. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Technicolor made dye-transfer until 1978 in the U.K. versus 1974 in the U.S., but a really good Agfa or Fuji copy would be nice. I believe it was shot on Eastman Color negative of the time, but specifics are not available anywhere I looked. Still, love how they pushed the color in the first two films.
@@nicholassheffo5723 There have been other dye transfer prints in the intervening years Nicholas but I think the lab that did them has finally gone now.