People who say "Superman is boring" totally dont understand the character. Writers should be focusing on his human side despite his powers and not how alien he is despite looking like and having the same emotions as humans
Creed Bratton Same goes with people moaning about the Arrowverse, & complain that they’re trying to market it to the female teen market, & I’m thinking, no it’s called character development, and the difficulties of being a superhero & trying to have a relationship, etc. I think half the time these so called purists just want the hero to come in beat people, have epic battles, save the day and then the end. The reason I like Arrow because it’s all about the consequence of being a hero, yeah the Arrow will save the day, but a lot of his friends & family get brutally murdered along the way. To this day, Superman 1, 2 & most of 3 have always been the blueprint of every single superhero movie, not just DC films, but also Marvel movies too. The loss of power, crisis of confidence, losing a family, difficulties of falling in love, the consequence of being a hero, yeah it’s being dealt with in the comics, but it was those 3 movies that have managed to translate it on to the big screen without being hokey.
people who say he's boring are dead inside that's why it's boring. It only means the concepts of selflessness, hope, and beauty are foreign things to them and therefore boring
Of course it is. Although its painful we never got that Superman II of Richard Donner's as well. At least he told the best all-time superhero origin story which inspired every other comic book film adaptation to follow ever since however!
Nah feel Man of Steel had a better Superman. The earth-one tone and style makes for a great stand-alone an appropriate spiritual sequel to the Dark Knight
@@MGSBigBoss77 Yes, if Donner had completed Superman II, I have no doubt with would be an all around great movie. I'm sure he and his screenwriter friend would have come up with a great resolution to the movie and finalized all missing scenes with greatness. Still really love Superman II, both versions. Also, yes to me Superman (1978) and Batman (1989) set the standard for all Superhero/Comic Book origin movies to follow.
I always thought the actor that played young Clark Kent gave a great performance too. He gave a lot of gravitas to Superman’s origin.. I was 2 years old when this was shown in the theaters but saw it in a re-release in my country just before Superman II was released. My fave scene will always be his rage when Lois died and he turned back time a tad bit to save her..
The first VHS tape I bought back in 1980 was this movie. It cost 65 dollars. I have it on blue ray now and it cost 10 bucks 3 years ago. I see Amazon has the UHD version now for 25.00 but with the intended soft focus I don't think it is worth the upgrade. Price points and quality certainly have changed a bunch in almost 40 years.
Saw this at a drive in when it was released. One of the highlights of growing up for me. I remember using a tape recorder to record the music when the movie premiered on HBO. I've got most released versions of Superman & nearly every soundtrack. I just have the warmest feelings for this film. I'll definitely pick this 4K up! There are multiple super hero films released every year so it might be tough to understand what this movie meant to me. Movies didn't off much for children. Star Wars & Superman were phenomenal experiences!
Star Wars (original 1977) and Superman were by far my most watched and loved movies of my childhood. I could watch either any time and not be bored with it. What they both seemed to have that other modern movies lack are a strong sense of good over evil and inspiring people to want to be the good guy.
I do believe that Warner Bros. found a picture master of that cut when searching for the elements for the Richard Donner Cut in 2006. To quote Michael Thau, "It took a long time and a lot of hard work, but we found everything."
You could upload a video about this every day and I'd still watch it, even if it regurgitates what you've already said. Superman (1978) was a benchmark of cinema. In 1975 Jaws was released, in 1977 Star Wars came out and in 1978 Superman hit the screens. How sad I am that I missed those years, when film opened up the imagination of the world; when filmmakers challenged what could be achieved. Films just don't seem challenging anymore since the advent of CGI, one often doesn't even need to leave the studio - where's the fun in that?
I love 70's films but as a child during that era, there wasn't much to get excited about. We had Saturday morning cartoons and that was it. Going to see this was an absolute thrill!
@@jmarcguy I can kind of relate. I grew up a bookworm with little access to the TV let alone the cinema, it wasn't until I was a little older (6 - I was prodigious, that's late for prodigious kids) that I discovered film and then every year I was dancing with excitement over what was coming out next. You experienced the era that started that concept really, late 70s blockbusters showed studios how to get the audience excited for the screen again, despite everyone having a smaller screen in their home. How do you get them excited? Simple, make inspiring films.
I do feel sorry for fans, who no matter how much they love the movie, can not fully appreciate the affect of films like Star Wars and Superman having not seen them in the theater during their original release. We were, as an audience, not yet jaded by the avalanche of media inspired by these first great films. It was amazing to sit in a large crowded theater with the entire audience thunderously cheering and applauding to the exploits of our heroes on the screen.
I saw all these films plus Close Encounters on the big screen as a 6-7 year old, I like to think my parents had me knowing that I would be filled with wonder as a child watching these fantastic movies. As a middle aged man I look back and feel so blessed that my childhood coincided perfectly with these classics being released. What joy.
@@mpwheatley I most certainly envy you. I grew up during the era of VHS, but at least I got to watch these films as often as I wanted (which was often).
On Sunday September 23 2018 this film was screened in a multiplex in Piccadilly Circus, London. It was the original print from 1978 with all the black scratches and spots appearing throughout which in my opinion just added to the authenticity of the occasion. It was screened to celebrate the 40th anniversary & in attendance was the French producer Pierre Spengler along with an assistant director of the film. During a Q&A session after the screening in the auditorium I asked Spengler that did he & the Salkinds consider Steven Spielberg to direct & he said yes, but Jaws was just finished making & was due out in summer of 1974 & the Salkinds wanted to monitor the success of Jaws before hiring Speilberg. Jaws was a hit & the Salkinds than approached Speilberg, but it was too late as he had signed a multi deal which included Close Encounters of the Third Kind. If people are interested to know more about this film read "The Making of Superman", a 1978 paperback written by a David Petriou. He was a production member. It is brilliant. Just finished it last week.
Love this film, Loved Christopher Reeves, and was chuffed with this release, i dont pay full price for many discs these days but this was day one purchase, it looks superb , sounds superb, i really hope Superman Returns gets the treatment
Oliver, thank you so much for this! And I'm so glad this came up in my suggested video just now, because I randomly decided to check and see if there were any screenings here in Los Angeles, and there are a couple, one tomorrow - I'm going! Have never seen this, one of my favourite movies ever, on the big screen! Can't wait!
This is totally my most favorite movie ever made I make sure they're all four of my daughters who are now young adults and teenagers have watch these movies they can quote them we even watch them in French and Spanish I recommend trying that that's a lot of fun too even if you don't speak the languages it's a lot of fun just to see how they did the dubbing back in the day my dad actually bought the soundtrack on vinyl that and forges of the Third Kind and Star Wars so I've always had some of the audio growing up as a kid but this is by far my favorite movie of all time huge Superman fan and nobody could do Superman the way Christopher Reeve did an amazing film one of the best superhero films ever made and the very first one ever done with all seriousness taking into account all the extras and behind the scenes watching all that it's like going to film School the old school hard affects way absolutely the best movie ever made next to the Star Wars films and they all came out the same time 1978 was a very important year four films
Superman is also my all time favourite film, I had the extended TV cut on VHS (including the deleted scenes like the monsters being fed in the elevator shaft) when I was a kid and I watched it relentlessly!
Still the closest anyone has come to getting a Superman movie right. Reeve was a perfect Supes, the tone of the film was just right for the time and had that quaintness you want in a Superman movie. The mistake more recent films have made with the character is to try to "update" him with the times. But that's not who Superman is, he's not cynical or brooding. He's good personified and helps humanity because he genuinely enjoys it. Superman '78 has its flaws, some technical, some scripting, but the interpretation of the character is spot on.
Love your perspective on this new release, and it doesn't hurt that my wife and I have been talking about upgrading our television, so maybe a 4k Blu player could be pushed as an option, too. Two quick points: 1. Upon that upgrade, this will now be the 4th dip I've taken for "Superman the Movie". Oh well... If you admit you have an addiction... ;) 2. The Fathom screening we'll be catching on Sunday the 25th. This will be the first time I've seen this movie in a theatrical setting, and I can't wait!
Damn, wish it had some new content extras wise and that this transfer was downsampled to a 1080p disc, as I don't own a 4K screen yet and would love to own it. This also reminded me I hadn't imported the extended TV version on blu-ray yet, which I never got around to seeing much of via bootleg, will have to grab that at least and I look forward to it. 40 years later and to me this is still the greatest superhero film yet to be topped.
The ending always confused me; So superman turned back time, but when time turns normal, the missile should still have impacted. Case in point; Jimmy Olson comes running towards the car and complains how Superman plucked him from the Hoover dam and placed him in the middle of nowhere... But Jimmy was plucked because the dam was breaking... so if time was reversed, and the dam is okay, why was he 'rescued'? He should be still on the hoover dam which should be okay....
Superman simply stopped the Earthquake crack that originally swallowed Lois car off screen i'd take it?! The Earthquake still happened if you still listen to the radio report as it cuts off as Superman lands next to the car. He just managed to stop the crack this time round though, which is why Jimmy still recalls the events as they happened. We're to assume Superman squeezed in one more miracle save, pity if it wasn't actually filmed or not but thats the only thing that would logically explain it all, at least to me as a longtime fan of the movie.
Good job Oliver. I’ll definitely have to get this when I get a 4K tv and 4K blu Ray player. The image looks way better and I prefer the theatrical cut over the extended version, better pacing all around so it doesn’t get too boring. Update: I got the 4K blu ray today and watched it and thought it was good overall. The video and sound quality is a bit hit and miss but still probably the best the film has ever looked. The new Dolby Atmos track sounded nice and punchy even through my TCL 4K tv's built in speakers (I don't have a soundbar unfortunately).
Un gran personaje, un gran actor, una persona inolvidable. Gracias Christopher Reeve y a todos quienes nos hicieron soñar con esas películas. En especial Superman The Movie!
Hope Warner Bros will get round to a 4K ultra hd version of the 3 hour 8 min cut too but that may take a while since the blu Ray was only released back in 2017
One way to tell the original sound design. When the Kryptonian dome opens up and the light beam shines up, in the original there is no sound, in the awful remade sound design, there is a whining sound. Great video. Thanks. : )
Christopher Reeves reminds me of Sam Claffin meets James Marsden when he was younger. Whoa he was gorgeous back in the day. Fun fact his best friend was no other than the late Robin Williams. Rip Robin Williams, Christopher Reeves and Margot Kidder
to confirm things, the US pressing of the 4K release has the 2011 theatrical blu-ray as the counterpart while the UK pressings have the 2011 special edition blu-ray disk as the counterpart, 4K presentations worldwide are the same
I'm not sure about getting the 4K version yet, but the real joy for me, and I was never born when the movie came out, is seeing it on the big screen. I already have my tickets booked for the event. So this was 39 years worth the wait for me to see Superman the movie on the big screen. To see Christopher Reeve again will be a real privilege. Every child of my generation who idolized this movie should welcome it with open arms I feel.
Great review! I watched this on 4K UHD last weekend and was very impressed with this transfer. Everything was very clean and crisp. I was most impressed by the improvement in the sound quality and the color is really fantastic. I would have really liked to have seen them release a couple of new features to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the film and the 80th anniversary of Superman, but I suppose that the film has already been covered so thoroughly in features on past releases. But this is definitely a very worthy new edition for the film and well worth every cent if you have a 4K tv and 4K blu ray player. Keeping my fingers crossed, as well, that they'll eventually do 4K re-releases for Superman II, III, IV, and Returns. I'd also really like to see Tim Burton's Batman films get 4K releases with Dolby Sound even if only for the scores alone haha.
@@tylongkicks8821 Superman 3 was last good Superman Movies in Christopher Reeve Era of Superman Movies. Superman 4 is worst Movies ever made. Superman 3 is good Superman Movies Superman 4 is not.
I need to buy a 4k TV first lol. But I still remember seeing Superman at the theater when I was six and telling my mom "Wow he just takes off he does not have to run and jump" lol. I was use to watching the old Superman TV show.
This Ultra Blu-ray is sharper perhaps, but except for the yellow on Superman's costume, i find the regular Blu-ray version to be much better lit with the colours far more vibrant from the previous releases than this new; 4K treatment. And even the 3 hour TV version showed much superior colour contrasting of the blue levels in Superman's costume overall. Yeah hope for the Superman sequels to receive some treatment like this in the near future (Ultra HD Blu-ray), but hopefully the colours won't see a huge drop off or reduction in brightness quality like this however! Cheers for the insight though Oliver Harper, its always much appreciated! Will look forward to your documentary dude!
Shut up man, my widescreen TV a Pioneer alright. they specialized in home cinema output when most folks were still buying a boody; Tandy or Hitech from Dixons o.k. Mostly everyone else has recognized the fact the picture is way darker on this release than in previous versions. Its not the setup here pal as it'll only read whats there on the disc. iIs the way the film has been mastered for Ultra Blu-ray at 4K which is the problem.
Problem is, Pioneer stopped making TV's almost ten years ago now so you are watching a 4k Dolby Vision HDR with dynamic metadata on what is now a pretty old TV on a player that probably can't deal with dropping HDR to SDR. Unless people have bought their TV and source player in the last 6 months to a year or so, you will get something inferior to the 1080p Blu Ray master. I'm not saying you have a crap TV like what Phil said but the landscape has changed a lot.
You are used to oversaturated colors and an unnaturally stretched dynamic range (the brightest part of the image white and the darkest part black). The way film actually looks is different, more nuanced. So yes, for you the DVD/BluRay transfers might look "better" but it's not faithful to the original material.
Fantastic review as always Oliver Harper, one can always count on you for super reviews on films from my generation ('cough' roughly the same age 'cough') Yeah, its just a shame its the theatrical version though. Figured Donner's preferred version was the 2000 SE version however. And given last year's phenomenal 3 hour cut release, i still say a 40th anniversary boxset release was missing so as to now have every version of the film (Theatrical, Special Edition and TV version) collected into one anniversary collection boxset finally this year? Alas no sadly.
I am making the switch to 4k next month - primarily for Ghostbusters, the 4k fan restorations of Star Wars/Empire and Jedi and Superman. I trust your judgement.... And there will never be another Superman that defines the character other than Reeve.
Got the 4K Version and have Dolby Vision - watched it without them with Dolby Vision (as I’m still getting used to my Blu Ray Player settings) it’s immense in Dolby Vision - you definitely notice the difference. First time I’ve watched the Theatrical Version since I was a kid as I’ve always watched the Blu Ray Directors Cut. I now really appreciate the Theatrical Version 👍🏻
I’ve owned a 4K tv for over two years now, but I’m still watching my blu-rays on my regular PS3 and launch PS4/XOne. Really need to upgrade my players now.
I went to two screenings or the Fathom Superman 40th, the first was at a theater with better projection and you really noticed the grain in certain scenes whereas other were quite clear. The second screening was at a diff theater and the picture seemed dull in comparison but still enjoyable. The thing that disappointed me was the underwhelming sound in both theaters as I was expecting a loud immersive experience like I remembered but it seemed rather tame.
Omg! Thanks for telling us its being shown in theaters. I was born in 86, this is literally my favorite film of all time and now I can experience it on the big screen!!!
As a fellow James Bond fan, I agree. It will likely be a matter of time with Bond 25 on the way, MGM typically likes to put out new releases of the older movies around the time the current film arrives in cinemas.
I live in Metro Denver and remember seeing Superman: The Movie in December 1978 at the Century 21 theater on Colorado boulevard when I was 11. It really was a surprising film for its time.
When I first watched the 4K version I was a bit disappointed. Clarity was good in certain scenes but heavy grain is with it too. Also colours were different and obviously the whole picture was darker. That's to be expected though as HDR dims the overall picture to give you better, brighter and more colourful highlights. But the HDR wasn't well utilised, as the Superman outfit looked bland most of the time when that should have been the centrepiece where the HDR colours pop (The robber climbing the building then Supermans big red boot comes into shot was always a bright alarming red that is a statement saying he's arrived but on 4K it was dull and underwhelming) Wasn't until I put in the 1080p Blu-Ray that I saw it was a significant improvement in the detail. I guess you don't realize the differences until you actually compare it. But it's more the case of the movie in 1080p wasn't that great, rather than the 4K version being such a good transfer. Even though the colours are correct and more tightly defined I'd rather have the brightness and eye popping colours of the 1080p version. In my opinion not worth a buy especially since its just the theatrical version but for me anything Superman and especially Christopher Reeve I'll get straight away! I'm sure they'll release at least 1&2 soon which will have the extended cut. BTW watching on a Sony X930E which is still as good as any TV for HDR.
Universal pumps out the Back to the Future and Terminator Blu Rays because they're still popular and relevant. The current 20-30 somethings are 80s and 90s kids, they're more willing to buy something nostalgic, which is why that era is being exploited right now. Anything older than 40, like Superman The Movie, is caught in that grey area between "nostalgic" and "this movie is old, I don't wanna watch it".
Yep. Also, while superhero movies have been such a big thing over the last 20 years, younger people don't get Superman 78 because it has such a different tone to the Marvel/DC movies of recent times and it isn't packed with frantic action sequences and CGI effects. Superman will always be my favourite superhero movie, I don't see anything that matches it in terms of direction, writing, performance, score and outright charm.
+napabar That's how old I was when this movie changed my life. I think six is the magic number. Get all of the six year olds together and put this movie on! This has always been my favourite movie...even now. ☺☺☺
I still get shivers watching the helicopter rescue scene. Christopher Reeve inhabited the character pretty much perfectly, like no actor has before or since. While the Superman Returns film with Brandon Routh had its flaws, the representation of the character in the Superman Returns teaser trailer (with the Krypton theme music, and opening with the short image of the Kent letterbox) is on its own an amazing short of the character, and my second favourite motion picture representation of the character, with Brandon Routh, outside the 1978 film.
If I ever get a 4K tv I'll definitely get these ultra editions of the old classics. I remember you saying about the Halloween 4K blu ray and how it'll look so much better even though it's as old as this. Great video, Christopher Reeve as Superman is timeless.
I owned this on vhs, dvd, blu ray and now 4k. I wasnt impressed at first with the visual of the 4k favouring the 1080p over it though as explained on almost every review that it was originally shot intentionally to look soft for the grain to be intact, colours on first viewing appear muted though actually they are better rendered to look more natural and finally supermans outfit retains a consistant blue, red and yellow rather than the blues looking green and the yellows looking white during some of the optical effects!.. this 4k is not going to blow you away in terms of high contrast and a souped up glossy look.. its a film from 1978. I love this look and feel of the 4k. Its not leaps and bounds looking over the blu ray and you can be forgiven to think that the blu ray is better.. however the subtle changes and colour correction and the heavy grain field especially at the films opening on Krypton suggests that this is the closest visually to how it was shown at the cinema back in the day. This wasnt the best of blu rays over the dvd image either.. but I remember getting hold of this dvd over the vhs and was blown away with how good it looked. Unfortunately you wont have the same feeling upgrading from the blu ray to HDR though its certainly the best way to view the film so far and is the most faithful to the filmakers and cinema photographer
I really respect that they kept the grain - it’s very faithful to the 70s Cinema experience. The cleaned up version will probably come out in a few years on the Directors Cut
I teach English in South America and in one of the books where it talks about super powers. I point out to my younger students... notice they use an image of the newest Spiderman, the Bale Batman and yet, Superman from the 70s. Just a little proof that Reeves and the first movie are still the best and most iconic to date.
Great review Oliver as always. While it's not bad the new Superman The Movie 4K UHD Blu-Ray Disc transfer could be better. For my liking it's darker in many scenes compared to the Theatrical Cut Blu-Ray Disc that came out in the early 2010s though the improvements to Superman's Costume in color and some of the optical like the yellow S on the back of his cape look great. When the scene looked great it looks great on the 4K but when it looks bad it looks not quite right. Not the same issue with the HDR and color as the Batman 89 4K but could be better. The problems with HDR and making it not as bright it's a problem that a lot of studios go through with remasters dial everything up to 11 with HDR and make the picture too dark and add in the awful teal , magenta and orange color grade films like Terminator 1 and 2 , the Batman 4K and as I pointed in another comment on the Batman 89 4K out the old Star Wars Original Trilogy Blu-Ray Disc of the SE's suffered from this. Just make a good transfer without all that teal , magenta and orange get it to the way the director and cinematographer shot the movie. Thankfully aside from some brightness issue Superman The Movie on 4K UHD Blu-Ray looks the best it can be but I think if Warner Bros. does redo this transfer again scan it in 8K on their new 8K Scanners then release it on 4K with improve color grading.
Hopefully if they do another 4k version like the extended or the longer tv cut versions giving it a much better clarity and sharpness and if possible removing the soft filter look and bring it to a much more higher definition
5:02 Nice that it's the original Brando effect in the clouds and not the Thau redo created for the extended version. Even the bluray of the theatrical cut didn't have that.
👍Thanks for showing the image quality frames comparing BD and UHD. I'm surprised at how blown out the light levels are on the BD, especially on the S emblem on the cape. I'll be getting the UHD, even for a triple-dip!😄
Now that the original Batman films have gotten the 4K treatment, I can only hope that Superman II, III, IV, and Returns get a 4k release soon as well. Great work as always Oliver
you have great taste in movies, I was fortunate enough to see Ghostbusters at the cinema way back in 1984 and fell in love with it, Superman the first 3 were always a favourite of since since I was a kid in the 80s.
Great video this, I recently purchased this on 4k Ultra Hd disc, and I gotta say the real star of the show was the new Dolby Atmos Sound mix, I've never heard this classic movie sound so good. Kudos to Warner bros, great picture quality throughout also.
I just bought the 4K version in Germany and the included standard Blu-ray contains the theatrical cut. So the „false advertising“ only seems to be a problem in certain countries.
Thanks for the review. So what I'm trying to understand though is was 4K UHD exactly the way the film was intended to be seen, but is this 4K UHD still modified...like the colors on Superman's suit, etc? Sorry for the confusion. Since I've seen two versions of this, in addition to this one I've watched just now from the review, I can't remember if that's the 'green' color on Superman's suit in the bluray release originally looked. I know it was corrected in the 2001 edition. I personally observed that. I always did have issue with the green though. Anyways, people argue about how dated the fx are, but I disagree. The rocket chase looks almost real, but the background does look fuzzy still, but other than that, it looked real enough. No CGI. Granted, some of the effects are dated. Superman flying to Lex Luthor's lair. However, the shot I'm looking at in 7:35, is it just me or does this shot look a little more realistic in 4K UHD format? The way it originally looked before it released on VHS? I don't know.
Oliver your comments here are amazing as always. I don't think a better Superman film will ever exist, because Christopher Reeve is dead and John Williams cannot be replaced.
As a boy growing up in the 70's this was the biggest thing that happened to the world besides Jesus. Went to see it with my grandmother in a grand old movie.house. A huge line hundreds of fans waiting hours to see it. It's a terrible thing Christopher dying. Miss hearing about him terribly. This year Carrie Fisher, her mom, Margot , who I passed at a convention years back and was too stunned but to nod, Steve Ditko and now Stan the Man Lee. Very sad.
I have this on one VHS tape that was sent to all the DVD stores back in the day it was for the stores to look at the copy so that order them for people to rent but it was on tape which is kind of cool and then I have the four original movies on DVD and then I got the ultimate collector's edition which cost close to $90 and the graphics in the Arts on all the CDs are just amazing it's beautiful and then I got the Richard Donner cut an extra copy of that cuz I got it with the ultimate collection I will have to have this one even though I don't have a 4K player I still have to have the 4K version I mean my collection is not complete without it
"Still the definitive version of Superman.. Largely thank's to the late Chris Reeves who made the role his own and still to this day it's hard to imagine anyone else filling those boots so well.".. Yes, it's most difficult surpassing Reeves, that handsome SOGun, BUT.. I'm going to elect your own Brit, Henry Cavill as coming the closest yet and in my opinion is Reeves' equal lookswise and also from a portrayal ability's point of view. You don't want to view this on too, TOO large a screen now------>The larger the replay projection area, the more the increased definition effect of the higher pixel ratio is analogously nuetralized from the 4K.. There's a screen size when reached where there's no definition difference between it and viewing it 2k on a proportionally smaller screen
I didn’t think you were reviewing it in Dolby Vision but that is how I will be watching it in Dolby is better than hdr as the colors are more radiant looking so I’m anxious to see how this looks in Dolby
Agreed this is the best super hero ever made. I looked it up on Fathom events and it is showing in the Boise, ID area tomorrow and I am going to see it.
People who say "Superman is boring" totally dont understand the character. Writers should be focusing on his human side despite his powers and not how alien he is despite looking like and having the same emotions as humans
Creed Bratton Same goes with people moaning about the Arrowverse, & complain that they’re trying to market it to the female teen market, & I’m thinking, no it’s called character development, and the difficulties of being a superhero & trying to have a relationship, etc.
I think half the time these so called purists just want the hero to come in beat people, have epic battles, save the day and then the end.
The reason I like Arrow because it’s all about the consequence of being a hero, yeah the Arrow will save the day, but a lot of his friends & family get brutally murdered along the way.
To this day, Superman 1, 2 & most of 3 have always been the blueprint of every single superhero movie, not just DC films, but also Marvel movies too.
The loss of power, crisis of confidence, losing a family, difficulties of falling in love, the consequence of being a hero, yeah it’s being dealt with in the comics, but it was those 3 movies that have managed to translate it on to the big screen without being hokey.
people who say he's boring are dead inside that's why it's boring. It only means the concepts of selflessness, hope, and beauty are foreign things to them and therefore boring
Hey Creed! How's The Office?
No they just mean the new Superman is boring!
Humans suck and they are every where
RIP Margot Kidder (2018!)
SUPERMAN = Christopher Reeve
Christopher Reeve = Superman
; )
Jim Cameron amen to that, Jim.
Other actors just play Superman, Christopher Reeve IS Superman.
@James 1137 ...disrespectful. Chris is still the best superman
40 years later and this movie is still the Best representation of the character in film.
Of course, you cant improve opon brillance. There is only one Superman, and that my friends is Christopher Reeve :)
Of course it is. Although its painful we never got that Superman II of Richard Donner's as well. At least he told the best all-time superhero origin story which inspired every other comic book film adaptation to follow ever since however!
Nah feel Man of Steel had a better Superman. The earth-one tone and style makes for a great stand-alone an appropriate spiritual sequel to the Dark Knight
@@MGSBigBoss77 Yes, if Donner had completed Superman II, I have no doubt with would be an all around great movie. I'm sure he and his screenwriter friend would have come up with a great resolution to the movie and finalized all missing scenes with greatness. Still really love Superman II, both versions. Also, yes to me Superman (1978) and Batman (1989) set the standard for all Superhero/Comic Book origin movies to follow.
The only one Superman forever
I've been watching this film a couple of times this week. It truly is a masterpiece. Never gets old for me.
I remember seeing this in 1978. I was overwhelmed. Was great. Sill very beautiful stuff.
Richard Donner caught lightning in a bottle. This film is made with the upmost care and dedication to the craft.
Richard Donner should've been allowed to finish Superman 2. I've seen the Donner cut and it was good, but only about 75% his directorial footage.
This film is why I fell in love with Superman as a character. The new films have no.heart.
I always thought the actor that played young Clark Kent gave a great performance too. He gave a lot of gravitas to Superman’s origin.. I was 2 years old when this was shown in the theaters but saw it in a re-release in my country just before Superman II was released. My fave scene will always be his rage when Lois died and he turned back time a tad bit to save her..
The first VHS tape I bought back in 1980 was this movie. It cost 65 dollars. I have it on
blue ray now and it cost 10 bucks 3 years ago. I see Amazon has the UHD version now for 25.00 but with the intended soft focus I don't think it is worth the upgrade. Price points and quality certainly have changed a bunch in almost 40 years.
Wrong. The color grading or lack thereof (=picture as it looked on film) makes it worth the upgrade.
Saw this at a drive in when it was released. One of the highlights of growing up for me. I remember using a tape recorder to record the music when the movie premiered on HBO. I've got most released versions of Superman & nearly every soundtrack. I just have the warmest feelings for this film. I'll definitely pick this 4K up!
There are multiple super hero films released every year so it might be tough to understand what this movie meant to me. Movies didn't off much for children. Star Wars & Superman were phenomenal experiences!
Star Wars (original 1977) and Superman were by far my most watched and loved movies of my childhood. I could watch either any time and not be bored with it. What they both seemed to have that other modern movies lack are a strong sense of good over evil and inspiring people to want to be the good guy.
I think Ive a vague feeling how it mustve been, same with films like Terminator or Easy Rider......mindblowing !
Now WB needs to release UHD 4K Batman 1989.
Hell yeah!
2019 will be it's 30th anniversary, as well as Batman's 80th anniversary overall, so the timing would certainly line up.
Well said and pointed out fella!
GothamKnightRX superman 2 and the Donner Cut please.
And the Extended Superman II TV cut! (Seeing how the 3 hour TV cut of Superman came out in 2017 in blu-ray HD and in widescreen too!)
I don't mind the color correction and am intrigued by the original 70mm Dolby mix, but WOW those night scenes look DARK!
That's exactly what i thought but i wonder if it has to be watched in Dolby Vision in order to display the correct brightness / contrast levels.
@@steverobert1 No, that's just how the new transfer looks, it's not good
I’m still waiting for the extended TV cut of Superman II to be released.
I do believe that Warner Bros. found a picture master of that cut when searching for the elements for the Richard Donner Cut in 2006. To quote Michael Thau, "It took a long time and a lot of hard work, but we found everything."
It is on DVD
Derek Seven Are you sure you’re not thinking of the Richard Donner Cut?
Charles Teague where do you think those additional scenes came from?
With the Concorde seen too
40 years! 40 years! God i feel old. I remember fondly my mother taking me to see this during holiday break from school.
You could upload a video about this every day and I'd still watch it, even if it regurgitates what you've already said. Superman (1978) was a benchmark of cinema. In 1975 Jaws was released, in 1977 Star Wars came out and in 1978 Superman hit the screens. How sad I am that I missed those years, when film opened up the imagination of the world; when filmmakers challenged what could be achieved. Films just don't seem challenging anymore since the advent of CGI, one often doesn't even need to leave the studio - where's the fun in that?
I love 70's films but as a child during that era, there wasn't much to get excited about. We had Saturday morning cartoons and that was it. Going to see this was an absolute thrill!
@@jmarcguy I can kind of relate. I grew up a bookworm with little access to the TV let alone the cinema, it wasn't until I was a little older (6 - I was prodigious, that's late for prodigious kids) that I discovered film and then every year I was dancing with excitement over what was coming out next. You experienced the era that started that concept really, late 70s blockbusters showed studios how to get the audience excited for the screen again, despite everyone having a smaller screen in their home.
How do you get them excited? Simple, make inspiring films.
I do feel sorry for fans, who no matter how much they love the movie, can not fully appreciate the affect of films like Star Wars and Superman having not seen them in the theater during their original release. We were, as an audience, not yet jaded by the avalanche of media inspired by these first great films. It was amazing to sit in a large crowded theater with the entire audience thunderously cheering and applauding to the exploits of our heroes on the screen.
I saw all these films plus Close Encounters on the big screen as a 6-7 year old, I like to think my parents had me knowing that I would be filled with wonder as a child watching these fantastic movies. As a middle aged man I look back and feel so blessed that my childhood coincided perfectly with these classics being released. What joy.
@@mpwheatley I most certainly envy you. I grew up during the era of VHS, but at least I got to watch these films as often as I wanted (which was often).
On Sunday September 23 2018 this film was screened in a multiplex in Piccadilly Circus, London. It was the original print from 1978 with all the black scratches and spots appearing throughout which in my opinion just added to the authenticity of the occasion. It was screened to celebrate the 40th anniversary & in attendance was the French producer Pierre Spengler along with an assistant director of the film. During a Q&A session after the screening in the auditorium I asked Spengler that did he & the Salkinds consider Steven Spielberg to direct & he said yes, but Jaws was just finished making & was due out in summer of 1974 & the Salkinds wanted to monitor the success of Jaws before hiring Speilberg. Jaws was a hit & the Salkinds than approached Speilberg, but it was too late as he had signed a multi deal which included Close Encounters of the Third Kind. If people are interested to know more about this film read "The Making of Superman", a 1978 paperback written by a David Petriou. He was a production member. It is brilliant. Just finished it last week.
I was there amazing
the first and greatest superhero film of all-time. rest in peace, MR. REEVE and respect, DONNER
You should do a retrospective review of the rocky franchise
Love this film, Loved Christopher Reeves, and was chuffed with this release, i dont pay full price for many discs these days but this was day one purchase, it looks superb , sounds superb, i really hope Superman Returns gets the treatment
Oliver, thank you so much for this! And I'm so glad this came up in my suggested video just now, because I randomly decided to check and see if there were any screenings here in Los Angeles, and there are a couple, one tomorrow - I'm going! Have never seen this, one of my favourite movies ever, on the big screen! Can't wait!
This is totally my most favorite movie ever made I make sure they're all four of my daughters who are now young adults and teenagers have watch these movies they can quote them we even watch them in French and Spanish I recommend trying that that's a lot of fun too even if you don't speak the languages it's a lot of fun just to see how they did the dubbing back in the day my dad actually bought the soundtrack on vinyl that and forges of the Third Kind and Star Wars so I've always had some of the audio growing up as a kid but this is by far my favorite movie of all time huge Superman fan and nobody could do Superman the way Christopher Reeve did an amazing film one of the best superhero films ever made and the very first one ever done with all seriousness taking into account all the extras and behind the scenes watching all that it's like going to film School the old school hard affects way absolutely the best movie ever made next to the Star Wars films and they all came out the same time 1978 was a very important year four films
Superman is also my all time favourite film, I had the extended TV cut on VHS (including the deleted scenes like the monsters being fed in the elevator shaft) when I was a kid and I watched it relentlessly!
It was treated with such respect. I wish the character was treated with the same care in the more modern interpretations.
That is the key work RESPECT. The Grannys peach Piss jar scenes in Batman V Superman is an ABOMINATION.
One of the reasons that I don't like bvs
Still the closest anyone has come to getting a Superman movie right. Reeve was a perfect Supes, the tone of the film was just right for the time and had that quaintness you want in a Superman movie. The mistake more recent films have made with the character is to try to "update" him with the times. But that's not who Superman is, he's not cynical or brooding. He's good personified and helps humanity because he genuinely enjoys it. Superman '78 has its flaws, some technical, some scripting, but the interpretation of the character is spot on.
Love your perspective on this new release, and it doesn't hurt that my wife and I have been talking about upgrading our television, so maybe a 4k Blu player could be pushed as an option, too.
Two quick points:
1. Upon that upgrade, this will now be the 4th dip I've taken for "Superman the Movie". Oh well... If you admit you have an addiction... ;)
2. The Fathom screening we'll be catching on Sunday the 25th. This will be the first time I've seen this movie in a theatrical setting, and I can't wait!
Damn, wish it had some new content extras wise and that this transfer was downsampled to a 1080p disc, as I don't own a 4K screen yet and would love to own it.
This also reminded me I hadn't imported the extended TV version on blu-ray yet, which I never got around to seeing much of via bootleg, will have to grab that at least and I look forward to it. 40 years later and to me this is still the greatest superhero film yet to be topped.
The ending always confused me;
So superman turned back time, but when time turns normal, the missile should still have impacted.
Case in point; Jimmy Olson comes running towards the car and complains how Superman plucked him from the Hoover dam and placed him in the middle of nowhere...
But Jimmy was plucked because the dam was breaking... so if time was reversed, and the dam is okay, why was he 'rescued'? He should be still on the hoover dam which should be okay....
Superman simply stopped the Earthquake crack that originally swallowed Lois car off screen i'd take it?! The Earthquake still happened if you still listen to the radio report as it cuts off as Superman lands next to the car. He just managed to stop the crack this time round though, which is why Jimmy still recalls the events as they happened. We're to assume Superman squeezed in one more miracle save, pity if it wasn't actually filmed or not but thats the only thing that would logically explain it all, at least to me as a longtime fan of the movie.
Good job Oliver. I’ll definitely have to get this when I get a 4K tv and 4K blu Ray player. The image looks way better and I prefer the theatrical cut over the extended version, better pacing all around so it doesn’t get too boring. Update: I got the 4K blu ray today and watched it and thought it was good overall. The video and sound quality is a bit hit and miss but still probably the best the film has ever looked. The new Dolby Atmos track sounded nice and punchy even through my TCL 4K tv's built in speakers (I don't have a soundbar unfortunately).
All 4 superman movies plus the donner cut of 2 to be released in a 4K collection on April 18
Looking forward to it! The blu-ray was a mixed bag but the new 4k restoration looks great
Un gran personaje, un gran actor, una persona inolvidable. Gracias Christopher Reeve y a todos quienes nos hicieron soñar con esas películas. En especial Superman The Movie!
Hope Warner Bros will get round to a 4K ultra hd version of the 3 hour 8 min cut too but that may take a while since the blu Ray was only released back in 2017
I hope so! The extended versions of 1 and 2 were terrific and would be worth the extra splurge
One way to tell the original sound design. When the Kryptonian dome opens up and the light beam shines up, in the original there is no sound, in the awful remade sound design, there is a whining sound. Great video. Thanks. : )
Christopher Reeves reminds me of Sam Claffin meets James Marsden when he was younger.
Whoa he was gorgeous back in the day. Fun fact his best friend was no other than the late Robin Williams.
Rip Robin Williams, Christopher Reeves and Margot Kidder
to confirm things, the US pressing of the 4K release has the 2011 theatrical blu-ray as the counterpart while the UK pressings have the 2011 special edition blu-ray disk as the counterpart, 4K presentations worldwide are the same
I'm not sure about getting the 4K version yet, but the real joy for me, and I was never born when the movie came out, is seeing it on the big screen. I already have my tickets booked for the event. So this was 39 years worth the wait for me to see Superman the movie on the big screen. To see Christopher Reeve again will be a real privilege. Every child of my generation who idolized this movie should welcome it with open arms I feel.
Yeah, I got my tickets too yesterday. Can't wait for November 27.
Great review! I watched this on 4K UHD last weekend and was very impressed with this transfer. Everything was very clean and crisp. I was most impressed by the improvement in the sound quality and the color is really fantastic. I would have really liked to have seen them release a couple of new features to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the film and the 80th anniversary of Superman, but I suppose that the film has already been covered so thoroughly in features on past releases.
But this is definitely a very worthy new edition for the film and well worth every cent if you have a 4K tv and 4K blu ray player. Keeping my fingers crossed, as well, that they'll eventually do 4K re-releases for Superman II, III, IV, and Returns. I'd also really like to see Tim Burton's Batman films get 4K releases with Dolby Sound even if only for the scores alone haha.
Witt2687. Yes at least SUPERMAN 2 + BATMAN (incl. Dolby Atmos remix!) on UHD and i am 110% sure next year is BATMAN 30th anniversary (1989!) = UHD
Superman 3 and 4 are God Awful.
@@tylongkicks8821 Superman 3 was last good Superman Movies in Christopher Reeve Era of Superman Movies. Superman 4 is worst Movies ever made. Superman 3 is good Superman Movies Superman 4 is not.
@@tylongkicks8821 yes true but 2 is ok
@@jimcameron1234 Superman 2 was good. I like Zod. Superman 3 was trash except for the Junkyard scene. Too much slapstick comedy with Richard Pryor.
I need to buy a 4k TV first lol. But I still remember seeing Superman at the theater when I was six and telling my mom "Wow he just takes off he does not have to run and jump" lol. I was use to watching the old Superman TV show.
This Ultra Blu-ray is sharper perhaps, but except for the yellow on Superman's costume, i find the regular Blu-ray version to be much better lit with the colours far more vibrant from the previous releases than this new; 4K treatment. And even the 3 hour TV version showed much superior colour contrasting of the blue levels in Superman's costume overall. Yeah hope for the Superman sequels to receive some treatment like this in the near future (Ultra HD Blu-ray), but hopefully the colours won't see a huge drop off or reduction in brightness quality like this however! Cheers for the insight though Oliver Harper, its always much appreciated! Will look forward to your documentary dude!
You must have a crap tv or its not set up correctly
Shut up man, my widescreen TV a Pioneer alright. they specialized in home cinema output when most folks were still buying a boody; Tandy or Hitech from Dixons o.k. Mostly everyone else has recognized the fact the picture is way darker on this release than in previous versions. Its not the setup here pal as it'll only read whats there on the disc. iIs the way the film has been mastered for Ultra Blu-ray at 4K which is the problem.
Problem is, Pioneer stopped making TV's almost ten years ago now so you are watching a 4k Dolby Vision HDR with dynamic metadata on what is now a pretty old TV on a player that probably can't deal with dropping HDR to SDR. Unless people have bought their TV and source player in the last 6 months to a year or so, you will get something inferior to the 1080p Blu Ray master. I'm not saying you have a crap TV like what Phil said but the landscape has changed a lot.
You are used to oversaturated colors and an unnaturally stretched dynamic range (the brightest part of the image white and the darkest part black). The way film actually looks is different, more nuanced. So yes, for you the DVD/BluRay transfers might look "better" but it's not faithful to the original material.
Who do they get to design the packaging for these releases. Both this and the extended TV cut have covers that look thrown together.
Great review. I saw this movie in the theatre during its original run in the 70s and yes I believed a man could fly
Fantastic review as always Oliver Harper, one can always count on you for super reviews on films from my generation ('cough' roughly the same age 'cough') Yeah, its just a shame its the theatrical version though. Figured Donner's preferred version was the 2000 SE version however. And given last year's phenomenal 3 hour cut release, i still say a 40th anniversary boxset release was missing so as to now have every version of the film (Theatrical, Special Edition and TV version) collected into one anniversary collection boxset finally this year? Alas no sadly.
I am making the switch to 4k next month - primarily for Ghostbusters, the 4k fan restorations of Star Wars/Empire and Jedi and Superman.
I trust your judgement.... And there will never be another Superman that defines the character other than Reeve.
Got the 4K Version and have Dolby Vision - watched it without them with Dolby Vision (as I’m still getting used to my Blu Ray Player settings) it’s immense in Dolby Vision - you definitely notice the difference. First time I’ve watched the Theatrical Version since I was a kid as I’ve always watched the Blu Ray Directors Cut. I now really appreciate the Theatrical Version 👍🏻
I’ve owned a 4K tv for over two years now, but I’m still watching my blu-rays on my regular PS3 and launch PS4/XOne. Really need to upgrade my players now.
I went to two screenings or the Fathom Superman 40th, the first was at a theater with better projection and you really noticed the grain in certain scenes whereas other were quite clear. The second screening was at a diff theater and the picture seemed dull in comparison but still enjoyable. The thing that disappointed me was the underwhelming sound in both theaters as I was expecting a loud immersive experience like I remembered but it seemed rather tame.
I want the TV cut of 2 and 3 and the full 134 mins of 4, come on Warner’s
Omg! Thanks for telling us its being shown in theaters. I was born in 86, this is literally my favorite film of all time and now I can experience it on the big screen!!!
I want a Bond UHD Collection complete with new transfers made rather than using the transfers the current Blu-Ray collection has
As a fellow James Bond fan, I agree. It will likely be a matter of time with Bond 25 on the way, MGM typically likes to put out new releases of the older movies around the time the current film arrives in cinemas.
I want 2 women sucking my cock at the same time but I doubt it will ever happen. Hope this clears things up
Thanks for the in-depth analysis (as opposed to the typical “unboxing” video, which isn’t as helpful)
I live in Metro Denver and remember seeing Superman: The Movie in December 1978 at the Century 21 theater on Colorado boulevard when I was 11. It really was a surprising film for its time.
When I first watched the 4K version I was a bit disappointed. Clarity was good in certain scenes but heavy grain is with it too. Also colours were different and obviously the whole picture was darker. That's to be expected though as HDR dims the overall picture to give you better, brighter and more colourful highlights. But the HDR wasn't well utilised, as the Superman outfit looked bland most of the time when that should have been the centrepiece where the HDR colours pop (The robber climbing the building then Supermans big red boot comes into shot was always a bright alarming red that is a statement saying he's arrived but on 4K it was dull and underwhelming) Wasn't until I put in the 1080p Blu-Ray that I saw it was a significant improvement in the detail. I guess you don't realize the differences until you actually compare it. But it's more the case of the movie in 1080p wasn't that great, rather than the 4K version being such a good transfer. Even though the colours are correct and more tightly defined I'd rather have the brightness and eye popping colours of the 1080p version. In my opinion not worth a buy especially since its just the theatrical version but for me anything Superman and especially Christopher Reeve I'll get straight away! I'm sure they'll release at least 1&2 soon which will have the extended cut. BTW watching on a Sony X930E which is still as good as any TV for HDR.
Universal pumps out the Back to the Future and Terminator Blu Rays because they're still popular and relevant. The current 20-30 somethings are 80s and 90s kids, they're more willing to buy something nostalgic, which is why that era is being exploited right now. Anything older than 40, like Superman The Movie, is caught in that grey area between "nostalgic" and "this movie is old, I don't wanna watch it".
Yep. Also, while superhero movies have been such a big thing over the last 20 years, younger people don't get Superman 78 because it has such a different tone to the Marvel/DC movies of recent times and it isn't packed with frantic action sequences and CGI effects.
Superman will always be my favourite superhero movie, I don't see anything that matches it in terms of direction, writing, performance, score and outright charm.
My 6 year old loves the 1978 Superman. I expose him to the classics.
@@will_it_work Great. We need some youngsters to appreciate this film.
+napabar
That's how old I was when this movie changed my life. I think six is the magic number.
Get all of the six year olds together and put this movie on!
This has always been my favourite movie...even now.
☺☺☺
Best Superman Actor ever, rip. Christopher Reeve and Margot Kidder
Great review, Oliver. Love your work.
I still get shivers watching the helicopter rescue scene.
Christopher Reeve inhabited the character pretty much perfectly, like no actor has before or since.
While the Superman Returns film with Brandon Routh had its flaws, the representation of the character in the Superman Returns teaser trailer (with the Krypton theme music, and opening with the short image of the Kent letterbox) is on its own an amazing short of the character, and my second favourite motion picture representation of the character, with Brandon Routh, outside the 1978 film.
Still the best Superman movie. RIP Christopher Reeve.
If I ever get a 4K tv I'll definitely get these ultra editions of the old classics. I remember you saying about the Halloween 4K blu ray and how it'll look so much better even though it's as old as this. Great video, Christopher Reeve as Superman is timeless.
best superman movie still to this day.
Waiting for the whole boxset so I can watch quest for peace in all its 4K glory .
Man. I love hearing you speak about a film you are really passionate about. Good job :
I owned this on vhs, dvd, blu ray and now 4k. I wasnt impressed at first with the visual of the 4k favouring the 1080p over it though as explained on almost every review that it was originally shot intentionally to look soft for the grain to be intact, colours on first viewing appear muted though actually they are better rendered to look more natural and finally supermans outfit retains a consistant blue, red and yellow rather than the blues looking green and the yellows looking white during some of the optical effects!.. this 4k is not going to blow you away in terms of high contrast and a souped up glossy look.. its a film from 1978. I love this look and feel of the 4k. Its not leaps and bounds looking over the blu ray and you can be forgiven to think that the blu ray is better.. however the subtle changes and colour correction and the heavy grain field especially at the films opening on Krypton suggests that this is the closest visually to how it was shown at the cinema back in the day. This wasnt the best of blu rays over the dvd image either.. but I remember getting hold of this dvd over the vhs and was blown away with how good it looked. Unfortunately you wont have the same feeling upgrading from the blu ray to HDR though its certainly the best way to view the film so far and is the most faithful to the filmakers and cinema photographer
I really respect that they kept the grain - it’s very faithful to the 70s Cinema experience. The cleaned up version will probably come out in a few years on the Directors Cut
I teach English in South America and in one of the books where it talks about super powers. I point out to my younger students... notice they use an image of the newest Spiderman, the Bale Batman and yet, Superman from the 70s. Just a little proof that Reeves and the first movie are still the best and most iconic to date.
The Christopher Reeve Superman is STILL THE BEST! I LOVE this movie!
Great review on the 4K Blu-ray fim, Oliver! Thank you! :)
Excellent review! One of my favorite movies ever. A classic. Glad to see the property owner treating it with respect.
I was very lucky to see this presentation on the big screen when it was reissued in 2018.
Great review Oliver as always. While it's not bad the new Superman The Movie 4K UHD Blu-Ray Disc transfer could be better. For my liking it's darker in many scenes compared to the Theatrical Cut Blu-Ray Disc that came out in the early 2010s though the improvements to Superman's Costume in color and some of the optical like the yellow S on the back of his cape look great. When the scene looked great it looks great on the 4K but when it looks bad it looks not quite right. Not the same issue with the HDR and color as the Batman 89 4K but could be better. The problems with HDR and making it not as bright it's a problem that a lot of studios go through with remasters dial everything up to 11 with HDR and make the picture too dark and add in the awful teal , magenta and orange color grade films like Terminator 1 and 2 , the Batman 4K and as I pointed in another comment on the Batman 89 4K out the old Star Wars Original Trilogy Blu-Ray Disc of the SE's suffered from this. Just make a good transfer without all that teal , magenta and orange get it to the way the director and cinematographer shot the movie. Thankfully aside from some brightness issue Superman The Movie on 4K UHD Blu-Ray looks the best it can be but I think if Warner Bros. does redo this transfer again scan it in 8K on their new 8K Scanners then release it on 4K with improve color grading.
That's wonderful to hear. Definitely gonna keep an eye out for that 4K version (and the select screenings which are coming soon here).
Hopefully if they do another 4k version like the extended or the longer tv cut versions giving it a much better clarity and sharpness and if possible removing the soft filter look and bring it to a much more higher definition
I remember seeing it on vhs and on blu ray and hope see it again in 4K saw it a few years ago and it looks incredible in 4K
I see it in London 2 months ago with directors model makers present to ask questions was amazing to see in its original 45mm print
Owen wilson2 you mean 35mm, right?
5:02 Nice that it's the original Brando effect in the clouds and not the Thau redo created for the extended version. Even the bluray of the theatrical cut didn't have that.
👍Thanks for showing the image quality frames comparing BD and UHD. I'm surprised at how blown out the light levels are on the BD, especially on the S emblem on the cape. I'll be getting the UHD, even for a triple-dip!😄
But ..... is it the 3 hour version shown on ABC channel in USA or just the 2 hour DVD version again?!? 😕
3 hour ver.
Now that the original Batman films have gotten the 4K treatment, I can only hope that Superman II, III, IV, and Returns get a 4k release soon as well.
Great work as always Oliver
Oliver Harper. I was not surprised because the UHD was planned for 2018 (40th!) + Schindlers List
Will you be doing a review of the 4K releases of Superman 2-4?
you have great taste in movies, I was fortunate enough to see Ghostbusters at the cinema way back in 1984 and fell in love with it, Superman the first 3 were always a favourite of since since I was a kid in the 80s.
40 years on and still the best superhero movie of all time ( apart from Tim Burtons Batman )
Bet Elvis wouldve loved it as well as Halloween '78
That's a fact and still greatest Superman Reeve and Lex Hackman
My fave movie of all time, I become a child again every-time I see it. Take my money now. Cant wait to watch this on the 60 inch 4K TV
Great video this, I recently purchased this on 4k Ultra Hd disc, and I gotta say the real star of the show was the new Dolby Atmos Sound mix, I've never heard this classic movie sound so good. Kudos to Warner bros, great picture quality throughout also.
Already purchased my tickets for the Anniversary!!!
Glad your going too. I cant wait to go next sunday. Enjoy the movie. Im really excited.
Saw it in the theater in 78. I was 11. I was in awe. Still am.
Such a classic, i love the film and i love the Superman character....especially when played by Chris Reeve !
I just bought the 4K version in Germany and the included standard Blu-ray contains the theatrical cut. So the „false advertising“ only seems to be a problem in certain countries.
Hrrrr. While the color correction on Superman's suit is welcomed, it seems to've come with a HUGE brightness trade-off. Donner himself approved this?
Is the blu ray included the same as the past releases, or is it like the 4K Batman 1989 set where the normal blu ray was also remastered?
I have the anthology on Blu-Ray and even found Superman II The Richard Donner Cut on HD-DVD
Thanks for the review. So what I'm trying to understand though is was 4K UHD exactly the way the film was intended to be seen, but is this 4K UHD still modified...like the colors on Superman's suit, etc? Sorry for the confusion. Since I've seen two versions of this, in addition to this one I've watched just now from the review, I can't remember if that's the 'green' color on Superman's suit in the bluray release originally looked. I know it was corrected in the 2001 edition. I personally observed that. I always did have issue with the green though. Anyways, people argue about how dated the fx are, but I disagree. The rocket chase looks almost real, but the background does look fuzzy still, but other than that, it looked real enough. No CGI. Granted, some of the effects are dated. Superman flying to Lex Luthor's lair. However, the shot I'm looking at in 7:35, is it just me or does this shot look a little more realistic in 4K UHD format? The way it originally looked before it released on VHS? I don't know.
What's happened to fix it in post?
He cancelled it because it wasn't getting consistent viewing numbers, also he parted ways with Richard/Duncan.
Oliver your comments here are amazing as always. I don't think a better Superman film will ever exist, because Christopher Reeve is dead and John Williams cannot be replaced.
As a boy growing up in the 70's this was the biggest thing that happened to the world besides Jesus. Went to see it with my grandmother in a grand old movie.house. A huge line hundreds of fans waiting hours to see it. It's a terrible thing Christopher dying. Miss hearing about him terribly. This year Carrie Fisher, her mom, Margot , who I passed at a convention years back and was too stunned but to nod, Steve Ditko and now Stan the Man Lee. Very sad.
I have this on one VHS tape that was sent to all the DVD stores back in the day it was for the stores to look at the copy so that order them for people to rent but it was on tape which is kind of cool and then I have the four original movies on DVD and then I got the ultimate collector's edition which cost close to $90 and the graphics in the Arts on all the CDs are just amazing it's beautiful and then I got the Richard Donner cut an extra copy of that cuz I got it with the ultimate collection I will have to have this one even though I don't have a 4K player I still have to have the 4K version I mean my collection is not complete without it
"Still the definitive version of Superman.. Largely thank's to the late Chris Reeves who made the role his own and still to this day it's hard to imagine anyone else filling those boots so well.".. Yes, it's most difficult surpassing Reeves, that handsome SOGun, BUT.. I'm going to elect your own Brit, Henry Cavill as coming the closest yet and in my opinion is Reeves' equal lookswise and also from a portrayal ability's point of view.
You don't want to view this on too, TOO large a screen now------>The larger the replay projection area, the more the increased definition effect of the higher pixel ratio is analogously nuetralized from the 4K.. There's a screen size when reached where there's no definition difference between it and viewing it 2k on a proportionally smaller screen
The grain was there in the theater. I'm really old. Hahaha!
What? Nobody told me! Quick, my amazon basquet !
I didn’t think you were reviewing it in Dolby Vision but that is how I will be watching it in Dolby is better than hdr as the colors are more radiant looking so I’m anxious to see how this looks in Dolby
Agreed this is the best super hero ever made. I looked it up on Fathom events and it is showing in the Boise, ID area tomorrow and I am going to see it.
I gotta say the way Oliver feels about this Superman movie is almost verbatim how I feel about the first Spider-Man movie starring Tobey Maguire.