It is hard to imagine what cinema today would be like if it wasn’t for the 1978 classic, “Superman: The Movie”. The film changed the way people thought of comic book movies and it changed the way films were made on a whole. Full disclosure, “Superman: The Movie” is one of my favorite movies of all time so it is my job to tell you why I feel so strongly about it.
Believe it or not, I never grew up being a big comic book fan. I had watched old episodes of “Wonder Woman”, “Batman”, “The Incredible Hulk”, and “The Adventures of Superman” from time to time on tv but I never really read the comic books or kept up with the characters. I couldn’t tell you the difference between DC or Marvel if I had to. Then the great animated tv shows of the 90s hit airwaves. I was hooked on comic books after that. I became a nerd, and I loved the nerdy discoveries I was making. One of those discoveries was “Superman: The Movie”.
“Superman: The Movie” was so unique and revolutionary that it still captivated audiences forty years after it release and it’s easy to see why. I love the opening monologue of the film. The curtains peel back and we see a vintage Superman comic book being read outloud by a child and already you have goosebumps! The. The camera zooms into the Daily Planet and the movie transports you there right before the epic title cards zoom out at you. From the first few minutes, the movie feels like something totally different. It makes you feel like an actual comic book coming to life.
The story is a basic adaptation of the origins of Superman. Mario Puzo of “The Godfather” fame wrote the first draft of the script and you can feel his influence. Puzo understands complex family dynamics and Superman has some of the most complex dynamics someone could ask for. The film was also famous for being one of the first movies to shot a sequel back to back with it. Richard Donner, hot off of “The Omen”, took on the ambitious task of filming not one, but two, massive blockbusters together. The task didn’t work out too well for him but he did deliver an amazing film (and most of the sequel). Filming the movies together did help make a perfect setup for “Superman II”.
The film had the perfect blend of action, romance, comedy, and drama. It literally had something for everyone. The film had a great mix of different fashions from different eras and an Art Deco city design to give the film a timeless feel. This is all set to one of the best scores ever. John Williams once again created an instantly iconic score right after his work on “Star Wars”.
Of course the film’s main positive aspect is it’s cast. Rarely has a film with such iconic characters been cast so perfectly. Of course, Christopher Reeve ‘was’ Superman both on screen and off. The man became an inspiration and his screen presence was undeniable. Reeve remains the best Superman to date. Margot Kidder portrayed a smart and independent Lois Lane whose chemistry with Reeve was the highlight of the film. There was a sweet and innocent quality to their romance. Gene Hackman shines as Lex Luthor. His scenes with Ned Beatty are humorous and menacing all at once. Lastly, Marlon Brando lends his screen presence to the role of Jor-El in one of his more tender screen roles.
It’s really easy now for people to write this film off as old or dated because it’s forty years old, but this film only gets more charming with age. The tag line for the film read “You will believe a man can fly” because no one believed it could be done convincingly on screen. Well, the filmmakers managed to pull it off and if you watch this movie, you will believe a man can fly as well.
Grade: A+
The film had the perfect blend of action, romance, comedy, and drama. It literally had something for everyone. The film had a great mix of different fashions from different eras and an Art Deco city design to give the film a timeless feel. This is all set to one of the best scores ever. John Williams once again created an instantly iconic score right after his work on “Star Wars”.
Of course the film’s main positive aspect is it’s cast. Rarely has a film with such iconic characters been cast so perfectly. Of course, Christopher Reeve ‘was’ Superman both on screen and off. The man became an inspiration and his screen presence was undeniable. Reeve remains the best Superman to date. Margot Kidder portrayed a smart and independent Lois Lane whose chemistry with Reeve was the highlight of the film. There was a sweet and innocent quality to their romance. Gene Hackman shines as Lex Luthor. His scenes with Ned Beatty are humorous and menacing all at once. Lastly, Marlon Brando lends his screen presence to the role of Jor-El in one of his more tender screen roles.
It’s really easy now for people to write this film off as old or dated because it’s forty years old, but this film only gets more charming with age. The tag line for the film read “You will believe a man can fly” because no one believed it could be done convincingly on screen. Well, the filmmakers managed to pull it off and if you watch this movie, you will believe a man can fly as well.
Grade: A+
No comments:
Post a Comment